Page 15 - JUNE 2018 flipbbok_Neat
P. 15
Wes Smith
just name a few. He retired in 1999.
Even now, Wes spends a lot of time
developing unusual items, currently he is
working on adapting a mobility scooter, to go “off
road”. He just loves spending time in his shed.
He married Marlene in 1963 and children played
a major part in their lives. Apart from their own
children they fostered many children from 1984
to approx. 2008. They generally took on children
with more difficult family issues, and Wes still
keeps in contact with one or two. He also thinks
about all of them and how they might be going
now.
Within the community Wes and
Marlene were heavily involved with
uriosity killed the cat’, but not so their Church, Scouts and helped out
for 83-year-old Wes Smith, as he turned with local drama groups, making
his
C attention from engineering to costumes, set design and building.
modern 3D printing. It has been quite a They were also involved with the
challenge for him to master the process as he St Kilda Cheer Squad, creating many new
went from one class to another; from one St Kilda supporters with the Foster Children.
university to many more in order to crack the Wes cared for Marlene during her ill health from
code to make it easy. 3D printing lets 2009 to her death in 2012.
designers create complex shapes and parts –
many of which cannot be produced by Joining Whittlesea U3A in 2008 had a major
conventional manufacturing methods. By the impact on their lives, providing a strong social
natural laws of physics, manufacturing through outlet for them both, especially for Wes after
additive methods means that complexity doesn’t Marlene’s death.
have a price; elaborate product with complicated Some of the activities Wes has enjoyed are:
design features now cost just as much to produce Computer, Carpet Bowls, Trivia, Share a Meal,
as simple product designs that follow all the tra- Breakfast, Devonshire tea, Monthly Morning Tea
ditional rules of conventional manufacturing.
and has gone on most of the bus trips.
He drew on his engineering experience and took
baby steps to understand the basic instructions. He especially enjoyed the Lakes Entrance trips,
The teachers/professors were very much in the sharing his memories of living there. Whittlesea
dark or did not want to divulge the whole U3A remains a major part of Wes’ life. Of course
processing secret to the masses. Wes, now works Wes can always be counted on to help out with
with young adults from Peter Lalor College. some of the many behind the scenes work as
well.
He was born in 1935 and has lived in St Kilda,
Lakes Entrance, Bendigo, Mildura and Wes took an avid interest in the ongoing
Reservoir. He was a merchant seaman, travelling production of 3D printers over the past 5 or so
the world extensively and he is a qualified years, seeking out anyone who could quench
engineer. He has worked with a number of his thirst for knowledge on the subject. He
companies including Metropolitan Fire finally purchased his own (approx.) 2 years
Brigade, Containers, Rowntree and Caterpillar, ago, and has slowly developed his knowledge.
