Tinker Shop Day 4

On Thursday, Tinker shop put their newly acquired skills to use working on their own projects. Students are designing a range of 3-d prints, garments, coding expeditions, and everything in between. Everyone go to be creative and move outside of their comfort zone!

Tinker Shop Day 2

Today we keep working on our arcade game. After that we brought them to dining hall during lunch. We collected a lot of valuable advice and suggestions. We realized that for our plinko game, we need to build edges around the game to prevent the ball falling out. For game Cross Cup, we need to work on the stability of x-bow, because it sometime works and sometime not. After exhibited our game, we started investigating on 3D design. We use the software tinker card to design our product. After that we will use the 3d printer to print our product out. (Anthiny W.)

Tinker Shop Day 1 - Cardboard Arcade

Today significant efforts are put in to produce cardboard arcade games. Classical good old day memories including plinko (Hayden, William, Anthiny), pinball (Jocelyne, Fluke, Ben), table hockey (Prompt, Liam, Jerry, Sean), mini pool (Zach, Bri, Nont), crosscup TM (Max, Aiden, QC). Great shout out to out DJ Ben (20 stars out of 5 stars, woohoo) Fundamentals of 3D printing are introduced, we printed pool balls, prototypes, plinko, and hockey pucks. Remember to follow Hayden for the photos :) All the above will be displayed tomorrow in the small side of the cafe during lunch. Come and support! (by Max)

Projects!

Project Week 2022

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!

New Hampton School Tinker Shop 2016

Check out this video slideshow of the Tinker Shop Group hard at work inside and outside all week!

Tinker Shop Day 4: Putting the Pieces Together

The Tinker Shop group had another productive day in the woodshop and on Pilazzi Field. In the morning session, the group split in half with one group assembling Adirondack chairs and the other group chipping brush and splitting wood at Pilazzi. By days end, 5 chairs in total had been assembled and also primed to be painted Husky Green tomorrow. Each member of the group got an opportunity to assemble a chair and all of them came out sturdy and comfortable.

 

"Work day today. I went up to Pilazzi field in the morning with several other students to help chop/split some wood there. Since most of the snow melted yesterday, it was really muddy today (and Anthony got his shoes and socks soaked by wearing shorts and sneakers, not expecting the road condition). In the afternoon we worked in the wood shop. We assembled some chairs which we prepared the wood for before, and painted them in white. Looking forward to seeing our final products!" 
-Yeva Y. '16

Finishing touches on chairs tomorrow and picnic table building!

Trucks, Trackors, and "Timber!": Tinker Shop Day 3

It was a beautiful day in New Hampshire and the Tinker Shop group took full advantage to get work done outside. The group split in two for the day, each getting a session on logging and heavy tractor operating. The students each got an opportunity to drive and operate large tractors, as well as learning to split and chip wood. It was a full day outside in ideal 60 degree temperatures, finishing well after 3:00 pm with hosing down the tractors. The group embraced the challenges of operating tractors and large equipment throughout the day!

"This morning we learned how to operate heavy machinery. We started by watching short videos on safety. Then we went to the blood property and learned how to properly drive and operate the tractors. Next we learned about and did work with saws, leaf blowers, spring weed trimmer and power broom. After lunch we worked on splitting wood and cleaning brush that we brought to the chipper. " Eli C. '18

"Today we worked  at Pilazzi field clearing the brush back, we did this because when soccer season starts it's easier to find the balls than go into the woods. After we cut the brush down we put it into a wood chipper. Later in the day we got to use the rtv, tractor, and backcoe. We learned how to operate these machines safely and flawlessly. After we used them we learned how to clean and grease them when we were finished." Austin C. '18

Tomorrow we move to the painting and assembling of the chairs!  Bring clothes you don't mind getting some "Husky Green" paint on!

Productivity Reaches a Maximum: Tinker Shop Day 2

The Tinker shop group hit the ground running on day 2, with eyes set on building 6 Adirondack chairs and 8 tires rotated by days end. The automotive group changed the tires and changed the oil on two New Hampton School pickup trucks throughout the day. The wood-shop group took the bull by the horns and was pushing saws to wood by 9:00 AM and exceeded expectations on the day.  The group cut, rounded, and sanded pieces for 6 sets by days end. Grinding away at manual labor in the garage and the wood-shop for multiple hours produced tangible results.

"Today in tinker shop we learned how to use multiple tools in the workshop. We leaned how to use a bandsaw, router, sander, and table saw. With all of the tools we were making chairs so people can use them around campus. My personal favorite thing to use was the router because it gave the wood a nice finishing touch before it was done. We also learned about safety on how to use these tools and ended being very efficient. It was a good day at work. " 

- Michael K.

