The Crucible

Exploring Welding
Entry-level class
If you’re not sure what type of welding you’d like to learn, this is the class for you. You will learn about and have the chance to try four types of welding taught at The Crucible: oxy/acetylene, stick, metal inert gas (MIG), and tungsten inert gas (TIG). This class will inspire you and guide you to the type of welding most appropriate to the project you want to complete or the direction you want to follow.

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Introduction to Welded Sculpture
Entry-level class
This is a great class for beginners. You’ll learn to join pieces of metal using arc welding (also known as stick welding). You’ll also learn to slice through metal with the hot flame of an oxy/acetylene torch and to use power and hand tools to finish your work. You’ll make a small sculpture to take home.

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Women’s Welding
Entry-level class
This special workshop, taught by women for women, covers the same material as Introduction to Welded Sculpture. It’s a great introduction to metalworking in a supportive environment. Absolutely no experience needed.

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Continuing Techniques in Welded Sculpture
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: Introduction to Welded Sculpture, Women’s Welding
Want to master the fundamentals you learned in an Introduction to Welded Sculpture class? This class will teach you how to improve your welding skills, plan a project, avoid common design pitfalls, and deal with unexpected problems when they arise. Particular attention will be paid to proper fabrication and finishing techniques. Several small projects will be assigned and different techniques will be discussed over the course of the class. Students are also welcome to work on their own projects.

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Also check out this class in our Youth Department and as part of a Family Fun Weekend!

BYOB - Build your own BBQ (Biannually)
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: MIG and OXY/Acetylene cutting or plasma cutting.
Love to BBQ? Here’s a chance to show off your welding skills and have fun building your own monster BBQ. This class will teach you how to build your own BBQ from a tank or container and scrap metal. Interesting creature designs are encouraged. See the Scorpion BBQ in front of The Crucible for an idea of what’s possible. The class will focus on reuse of materials. We’ll fire up a BBQ or two on the last day of class to celebrate!

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Oxyacetylene Welding (Intensive)
Entry-level class
Learn to weld using a torch that burns a mixture of oxygen and acetylene gases. This is the least expensive way to weld. You’ll learn about cutting, joining, and shaping sheet metal to make a geometric candleholder along with another small project of your choice. This class covers plasma cutting and oxyacetylene cutting, and introduces how to join metals by brazing.

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Introduction to MIG Welding
Entry-level class
Metal inert gas (MIG) welding, also known as wire-feed welding, falls between arc welding and TIG in the welding spectrum. Quieter and cleaner (and some say easier) than arc welding, MIG welding is typically used in production fabrication such as furniture making, light construction, and auto restoration. You’ll learn the basics of MIG welding, as well as plasma cutting and other fabrication processes. Knowledge of arc welding is handy but not essential.

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Also check out this class in our Youth Department.

Metal Fabrication Tools: Square
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: Introduction to MIG Welding
The focus of the class is all about making things square as well as brushing up on your welding skills. This class is designed to teaches students specialized skills used in the metal fabrication industry, which can be applied to either practical or creatively inspired projects. Students will take on the horizontal band saw, the sheer, the notcher, the break, beveling joints, professional finishing techniques, using the drill press to place rivets and of course, squaring techniques!

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Metal Fabrication Tools: Round
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: Introduction to MIG Welding
In this class students learn techniques that are commonly used in the metal fabrication industry, but this time the work will have more than four corners and new tools are introduced. Students get experience using the sheet roller, the circle cutter, hydraulic pipe bender, basic Hossfeld bending techniques, the hole punch and the pipe roller. Learn how to find odd angles, cut them and fit them together; how to miter a pipe on both ends and create coping to fit it to another pipe, and how to use a die grinder.

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Wood + Metal
Entry-level class
Wood + Metal is a class for those who are interested in learning about and applying the fundamentals of these two titans of materials. During this class, we will work on a coffee table that each student will bring home which incorporates both materials and highlights the ways in which each compliments the other.

Skills covered will be MIG welding, cutting, grinding, bending and finishing metal as well as milling wood, gluing wood, joinery demo, sanding and finish work. Students will work closely with the core woodshop tools: tablesaw, jointer, planer, and bandsaw and router.

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Furniture Fabrication & MIG Welding
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: Any welding class
If you want to fabricate one-of-a-kind metal furniture for your home, this class is for you. Going beyond basic MIG welding, this ten-week class focuses on designing and fabricating functional and aesthetically interesting benches, coffee tables, flower stands, cabinets, wheeled furniture, shelves, coat racks, and just about any other piece of furniture you’d like to fabricate. Be prepared to weld and cut on the first day as a review.

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Beginning TIG
Entry-level class
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is a highly precise method of welding that makes clean and focused welds on everything from super thin to very thick materials. Using the TIG welding process, an expert can weld any metal that can be welded and can even join dissimilar metals. You will learn the basics of TIG welding by working with stainless steel. The class will also introduce the plasma cutter and a variety of shop sheet metal tools. The instructor will assign sculpture projects that allow you to put your creativity and welding skills to use.

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Also check out this class in our Youth Department.

Sculpting with TIG
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: TIG experience
This class will deepen your knowledge of TIG welding and give you the practice needed to hone your skills. You’ll learn to hand feed wire to fill gaps and create new forms in a variety of metals. Challenging exercises will allow you to gain the confidence to consider yourself a competent TIG welder. This class will focus on precise welding, to minimizing grinding and finishing. This is an advanced class so bring ideas for projects that are feasible given the time and equipment available.

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TIG & Titanium (Yearly)
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: Beginning TIG
Want to learn to weld titanium? This one-day class will teach you the basics of titanium TIG welding with standard shop equipment. You’ll learn about the properties of titanium and why it’s tricky to weld. We’ll cover techniques to avoid cracking and contamination of this sensitive metal, such as appropriate use of gas lenses and back-purging welds with argon to bring them down to a lower temperature. You’ll see demonstrations and practice basic and some advanced welds in class. You should have experience with TIG welding. Please bring your gloves and wear suitable clothing.

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Continuing Techniques in TIG (Biannually)
Previous experience required.
Prerequisite: Beginning TIG
This class is for those who have completed Beginning TIG, have a basic idea of stainless steel and are ready to move on to working with different types of metals. With an emphasis on aluminum, brass and copper, you’ll learn the ins and outs of TIG welding, tricks of the trade, and reasons why some metals cannot be joined.

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Art of the One-Speed: Building a Bicycle Frame
Previous experience required
Prerequisites: Beginning TIG, The Mother Machines
Have you ever wanted to make your own bicycle frame? Here is your chance. In this class you will make a one-speed, chrome moly steel, mountain bike frame using proven geometric principles. Learn about TIG welding, brazing, machining of tubes, bicycle geometry, materials, construction techniques, fixtures, and jigs. You’ll leave this class with your own one-of-a-kind bicycle frame.

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