Benson Polytechnic High School - BluePrint Yearbook (Portland, OR)

Page 28 text:

26 The POLY TECH Slllil-QT METAL DEPARTMENT Sheet Metal Department Sheet metal work is a large and grow- ing industry. lt is intimately connected with the building trades and an increas- ing proportion of the cost of buildings is spent for cornice work, roofing, sky- lights, ornamental ceiling, Ventilating and heating. The rapid growth of the automobile industry requires the labor of thousands of men on bodies and radiators, the in- vention of sheet metal boats, and a large line of metal furniture is opening new fields every day. The introduction of autogenous welding and of electric welding has done much to make possible the use of sheet metal in new forms. ln its close co-relation with drawing it offers a practical application of the principle of intersections and develop- ments which are not easily connected with any other form of shop work. In the working out of sheet metal patterns every important principle used in the drawing of intersecting solids and the development of surfaces can be illus- trated and the student will at the same time be doing constructive work which will be tried out in the shops. There are many things that can be made of sheet copper and brass such as cigar trays, pin trays, spoons, fishing tackle and other useful articles. VVelding is another interesting sub- ject connected with sheet metal. There are several kinds of welding, oxy-acety- lene welding being the most important. Sheet metal work develops a faculty in the handling of a variety of hand tools. A larger number of light tools and machines are used than in any other branch of metal work. Since the ma- chines are hand operated, they are en- tirely under the control of the student and not in any sense automatic as some machines are. The mind of the student must be on his work and a correspond- ing mental development results from this concentration. The wages paid to the competent men in the sheet metal trades compare favor- ably with the wages paid in similar lines of work, The work is not confining, not unhealthful and is not dangerous.

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The POLY TECH 25 i PLU M RING D EPARTMENT p Plumbing Department Perhaps the most important thing with which the plumber should be fortified is a proper knowledge of soil and waste pipe ventilation. Other things connected with the plumbing fixtures of a house are secondary and mechanical. To know how to prevent sewer and waste pipe gases from entering the house through the plumbing fixtures under the varying con- ditions, requires a high degree of scien- tific knowledge. The conveying of fresh water to and through a house for do- mestic use is a comparatively simple mat- ter, but the conveying away from a house, or the disposal of the waste and unclean water without producing unhealthful con- ditions is quite another thing, and not by any means a simple matter. The reason for this is that as soon as water is made foul by any matter it begins to undergo chemical changes, as such matter decom- poses, and then something more than un- clean water must be conveyed from the premises. The plumbing department of the school has received much new equipment. The shop is in the two-story building, enabling the students to set up modern plumbing fixtures. The students of this department have connected up the air system throughout the school. They have done much repair work for the school. They are now mak- ing tests with water pressures. The senior students of the electrical de- partment and the architectial draftsmen are now spending one period a day in the plumbing shop estimating, putting in stove coils, soldering and wiping joints.

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The POLY TECH 27 FOUNDRY The Foundry The foundry is one of the new shops of Benson Tech and is very interesting to the boys because it is so different from the older electrical, machine, plumbing and other shops of the old school. VVhen the shop was first opened, little or no equipment was in place or in running order, so it was necessary to put things in shape before a regular course could be pursued. This the boys did in a re- markably short time. The first and most difficult job that was done was the erecting and lining of a twenty-four inch cupola with fire clay and brick. This should be a mason's job, but nothing is too hard for the boys to do, so in a few days the cupola was completed. The other improvements that the boys have made are, lining the hearth of the brass furnace with fire clay, put the fan for the cupola in place, installed the scales and benches for chipping, core making and moulding. The foundry stu- dents were not the only ones to help com- plete the shop, for the electricians, ma- chinists, blacksmiths and Woodworkers all contributed their share of labor and deserve credit also. This is a good il- lustration of how the various shops co- operate in turning out work and equip- ment. Later in the term the big three ton crane was installed. This is a very useful ma- chine as it picks weights and iron up and moves them from place to place. 'lt is used also to lift coke and pig from the floor to the balcony, thus saving much labor. The foundry is becoming more com- plete each day, Lately a pneumatic hammer and chipper has been installed. The best grade of tools are used in moulding work, and the students learn to use them thoroughly. In casting the students wear goggles and asbestos leg- gings to protect themselves from the hot metal. The foundry is arranged in a very convenient way. On the ground floor the cupola is situated in one corner and the brass furnaces 'in the opposite cor- ner. There is a place for the flasks and equipment on the cupola side and a chip- ping bench on the other side by the brass