Early Recognition: The entire group has been efficient and productive thus far, blowing away the expectations of faculty and maintenance. However, a few have stood out on the first two days:

Wes Narewski and Anthony Tur. Both Wes and Anthony have a passion and natural ability in the wood-shop and garage. Each have proven to be leaders in their respective groups and have embraced challenges in the Tinker Shop.

Tomorrow we head outside to clear trails and cut down trees! Bring your hard hats!

Tinker Shop Gets Their Hands Dirty on Day 1!

The Tinker Shop project students dove right into hands-on work on Day 1. The students split into two groups, one focusing on automotive trade skills, and the other working in the wood shop. In the automotive garage, the group made repairs on small engines (lawnmower, leaf blower) and also took a look at a car engine. The wood shop group handled large saws and sanders as they began working towards their goal of 9 Adirondack chairs by the end of the week!

"Today we dove in to the world of engineering. Although most of us lacked experience in this field, we were all eager to learn. We are now able to fix and repair engines from lawnmowers to cars. Not just engines, we also were taught the small things like replacing the oil in the vehicles, replacing dead light bulbs. Overall, today was a crucial day for us students to learn and develop into young men and woman. " - Jakov Novak '16

"Today in Tinker shop, my group learned how to use four different saws used to cut and shape wood to make chairs. We started out by tracing the pieces and then using one of the saws to cut them. We then used a saw that helped us shape the pieces, or we used a table saw to cut the straight pieces. We then sanded the pieces and used another saw to round the edges and corners. I feel like today was a very productive day as we cut the pieces for 3 chairs. " - Ty Turgeon '16

Back at it tomorrow! Bring your lunch pail!

What We Learned in Tinker Shop

Marco: Throughout Project Week my group, Tinker Shop, was exposed to the variety of jobs that the maintenance staff complete on a daily basis. In working under the supervision of Dana and David, we sought to learn a practical application of woodworking: the installation of windows. Undoubtedly, this was the most interesting thing that we learned all week. Although learning maintenance on a car was fun and enticing, it was the most difficult. There are so many components to a car/truck and each model is different, creating some degree of confusion for me. Lastly, the most applicable thing I learned was how to change the oil and tires on a car. This is something I foresee myself doing in the future whether it is on the side of the road or in my garage.

Kaitlyn: The coolest thing that I learned during Project Week was how the heat works in Pilalis, Meservy, and Lane. I went into the boiler room in Pilalis and saw how big it was and how much energy it took to heat each building. The hardest part of the week was the mechanic part and learning about cars. There are so many more parts than I thought there were, and it is a very complex machine. Things that I will use in the future are the carpentry skills that I learned. Learning how to use the table saws and nail guns were very useful because if I ever want to build something by myself I will know how to! Project Week was very fun and it put me out of my comfort zone by doing things I had never done before.

Becca: The main reason I picked Tinker Shop for Project Week was because I signed up late and it was my only remaining option. In all honesty, I had no idea what "Tinker Shop" was. Once I started to be involved in the activities, this amazing project provided numerous life lessons. These lessons would be essential to know throughout life regardless if it was the past, present, or most importantly the future. My favorite activity was driving around the tractors and handling the power tools. I truly believe that this was the most fun all week. I enjoyed handling and playing around with these objects. The hardest part of the week was the mechanic part. Although this module was the most important in my mind. When my car breaks down, or my tire pops, or even if I need to change my filter or oil, I will now know how to. I can pass this extremely important knowledge down to my friends and family members that are not aware of this information. I am very excited that I went out of my comfort zone to learn new and useful skills that will be very important in my life.

Jon M: Throughout Project Week in Tinker Shop I learned many skills that I believe I will use later in life. By far the most interesting thing I learned was the process of making maple sugar. We went to local sugar shacks around New Hampshire where we talked with the owners. One difficult thing was driving the heavy equipment, mostly because I did not want to break anything. All the skills I learned throughout the week I believe can be used later on in life and I am thankful for doing this project.

Mark: The coolest thing I learned throughout the week was how to use the power tools in the wood shop. The hardest thing I learned how to do was maneuver my way under the car to get the oil so I could change it. I almost got stuck trying to change it, which was not fun. I will use the general tools and abilities I learned through out the week to help me later in life, such as cutting wood at the right angle and length. The week was a blast and I loved every second of it.

