GORDON BASSETT
Metal Engineering Instructor
(Student / Project Information is directly below each screen.)
2021 Spring SHOW
Thomas Johnson '22, Box
Thomas Johnson '22, Box
Thomas Johnson '22, Box
Ella Makechnie ‘23, Pepper Grinder
Ella Makechnie ‘23, Pepper Grinder
Ada Gardner ‘22, Pepper Grinder
Metal engineering was a new area for me. Not only had I never used any of the tools but designing and engineering a functional piece was a learning experience. My pepper grinder started out on paper as a rough sketch of my ideal design. From there I learned how to precisely create the inner workings of the tool so that in the end it would successfully grind pepper. Once the working parts were done, I transferred my rough ideas into a measured mechanical drawing. From here I had the information to create the final product. Throughout the whole process I learned how to operate the machines to do a variety of different cuts and finishes. Some of the more artistic features of my pepper grinder were equivalently artistic in term of how they were accomplished on the machines (ie. C-clamping a piece of metal to the lathe to make a jig, so that I had more control for a sweeping curve). Overall, metal engineering combined aspects of precision and art in a medium that I had never explored before while creating a usable pepper grinder.
2020.21 WINTER SHOW
Samantha Madison ‘22
Spice Container
This is the spice container I made. It has four compartments that spin out
and the whole thing holds together with magnets that attract when it’s closed.
Doing this project, I learned how to work with aluminum and realized it’s very
different from other metals. I also put a piece of cork on the bottom.
Jules Warmke '21, Guitar Capo
Jules Warmke '21, Guitar Capo
Jules Warmke '21, Guitar Capo
Juliet Warmke ‘21
Guitar Capo
During winter term metal engineering, I constructed a guitar capo out of brass. I came about this idea because while I have no musical talent, almost all of my friends do. Many of them are guitarists and are always short on capos. To start this project, I milled spaces in pieces of brass so that they would fit together. I then went through and drilled and threaded spaces for the screws that hold the spring in place. Next, I milled out space for the pivot and used a lathe to create a washer for the screw within the pivot. I then soldered the pieces together backward and had to re-solder them multiple times. I have become skilled in using a torch for soldering. Once sautered together correctly, I sanded the entire capo and used a belt grinder to round the handle edges and take off excess solder. I placed rubber tubing around the top half of the capo to protect the guitar strings and cork on the bottom half to protect the guitar neck. My initials are engraved on the handle. It has been a lengthy process and often challenging but, in all, super fun. I gained a lot of patience and learned entirely new skill sets while completing this project. All the trial and error was worth it.
Cole Doolittle '24, Pepper Grinder
Henry Krehbiel ‘23, Pepper Grinder
Henry Krehbiel ‘23, Pepper Grinder
Henry Krehbiel ‘23, Pepper Grinder
Henry Krehbiel ‘23, Pepper Grinder
Henry Krehbiel ‘23
Pepper Grinder
This winter in metal engineering I built a pepper grinder out of stainless steel,
aluminum, and brass. It consists of several parts, the body, cutting ring, top, knob, and a
piece of key-stock paired with the cutting head. The first part I made was the cutting ring.
I used the vertical mill with an indexed head to rotate the ring every 45 degrees and cut
grooves with a woodruff key cutter. I press-fit this piece into the body that I drilled and
bored out to size on the lathe. After that, I made the top, I cut the outside diameter to
make a notch that would keep it captive in the body, but still allow it to turn freely. I
drilled through the brass top on the lathe and used a broach to create a square hole. I then
proceeded to make the cutting head, first by creating a taper on the lathe with the
compound. The notches on the surface were made in a similar way to the ones on the
cutting ring. From there, I made tiny holes in the key stock and hammered in roll pins to
fix the cutting head in place. I used a tap to make threads in the knob and a die to make
the threads on the key-stock. It took extensive sanding to have my pepper grinder looking
this shiny,
Overall, I really enjoyed making the piece and it was fun for me to learn new skills on
new machines every class.
Jackson Gramache '24, Pepper Grinder
Mason Guerster '22, Guitar Capo
Hamilton Pederson ‘24
Bash-Guard for Mountain Bike
For my project, I decided to make a bash guard. It protects my chain and
chain-ring from coming in contact with rocks or stumps. It was a challenging
journey. I struggled to find the right drawings for the bolt-hole placements, and it
was difficult getting the CNC mill programmed correctly. It was a lot of work, but in
the end, it was worth it. To me, the most valuable part of this project was the
learning experience.
Calista Quirk ‘22
Pen
This trimester I built this pen in the metal shop. It took a lot of hard work to make. Especially since I have never used any of the machines in the shop before. My pen comes apart in 3 different parts which you cant really see when its screwed together. The cone screws off along with the top. Within the top, there are threads so that the ink cartridge can skew into the pen. Then there is a stand for the pen too which has a place for a spare ink cartridge to screw into.
Ben Greenberg ‘23
Pepper grinder
During the winter term in metal engineering, I made a pepper grinder. It was a fun process. I learned how to use many of the machines that helped build my pepper grinder. For putting my pepper grinder together, I used machines like the lathe and the mill. I used the lathe for cutting edges and also making it smooth. I used the mill for making cuts into the pepper grinder so it can cut up pepper. This part was the most challenging, in my opinion. The math has to be perfect, or else your cuts will overlap, and I would have to restart. I chose to make my pepper grinder smaller than most because I wanted it to stand out from the others. I also like it small because it’s easier to put away and is not in the way of other kitchen tools. I plan on giving my pepper grinder to a family member. I know it will work well and be useful for grinding pepper. Overall I had a good experience in the metal shop and would like to take this course again next year and continue to make other metal designs.
Ezra Taylor '21
Trinity WhiteHat ‘22
Darts
During the fall term, I made a dart based on my own knowledge and design. I was unhappy with the final result, so I did some research and found ways to improve on my original design. For the second dart, I modified measurements and changed some of the machining process. Over the course of our winter term, I used the tools in the shop to make a dart with a shorter tip, longer, and lighter barrel, longer and thinner shaft. I am much happier with my second dart. It is better because it is made with more precision, and the improved dimensions make it more aerodynamic.
(The improved dart is shown in the photo below the original version)
2020.21 FALL ARCHIVE
FOUNTAIN PEN
Ian Haney
For my Metal Engineering Skills project, I made a pen. I actually made a fountain pen. I thought it was cool to make a fountain pen because I like fountain pens, but also I like to take apart pens and see how they work. The most challenging part of making the pen was making the threads fit and making the cap thin enough to fit onto the pen. What I liked about this project was learning about how too use the machines and making the outside of a fountain pen.
PEPPER GRINDER
Samantha Madison
I made a pepper grinder in Metal Engineering class. The top piece controls how large the pepper is ground. The piece below that, with the thicker lines on it turns the grinding mechanism. The inside is made from stainless steel, so it will last a long time. In the end, I sanded it and polished it. This photo shows the finished product.
PULSE JET
Cam McAuliffe
This fall term I built a Pulse Jet from thin sheet metal, this project was a huge test of my skills. I spent a lot of time practicing with the TIG welder. The Pulse Jet is a type of jet engine that was used during WWII. I scaled my engine down and designed it to run on propane. I still need to add a fitting for fuel. I am pleased that I was able to improve my TIG welding skills. I also learned to shape sheet metal parts.
