CCYD Building Trades Program

First Arch Bench/Box Finished!

2012-03-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

Though we had a couple of absences and an early dismissal the Tuesday/Thursday crew finished their first arch bench! (What's going on Monday/Wednesday!? :) Hopefully we'll be finished building the benches by the end of next week. Great job, Y'all!

Stud Wall Layout, We've Got This!

2012-02-28T06:06:00.001-08:00

Here are some of the CCYD Building Trades Program participants reviewing the layouts of structural and partition walls. One or two of them had some difficulties, but they got it!

2 Weeks of Perfect Attendance = A CCYD Building Trades Program T-Shirt!

2012-02-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

Some of the CCYD Building Trades Program participants received their rewards for having come to class for two weeks consecutively without fail. Check 'em out!

The Tuesday/Thursday Sanding the Building Trades Bathroom

2012-02-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

Here is the Tuesday/Thursday Crew sanding down the CCYD Building Trades Program office bathroom. They'll be priming it tomorrow. We'll also be building the arch shaped benches, referred to in an earlier post, for one of our partners; the Filbert St. Garden!

Security Panel Installed!

2012-02-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

It's had three coats of Polyacrylic Sealant applied and now it's installed. The plants in the office are probably pretty happy to have a little more light than the previous arrangement. Not bad, huh!?

Filbert Street Community Garden Outdoor Teaching Area

2012-02-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here are the designs for some of the elements that are slated to be included in the Filbert Street Community Gardens outdoor teaching area. If all goes as planned we will complete the benches and begin the pizza oven by the end of February. Stay tuned!
If you are a Baltimore City gardener or homeowner who could use such items we can custom design built objects to suit your needs. Please email Toma at tomas@ccyd.org for more information.

Designing and Making a Spice Rack and Shelving

2012-02-16T11:53:00.000-08:00

   As you can see below we encourage young women to challenge industry stereotypes by helping them to gain the knowledge necessary to pursue a career in the building trades.
   Today we spent the day learning to design and build a spice rack and a series of shelves for the CCYD Building Trades Program office's bathroom and kitchen renovations.
   We look forward to seeing the finished product next week!

Measurement is Fundamental

2012-02-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

Below is are some samples of measurement tests given to CCYD Building Trades participants to gauge their retention of the information conveyed to them during lessons.

Installing Trim in the Office

2012-02-15T11:38:00.000-08:00

Here are some samples of the trim work that we're working on in the office. Here at the Chesapeake Center for Youth Development's Building Trades Program though we sometimes make mockups we try to make sure that our training activities are real installations whenever it's practical.

Yup, this young man didn't even know how to use a measuring tape 3 weeks ago and now he's measuring for, cutting and installing trim. Here we believe that it is valuable for our students to have exposure to trim work and other building finishing procedures. We believe this because they are not only among the most fulfilling jobs that trades people do, but they also help students to understand how more elementary trades work, such as framing can affect the trade work that follows (in this case trim).

Building Trades Office Window Panel

2012-02-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

We'll be getting a sign out front before long, but we're adding a little "curb appeal" with this 3/4 in. plywood security panel for the Building Trades offices front window.

The interiors of each profile cut were painted with brown acrylic paint prior to applying a wash of blue acrylic paint and 3 coats of semigloss acrylic clear coat to the panels surface plane. If you or anyone that you know would like something similar for your office or home give us a buzz!

The Storage Area Above the Bathroom

2012-02-02T04:00:00.000-08:00

Here at Chesapeake Center for Youth Development's Building Trades Program we oftentimes train new students on projects at the Building Trades office in Brooklyn, Baltimore. This way they can get comfortable with measurement and some basic tool usage before plying their new found skills in the field.

Below you can see part of the winter crew hard at work. They are installing the jambs for the doors which will access a storage space that they helped build above the Building Trades office bathroom.

...And next time the doors! :)

CCYD Building Trades Students Will Now Be Certified!

2011-12-15T12:48:00.000-08:00

Now Toma Solano is authorized to train all future CCYD Building Trades Program participants in the 10-hour OSHA Outreach Training Program. The program will offer future students trainings on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces. The program will also provides information regarding workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint.

The Bathroom is Moving Along!

2011-12-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest pic of the Building Trades bathroom remodel. The toilet's in, so is the sink, and now the shower stall has been tiled. On Friday we grout it!

Another Bunch of Stilts! This time, for kids!

2011-12-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

Here are the second batch of stilts that we've cranked out for our friends at Nana Projects ( http://www.nanaprojects.com/nanaprojects.html ). This time they special ordered pairs made to accommodate the littlin's. After the Nana Projects folk put on the finishing touches they'll be sold to stilting workshop attendees. They were kind enough to pay one of our youth $10 per pair to make them!

Benches!

2011-11-12T17:23:00.000-08:00

Here are the benches that we built over the summer of 2011 for the Filbert Street Community Garden.

Old Toma

2011-11-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here's an old screen shot of a photo (10 years old and still on the company's website) taken of me when I worked for a commercial carpentry company.

Cold Frames for the Filbert Street Garden

2011-10-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Today I helped out with the build and installation of two coldframes* at the Filbert St. Community Garden (FSCG). Sadly my students were not able to help out today, because they are in their GED prep classes at CCYD on Fridays.

