Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Christmas came early for Napanee District Secondary School’s Construction Technology class, in the form of a donated Van Mark Metal Master Brake.
The versatile piece of equipment, which has a value of about $10,000, was gifted to Ben Martin’s class by Rob Elliott and George Lyons, owner and vice president respectively of Doyle’s Windows and Doors. The equipment will allow students to work with metal, creating precise bends and creases to fit their construction project. They’ll now have the opportunity to gain hands on experience, working on a wooden frame structure that sits in the middle of their classroom in the school’s skill trades hall known as C-wing.
Martin could hardly contain his excitement upon receiving the machine and what it would mean for his students.
“This is an exceptionally nice one,” said Martin of the Van Mark Metal Brake. “We’re going to have fun with this one as a class…Previously we had nothing and we’re just going around talking to a few industry people that I had still had contact in and it’s like finding scraps from stuff. We were able to do a demo, this is what a facia looks like, or this is one of the many options that facia looks like. But being able to allow them to create it for themselves, that’ll be incredible and then to be able to make it exactly custom fit to whatever your scenario is.”
The adjective ‘Cadillac’ was mentioned a few times when describing this particular metal brake.
“This will bend metal, aluminium up to 050 gauge, it will bend copper, steel,” said Lyons. “The materials being used for facia materials, bending trims around windows, flashing around windows, making your own corners, making your own trip edges. It is very versatile to have especially in the field. As a teaching tool, this is definitely invaluable. It’s a great tool.”
Being a Napanee based company, Lyons said they were happy to donate to a school within their own community.
“Keeping it local,” said Lyons. “We’re a supplier of brake equipment, eavestroughs, siding, soffit and facia materials as well as windows and doors. The market certainly can use skilled labourers and I’m glad this program does exist and hopefully it propels our next generation into the trades.”
Along with the metal brake, Doyle’s will also be donating a slitter machine to the program.