Metal to Petals: Plasma Teaser

Metal to Petals is a beginner-friendly teaser class designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of metal fabrication through the creation of custom steel flowers. This class offers a hands-on entry point into MIG welding, plasma cutting, and basic metal shaping technique. 

Students will begin by either selecting from provided flower templates or creating their own simple designs. These designs will be transferred onto sheet metal and cut using a handheld plasma cutter. From there, students will use angle grinders to refine their pieces and prepare their materials for assembly.

Shaping techniques will be introduced to bring the flowers to life, including dishing petals with a hammer on an anvil and forming with pliers. Students will then assemble their flowers by tack welding components to a steel stem, completing a fully fabricated piece by the end of the session.

This class is designed to give beginners a well-rounded introduction to multiple tools and processes within a working metal shop, while building confidence in both equipment use and creative fabrication.

Location:

This class will meet at Liberty Arts Studio, located at 918 Pearl St., Durham, NC, United States.

Pre-requisites:

This class does not require any prior experience with welding or metal fabrication, but does require the ability to work around heat, noise, sharp edges, and power tools.
This class is beginner friendly.

Skills & Equipment:

Students will be introduced to multiple core fabrication processes and tools, gaining hands-on experience in cutting, shaping, and assembling steel.

Students will learn:
Basic MIG welding and tack welding for assembly
Safe operation of a handheld plasma cutter
How to transfer designs onto metal using templates or original sketches
Use of angle grinders for cutting and surface preparation
Basic metal shaping techniques including hammering and forming
How to assemble multiple components into a finished piece

Equipment used in this class includes a plasma cutter, plasma tables, MIG welder, angle grinders (cutoff discs and flap discs), anvil, and standard metal shop tools.

Safety & PPE:

Protective gloves, face shields, and ear plugs will be provided. Proper protective wear designed for welding, plasma cutting, and grinding will be made mandatory to wear.

What to Wear:

Students must wear non-synthetic, long-sleeve clothing and closed-toe shoes. Hair should be tied back. Comfortable clothes that can get dirty are recommended.

In the interest of safety, the instructor reserves the option to limit participation if students are not wearing appropriate clothing.

Notes / Important Info:

This is a single-session class with a total duration of 3 hours of instruction. 

This class takes place in an active welding studio environment and involves working with heat, noise, sharp edges, and power tools. The studio is a working space and may be loud during instruction and fabrication time.