By Neil Mansfield
Metal Fabrication Teacher
Assabet Valley Vocational High School
Marlborough, Massachusetts

On a Saturday in May, Rick Korinek (Blacksmith, Emerald City Forge, Framingham, MA) and Boy Scouts from Troop 12 of Framingham spent an 8-hour day earning their metal working merit badge requirements at Assabet Valley Vocational High School metal fabrication shop.  The one-day event included, eight Boy Scouts and five Assabet Valley Vocational students assisting with community service.  Also included were parents of the scouts and students, the scoutmaster, and teachers who were available to assist in any task.

Scouts learned and performed the following tasks:

1. Metal Shop safety
2. Knowledge of metal working including sheet metal, copper work, tool making, forging and blacksmithing.
3. History of blacksmithing
4. How to work well with others
5. Use of hand tools, heating torches and shop equipment
6. Basic blacksmithing tools and equipment

One of my students that volunteered is an Eagle Scout.  He displayed his final Eagle Scout community service project that is an "Iron Marquee" for his local church in Maynard. Mass, to the junior scouts of Troop 12.  When completed, this project will include forged decorative elements and copper work.  He shared with Troop 12 's scouts his journey as Cub Scout and Boy Scout, along with his experiences as an eagle scout, and how the Boy Scouts of America helped develop his leadership qualities and personal traits as a kind and helping person. 

Blacksmithing has generated a high level of interest in metal working with my students at Assabet.  It was a pleasure to see young teens teaching other young teens about blacksmithing and other metal working skills.  It takes a certain kind of motivated scout and student to show up on a Saturday at 7: 30 am to forge all day.  Assabet Valley Vocational High School metal fabrication students look forward to lending a " helping hand" to the Boy Scouts to assist them in earning a blacksmithing merit badge.

Many of us know and understand the value of assisting young teens to become kind, caring, hard working, and honest folks. The Boy Scouts of America do just that.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neil Mansfield is a graduate of Hobart Welding School from the early 1980's. 

“While serving in the Naval Construction Force (US Navy Seabees) I reflected back on my Hobart education and Hobart welding experiences as the foundation of a very rewarding 25 years of welding and metal working career,” says Neil.

His welding, vocational high school, and naval construction skills have enabled him to become a Structural Iron Worker/ Welder in New York City (Iron Workers Local 40); a Pipe Welder with General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division in the welding and fabrication of nuclear submarines (Sheet Metal worker in Local 17 Boston, Mass); a titanium welder of racing bicycles and wheel chairs in Summerville, Mass.; a machine shop - TIG welder; and currently a vocational high school teacher.

Neil teaches welding, heavy metal fabrication, light gauge sheet metal and copper work, metallurgy and blacksmithing.  He is a full time vocational teacher, American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector/Educator, as well as a professional blacksmith/artist.

“My students at Assabet Valley Vocational high school enjoy forging hot iron and creating interesting projects ranging from hand forged copper and iron flowers, chairs, tables, lamps, mirrors, garden gates, iron railings, sign brackets and many more eye catching pieces of metal work,” Neil comments.  “Blacksmithing is one way for my students to get interested in moving metal.  “Once that is accomplished, I can then introduce them to welding, cutting, bending, forming, blue print reading, shop math, basic layout, etc.”

“I also, instill into them the importance of  " lending a helping hand" in community service such as this past event with the Boy Scouts Blacksmithing Merit Badge,” continues Neil. The welding instructors encourage development, not just in important welding and metal fabrication skills to get a job, but also in life skills that will develop students into good, kind, hard-working, and honest citizens.”

Check out Neil’s web site at: www.mansfieldmetalart.com

Photos by Rick Korinek, Emerald City Forge, Framingham, MA