Simsbury Troop 175

Welding merit badge requirements

Want to know what it takes to earn the new Welding Merit Badge exepcted to be released in the next few weeks? Take a look below what appeared in the offical Scouting Magazine Blog.

 

Welding merit badge requirements

1. Do the following:

a. Explain to your counselor the hazards you are most likely to encounter while welding, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, or lessen these hazards.

b. Show that you know first aid for, and the prevention of, injuries or illnesses that could occur while welding, including electrical shock, eye injuries, burns, fume inhalation, dizziness, skin irritation, and exposure to hazardous chemicals, including filler metals and welding gases.

2. Do the following:

a. With your counselor, discuss general safety precautions and Material Safety Data Sheets related to welding. Explain the importance of the MSDS.

b. Describe the appropriate safety gear and clothing that must be worn when welding. Then, present yourself properly dressed for welding—in protective equipment, clothing, and footwear.

c. Explain and demonstrate the proper care and storage of welding equipment, tools, and protective clothing and footwear.

3. Explain the terms welding, electrode, slag, and oxidation. Describe the welding process, how heat is generated, what kind of filler metal is added (if any), and what protects the molten metal from the atmosphere.

4. Name the different mechanical and thermal cutting methods. Choose one method and describe how to use the process. Discuss one advantage and one limitation of this process.

5. Do the following:

a. Select two welding processes, and make a list of the different components of the equipment required for each process. Discuss one advantage and one limitation for each process.

b. Choose one welding process. Set up the process you have chosen, including gas regulators, work clamps, cables, filler materials, and equipment settings. Have your counselor inspect and approve the area for the welding process you have chosen.

6. After successfully completing requirements 1 through 5, use the equipment you prepared for the welding process in 5b to do the following:

a. Using a metal scribe or soapstone, sketch your initial onto a metal plate, and weld a bead on the plate following the pattern of your initial.

b. Cover a small plate (approximately 3″ x 3″ x 1/4″) with weld beads side by side.

c. Tack two plates together in a square groove butt joint.

d. Weld the two plates together from 6c on both sides.

e. Tack two plates together in a T joint, have your counselor inspect it, then weld a T joint with fillet weld on both sides.

f. Tack two plates together in a lap joint, have your counselor inspect it, then weld a lap joint with fillet weld on both sides.

7. Do the following:

a. Find out about three career opportunities in the welding industry. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why the profession might interest you.

b. Discuss the role of the American Welding Society in the welding profession.

Troop 175 Receives National Outdoor Challenge Award

Boy Scout Troop 175 based at St. Mary’s Church in Simsbury has the reputation as a high adventure troop with scouts willing to challenge themselves to learn leadership, teamwork and outdoor skills and use them while camping.  The troop has been awarded the National Outdoor Challenge by the Boy Scouts of America for maintaining a high level of outdoor activity.

During 2011, Troop 175 conducted 17 outdoor trips including winter camping ,skiing and snowboarding, walking Boston’s Freedom Trail, climbing Bear Mountain and Mt Greylock, hiking Vermont’s Long Trail, a canoe trip, scuba diving and trips to Block Island and Nantucket. More than 80 percent of the scouts in the troop participated in these trips.

This year, Troop 175 also had 10 scouts and two adult leaders attend Philmont Scout Camp, in New Mexico.

The scouts of Troop 175 also earned 107 outdoors related merit badges during 2011.  Merit badges are the second main area of the Boy Scout advancement program. Unlike ranks, there is a degree of choice in the merit badge program. Outdoors-related merit badges include: Backpacking, Camping, Canoeing, Climbing, Cooking, Cycling, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, First Aid, Fish and Wildlife Management, Fishing, Fly-Fishing, Forestry, Hiking, Lifesaving, Orienteering, Pioneering, Rowing, Scuba, Snow Sports, Soil and Water Conservation, Swimming, Water Sports, Whitewater.

In 2012, the troop has already planned trips including climb Tuckerman’s Ravine in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, camping on Nantucket, participation in Boston Ruckus, and a trip to Gettysburg National Battleground.

One of the first trips this year was a winter trip undertaken by the high adventure Immortal’s group within the troop that camped outdoor in minus 20 degree weather in the Adirondacks Mountains.

