The Crucible

I went to "The Crucible", for an arch welding class. The instructor was very knowledgeable with accreditations as testament to his abilities. The instructor, (who's name escapes me), was completely at your disposal whenever you have questions or problems. With breaks and projects included. This course was two days and well worth the cost associated. However there are quite a few other things to get into there.

I bought the 3hr blacksmithing class for my husband as a Xmas gift and he absolutely loved it. My husband so excited because he truly enjoyed everything he learned. At the end of the class he was able to create a hook and bottle opener. For those who are curious about learning a new craft this class is for you. For a true beginner it's not something you should be intimated by. The teachers and volunteers were very friendly from start to finish and we will be coming back!

The Crucible is a great place full of wonderful people doing wonderful things. The instructors are very passionate about their craft and very informative, going above and beyond to make the resources and classes available to us. Where we are, the opportunity to learn these crafts is much more limited, and the Crucible provides invaluable experience. You can tell there is a lot of love and a lot of heart poured into everything here, and I can't begin to imagine how much goes into the classes behind the scenes to make this possible. That being said the courses aren't without its con. The only real detriment (unfortunately a rather impactful one) to the quality, is the Time constraint. Granted, I've only taken 2 courses (WWI and Waffle Iron) but finishing within hours has been a consistent issue. Those who do finish at pace with the course rush through their respective projects. It can't be helped, but it does detract greatly from the overall experience. But even with that drawback, I would wholly recommend taking a course at The Crucible. If you are interested, can be patient and forgiving with yourself through the learning process, and a "type 2 fun" type of person, then just do it. It's just such an experience, and one I would gladly do all over again.

My wife and I took the blacksmithing sample class. It was a ton of fun! The teachers were patient, knowledgeable, and you could tell they really enjoyed what they were teaching. It’s hot and a bit of work but in a good way. You’ll leave with some new skills, an idea of whether blacksmithing is something you want to peruse further, and a neat souvenir to boot!

Do not come here expecting a rich educational experience. Other than efficiently scooping up your tuition fees you’ll find this school is poorly run and the instructors are grossly incompetent. Once you’re signed on the only people appearing motivated here are the “communications team”, who seem to have their hands full fielding complaints and puffing up the school’s image. The saddest part of all is to see such a self-serving organization misrepresenting themselves as an asset to the under-privileged local community. My advice: avoid this place at all costs and instead choose to support your local community colleges and independently operated craft studios offering higher-level instruction and authentic commitment to hands-on education.