Guthrie: My favorite part of the week was working in the wood shop. We learned a lot about the tools that you need to use and how to be safe. The most difficult part for me was driving all the machines. I have never driven a machine with a gas pedal before, so that was an interesting experience because I was scared I was going to crash an expensive piece of equipment. The most useful thing I think is the automotive teachings. Having to rotate my tires and change the oil are things that I will have to use later in life and so it is good I know how to do it.

Maurice: The most fun thing I learned to do was using the woodshop tools and building windows and the picnic tables. This was the most fun because working with powerful, dangerous tools is always fun. The most applicable skill was working with cars and learning to change the oil and such because I will use those for my whole family's cars. Overall it was a fun and good week that I will take things from.

Christian: Tinker Shop was a blast this year. I really liked how we got to drive the machines that they use throughout the day. The hardest part was using the saws because I was nervous and didn't want to hurt me or anyone else. What I will take away from all this, and probably use the most, will be changing the oil and tires. All in all this was a great week.

Cole: The most important and coolest part of my week was learning how to use power saws and nail guns and also learning how to use some heavy machinery like the snow plows and wood splitters. The hardest part of my week was making the picnic tables and cutting the wood at the right measurements and angles. The one thing that I learned that is very important and is going to be most applicable going forward is the use of some handy tools like the saw and hammer and the use of power tools and how those work and how to use them properly. Now I can be a little more handy around the house.

Charles: The coolest thing that I did over project week was changing the oil on a car. This is a very useful skill and it was also cool to see how the car worked. The hardest thing was cutting trees with the trimmers because it wasn't that fun, and therefore pretty hard. The most applicable thing I learned was how to go maple sugaring; this is a cool skill to know if I ever want to do it myself.

Tinker Shop Day Three

Today our three groups rotated to their final instruction segments for the week.

Guthrie L summed up the automotive group's day:

"Today my group did the automotive section of tinker shop. At the beginning of class we went over the different parts of the engine. After that we topped off the basic fluids in the engine such as windshield wiper fluid and antifreeze. We used the jack to lift up the truck. Then we changed the tires. To do that we used a compressed air gun. Once we took the tires off we checked the pressure and rotated them. Then we put them back on. We changed the oil and the filter underneath the car. Then we changed the air filter under the hood. We checked the oil and transmission fluid levels and then we took the truck down of the jack. Then we vacuumed and washed the inside and power washed and scrubbed the outside. We did all those things to both trucks. That was our day."

Neil C added that 

"GM vehicles are difficult to work on and that he has a true appreciation for what the garage staff accomplishes on a daily basis."

Tinker Shop Day Two

Day Two of Tinker Shop was electric. And gas powered. And most of all, fun.

The three groups rotated today when the automotive group moved into the woodshop, the woodshop group transitioned to outdoor grounds, and the outdoor group shifted gears to the automotive section.

The outdoor and grounds group started their day with a slideshow and videos that covered a variety of material. Included in the presentation was a chainsaw safety video, pruning techniques, a tool selection video, and a PowerPoint of New Hampton's grounds and required maintenance. At the end of the presentation the group moved outside to do a prune walk around campus looking for certain trees that met the criteria. They looked out for overlapping branches and dead limbs on Norwegian Maples, which the students can now identify by bark and limb structures.

This group finished the day by operating the machinery and working on a snow removal system. Students operated the back-hoe, plow, and tractor to help the grounds crew.

The automotive group began with instructions on tools and then got dirty. The students in this group collectively jacked up and rotated the tires on two New Hampton work trucks, changed the oil, brake, and transmission fluids, replaced washer fluid and antifreeze, and even washed the truck's interior and exterior.

Mark and Luke, two students in Tinker Shop, had this to share about their automotive experience:

"In Tinker Shop our group worked with mechanics Jim and Steve. We leaned the basics of cars and how they function. They taught us the basics of the engine and how it functions. Also we learned how to change and replace a car's tires, which seems easy, but is not. It takes lots of time and effort and there are many different techniques used. We also learned how to change the oil in a car, how to change the air filter, windshield wipers, and many other things. It takes a lot of time and effort to be or become a mechanic, and we are glad we learned the fundamentals because it was very interesting and could help us later in our lives."

The third group worked in the woodshop today. Garrett and Alex described their day:

"Today in Tinker Shop, group three worked in the workshop replacing windows. We learned how to successfully remove old windows, cut and make trim, safely use a nail gun, table saw, a router, and how to fit the new window. To replace the window, we had to cut pieces of wood at an angle to make the trim. Next we had to line the window with caulk, which Marco took the lead on. After Marco sealed the trim, we placed the new window and nailed it in with the nail-gun. All and all, great day at the workshop for group three."