The troop also has two international outdoor trips planned for 2012. The first in April as members of the troop sail and explore in the British Virgin Islands on two 45 foot catamarans.  The second trip will see members of the troop hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa.

In addition to the National award, Simsbury’s Troop 175 also earned recognition from the CT River Council by earning the Journey to Excellence award. "Scouting’s Journey to Excellence" is the BSA’s council performance recognition program designed to encourage and reward success and measure the performance of units. Troop 175 received the Gold Award, the programs highest honor.

Immortals Don't Get Cold Feet, Or Do They?

The Immortals adventure group of Boy Scout Troop 175 thought that it was cold when they met at the parking lot of St. Mary’s church on Friday, January 13^th. At about 30 degrees Fahrenheit, however, the group would experience temperatures more than 50 degrees colder before the weekend was out.

That Friday night, the Immortals slept in an Adirondack shelter at the Adirondack Loj, a campground at the base of the notch they would be ascending. When they woke up the next morning it was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. They commenced their trek, hiking about 3.3 miles into the Avalanche lean-to campsite. The snow that covered everything made the scenic trail beautiful, and the highlight of the hike was when the group reached Marcy Dam, a snow-covered lake set against a backdrop of white-capped Adirondack Mountains.

Once they got to Avalanche campsite, the Immortals began to set up camp. They built a shelter out of dead wood, and covered it with snow for insulation. After this, a group of the boys hiked an extra 1.2 miles to Avalanche Lake, where they experienced a stunning view. The lake was set in between to massive walls of rock, and the entire area was covered in two feet of snow. The wind blew so fast and frigidly that any part of the face that was left uncovered turned bright red.

After basking in the beauty of the scene, the side hike group started hiking back. Some of the group decided to run back, while others made their way back at a slower pace. Once the group was reunited, they cooked steaks over a smoldering fire. The wood around the campsite was so cold that it was nearly impossible to heat the wood up to the temperature it needed to burn. Boiling water was exceptionally difficult because the gas stoves ran sluggishly. At this point, it was so chilly (-10!) that toes and fingers were starting to go numb, despite proper equipment. Because of this, once everyone’s stomachs were full, the Immortals retired to the shelter that scouts Adam McIlveen, Andrew Gutierrez, Nick Carabillo, and Zack Zikovitch had selflessly completed while the other group had gone to Avalanche Lake.

The low of -20 degrees Fahrenheit set in sometime during the night, and the effects of this extreme temperature were very interesting. In the morning, there was a wreath of ice around the face hole of every sleeping bag, because the vapor from the scouts’ breath had frozen around their faces as they slept. Zippers on sleeping bags had to be thawed with hand warmers before they would open. When the boys tried to slip their feet into their hiking boots, some found that they were frozen in a position that would not allow feet to enter.

Despite these challenges, the group eventually got their campsite cleaned up, scattering the wood from their shelter until there was no trace of their presence save some footprints. They had fun going back down the mountain toward the cars because they could sled portions of the trail, and on the way they said hello to friendly hikers and forest rangers, all amazed that a group of boys could have survived camping in the Adirondacks the previous night.

The Immortals reached the parking lot, and after a few shaky car startups (all the moving parts were frozen in place) they were on their way home, marveling at the convenience of electric heat.

Submitted by Eric Barch, Immortal Chief

 

Deadline for Eagle scholarship applications is Jan. 31

Tuesday, Jan. 31, is the deadline for Eagle Scouts who are high school seniors to apply for a 2012 National Eagle Scout Association scholarship.

In all, 153 scholarships, each between $1,000 and $50,000, will be presented to worthy Eagle Scouts based on their Scouting record, school performance, and financial need.

Scholarships, paid directly to the school, cover “tuition, room, board, and books only and are limited for use at a four-year accredited college or university that offers at least a bachelor’s degree upon completion of the course of studies.”

Before applying or sending an application to an Eagle Scout you know, read these requirements.

Applicants must:

• Be an Eagle Scout having passed the board of review on or before January 31, 2012.
• Apply during their senior year of high school.
• Provide a high school grades transcript covering at least six semesters.
• Have an SAT composite score of at least 1200 and/or an ACT composite score of 28.
• Have demonstrated leadership ability in Scouting.
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Submit a letter of recommendation from a Scouter.

Click here for the official application (PDF). And good luck!