Femmes & Thems:

metal shop & mig welding 101

In this class at Saskatoon Makerspace, female-identifying and non-binary students will learn the basic skills and techniques needed to safely and effectively use the shop's metalworking tools and equipment. Through a combination of instruction and hands-on practice, participants will learn how to use cutting tools such as the metal bandsaw and angle grinder, as well as welding and fabrication techniques such as MIG welding, grinding, and finishing. The class will cover topics such as material selection, project design, and safety protocols. By the end of the class, students will have created their own small project and will have a foundational understanding of the principles of metal fabrication.

This class is suitable for beginners with little to no experience in metalworking or welding. All materials and tools will be provided, but students are encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for working with metal.

Participants should bring:

  • Close toed shoes (work shoes are preferred, and non-synthetic materials preferred), ensure that the laces are not frayed.

  • Wear clothes that are sturdy and flame resistant (e.g. denim, cotton) as synthetic fibers (e.g. polyester) pose a personal hazard in the welding shop environment. Jeans and long sleeve shirt would be appropriate. Ensure that your clothing does not have frayed edges (e.g. around the cuffs of your pants)

Participants will be provided with:

  • Metal shop PPE

    • Eye glasses

    • Ear plugs

    • Welding helmet

    • Welding gauntlets

    • Welding spats

    • Welding beanie

* Participants must me be 14 years of age or older, ages 14 - 16 must be accompanied by a legal guardian. *

upcoming classes

A note on Femmes & Thems classes:

At Saskatoon Makerspace, we pride ourselves in our efforts towards being more and more inclusive, in creating a safe space for all, and removing barriers of all types for all people. Our community is full of humans from all walks of life; we want to be sure that as we run classes we are creating comfortable environments for anyone to participate. To that end, we will be making some permanent changes to our class schedules.

Formerly know as our Women & Welding and Women & Woodshop 101 classes,  we are re-introducing those classes as our Femmes & Thems 101 classes. Our class listings have always stated that the above classes are intended for any and all female identifying and non-binary students, but we wanted the title of these classes to reflect that as well. Our Femmes & Thems classes are intended for anyone who may not feel comfortable in our standard classes, and would prefer a female and/or queer led class, regardless of participants identity or orientation.

The majority of our instructors at Makerspace have participated in Out Saskatoon’s Gender Based Violence Training Program, both those teaching the above classes, and those teaching our standard classes.

Outside of redefining our classes, we have also included pronouns to our class lists provided to instructors, as shared with us upon class booking.

If you have any notes, or ways you believe we could improve our inclusivity at the space, please reach out to me via email at: community@saskatoonmakerspace.com

None scheduled?

The fine print.

We do not offer full refunds for classes. Class tickets can be transferred to another date as long as you contact us at least 4 days in advance so we have time to sell your ticket to someone else. We will only transfer your ticket to the next class one time. With less than 4 days notice, we can refund 50% of the ticket price.

Our classes are primarily designed for adults, however we do allow youth ages 14+ to come to a class with a parent/guardian. Anyone 16+ is allowed to go to a class on their own but must have a waiver signed by a parent/guardian.

*Soap making being the exception, it is an 18+ class.