By Will Yager
Potosi Schools’ shop benefits the student body and the community in many ways. Students can learn valuable skills that they can find useful after school or in a career someday. I interviewed Mr. Bockenhauer about the new additions to the Potosi shop. He gave insight into the school shop and the importance of the added machinery and tools.
The car lift was added in the spring of 2022 alongside the referendum that was passed by the school board. Mr. Bockenhauer said, “It’s a lot safer working on vehicles on the lift than jacks and jack stands.” The addition of this vehicle lift opens up an avenue for kids to be able to explore and work in a safer environment. The lift was received from The Lift Super Store in McFarland, Wisconsin. The company that we bought the lift from sends people once a year to inspect the lift to make sure that it is safe for use for the year.
Some luxuries of our shop include a plasma cutter, plasma table, wood CNC table, and laser engraving. The plasma cutter is a handheld device making metal easier to cut and work with rather than cutting it with a grinder. The plasma table cuts shapes and designs out of sheets of metal. The students use it to cut out signs and other projects. The wood CNC table does the same as the plasma table, but instead with wood. The students enjoy designing creative projects with this machine. The laser engraver adds a creative flare to the students' projects. They are able to take their wood projects and add their own custom designs or logos.
The additions of the vehicle lift, plasma cutter, plasma table, wood CNC table, and laser engraving have benefited many students in the Potosi school shop. Mr. Bockenhauer has also enjoyed the safety and creativity aspects of the additions. Because of these additions, many students have been able to go off into the workforce with tech experience with these machines.