4 ms·

I think a missing part for the propagation of those skill is being able to learn it as a hobby / side project. I would love to take some classes (and sign up m

by ptero 4y ago

I think a missing part for the propagation of those skill is being able to learn it as a hobby / side project. I would love to take some classes (and sign up my teenage son, too), but the adult education classes that I could find in the Boston area do not teach basic woodworking, metalworking, electrical, engines skills anymore (I heard insurance is blamed way more frequently than lack of interest). I would gladly pay good money for tuition and access to a machine shop, but it is impossible to find any options. Edit: to clarify, I am treating this as a hobby (I am happy with my job working on algorithms for things that fly), not a full-time trade program.

soperj 4y ago
I've been pretty happy with hand tools for woodworking for what it's worth. Cheap(except for the wood), and it's hard to cut off your own arms with hand tools. Lots of good youtube channels (Paul Sellers is awesome).
- tomcam 4y ago
  > It's hard to cut off your own arms with hand tools Oh you've obvs never met me
greedo 4y ago
The university in my town has an Innovation Studio that has woodworking, metalworking, ceramic, textiles, 3d printing, basically everything maker related. Students get in for a cheap rate, non-students pay around $75/month. Not a bad deal really, to get access to all sorts of equipment and classes on how to use the gear. Even has some fancy CNC mills and laser cutters. Perfect for the hobbyist, or maker wanting to expand their skillset.
Ancalagon 4y ago
Nevermind adult education, these skills aren't usually taught at even a high school level anymore. My highschool had the most garbage technical curriculum (southwest US).
mrguyorama 4y ago
My rural northern maine town high school had a "Vocational wing" that taught classes from nursing prep, to childhood development, to cooking, sewing, running a greenhouse growing vegetables, heavy equipment operation including getting your CDL, a class to become a car mechanic, CompTIA+ certification class, entry level business management, etc etc etc. These programs are dirt cheap to run because the educators are paid pennies, and the equipment (computers, loaders, etc) are all local trash procured through people knowing people. Consider spending time in local school board meetings to vouch for these types of programs. Even the "traditional" students aiming for AP classes and 4 year college degrees love these classes. For more urban places, look for makerspaces or hacker spaces. If you find one that doesn't have the stuff you are looking for, consider donating some entry level versions. One huge problem for urban centers like this is just how much space machinery takes up. You need a large open shop, and that costs a lot.
- ptero 4y ago
  Totally reasonable suggestion, but did not work well for me. At my previous position at MIT I could use the MIT hobby shop, which was great. But this is only for folks with a campus affiliation. I checked two maker spaces and they seemed pretty horrible for me. Membership was dirt cheap, so they were full and had a few years of wait times. They had some shared stuff: a laser cutter, a 3D printer and a wood CNC mill, but all in various states of disrepair. That said, I just did a quick search and it seems like there are a few new ones that, at least on the web, look good. I will check those out.
sct202 4y ago
A lot of art studios and makerspaces will teach basic woodworking and metalworking (usually jewelry or decorative though).
- ptero 4y ago
  Agreed. Options for jewelry making you can find. But I want the bigger stuff, grinding metal and playing with motors :)
hnthrowaway0328 4y ago
Even if there are classes, it's almost surely that they are NOT going to be evening classes. In Canada we have vocational schools and you can have full training for 1-1.5 years, but the problem is, how do I do it when I have a full-time job? Maybe YouTube videos work too, but I really do not have confidence changing toilets or laying out my own plank wood. Like, how many times do I renovate in my LIFE? Probably just 3-4 times, so if I fuck up once I pretty much take away all values from the other 2-3.
- dghlsakjg 4y ago
  Anecdotal. But the welding instructor at my community college on Van Isle was more than happy to teach a quick weekend to intro welding at our maker space. Was even nice enough to not charge!
tomcam 4y ago
> I am happy with my job working on algorithms for things that fly Username def checks out
- ptero 4y ago
  Thank you, I am glad the beast I have taken the username from is recognizable :)
slug 4y ago
Artisans Asylum. Took a metalworking class there many years ago when they were still in Somerville. They have all sorts of classes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artisan%27s_Asylum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artisan%27s_Asylum

by ptero 4y ago

soperj 4y ago

I've been pretty happy with hand tools for woodworking for what it's worth. Cheap(except for the wood), and it's hard to cut off your own arms with hand tools. Lots of good youtube channels (Paul Sellers is awesome).

tomcam 4y ago
> It's hard to cut off your own arms with hand tools Oh you've obvs never met me

greedo 4y ago

The university in my town has an Innovation Studio that has woodworking, metalworking, ceramic, textiles, 3d printing, basically everything maker related. Students get in for a cheap rate, non-students pay around $75/month. Not a bad deal really, to get access to all sorts of equipment and classes on how to use the gear. Even has some fancy CNC mills and laser cutters. Perfect for the hobbyist, or maker wanting to expand their skillset.

Ancalagon 4y ago

Nevermind adult education, these skills aren't usually taught at even a high school level anymore. My highschool had the most garbage technical curriculum (southwest US).

mrguyorama 4y ago

My rural northern maine town high school had a "Vocational wing" that taught classes from nursing prep, to childhood development, to cooking, sewing, running a greenhouse growing vegetables, heavy equipment operation including getting your CDL, a class to become a car mechanic, CompTIA+ certification class, entry level business management, etc etc etc. These programs are dirt cheap to run because the educators are paid pennies, and the equipment (computers, loaders, etc) are all local trash procured through people knowing people. Consider spending time in local school board meetings to vouch for these types of programs. Even the "traditional" students aiming for AP classes and 4 year college degrees love these classes. For more urban places, look for makerspaces or hacker spaces. If you find one that doesn't have the stuff you are looking for, consider donating some entry level versions. One huge problem for urban centers like this is just how much space machinery takes up. You need a large open shop, and that costs a lot.

ptero 4y ago
Totally reasonable suggestion, but did not work well for me. At my previous position at MIT I could use the MIT hobby shop, which was great. But this is only for folks with a campus affiliation. I checked two maker spaces and they seemed pretty horrible for me. Membership was dirt cheap, so they were full and had a few years of wait times. They had some shared stuff: a laser cutter, a 3D printer and a wood CNC mill, but all in various states of disrepair. That said, I just did a quick search and it seems like there are a few new ones that, at least on the web, look good. I will check those out.

sct202 4y ago

A lot of art studios and makerspaces will teach basic woodworking and metalworking (usually jewelry or decorative though).

ptero 4y ago
Agreed. Options for jewelry making you can find. But I want the bigger stuff, grinding metal and playing with motors :)

hnthrowaway0328 4y ago

Even if there are classes, it's almost surely that they are NOT going to be evening classes. In Canada we have vocational schools and you can have full training for 1-1.5 years, but the problem is, how do I do it when I have a full-time job? Maybe YouTube videos work too, but I really do not have confidence changing toilets or laying out my own plank wood. Like, how many times do I renovate in my LIFE? Probably just 3-4 times, so if I fuck up once I pretty much take away all values from the other 2-3.

dghlsakjg 4y ago
Anecdotal. But the welding instructor at my community college on Van Isle was more than happy to teach a quick weekend to intro welding at our maker space. Was even nice enough to not charge!

tomcam 4y ago

> I am happy with my job working on algorithms for things that fly Username def checks out

ptero 4y ago
Thank you, I am glad the beast I have taken the username from is recognizable :)

slug 4y ago

Artisans Asylum. Took a metalworking class there many years ago when they were still in Somerville. They have all sorts of classes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artisan%27s_Asylum https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artisan%27s_Asylum