Forging and Fabricating: Make a Sheet Metal Vase

About the Course

Craft Functional Art: Design & Make Metal Bowls, Vases, and Dishes

Learn metal forging and fabrication techniques to create a one-of-a-kind flower vase in our metal shop! Whether new to metalworking or a seasoned metal sculptor, this series will teach you how to transform ordinary sheet metal into a stunningly functional object. Gain the skills and practice to design and ​​craft metal bowls, vases, and dishes.

Throughout this series, we will look at the various ways sheet metal can be formed using hot and cold methods of bending, hammering, bandsaw cutting, and shearing. We will work hands-on, using welding, brazing, and soldering techniques to join multiple pieces of sheet metal into one form. Finish these classes by practicing professional sanding and finishing to bring your creations to life. The broad range of cumulative skills built in this series will later be applicable in your self-guided projects, whether they are functional or sculptural.

This series:

• Forging with Sheet Metal Basics: Introduce bandsaw, plate shear, belt sander, files, forge, and forming stakes. Cover transferring templates to sheet metal and cutting, prepping, and forging/forming 3D shapes from sheet metal.
• Torchwork I: Introduce oxy-acetylene torch, sandblaster and die grinders. We will cover prepping sample forgings, brazing seams with a bronze rod, and cleaning up the flux/fire scale.
• Designing and Planning Your Project: Introduce paper templates and make a design guided by the templates. Prep all of the material and begin working on forgings.
• Individual Session: Private Training: Personalized, individual session to cover any areas where you may need help or want to continue learning beyond demonstrated techniques.
• Finishing and Patina: Final finishing including sanding, filing, sandblasting, to prepare for patina work. This class covers patina using chemical blakener for steel and sealing with microcrystalline wax. Commence with a mini photoshoot of everyone’s projects!

All materials are included in the price.

Sunday, January 12th, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Sunday, January 19th, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Sunday, January 26th, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Sunday, February 9th, between 10:00 am – 6:00 pm (individually scheduled one-hour session)
Sunday, February 16th, 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Q. What is included in the Maker Series package?

A. Registration in a Maker Series grants you:

• The scheduled classes and training to complete the selected project (over $600 of class instruction)
• 2 months of active NextFab Membership, starting on the first class date (over $400 value)
• Adobe at Home Access ($120 value over 2 months!)
• Special member pricing to continue membership beyond the 2 months: $149/month (over 30% discount from standard membership)
• A cohort of peers, new skills and confidence gained, and a sense of community within the Philadelphia creative ecosystem (priceless value!)

Q: Is the Maker Series right for me? I have ZERO experience!

A: Yes! The Maker Series programming was developed with the true beginner in mind. In six weeks, you could go from zero experience to confidently navigating an active studio and future projects.

Not only is NextFab’s Maker Series designed to teach you how to use the most common equipment within the area of your program, but also how to think about design when creating something from scratch. Knowing how to follow a blueprint or plan is incredibly valuable, but designing your own project plans is what will differentiate you from the hobbyist who is “just winging it.”

Q: If I am a previous member of NextFab, can I join the Maker Series?

A: Absolutely! If you are a previous member and looking to complete the class project or get a major refresh of skills you haven’t used for a while, the Maker Series is a perfect way to get your feet wet again.

Q: I have a schedule conflict with one of the class dates. Can I make it up?

A: Yes. The Maker Series package accounts for one (1) makeup class date per student at no additional cost. Advance notice/active communication with your instructor is required to coordinate when you can make up the lesson before the next scheduled class date. Subsequent absences from the pre-scheduled classes will incur an educational fee of $60/hr to make up the material.

Q: Should I join the Maker Series or join as a regular member and take classes?

A: This depends on your goals. If you are feeling inspired and want to learn new skills but don’t have a particular project in mind, the Maker Series is perfectly suited to get your feet wet and help you find your way in the craft.

If you have a particular project in mind and want to learn all the skills needed and complete your specific project, Monthly Ultimate membership ($319/mo) is your golden ticket. Ultimate membership comes with $200 of class credits monthly, so you can get started taking the classes you need, on your schedule. You can even book Private Training sessions with those credits if you need hands-on help completing your project.

What’s Next:

• Keep practicing! Try using different materials and combining brass and steel if you haven’t, push the scale of your work, apply the work to other types of objects, and combine elements from different studios or processes.
• Some more functional projects I suggest practicing with include a lamp shade, table lamp, a lidded box, a set of dishes or plates, a jewelry dish, a bud vase, a watering container, a small base or pedestal for a sculpture.