Machine
Your Guide To All Things Machine
Learn To Work With Machines and Electronics
Precision is key for these areas of study, where machinists create functional work that inspires, transports, or solves technical problems for fabricators and students alike.
In these guides, we collect the expertise of our 150+ faculty and master craftspeople to share with anyone interested in learning how to make their own objects by hand. As part of our Machine guides, faculty from our Bike Shop, Machine Shop, and Kinetics & Electronics Departments share insider tricks and step-by-step project tutorials. You will learn everything from how to tune-up your bicycle to how to light up LED signs.
Everything You Need to Know About Lathes
This guide covers what lathe machines do, different, types, and how to learn to use a lathe....
What Is A Machinist & What Do Machinists Do? The Crucible
Machinists create precise parts for mechanical equipment. This guide covers what machinists do and the big-picture of being a machinist....
What is Machining? Intro To Machine Shop Processes & Tools
In this comprehensive guide, we cover exactly what machining is, key techniques, how to learn, and machining processes....
Bike Repair Guide
Make sure you are ready for anything by being armed with bike repair knowledge! We cover how to fix a chain, a flat tube, and more....
Bike Maintenance Guide
Understanding bike maintenance and having a safe mode of transportation is more important than ever. Read on to learn the basics and more....
Explore Other Mediums
The Crucible is the largest industrial arts nonprofit in the country, where we offer classes and studio time in 19+ areas. In these guides, we break down our studio areas and focus on sharing the knowledge of our instructors with you. You can explore our guides, defined by our four main areas: Earth, Glass, Metal, and Machine.
Want to Learn Something You Don’t See Here?
The Crucible’s Guides are a work in progress. We are constantly working to provide the most up-to-date, informative guides to the industrial arts. Let us know what guides you would like to see by filling out the form below.
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The Crucible has new classes offered weekly.
Throwing in Sections
In this intermediate to advanced class we will explore throwing large forms in parts on the wheel using measurements and heat to assemble a large pot! Students will then return the...
Stone Carving II
In this focused class, students will recreate a leaf in limestone using mallet and chisels. They will start by making a basic model of a leaf in wet clay to show depth and movement...
Youth Mexican Tin Art
Learn how to create tin art inspired by repujado and hojalata done in Mexico. After a brief history of the tradtional cultural practice and demonstration of techniques, emboss your...
Pate-de-Verre Ornaments
One of the earliest techniques of glass manipulation, pâte-de-verre or “paste of glass” is a versatile kiln casting technique that uses glass paste. In this ornament focused...
3-Hour Taster: Framed Milagros
Design and fabricate framed Milagros inspired by traditional Mexican artwork and iconography. Create metal imagery like hearts, hands, and nature honoring the special moments in...
Ceramic Ornaments
Glaze your own ornaments to give to your loved ones! You will select three pre-fired ornaments to paint and glaze, learning about glazing techniques and color application. After...
Kiln Cast Glass Sculpture
Create one of a kind glass sculpture using wet clay. We will use ceramic sculpting techniques to create a solid shape that will be transformed into glass. Learn the basic skills...
Sand Blasting Imagery on Glass
Come learn some of the many ways we can use the sandblaster to etch images onto glass. In this three week intensive you will learn design principles for transferring images onto...
Youth Chibi: Miniature Figurines Weekend
Learn the basics of preparing, shaping, sculpting, cane making, and baking polymer clay. Use brightly colored clay to make small sculptures known as chibis, incorporating them into...
Youth Sandblasting
In this fun class you will use the Crucible cold shop to etch onto your own glass dishes and drink ware. You will learn to express your ideas in graphic images, how to hand and...
Exploration in Sand Casting
Learn the art of creating sand molds for casting hot glass into solid glass sculptures. Students explore various ways to work with ladle-cast glass, including using graphite blocks...
Pate-de-Verre Glass Bowls
One of the earliest techniques of glass manipulation, Pate-de-verre or “paste of glass,” is a versatile kiln casting technique that uses glass particles, mixed with a binder, and...
Lost Wax Kiln Cast Glass Sculpture
Make sculptural glass forms using the versatile lost wax technique. We will create a wax sculpture and cover it with refractory material to make our mold. The mold will be de-waxed...
20 Shades of Grey: Medieval Enameling Techniques
Often associated with medieval French enameling, grisaille (grey) is the application of white enamel to a black enamel background, creating halftones and shading. Light areas of...
Youth Glass Beads, Bugs, and Monsters!
Students will be taken on a journey to explore colorful glass beads, bugs, and monsters with crazy eyes and wacky facial expressions, using an oxy-propane torch. We will cover bead...