Dave Dallas, a teacher at the Curtis Bay Elementary/Middle School, Jason Reed, lead gardener at the FSCG, Katie Dix of Parks and People, and a slew of volunteers from Parks and People and Curtis Bay Elementary all helped make todays Garden Day a success!

Below are a couple of the Curtis Bay Elm./Middle students fastening a cold frame into place. They were the last two of about 12 kids who helped to reassemble the coldframes that Jason, Dallas and I had constructed in the Building Trades Program Office.

*cold frames are "mini-green houses" that gardeners place over their plots to lengthen the growing season into some of the cold months. Ours were designed to be broken down and stored prior to the warmer months.

Sorry for the grainiess of some of the photos.


Ahh! Delicious!

Renovating Building Trades Bathroom

2011-10-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here you can see Building Trades students renovating the bathroom at the office. The previous bathroom had numerous "issues" which we are working together to rectify. The project should be finished before December.

917 Stoll St.: Sidewalk Install in Collaboration with Habitat for Humanity

2011-10-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

This sidewalk was installed outside of 917 Stoll St.: our first rehab. in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. Between the Habitat staff, volunteers, private contractors and the Building Trades Program (BTP) all tasks were assigned to the best suited party.

Near the end up to seven youth attended BTP and received an hourly wage thanks to the Ready-by-21 initiative hosted by the Family League of Baltimore City. The initiative lasted from mid-Oct of 2010 - June of 2011. Due to it's success we were asked to add a summer session which ended in August.

BTP students helped:

complete framing
remove debris
install various forms of insulation and airseal with expanding foam
with much of the priming and first coat of paint
install doors
install trim
grade and existing soil before adding and seeding new top soil in the front yard

Building Trades T-shirt

2011-10-23T20:20:00.000-07:00

Experimantal Green Roof Platform Build and Installation: Spr-Summer 2010

2011-10-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

The students and I were enlisted by greenroof scientist, Olyssa Starry of University of Maryland College Park to construct experimental green roof platforms. After the platforms were constructed we all brought them to the UM campus. There the students readied the site, constructed understructures for the platforms, and installed them.

Now full of plants, green roof media, and sensors they are helping Olyssa and her associates determine

to what degree green roofs impact runoff. Read more about the experiment at:
http://urbansod.blogspot.com

Gravity Fed Irrigation System @ the Filbert St. Garden: Winter 2011

2011-10-18T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here the students, Jason Reed ( lead gardener @ Filbert St.) and I designed and installed a prototype gravity fed irrigation system. We will be installing a water catchment system to capture rain to fill the rain barrels. Currently a hose can be coupled below the in let valve to fill the barrels. The outlet will also be connected to a timer, such that Filbert St. gardeners can enjoy the benefit of, at least a few, self watering plots!

The Building Trades Program participants learned basic deck building skills, such as how to refer to engineer lumber sizing charts to ensure that the structures can support the various loads that weigh on them.

Check out the photo of Jason inspecting the water pressure!

Mini Gravity-fed Irrigation: Spring 2011

2011-10-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

Here a student is constructing a simple gravity-fed irrigation consisting of a food grade barrel elevated one foot off of the ground and tapped with a hose bib.

The pressure that drives the water form the barrel is equal to about 1 pound of pressure. Though it's not as efficient a watering source as a household hose bib it helps the Filbert Street gardeners tend to their plots without hooking up to the hydrant.

Green Roofed Shed Construction @ Filbert St. Garden: Summer 2010

2011-10-16T16:19:00.000-07:00

For almost two years now the Building Trades Program has been collaborating with the Filbert Street Community Garden here in Curtis Bay, Baltimore.

This was our first collaboration.

Prior to the actual shed build the students learned about the "house envelope": how contemporary construction methods contend with the elements. They also learned about runoff and how green roofs are a useful tool to help lessen it's effects.

Here are just a few pictures of the students learning to use re-purposed doors as shed siding and recycled doors as...well, doors.

The Building Trades Program: What We Do

2011-10-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

The Chesapeake Center for Youth Development (CCYD) is located in Brooklyn @
301 East Patapsco Ave. Baltimore, MD 21225
www.ccyd.org

Here at the Building Trades Program we teach youth a hands-on survey course in the building trades; including plumbing, electrical, painting, landscape maintenance, and carpentry. The main trade focus being carpentry.

The bulk of our work is focused in the Brooklyn/Curtis Bay neighborhoods, though we have made connections with interested citizens and organizations in other South Baltimore neighborhoods, such as Cherry Hill, Westport and Pigtown.

We not only expose youth to skills that could lead to a career in the trades, but endeavor to make an impact on social issues with the products of our labor.

Take a look at some of the projects that we've worked on!

Free Standing Wall Model: winter 2009 and summer 2010

2011-10-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

This is an example of the "Free Standing Wall" section of my past curriculum. Here the students first construct a non-structural wall; complete with a door and window. Then they learn how to wire the wall such that it can power a GFCI outlet and a single switched light fixture.

Maggie Muth Miniature House: fall 2009

2011-10-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

Here is the understructure of a house that would later be covered by a quilt. Maggie Muth, a local artist/educator designed the art installations concept in collaboration with a group of retirees.

The students and I were enlisted to design and construct the miniature house. We designed it such that elderly hands could deconstruct and reconstruct it for their art exhibits.