Well the steel arrived today, so this project has now kicked off with the assistance of a grant, from Cliffs Natural Resources.
My plan is to build 5, LLMini's at the Centre as part of this terms, design and technology project.
I help instruct 16, Yr. 10 students on building, construction and maintance at this site.
Some background of where I work 3 days a week.
The Esperance Farm Training Centre is a campus of the Esperance Senior High School and is also part of the Western Australian College of Agriculture.
The 800 hectare Farm is located 35kms north east from Esperance on Dempster Rd, on the south coast of Western Australia.
At the farm we grow wheat, barley, oats, lupins and canola. They have Red Angus stud cattle and a Border Leicester sheep stud that are bread on a commercial basis.
All schooling for our Ag students is done at this site in the 2 classrooms.
The students spend 2 days a week on farm and the other 3 in the classroom or workshops at the farm.
I'm looking forward to seeing these LLM's sail.
Here are my work mates with the steel delivery.
We got the mast steps cut, fish mouthed and the seam smoothed out on them in todays session. Also got the rear axle and main pipe of the chassis cut, axle extensions and front fork for the steering cut to length.
We get 3 hours a week to work on them.
I'll keep you posted on our progress.
Cheers Chook
Great work Chook!
Getting kids to get properly immersed in something they can say.."we built that" is Gold.
These kids have real smiles on their faces and they obviously get a lot out of the project.
Similar thing in my school on a related construction that takes up all my spare time. And I wouldn't have it any other way!
Well done chook. If they have "ownership" of the project I am sure they will respond really well.
Top stuff.
They certainly will get to keep them.
When they are completed, a few school excursions, to learn the basics of sailing will be in order.
The number has increased from 5 already, so will see where it leads too.
There is some "self funded" construction happening, with the older students as well.
Bring 'em along on the long weekend, that will get 'em more intersted.
Call it a field trip
Well we are up to 8 minis now.
We started welding the front wheel assemblies together today.
Molly is a "jet", on the welder and whips the boys with her natural ability on the mig.
Here she is cutting the 25mm x 3mm FB to cap the open ends on the front axle assembly.
The axles have been pressed in and welded ready to insert into the 30 x 30 x 2 axle extensions. Stephen and Mick took this task on.
Trev did the marking out and drilling of the rear axles
Brock welded the chain links to the mast socket and is dressing up any sharp edges..
They are having a ball buzzing around the workshop all working as a team it's a real pleasure instructing this project.
After lunch we topped the day off with a swim at Wylie Bay, 12 kms east of the town. The students do a beach clean-up collecting rubbish for 1/2 an hour and then we have a dip.
We have fantastic beaches and 20,000 hectares of National Parks that boarder the town. You can see some of the 358 inlands we have in the "Recherche Archipelago" The Esperance port is in the top right hand corner of the photo along with the "Cape Class" Iron ore boat at anchor. 11.5 million Tonnes of iron ore are exported through Esperance (The Bay Of Isles) each year.
Gotta run it was a tough day at the office today.
Chook
beaut beaches to use.....and you do get the wind also....paradise!
congrats crew you are doing very well.........
Well another full on workshop period again today. It's hard keeping up to these guys as it is full steam ahead on this project.
Here Stephen is using a dolly to knock the axle shafts into the extensions.
Wade is plug welding them in and running a bead right round the ends.
Mick setting his chassis up in the jig and tacking it up.
Then he's starting to weld as much as he can before taking it out of the jig.
Brock is fully welding the steering, after tacking it together in the steering arm jig.
Trev getting ready to tack his steering head tube on after "fish mouthing" the chassis to a perfect fit..
Mick and Brock "burning wire".
We were down a few of the crew today, as the flu is sweeping through the College.
Molly was working on her steering pedals but my camera ran out of batteries.
Till next week see ya!!
Chook
While the automotive body repair/rebuild project waits in the background.
Yeh true, all other projects are on hold for this group.
The EL Falcon wagon is being converted to a "Demolition Derby" car for the end of our local speedway season.
The Yr 11 students are currently fitting a roll cage to it.
It won't start as they have pulled the wiring loom out that powers the electric fuel pump in the fuel tank.
The car is much lighter though!!!! Was the comment I got, when I found the cause of their problem.
There is also a Magna sedan at the other end of the shed that has the roll cage fitted and is ready to race.
yeah hopefully destroying commondores
wish my work was as rewarding as yours chook. job on mate
Now now, Mark.
There is no way , I can hard wall plaster, your being a bit hard on yourself there mate.
Back into the "yacht shop" again for this week and things have slowed down now.
All the little sub-assemblies are taking time to construct and they are plugging away tirelessly.
Got the happy snap with Molly and her foot pedals she completed today.
Trev is bending up the footplates in the finger bender after cutting them out with the hand guillotine and grinding them to shape.
