
Iron & Steel Preservation Conference (ISPC)
"Historic wrought iron and steel truss bridges that were fabricated between 1850 and 1950 are rapidly being replaced today with new concrete or steel bridges, primarily because of the lack of knowledge in the restoration of historic metals," explains Vern Mesler, Technical Careers Adjunct Faculty in welding. "We need to develop expertise in preserving the original materials by combining modern technology such as electric arc welding with historic methods like hot riveting." This conference will provide hands-on experience in those technologies.
Iron & Steel Preservation Conference (ISPC)
Date: March 4 and 5, 2013
Location: 5708 Cornerstone Drive Lansing, MI 48917
Contact: Vern Mesler at
meslerv@lcc.edu
Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan, is presenting a two-day workshop on March 4 and 5, 2013, to introduce a wide variety of interested personnel, including State Historic Preservation officers, Department of Transportation officials, engineers, engineering students, general contractors, and historic bridge preservationists, to restoration processes of historic metals using electric arc welding, heat straightening, and hot riveting processes. Funded in part by a grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training.
Earn up to 1.2 CEUs! LCC is accredited through IACET. IACET accreditation is the standard learners seek for quality when they choose a provider. IACET is known as the premier standard-setting organization for continuing education and training providers. You can earn up to 1.2 CEUs by attending both days of the Iron & Steel Conference. The breakdown is as follow:
1st day .53 CEUs
2nd day .65 CEUs
Total for both days 1.2 CEUs
You can register for this workshop by calling 517-483-9853, mailing or faxing the Registration form to Lansing Community College.
To advance the craftsman's legacy in education scholarships will be awarded in fields related to the preservation of metals. ISPC scholarships range from $100 to $1000 awarded to engineering, preservation, and industrial arts students to attend the annual Iron & Steel Preservation Conference. For those students who wish to apply please fill out the scholarship application form.
Iron & Steel Preservation Conference, March 4-5, 2013 Activities
View our videos of Restoration and Preservation of Historic Metals
- The Hot Riveting process with a field rivet hammer
- Pad Welding for section loss in historic steel and wrought iron
- Methods for Rivet Removal
- Pack Rust Removal from historic metal structures
- Heat Straightening for steel and wrought iron
- Welding processes for the restoration of Cast Iron
Iron and Steel Preservation Faculty from Lansing Community College
Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge
This year the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco Bay Area marked its 75th Anniversary. A team from Lansing Community College was honored to be an important part of the celebration in Crissy Field on May 27, 2012, collaborating with the local Ironworkers to put on a demonstration of field riveting, the connection method used in the construction of the bridge. Each of the two towers contains 600,000 field-driven rivets, in addition to hundreds of thousands of shop rivets throughout the bridge.
On the day of the event, LCC instructors Vern Mesler and Roger Morrison arrived early to meet up with Dick Zampa, Brian Colombo and Ironworkers of Local 378 to set up the display area, assemble the rivet equipment, start the forge and do a trial run of field riveting. Rivet demonstrations were scheduled at regular intervals throughout the day and drew enthusiastic audiences who got a chance to experience firsthand an industrial process rarely seen today. The rivet equipment is the same as used by Mesler and Morrison for the Iron and Steel Preservation Conference held annually at Lansing Community College.
Commemorative Poster for Sale
Purchase your own memento of the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. The
commemorative poster is a smaller version of the banner (shown here) designed by
Bruce Mackley and produced by Lansing Community College in honor of the Golden
Gate Bridge. Sales support the Iron and Steel Historic Preservation Program Fund
at Lansing Community College.
Click here for poster purchasing information!
See more information about the Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary celebration by clicking on the July 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter link below.
May 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
June 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
July 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
September 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
October 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
November 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
December 2011 ISPC e-Newsletter
January 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
May 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
July 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
September 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
October 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
November 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
December 2012 ISPC e-Newsletter
January 2013 ISPC e-Newsletter
February 2013 ISPC e-Newletter

Applied Manufacturing Technologies
West Campus Room 103
Phone: (517) 483-5338
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