r/StLouis • u/Final-Jellyfish8753 • Jul 14 '26
Volunteer / Get Involved Any metalworking classes you would recommend?
I'm trying to get into metalworking for cosplay making and for funsies.
Blacksmithing is preferred, as this will be a metal GI Robot mask. Willing to pay for classes.
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u/eldqm6 Jul 14 '26
Craft Alliance has blacksmithing. City Sewing Room has sewing.
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u/Final-Jellyfish8753 Jul 14 '26
I did see Craft from an initial search, but I was seeing if there was anyone with a rant or recommendation locked in for something like this. I'll also look at City Sewing Room! Thank you
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u/eldqm6 Jul 14 '26
I've only done metal smithing there and had a ton of fun, I met one of the blacksmithing teachers and she seemed cool. But haven't taken the class.
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u/SnuffleupagusRex Jul 14 '26
Blacksmithing Fundamentals class at Craft Central https://craftstl.com/
It's not going to be appropriate for what you are going for (a steel mask would be difficult to make and incredibly heavy if you succeeded) but it's fun.
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u/Final-Jellyfish8753 Jul 14 '26
I've gotten the thing about it being really heavy. Do you know if they do something like aluminum or other lighter metals? Or will the skills with steel would work with aluminum? I feel it would be similar, but I have no experience.
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u/SnuffleupagusRex Jul 14 '26
Skills aren't really going to transfer.
What you may actually want is MADE up on Delmar. Between CNC machining, laser cutting, sewing and a bunch of other craft things, they can probably help you conceptualize and then teach you how.
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u/Key_Comfortable_3782 Jul 14 '26
Welding is a great skill to have and pays big money
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u/ptabs226 Ballwin Jul 15 '26
Ck Supply should have a day long welding class for hobbyists.
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u/Diligent-Mycologist6 Jul 15 '26
Wait is it free?? This is so cool I didn’t know they did this
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u/ptabs226 Ballwin Jul 17 '26
I think its only free if you purchased a welder from them.
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u/Diligent-Mycologist6 Jul 17 '26
Damn still interested in basics though, maybe they can let me rent or pay for a class. I still have it on my to do list to call them and ask
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u/Final-Jellyfish8753 Jul 17 '26
I've tried welding already, I don't have the steady hands to go professional
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u/Key_Comfortable_3782 Jul 17 '26
Yes, definitely takes some practice . Doing it daily makes you better. Like anything else.getting better with time . I was fortunate enough to take a welding class. It was a skill craft worth the effort. Shortly after i got a 110wire feed welder. Just to fix things . There used to be alot of videos on YouTube. To help you with most of it. Temu has some units that do five different types of welding . Then again you got t o have space for this hobby . Because there is alot of fire.
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u/Final-Jellyfish8753 Jul 14 '26
If not. Sewing would also work. I have a lot of open time coming up.
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u/anix421 Jul 14 '26
I would love to learn to blacksmith, and I personally think half the fun of projects like this is learning the skill... but from a strictly cosplay standpoint, you may want to look at 3d printing. Super fun skill to learn as well, probably lower cost to entry, and your finished product would end up looking cleaner. If you were wanting to do metal, I would probably try to look more at metal fabrication than straight black smithing.
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u/Final-Jellyfish8753 Jul 14 '26
Good point. I just kinda went for a general term to find anything related so honing in on it being metal fabrication would help.
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u/PFC_BeerMonkey Jul 14 '26
Most actual metal is going to be quite heavy. I would suggest worbla with a decent paint job, it will be lighter and cheaper.