Molly is cleaning out the threads, after the nuts have been welded onto the 30 x 30 x 2 RHS for the foot control bar. These were cut into 50mm long bits after she completed this task.
Wade is using the jig to mark the axle exactly right for drilling the hole for the retaining "minsup" clip. This jig ensures that the wheel complete with a washer fits perfectly every time. The red minsup clip has a point ground onto the straight end. A light tap makes a small indent that is enlarged with a centre punch when the jig is removed from the front or rear axles. They can then be drilled accurately every time. 
They got their steering shaft extensions cut to length and slit. They are ready to spot weld to the 20mm shaft after aligning the front end and then drill the cross hole through the lot. We ran out of time to do the first one today.
Big Stephen and Mick were working on their parking brake assemblies as well.
We will run into the new year for the completion of these, as we only have one more workshop session.
We then travel to Harvey for a 5 day FESA Adventure camp. Doing canoeing, abseiling, rafting, mountain biking and high ropes courses.
The last 2 weeks of the school term, these yr 10 students have "Structured workplace learning". So they are out in the workforce getting experience and trying out for jobs on completion of their studies.
Till the next installment. Cheers Chook
I bet they'll 'hate' that FESA course.
I dont know which I like more, abseilling or landsailing. Both have that 'thrill' element.
very cool, nice work to all th students.... i noticed all the saftey stuff looked up to snuff..... very good cant wait to see pics of them in use.. keep up the good work
Well another workshop session today and another step closer to the completion I guess.
Molly got her chassis fully welded and started tidying it up.
Mick got the bearings/adapters pressed into the wheels.
Wade marking out his 10mm round for the rear of the chassis.
Mick has the front end fitted and is measuring the centre of the steering bar getting it ready to weld on to the adjustable sleeve.
Started to fit the first fibre glass seat, just as the lesson time expired.
Well this is it for a while as we have run out of time. (Isn't it always the case)?
Looking back the team has done pretty well, as its 3 days over a month since we fired this project up.
It has been an absolute pleasure to be involved in this project and it's created a lot of interest.
I have had phone calls from all over Australia, we have made it into the 2 local newspapers and in January, feature in an international magazine. How cool is that!!!!
Please stay safe over the festive season and stay tuned till next year.
Cheers, Chook Henderson,
Ag training Officer, Esperance Farm Training Centre
Chook,
Under any circumstances in this project "You" are to be commended. There are very few people out there that would bother spending time with younguns teaching them a few skills that can be applied to their lives, giving them a degree of freedom to think for themselves with a definite outcome .
G'donya Mate and have a Great Silly Season.
Ron
Thanks Ron.
I really enjoy working along side young people.
We have a fantastic team on the farm and I bound off to work each day.
I'm off to the big smoke (Perth) today and will pay "sn" a visit to see what he has gathered up in the way of sails, booms and masts.
Thanks Stephen, you have been a vital link in this project mate.
Without your effforts we wouldn't have got off the ground. Your a champ!!
Chook
Crikey
You are doing a great job with those kids chook....well done.
Love the toys in your workshop...lucky bugger!!
Bet they can't wait to get them flying along one of those beaches.
Cheers Nick
Congratulations to All............
You have done well, I have enjoyed your efforts.......
It us a great exercise for all young people to experience.
Season's Greetings........
Thanks you all for the positive feedback.
It will be my last day at the farm tomorrow till school goes back in February.
So here are a couple of photos of our total construction so far, just before I packed them away till next year.
Some of the troops need to fully weld up their chassis and they all need the seat mounting brackets fitted.
The hand brake levers and mounting brackets are all made and need welding to the axles. The rear axles need drilling for the clips.
The pedals need fitting to the steering shaft and then spot welded and the 8mm hole drilled and this will sort the front end out totally.
Lots of little jobs to do to tidy them up.
We have all had a fat time constructing these so far.
Till next time,
Cheers Chook
Yer a Hard Man Chook.. The Taylorist System and yer not even paying the poor little buggers! The line looks good though..
Ron
Good job, looks like there are enough yachts there to start a new club
Is Mick worried his is going to get lost somewhere?
Yeh I thought that too when I was packing it away.
Gunna take a tin of thinners to remove all the tags.
The thing is, as they build up their "kit" of parts, they put their name on each bit straight away, so there isn't any confusion as to who's it is.
With 8 lots of components, the bench space is always at a premium.
Mick was just making sure....sure... and sure that he's not left behind in the construction stakes.
He's so keen to get his bum into it, it's killing him to have to wait till the new school year.
Our local "Pink Lake" is brimming over still, with another 56mm of rain recorded this week. So it will be a good while before we can use it to land sail on.
Great project, congratulations. It is always a good feeling sharing hands on knowledge with the younger generation. Too many feel that they 'must/should' make a career in high tech, while this would is sorely lacking in training the students in learning 'hands on skills. Machinist, welders, carpenters, plumbers we need to continualy renew our tradesman forces.
Merry Christmas.
