Homeschool Saturday

Mr.M · January 30, 2021, 06:12 AM

Today we are hosting a few different families from a couple local homeschool coops for an intro to manual machining focusing on the lathe. We have a dozen kids coming that will get to machine a small aluminum candle holder. We also have a 13lb pork butt I split in half and put on the smoker for dinner tonight. Hopefully it will go well. We have done "shop days" for 5-6 years off and on but they have always been wood projects and the last two years a basic welding project. One of the other dad's in the homeschool group we are in is a machinist as well so he helped me setup for it and will be helping teach it.

RobertELee · January 30, 2021, 06:30 AM

Awesome!!

Smit · January 30, 2021, 06:37 AM

Quote from: Mr.M post_id=5357 time=1612015959 user_id=64Today we are hosting a few different families from a couple local homeschool coops for an intro to manual machining focusing on the lathe. We have a dozen kids coming that will get to machine a small aluminum candle holder. We also have a 13lb pork butt I split in half and put on the smoker for dinner tonight. Hopefully it will go well. We have done "shop days" for 5-6 years off and on but they have always been wood projects and the last two years a basic welding project. One of the other dad's in the homeschool group we are in is a machinist as well so he helped me setup for it and will be helping teach it.

That's very cool.

I'm not sure but I don't think many high schools have any machine shop classes now so a grass roots method to introducing kids to machining is awesome.

Mr.M · January 30, 2021, 06:49 AM

We are targeting a broader/younger age group as well. Set a guideline age of 9- up for this one but any can observe. My goal has been to at least let kids see what some of these blue collar jobs may include. Like I am not a great or even good welder, but if I can expose them to the process and in interests them, they can pursue it further.

Mr.M · January 30, 2021, 03:45 PM

The day went great! We had a successful day with no injured kids 😁 There was a lot of interest in another class so I guess we will keep it up 😊

CNCAppsJames · January 30, 2021, 07:38 PM

That's awesome! We are in DESPERATE need of new blood in the industry/trades.

Rstewart · January 30, 2021, 08:44 PM

That's very awesome of you to do that for the younger generation. Need more people interested in making things!

Mr.M · January 31, 2021, 06:42 AM

Sounds like we are going plan a mill class next. Anyone got ideas for a 1st mill project on a Bridgeport? I am thinking I can have them make me a full set of T-nuts 😁

Jim at Gentex · February 01, 2021, 05:49 AM

Wow...that's a great idea!

My grandkids are home schooled and I would love to see cool opportunities like that for them.

James is spot on as well.
Our industry is dying a slow death due to lack of younger people becoming aware of those opportunities and receiving that kind of training.

I have also been saying for years that I thought it was a big mistake for our county Vo-Tech schools to move away from the skilled industrial trades, now we have a shortage of machinists, welders, carpenters, plumbers, etc...

The kids can still take the service industry courses like Cosmetology, Horticulture, and Food Service, but the skilled industrial trades are not being taught at the high school level at all any more, which is sad.

Surface · February 01, 2021, 06:04 AM

OT: I still make reference to a fellow machinist about a comment he made 30 years ago.

Our shop was hosting a field trip from a local elementary school. Proceeding the the children's arrival, the shop resonated with curse words as this craftsman chased a tight-tolerance.

As the children gathered around his workstation, the machinist lifted his head from the dial-indicator he was using to inspect his most recent attempt and with a big smiles says, "Look kids, Right on the money!"

pmartin · February 01, 2021, 06:45 AM

Cudos Mr M. It's never too early to pique a child's interest.