I must admit, I wasn't looking forward to this one at first - all loud noises coming from strange and dangerous machines... but I ended up really enjoying it!
As part of the induction, we learnt how to join metal together in four different ways, shown in the photo to the left.The two strips of metal on the left were joined by riveting, where a hole was drilled through both strips before a solid fastener (the rivet) was placed through and expanded by being walloped with a hammer.
The strips of metal on the right were joined in the process of spot welding where the metal surfaces were first fired with grit to remove the paint, then stuck with heat under pressure of electricity from a machine. (Or something like that...)
The name-plate at the back involved gas welding. A flame was used to make the metal cherry-red before a molten ball of metal is gently pushed along the edge. Copper wire (I think it was copper?) was on the side in case it needed to be used.
Finally, the little metal tube was stuck to its base by brazing which is one-step up from soldering since the temperature is higher. A flux powder mixed with water was painted onto the base and bottom of the tube, and the metal is then heated to above its melting temperature so they fasten together before cooling.
We were then given free roam to experiment a bit! I used the cutting torch (for which you need the dark goggles!) to cut out shapes before smoothing them down on the sanding belt. I also drilled a hole in one so a ribbon could be threaded through.
In case you can't tell what they are, it's the Assassin's Creed and the Deathly Hallows symbols.
So all in all this morning has been a lot of fun! (Though my head does hurt a little now.. all those banging hammers and motored machines...)
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