Welding at the Skills Armory is in full swing. We have had several projects in the shop for Welding 2 & 3 students, which have included building breaching doors for the Nebraska State Patrol, trash can covers for Lexington Parks and Recreation, and repairing of the school’s irrigation units for the practice football and soccer fields. The Nebraska State Patrol came in early April and demonstrated to members of the Welding and Automotive classes breaching doors on crime scenes. They also discussed age restrictions to become a patrolman, the training they are required to take, and the opportunities for employment at the Nebraska State Patrol. The local newspaper covered this event and it went viral in the state newspapers. At the end of the presentation the Nebraska State Patrol took possession of three doors that were built to their specific specifications.

Senior members of the welding classes have toured Orthman Manufacturing where they learned about manufacturing farm equipment, opportunities for employment, and tuition assistance from Orthman Mfg. Special thanks to Becky, Scott, and Oscar at Orthman’s for this great opportunity.

Welding 1 & 2 students have also been working on SMAW welds in the horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions. They have also been working on oxy-acetylene cutting exercises to cut parts to tolerances, washing operations, and gouging. To explain washing operations the process is cutting the head of a bolt, nut, or rivet off material without damaging the base metal below it. This process uses the principal of latent heat that is a science principal. Gouging is removing limited amounts of steel from a part so a weld can be placed effectively on the material to make a solid joint.

We have other activities planned the few weeks of school that are left that includes plasma arc cutting and carbon arc gouging and cutting.

Keith Nielson, Welding Instructor

Skills Armory-Lexington High School