Day 5: Tinker Shop Exceeds Expectations for the Week

Entering the week, the expectations were for the Tinker Shop group to build 6 Adirondack chairs, learn automotive skills, and learn landscaping basics. However, by week's end the group had built, primed, and painted 8 Adirondack chairs and built 2 picnic tables. While the group learned automotive skills such as changing oil and changing a tire and landscaping skills such as chipping and splitting wood, they also took the opportunity to learn plumbing basics (specifically soldering pipes together.

It wasn't all difficult manual labor throughout the week, as the group also had some fun with driving tractors, playing "blowerball" and driving the RTV. It was a successful week inside the garage and woodshop, as well as outside on Pilazzi Field and Blood property.

 

 

"This week in tinker shop was extremely educational and productive. We started off making the ADK chairs, while the other half of the group learned about basic engines, changing tires and servicing cars. Then we went to palazzi field and split wood and used the wood chipper. Later that day we went to the Blood Property and got to use the tractors, backhoes, leaf blowers, weed whackers and power brooms. This day was the highlight because I had never driven a tractor before and it was so much fun. The next day we went back to the ADK chairs to assemble and prime them, then the next day we painted them. We also made picnic tables on the last day. Over all, this was a very fun project and I learned a lot about carpentry and basic mechanics, a great experience in general."
-Conor C. '18

 

Overall, the week in Tinker Shop was a huge success. The collaboration on projects between students, project leaders, and the maintenance staff was flawless. The students came out of the week informed about various trade skills and developed a comfortability using multiple tools. The tangible results showed as well, building 8 beautiful chairs and two picnic tables. A HUGE thank you goes out to Dana, Dave, and the entire amazing NHS Maintenance Staff! It was a pleasure working with all of you throughout the week!