Monday to Wednesday wrap up

On Monday i finished off my drawing of the Carry All and then started to get all my timber that we all prepared on Friday and began marking out. Before i started marking out i had to measure the width of the timber and then planed it down to size. basically for the rest of the day i spent marking out because there was alot to do. i had to be very precise because since we are using German Dovetails if onewas out of whack the whole side or ever the whole Carry All could be out. so Paul made sure that we all took our time and to do a good job.

Tuesday we started cutting out and everything was going well. Paul ripped this hell crazy Japanness saw and i had to say it's probbaly the best hand saw i've ever used. it's funny because now Rob wants one so he can pretent to be a street urban nija. Anyway i used the Japanness saw for the rest of the day. we worked in the workshop right up untill lunch and when we got back we went into the libery teamed up and researched industral glues. me and Rob teamed up and researched two part adhesives. Rob decided that we should research arladite and it worked out well. Rob looked up the technical side of the adhesvie such as the chemical make up and i look up how it basically works, how to apply, what to use it on and the safety part of using the adhesive. Afterwards we went back into the workshop untill afternoon smokeo and when we got back we gave our presentations. I've gotta say that me and Rob rulled everyones asses with our presentation. I spoke about what i had found and just the basic use of the adhesive and then Rob came on second and blow everyones ass away with the most intricite detailed talk about the chemical make up of arladite.

Today we spent putting together the Carry All and it was all going very well untill i had to whack on the base. i marked out the base well, cut it out well and it even connected well with the ends but put the whole thing together and there are gaps everywhere. i spent most of today shaving a little off here chizelling off a little there but in the end i was about to explode so i've moved on and cut out the handles. then i used the circular saw to cut out the ends and now all i have to do is to plane it down chizel a hole where the handel gose through, work on the gaps, make a little tray and i'll be done. easier said then done. tomorrow it better be easier.

Friday with John

Today we finished off our brown paper drawing. i had to finish off one of the angles and then label all the measurements. after i had done that i finished off the cutting list with the notes attached. then John showed us how to the Retracting saw and told us to be carfull otherwise we would end up like Rodeny. the poor barsard cut his thumb off only the skin was holding it to his hand he's got it stiched on but still that's pretty F#@&ed up.

Once we had our pieces cut we got these clamps ready and then John showed us how to use the biscuit machine. there's nothing to it, just turn the sucker on and push it into the timber. we then got the glue and biscuits put them into the slots that we made with the biscuit machine, put the two piceses together and then whacked them in the clamps. i think that we're gonna leave the timber in the clamps untill Monday i think.

I printed off my self analysis on the saw horse and i feel that it's a pretty honest opinion on how i went. then Rob wrote down the construction sequence and i typed it out and handed everyone a copy so we are all up to date on that part of the portfolio.

Starting New Project

Today i spent the final touches onto my saw horse before i finished it. as soon as i had done that everyone was called into the withdraw room so that we all came together to complete our portfolio on the saw horse project. that took right up to smokeo and when we came back we started on our new project.

The new project that we are on now is the carry all. it's a wooden toolbox. this project i think i am going to enjoy more because we can put in our own designs with certain this. such as how many tabs we want to make and how big we want to make the sliding top.

We talked about the basic design before we started drawing it up and that is where i'm up to at the moment. i've finished the first two angels i just have to finish the third one wack in the dimentions and then i can start on making the carry all.

Finishing the Saw Horse

Yesterday was the worst day at TAFE because i spent all day cutting and recutting the tops of the legs because i was beveling it wrong time and time again. I was getting hell fustrated because i would think that i would finally get the cut right and after i cut on the bevel line it would be wrong. Today when i got back i had realised what i was doing wrong and with all my practise cutting the legs over and over again i had cut the legs i five seconds flat and the next thing i knew i had almost finished the saw horse.

The best thing about today though is that when i had cut the groves out of the spreader so i could fit the legs in they fit perfectly. I didn't have to plane down the tops of the legs or alter them in any way. I was proud of that.

