Page 18 - Summer 2014 World of Welding

THE WORLD OF WELDING http://www.welding.org

NEW ENGLAND STUDENT fabricating parts out of tungsten, tantalum and molybdenum.
These are the metals with the greatest heat resistance.
(Continued from page 17) Whereas iron and steel start to feel the heat even at 1600
degrees Celsius, these temperatures leave the materials I
work with cold. When welding tungsten I have to put the parts
My name is Ethan in a clean room. A clean room is a giant cube of Plexiglas®
Purinton. I’m 18 years that is pumped with 100% argon only. There are gloves to wear
old and I am a senior that allow me to get my arms and hands on the inside of the
in the Metal Fabrication clean room. I use a 500 Miller Syncrowave® welder with a ¼”
shop at Assabet Valley 2% thoriated tungsten. The temperature reached to melt this
Regional Technical element is 6,400 degrees Fahrenheit. After it cools, it is pulled
High School in Marlboro from the clean room and ready for use. I just love working at
Massachusetts. My this company, because I am learning all of the time and people
favorite part about are so helpful to me. I plan on TIG welding tungsten as long
the shop is welding. as they want me to work. Welding is my passion and I know
Whether it is GMAW welding will help me have a happy life.
(MIG welding), SMAW
(stick welding) or GTAW My message to other young people who are pursuing welding
(TIG welding) -- I could as a career is to work hard, learn as much as you can from the
do it all day and never older people, have fun with welding, and try your best because
ever get bored. My some day it will pay off. I am a good example of how welding
preferred type of welding has changed my life.
is TIG welding. I really
like being able to control
the heat amperage and control how much filler wire I use. Neil Mansfield, AWS CWI-CWE® is the lead metal Fabrication Teacher
at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School, U.S. Navy Seabees
Chief Retired, a blacksmith-artist, and an industrial welding and
I do plan on continuing to work in this trade after high school. sheet metal worker. He is a graduate of Hobart Institute of Welding
Welding is my passion and I intend to keep that fire burning. Technology. Visit Neil’s metal creations at www.mansfieldmetalart.
I started working at a local company. My job consists of

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