Welding merit badge

[boomerscout]

This should become a most popular merit badge as you will get to play with fire.

Start collecting the old, broken ATVs and PWCs so your guys will have something to work on.

[fred8033]

I wish more of the MBs were like this. Bring back carpentry. Others???? More practical usable skills that don't overlap with high school.

[Engineer61]

LOL!

 

Let's see ...to be effective you'd need to learn ...

 

Metal cutting - Torch and Plasma

 

Metal Brazing

 

Arc Welding

 

It would definitely be a "cool" badge.

 

Wonder if the First Aid badge would have to be modified to cover the plasma burns.

 

Maybe a firefighting MB for putting out metal fires.

[Tampa Turtle]

Engineer,

 

There REALLY will be a Welding MB. I think in the next couple months. Manly good fun.

[Lisabob]

Wow. That sounds so cool. Who doesn't want to learn to "play" with a blow torch.

 

Seriously, my young man just spent a weekend helping his grandfather do some fix-it projects. I couldn't believe how much fun he was having, playing around (well-supervised, of course) with the plumbing, wiring, and drywalling. And it isn't like those are skills that will ever go out of fashion. Good for the BSA that they're introducing this MB.

 

 

[skeptic]

Fred8033;

 

The way things are in our local schools now, shop classes are almost gone. So, maybe these kind of badges could be more popular again. Learning a trade could be very useful, as we have far too few in the basic ones now. And, lets be truthful; they make good incomes if they are just able to do it; and if they are really good, they can almost name their price in some fields.

[Twocubdad]

Two years ago, the troop taught Home Repair MB skills during troop instruction time. Over a few weeks, the Scouts learned to wire an electrical outlet and switch, sweat copper and glue PVC, repair/replace the guts of a toilet and how to cault. The boys had a blast, especially sweating copper, and the parents LOVED us.

 

Seems like there used to be a lot more trade-related MBs. I've always thought there should be an overall "construction" MB which would focus more on stuff like estimating, reading blueprints, scheduling, etc.

[MoosetheItalianBlacksmith]

Hey thats what im going to college for....it should be intresting

 

People will really need to be carful of burns because my school is in the mindframe of saftey is number one priority (which it should be) but still its a rare day i dont come home with a burn of some kind.

 

Id teach it....im glad their getiing some usful badges back and i kinda wish i could become a youth again just for a little while to do that badge.

 

intrestlingly enough it was the blacksmithing in the metalwork meritbadge that made me want to be a blacksmith and welder.

[shortridge]

Man, that is one skill I'd love to have. I've tried it, both when I was a teenager and more recently, last year, and I can't figure out how to see what the #@!! I'm doing with the darkened facemask on. With my luck, I'd end up burning a hole right through my foot. I have a lot of respect for people in that line of work.

 

Here's an image of the badge: http://www.aws.org/weldingbadge/

[fred8033]

I wasn't thinking of it as using the MB to teach a trade. I was thinking of it as teaching skills that kids don't learn anymore. They might not need them very often, but it's good to be exposed to a variety of topics. It broadens the mind. Wasn't it Baden-Powell who created scouting because he thought kids were stuck in the cities too often without the chance to learn outdoor skills. (.... or at least part of the reason ....)

 

I view it as in contrast to badges such as Communcations. Fifty years ago, I don't think school taught students presentation skills. Now students start doing presentations in 1st grade and many classes regularily include speeches and/or presentations. I'm not saying the communications merit badge is bad. I just think it's not as special as it was 50 years ago. I think there's an arguement that a good portion of the eagle required merit badges are also in this situation.

 

Now, these badges might be great for home schooled kids where they often use the merit badge for assignments. But for students in public schools, many of our merit badges just glance on topics they study year after year in different aspects.

 

That's why I'm glad their developing badges such as Welding.

[sailingpj]

My Sea Scout ship has a steel boat, so a couple of us have picked up basic welding skills along the way.

 

It is definitely a lot of fun, and with the proper precautions nobody gets hurt.

[OldGreyEagle]

"I've always thought there should be an overall "construction" MB which would focus more on stuff like estimating, reading blueprints, scheduling, etc."

 

 

There is the Eagle project...

 

 

[Tampa Turtle]

I find some of the boys just eat up the hands-on badges. Other boys look on in horror and complain. If nothing else I told one recently "now you know you better get a good job to pay the plumber".

 

Even if you never weld again knowing how it works can benefit you. Lets say you have a home project and you realize you need a piece welded. At least you know what the question is.

[Jay K]

Great!

When I was a Scout, I wanted to take welding/shop in school. I was told "No, you are in the College Preparatory program! "

 

I learned welding in Sculpture in the Art Department in college! I took a Sculpture class. I did welded sculpture. I have to say that the Sculpture "puhfesser" was a good welder, and was very interested and thorough teaching me to weld. I was amazed, and pleased. I wondered "What if I had prepared for this college course by taking welding in high school?" I will encourage all my Scouts to take this one. They sure glommed on to the new Chess Meit Badge! I think that welding is a great skill to have. The onliest thing: WHERE are we going to find Counselors?

[Mad Max]

Welding MB sounds really great, but I can't find it listed on the BSA web site or meritbadge.com