Back to TAFE

For the first part of today we spent trying to remember what it was we did and lernt the last time we were here. It didnt take long before everything came back to us all and then we were discussing what we were going to be doing this time round at TAFE. After smokeo we went straight in to the workshop and started on our saw horses from before. I hell loved it today because the last time i was here my sawing skills hell sucked but today i was kicking ass. I've got all my legs done now all i have to do is to cut some slots into the bearer and whack it all together and i'm done. There's probbaly a little more then that but we've got untill Wednesday afternoon to finish so it shouldn't be much of a drama. I can't wait untill tomorrow to get in and work on our saw horses and get them done.

Friday's wrap up

At the very beginning of the day me and Rob began and finished our picture presentation. it took us right up to smokeo to complete and felt that we did a great job. it was very informitive and was time well spent.

After smokeo i got into our saw horse project and i discovered that i have excellent plane skills which i'm very proud of. i only got to start marking and cutting the legs. but when i was cutting the legs i found that my cuttings skills have improved. which is great because if they were as bad as they were last week i would have struggled.

After Tafe today i'm gonna buy a tennon saw so can practise at home so when i come back to Tafe next time i won't feel like i'm behind the others. i think that my cutting is my only weakness but i'm sure that it won't be for long.

Thursday

Today we started off by continuing on with drawing up our saw horse. it took half the day to finish which included doing a bit of hypotenuse and doing up a cutting list. during that time Tim Oliver came and spoke to use about what he does and what we were gonna do with him after lunch.

Tim started out by putting on a slide show but it didn't work and neither Paul or Tim could figure it out. so we all crammed around the laptop and watched a demonstration that was done by apprentises in Perth and it was hell good. we all then basically chose our partners out of a hat and then started to construct our short picture film. me and Rob got put together and had to do a power plane.

Me and Rob did a pretty discriptive job on our layout and once we were done we got a camera and the planes and started taking pictures. i think that we did a pretty good job and now all we have to do is put it on the computer and chuck on the audio with a couple of captions and we're done.

Thursday

Start of the saw horse project

Today we started off by getting into a group and disscussing what we needed to do to get around planning for our project. what i wasn't ready for was the amount of planning and the amount of consideration we needed to focus on. some of the things were about OHS, the steps of planning, metirals used, tools used and having to be aware of our workplace surroundings.

We did a lot of planning and brainstorming and got a fair bit done before lunch. when we got back we went into the workshop and got a lengh of butchur's paper from a role and a drafting board. we stuck the paper on to the board and started to draw up the saw stool. Paul showed us what to look for when we were drawing up and then we just drew for the rest of the day. the two angles that we were drawing was the side elevation and the plan view.

Tuesday with Jim

Today we start6ed off with the naming of tools and equipment. me and Rob bought our books today which cost $181 which sucked balls. we did that for most of the day because we couldn't really do much more because we are going to start a new project. the reason for that is Bernie was coming in with Gemma who is the woman from the apprentise board and each of us had to have a quick conversation and sign something. that brought us up to lunch time.

When we got back there was a bloke called Jim how spoke to us about fire extingishers. in lasted for about two hours but it was well worth it. Jim was very passionate about fire and how to contain them. he told us difgferent stories about people getting burnt and how they could of prevented it. Jim was very good value because of his knowlage on the subject and the carisma he had. we then went outside and Jim showed us a demonsration which was pretty interesting and then we went back inside for a mini test.

i think that the fire extingish program was the best thing of the day and now i know if i'm gonna get one it should be a white powder fire extingisher. me and Rhys were talking before and Jim has convinsed both of us that maybe we should get one for ourselves especially for our cars.

Monday's wrap up

Today we started with using tools and equipment. we had to fill out the practical carpentry book 1 and 2. we just had to lable what the tools where and there are a lot of chizels and different planes that we all didn't know.
We then went to the libery and split up into groups i went with Greg and Daniel. we did a presentation on e-beams and feel that it went well. although Rob had a different opinion but screw him.
Afterwards we went to the workshop and basically spent the rest of the day doing joins. Bernie paid us a visit just to see how we were going and what we thought of the cause so far. he also mentioned that he was coming back tomorrow with this chick from the apprentiship company so she can check up on us to see that everything is going well.
We are now doing the bloggs and afterwards we are going back to the workshop to continue with our joins. then i think we will be done for the day.

