Emily Belanger'S 2021 HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR LEVEL WINNING PROJECT

MAKING A CHESS SET:

Travers Tool is thrilled to announce the high school senior level winner of our 2021 Travers Tool For Schools Scholarship is Emily Belanger, a student at McCann Technical School in Massachusetts. Emily's project demonstrated a variety of machining applications, as well as creativity, as each chess piece required a unique vision and separate machining.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

I TOOK THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT:

  1. Design each individual chess piece.
  2. Machine each chess piece from aluminum or brass.
  3. Engrave or create pockets on each piece as needed on a mill.
  4. Give each piece a smooth finish to allow safe handling and game play.

We created a chess set. We used aluminum and brass. We had to individually create each and every single pawn (Kings, Knights, Queens, etc.). We created programs using the lathe to create certain arcs and diameters to change the size of the original stock. If the parts needed additional work done to them (engravings, pockets, etc) we would then take it to the mill machine and create it there. It was one of the most fun projects I’ve ever made.

PERSONAL ESSAY:

I have been taking Advanced Manufacturing Technology since my freshman year and ever since I have seen the shop, I knew it was the one for me. I won an award my freshman year for being one of the best machinist in my class. It has always been my dream to pursue manufacturing. Machining parts and designing is like a sixth sense, everything comes to me with ease. Being able to make a part within a thousandths of tolerance makes me feel like I did my job right, and that I have a true gift. My freshman year, I won an award for Outstanding Achievement in my shop. I always have put in the time, and effort, to be the best.


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