Page 18 - HIWT Summer 2015 World of Welding

Troop 1 Boy Scouts earn their metal working and welding badges at

Assabet Valleys Vocational School

With the advent of AWS
partnering up with the
BSA, a new welding
merit badge program
has emerged for scout
to learn, and earn their
badge in welding cutting
of metal.

Assabet Valley metal
fabrication students
approach Mr. Mansfeld
and said hey thats what
we do here at Assabet
we weld things together
Southborough and Assabet students and JROTC Cadets So on Februarys school
While our country is in a pattern of record snowfall, frigid temps break this year, over 20 Assabet Valley metal fabrication and USMC
and massive snow storms turning New England states into frozen JROTC cadets alike showed up at 7:30 am on the eve of yet another
artic barren landscapes. However, this winter hasnt dampened winter New England snow storm and worked until 4:30 PM, while
the spirits of Assabet Valleys students. This month of February our snow was falling outside and pilling up, they were teaching boy
metal fabrication and USMC JROTC cadets alike from Assabet scouts how to be safe in a metal shop , learn how to operate an
Valley Vocational High School , once again volunteered and gave up Oxy/acet torch safety, learn how to cut ½ plate using a Oxy/acet
their school vacation day to help BSA troop 1 from Southborough, cutting torches, learn how to set up a GMAW welding machine,
Massachusetts earn their metal working and welding merit badges. produce basic welding joints using the GMAW process, how to
use the proper PPE gear while working in a
welding shop, and develop basic knowledge of
common electrodes, also, scouts learned basic
identifcation of metals, and above all careers
and employment opportunities in welding, and
sheet metal trades. With BSA s new welding
badge program, young scouts will get an
opportunity to learn what welding is all about,
and even perhaps enter into a vocational
High School welding program for their high
school education journey, completing a four
year certifcate in welding and then enter into
tomorrows work force all by using welding
as a gainful employment opportunity. To all
scouts thinking about signing up to earn their
metal working badge I say, be adventurous,
try something new, learn how you can make
a connection by using your mind and your
hands, and above all, have fun while making
some sparks, you might just want to continue
building things out of metal and making them
come together using a thing we call welding.

Mr. Mansfeld is a vocational welding/ sheet
metal teacher, a retired US Navy Chief, CWI/
CWE a NYC third generation Iron worker,
General Dynamics Electric Boat welder, metal
artists, and a lifelong learner. You can see Mr
Mansfelds students work and successes on
his web site under Neils students work.

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