Today's summary

Today we had another full day in the worshop. I was getting stuck in and finnished the two half joins from yesterday and did pretty well. The final half joinwas the dovetail and i must of pulled some magic from my ass because i got it right first time and it was next to perfection. The shoulders were a little out but besides that it was pretty good.

Then i moved on to the housing joins and was feeling godd because i was closing in on Rob but when i got to the Touge housing join it put mu world into darkness. The F#$@ing thing was not working for me but by the third attempt it did get better and Paul reluckently put me onto the Through Bridel and the Mited bridel. I still have to finish that one but it's looking good.

The only thing that was bugging my ass was my sawing. Yesterday i was bad and then got really but today i just couldn't get it perfect like yesterday. It did get better but i want to perfect it so it makes my job easier. I think that my maring out is very good thoiught all i need to do is to get better with my hand skills.

Wrap up of the day

Today we had our first day of workshop and i loved it. i had to go home and get some jeans on first and then come back and get straight into it. At first i totally sucked man i couldn't cut straight which pissed me off because i marked out hell good. But then Paul gave me some hell good tips and by my fith attemped my cuts were clean and i passed. We were in the workshop most of the day and i only did three joins but i hell loved improving each time i had another attempt. So i feel that today was probbaly my best day at tafe so far because i totally sucked at something and by the end of the day i feel that i've come along way.

Sequence of the workshop today

Today we had our first day in workshop and this is what we did in sequence.
Step 1: We first go our plan
Step 2: Then we went over and choose our timber
Step 3: Once we got to our work bench we marked the face side and egde
Step 4: Then we marked our timber according to our plan
Step 5: After that we placed our timber into our vices to make the timber secure
Step 6: We then started sawing into our timber along the marks we drew
Step 7: After we chizeled what needed to be chizeled
Step 8: Then we showed the finished product to Paul
Step 9: Once Paul approved our work on the join we went onto the join and so on...

The safety that we had to be aware of when we were in the workshop.

-We always had to wear safety glasses, steel capped boots and jeans when we are in the workshop. Me and Rob have to tie our hair back as well
-We need to make sure that we use the chizel and saw correctly so we don't injure our selves
-We always needed to make sure that the floor was clear of loose objects to avoid tripping up and snapping our ankels

Wrap up of the day

Today we started off with a bit a maths and i loved it. Then Bill came from Perth to show us what a Blog is and how to set up a gmail. Then we set up a Blog and stuffed around with making our own style of Blog right up untill lunch. After lunch we did a mini test to find how each of us learn. We either learn by hearing, seeing and actully get hands on with what we learn. I'm a hands on dude. Then we talked about communtcation a bit then did a bit about what employers look for in an apprentise and what an apprentise should strive for. Finally we did a bit on problem solving and team work which we build a base for the excerise.

25 to life with no perole

Team work- teamwork is when a group of inderviduals work togerther in harmony to acheive a common goal

Five words for team are- respect, responsability, co-operation, sharing and participation

Me, Rob and Daniel worked as a team to construct a base to hold 2.6L of water. we worked well as a team but unfortunatly our end product suck because the legs weren't straight and the whole thing collapesed. The other team kick our ass.

What employees want

The three people interveiwed for this audio where Steve Cook, Ray Hall and Rod Slater. These three people have excelled within their trade and have taken on hundreds of apprentises between them. They have a great knowlage of what they think makes a good apprentise which comes from many years in their trade and are willing to take about what those qullities are.

From listerning to all three people they do all seem to have the same ideas of what makes a good apperntise which are: To have a good attitude, clean appearence, well motivated, honest, respectable, have the desire to learn the trade, be flexable, show enthusiasim, put in good effort and to have maths and english skills which will allow you to cope with the trade that you wish to pursue.

These quallities i think are shared by most employers and quite a few of them have been mentioned by Berie Lafferty and my boss Nathan Vander Weilen. Telling both me and the other apprentise what they are looking for when we both rock up to the work site day after day.