Why they stopped teaching shop in schools. (1 Viewer)

[BHM]

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[geauxboy]

I used to do A LOT of wood work with my dad as a kid and have used just about every power tool out there, so I figured Shop would be an easy A. I did ace the class, but I did have one bad experience that I'll never forget.

The first and only time I had a kickback and it came a mere centimeter away from the twig and berries. Everyone of course laughed, but I was just so relieved that it missed.

 

[BHM]

The only two thing si remember form shop were both funny as hell.

In middle school (back int he days of long hair) we had a guy that for some reason wanted to listen to the electric drill so he put it next to his ear. It sucked in a wad of air and wedged the drill up against his head. It took the instructor the rest of the class to get it removed. He was left with a huge bald pot for several weeks.


The other even was in high school. the teacher had a mall block Chevy engine mounted on a frame with everything needed to run the engine. It was a project form the previous class. With it's open headers, it was very loud and the teachers in the other nearby classes complained about running the engine during class time and the instructor was warned about running the engine.

So one day he left the class to run home and check on something and left us in the class alone. While he was gone, a few kids cranked the engine up and and for about ten minutes, ran the engine very hard. The next day after he got his butt chewed out by the principal, he was none too happy with us.

The funny thing was that he could not tell the principal he left campus.

Those that went to Acadiana High may remember Shinhoster.

 

[Kamara 4 MVP]

The only two thing si remember form shop were both funny as hell.

In middle school (back int he days of long hair) we had a guy that for some reason wanted to listen to the electric drill so he put it next to his ear. It sucked in a wad of air and wedged the drill up against his head. It took the instructor the rest of the class to get it removed. He was left with a huge bald pot for several weeks.


The other even was in high school. the teacher had a mall block Chevy engine mounted on a frame with everything needed to run the engine. It was a project form the previous class. With it's open headers, it was very loud and the teachers in the other nearby classes complained about running the engine during class time and the instructor was warned about running the engine.

So one day he left the class to run home and check on something and left us in the class alone. While he was gone, a few kids cranked the engine up and and for about ten minutes, ran the engine very hard. The next day after he got his butt chewed out by the principal, he was none too happy with us.

The funny thing was that he could not tell the principal he left campus.

Those that went to Acadiana High may remember Shinhoster.

I always wanted a mall block chevy but **** those things are expensive.

 

[Rickboy]

When I took the woodworking class at West Monroe Jr High, I found it funny that I knew more than the teacher. Of course I've been into woodworking since age 5. As I look back on it, our teacher really didn't teach anyone anything. He just let everyone build their assigned project the way they wanted. I think I taught the other guys more than he did..

I also took my first kickback to the chest (I was a lot shorter back then) in that shop. It was because the teacher never bothered to properly setup the tablesaw.


Because of lawsuits, schools are abandoning shop classes. You have to go to a trade school to get that kind of education. Some schools are starting to move back in that direction as new tools come out with "flesh detecting technology". The first of these is the Saw Stop table saw. It has a super fast break that locks down the blade if flesh touches it. The result is the saw user only suffering a small nick. It works really well but the saw is about $1000 more than comparable tools.

 

[bonnjer]

"Flesh detecting technology"...wow, that sounds like a machine hungry for human flesh.

 

[HouseCall]

When I was in 8th grade wood shop class, I had a jigsaw pop a blade and stab me through my right middle finger while I lovingly cut out a squirrel shaped bookend for my mom (it was gonna be awesome I tells ya!)

What's so scary about watching that video is you see how fast those situations go bad and how unrelenting a machine is on the human body.

 

[BHM]

The result is the saw user only suffering a small nick. It works really well but the saw is about $1000 more than comparable tools.

Nicks can hurt too mister!