HERKIMER – Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding program students learned during the class’s culminating project how to weld metals together to build rocket stoves, how to set the price for the product, how to market it and how speak about it to others.
Herkimer BOCES Welding student Chad Tucker, a senior of Mount Markham Central School District, named his product “Chad’s Rocket Stove” and developed a slogan of “You fill it and light it, we build it.” He said the project was challenging in ways including how to make the rocket stove look good, how to market it and how to price it.
“It was definitely a learning process,” he said, noting that it was helpful to have this experience. “If you start a business, now you have an idea of what to do.”
Seniors in Herkimer BOCES Welding program instructor Mason Fisher’s class participated in the project. After students built the rocket stoves, priced them and planned the marketing, they presented to judges on Friday, June 4, for a welding trade show in the lobby of the Herkimer BOCES William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer.
The following Welding students won the trade show competition and earned Stewart’s Shops gift cards:
- First place: Sierra Miles, of Little Falls City School District.
- Second place: Christian Stollach, of Mount Markham Central School District.
- Third place: Joseph Reed, of West Canada Central School District.
Miles named her project “Miles Rocket Stove,” and her marketing slogan was “For all your camping needs.” She said the project was “cool,” and one challenge was figuring out how to get just the right amount of air flow in the rocket stove.
“It was fun,” she said. “Definitely something new.”
The project was helpful for the future because it involved welding, pricing, marketing and presenting to others, Miles said.
“It teaches you some good life skills that you’re going to need to know,” she said. “You’re definitely going to use these skills. BOCES definitely teaches you public speaking.”
‘A culminating event’
Rocket stoves are made out of metal with mesh at the bottom and can be filled with flammable items such as sticks, cardboard, sawdust and pellets. Air flows in from the side and helps create a flame that goes out of the top. They can be used in various ways such as for staying warm or cooking, and they’re fuel efficient, Fisher said. When testing the rocket stoves, the class had 10 of them going for a few hours with just a small bundle of sticks, Fisher said.
“They had a great time setting these off,” he said. “If you do it right, you get a really hot flame off of these.”
Fisher started a version of the rocket stove project two years ago, but wasn’t able to continue it last year because schools moved to virtual learning due to COVID-19. This year, he brought the project back starting in early May and expanded it by collaborating with Career and Technical Education academic teachers.
CTE English teacher Sarah Crowe helped students with their marketing and presentation preparation, and CTE mathematics teacher Dennis Hooks taught students how to set a price for their projects.
From a welding standpoint, students used blueprints, had to design and draw to scale, and worked on proper heat transfer during the welding process – including incorporating dissimilar metals, Fisher said. Students also were able to use a computer numerical control (CNC) plasma table from the Advanced Manufacturing program to cut custom parts or logos for their rocket stoves, he said.
“It’s a fun project, but it combines a lot of different things,” Fisher said. “It’s kind of a culminating event.”
Setting the right price for the products involves factoring in the cost of materials and the value of your skills and time, the teachers said.
“A lot of students want to become their own welder-operators,” Fisher said. “Hopefully, this can help with that financial part. You have to get paid for your product.”
Crowe talked to the students about marketing, coming up with slogans and how to explain to potential customers why their product is worth buying.
“Part of marketing the product is explaining to your customer what they can do with it,” Crowe said.
‘A lot of experience’
The judges for the welding trade show on Friday, June 4, were School to Careers liaison and work-based learning coordinator MaryBeth Napolitano, STC school counselor Rebecca Roberts, Outdoor Power Equipment instructor Jesse Marosek, Conservation instructor William Carpenter, CTE science teacher Holly White and CTE special education teacher Kelly Cave.
At the end of the event, the judges gave the students feedback on their product designs, prices and marketing strategies.
“The students did an excellent job with their sales pitch,” Crowe said. “All of the judges commented on how great the students were with their public-speaking skills.”
Welding student Josh White, of Central Valley Central School District, named his product “White Heating Core” and had a slogan of “We’ll weld your next product because nobody wants to send it.”
The assignment helped with many skills because it involved everything from developing a blueprint, welding stainless steel to carbon steel and explaining your product to others, White said.
“The project was very valuable,” he said. “It gives you a lot of experience for the real world.”
Welding student Jadyn Lowe, of Poland Central School District, named her product, which included a custom-designed skull logo, “Cranial Bone Rocket Stove.” Her slogan was “You ask, we heat.”
“I liked the project overall,” she said. “It was very interesting. It was a nice learning experience.”
The project involved determining how to handle various aspects including how to add mesh to the rocket stove, how to price it and how to market it, Lowe said.
When setting the price, you not only have to consider your time and the obvious materials, but also less obvious parts such as the cost of paint and electricity, Lowe said.
“It’s very helpful because if you’re going to open your own business, then you’re going to have to figure it out at some point,” she said.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding program students pose with their rocket stove projects on Friday, June 4, in their classroom. From left, Welding instructor Mason Fisher with Welding seniors Josh White, of Central Valley Central School District; Matthew Clark, of Central Valley Central School District; Justin Tero, of Herkimer Central School District; Sierra Miles, of Little Falls City School District; Chad Tucker, of Mount Markham Central School District; Peyton Lynch, of West Canada Valley Central School District, and Jadyn Lowe, of Poland Central School District.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding program senior Sierra Miles, of Little Falls City School District, poses with her rocket stove on Friday, June 4, at the William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer. Miles won first place with rocket stove in the Herkimer BOCES welding trade show.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding program seniors built rocket stoves and participated in a Herkimer BOCES welding trade show on Friday, June 4, at the William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer. The winners of the competition are pictured from left: first-place winner Sierra Miles, of Little Falls City School District, second-place winner Christian Stollach, of Mount Markham Central School District, and third-place winner Joseph Reed, of West Canada Valley Central School District.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding program students pose with their rocket stove projects on Friday, June 4, in the lobby of the William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer. From left, Career and Technical Education English teacher Sarah Crowe with Welding seniors Sierra Miles, of Little Falls City School District; Christian Stollach, of Mount Markham Central School District; Joseph Reed, of West Canada Valley Central School District; Justin Tero, of Herkimer Central School District; Chad Tucker, of Mount Markham Central School District; Peyton Lynch, of West Canada Valley Central School District; Samuel Weeks, of Owen D. Young Central School District; Josh White, of Central Valley Central School District; Matthew Clark, of Central Valley Central School District, and Welding instructor Mason Fisher.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Welding program seniors built rocket stoves and participated in a Herkimer BOCES welding trade show on Friday, June 4, at the William E. Busacker Complex in Herkimer. The winners of the competition are pictured with Career and Technical Education English teacher Sarah Crowe (left) and Welding program instructor Mason Fisher (right). The students between the teachers are, from left: first-place winner Sierra Miles, of Little Falls City School District, second-place winner Christian Stollach, of Mount Markham Central School District, and third-place winner Joseph Reed, of West Canada Valley Central School District.