monday 22nd october

we started metalwork this morning in the Fas workshops. we got started by getting to know different tools and we were shown how to salder two pieces of metal together.
we cut off two pieces of a copper pipe. we made one end of the copper pipe expand so the other end would fit in. we put flax on it to hold it together and put it in a vice. i used a blow torch to heat it and leave it cool. i repeated this a number of times for practice.
we also silver saldered which is the same just using silver salder and you don't need flax. the copper turns red hot and you have to leave it cool as before.

thursday 11th october

everyone was trying to get pieces finished today as we were being assessed. i started with the 2 main pieces of wood for the CD holder. they had to be measured and sawed to size i also repeated one of my earlier pieces as it was not accurate. i finished up and we will be returning to the workshops in 4 weeks time.

monday 8th october

another assessment started today. garry and tony chatted to us about more health and safty .... because there was an acident in the class!!! :o)
we were then given a plan to make a cd holder. we got 4 identical pieces of wood and measured out the pieces to the correct measurements. most of the work involved manual handeling rather then using the machines! i sawed the piece and used the morticer and got the two stands made for the cd rack.

thursday 4th october

pressure was on as all the pieces had to be finished. i used my tome well and thought i would get each piece finished........ but i had to tidy my pieces up using different instruments including the sharp CHISELS!!!!! i had to finish my pieces a half hour early for a trip to the hospital for 6stiches!!!!!!!

monday 1st october

we started our first assestment which is making 3clamps. we were shown the clamps already made by Garry. we were each given the pieces we needed and shown how to use the drill, mortoicer and ban saw!! i started by marking out each piece and followed the measurements from the examples and the photocopy sheet. i got measuresd, drilled and used the morticer on all my pieces on monday.

monday 24th september

our second day we were given a sheet with eight different excercises and got started straight away! the excercises showed measurements and we had to measure and cut the wood to suit. we also had to plane down the wood to make it smooth.
Garry showed us all how to sharpen the blades for furture use.

workshop first day!!

When we arrived at the workshop Tony and Gary sorted out what work bench we would be using. this work bench will be shared with someone else in our course. We were told of all the health and safty rules.
We went through each tool that we would be using and how to use it. we got to see all the different equipment used there and we got a full tour of the building to see what goes on .