This group utilized the miter-box to create the angle cuts and worked well as a team as the day went along. There was a sense of competition that drove this group into a fun and productive day.

Day Two is in the books, and the students look forward to tomorrow. 

Tinker Shop Kickoff

Bvvvvv! Zippppp! Wam! Wam! Wam!

A torque wrench tightens lugnuts on newly rotated tires. A saw rips through a 2x4 (which the students found out was not actually two inches by four inches). The students take turns pounding nails efficiently with their new and improved technique. These are the sounds as Tinker Shop 2015 opens. The students are much better at making these sounds with their new skills than the blogger is at attempting to type them.

Day 1 started with the group of 17 being broken into three groups. One group started with automotive, one with forestry and outside activities, and the third group spent the day in the woodshop.

The automotive group started their day with learning about safety in the garage. There was a description of different tools used on different parts of the cars led by Steve, the head of the garage at New Hampton. Then the group got down to business. They started by jacking up one of the campus work trucks, and needless to say, the students were jacked-up. After elevating the car with the main jack, they placed two additional jacks underneath the jacked up side for extra safety. When placing these jacks the students made sure to only have their arms under the car and not their head.

As the wheels were in the air, things got rolling. The students took off, put back on, and rotated the tires of two trucks utilizing the torque wrench, ratchets, and jacks. They then learned the importance of the car manual which displays exactly what kinds and amounts of fluids that need to be replaced. After replacing and refilling essential liquids, the students learned to check the lights and fuse boxes.

Marco S., one of the students in the automotive group said, "I now feel comfortable in changing my cars tires as well as its oil!"

One of the other groups was based in the woodshop. This group was headed by Dana and Dave.

Maurice F. described the day: "It was a group of six guys, and before we started working, we did some test runs with all the tools just to get a feel for them. Then we went to work. Our job was to replace some of the windows in the maintenance shed. We put up two windows and did a frame of wood for one of those. We cleaned up the wood shavings and that was the end of the day."

While the day may sound simple, the process was complex. The students in this group cut trim to angles and worked as a well oiled machine. At the end of the day they knew Dana and Dave's backgrounds to go with their multitude of knowledge on the tools of the woodshop. They now know the basics of an array of complex tools. The students measured, cut, nailed, trimmed, planed, and sanded all in the course of a day. The excitement and pride was obvious after their finished work. What had seemed like a daunting task was transformed into a sense of accomplishment.

Guthrie L., a member of this group, was especially excited to operate the nail gun. Louis R. was "pumped to get a little dirty." Neil C. was intrigued that Dave, one of the leaders, was a carpenter after he worked for NAPA and reflected on people's unique paths to New Hampton.

The third group was outside almost the entire day. They started outside learning the safety practice of the tools and machines they would soon operate. By mid-morning the group had gone from nervous novices to proficient operators of many tools. These included weed whackers, power brooms, pruners, and motorized pole saws.

Then came the heavy-duty equipment. The group watched a tree get cut down with the chainsaw, learned to split wood with the wood splitting machine, and how to start small engines. The second half of the day was dedicated to operating machinery, including a snow removal machine, a small tractor, and even the New Hampton back-hoe. At one point there were three student driven machines that were effectively working together to aid in snow removal. Two tractors dumped snow on the pavement and the plow pushed it away. The group went from fearing the machines to becoming one themselves.

Day one is in the books and the students are excited to switch gears tomorrow.

Learning to Tinker

Welcome to the Tinker Shop Blog! This will be a space where the daily events of the Tinker Shop project will be recorded and discussed.

The Tinker Shop project will be broken into several different sections. These sections are forestry, automotive, woodshop, carpentry, and an internship day. Students will learn the importance of safety in all areas. They will also learn the basics of automotive repair and maintenance, how to proficiently and safely utilize power tools, how to identify and distinguish trees, and many other skills.

These different sections will be led and taught by members of the New Hampton School maintenance staff. Students will not only gain the skills in which to work effectively in the different fields demonstrated, but they will also gain a further appreciation for how much work the maintenance and grounds crew accomplishes.

The project will culminate with an internship day in which the learned skills will be put to the test. Students will prune trees, change oil on cars, and participate in construction projects on campus. There will also be nightly activities for our students on campus. Check back soon for finalized schedules.

Students are already getting excited as this is sure to be a unique and rewarding experience for everyone. See you in the shop!

Tinker Shop Day 4

Today in Tinker Shop the group worked to complete the hoop house tables. We finished the assembly and learned how to use a sander. The group stained all of the tables in order to increase their longevity and ground down the metal tops in order to set them into the table. We had a very productive day in the shop!