Red Robin Machining Combines School, Manufacturing
By Adam Svatek, HS teacher for Red Robin Machining.
Antigo high school strives to be the best in the Career and Technology Education field. One of our great programs is Red Robin Machining. Red Robin Machining is an advanced class that takes Juniors and Seniors to the next level of education. Students are involved with their very own manufacturing business, with help from their instructor and industry. With a student-run business we are able to provide a real-world experience where students are responsible for taking, making, and shipping orders. Students learn employability skills such as problem solving, teamwork, communication, business ethics, and marketable machining, fabricating, and drafting skills. We specialize in low volume specialty parts products at a low cost to benefit the customer and student alike. As a result the students receive a great experience machining advanced products and the company is able to keep the cost low for custom parts.
This past year we have spent a lot of time perfecting a marketable product that was created by the class of Red Robin Machinists. This year we created a kindling splitter. It is a safe and easy way to split and create kindling. It has hardened blade that will last a lifetime. No swinging of dangerous axes or hatchets; just a hammer or small hand maul. We have also designed and manufactured an outdoor fire pit grill that is portable, adjustable, and more stable than a tripod. Our custom cut fire rings have really become a popular custom product. We have made design schemes associated with fishing, hunting, and sports in our custom-cut fire rings made out of plate steel. Other highlighted products that we have made for our customers consist of aluminum block pulleys, specialty spacers and stops, and telescoping backpack parts for Muzic in Motion from New Berlin, Wisconsin. These telescoping backpack parts are for a worn backpack that has a basketball hoop attached to the top that can extend over ten feet in the air. They are used at sporting events all across the nation for fun and energetic half time shows.
For the Unified School District of Antigo, we make custom wall brackets, specialty hinges, and equipment for athletic department. We have also worked on both small and large odd and end projects for local customers in the area.
This year I am glad to be working with 15 motivated and talented individuals: Colton Zimmerman, Keith Plzak, Tucker Sullivan, Cody Gable, Tim Marshal, Ethan Stift, Slade Detert, Jacob Steenweg, Nicholas Muhs, Conner Adams, Clint Cross, Gavin Bunnell, Max Kleisch and Chase Jarchow. This has been a great experience to learn a variety of skills for their future. Next year I look forward to a growing roster with fresh ideas for the class. I am happy to be working with a school that strives to be at the top of the education network in Wisconsin. If anyone has any questions, comments, concerns, or would like to talk about possible projects for us, feel free to contact me, Adam Svatek, at the high school or asvatek@antigo.k12.wi.us.
Source: Antigo Daily Journal