FAQ
NEW YORK State, in the city of Rochester. Exact physical address is: 125 Fed Ex Way, Rochester, NY. Gates is the specific suburb we're located in, which is appx. 15 minutes west from downtown Rochester. Our school is about 300ft down the road from Airgas welding supply store, and the massive Fedex building.
No problem! Send an email to info@rocafc.com or give us a call at 585-349-7110. Please leave a voicemail if we aren't able to accept your call. We might be in the back shop playing with fire :)
Yes. Payment is due in full in order to register/secure a seat in class. We do not accept partial payments or payment plans.
We currently accept Discover, Visa, MasterCard and PayPal. Our checkout system is SSL Certified and currently run through PayPal. Users are given the option at checkout to use PayPal or credit card.
If you have a gift card, we'll need to process that over the phone. Give us a call at 585-349-7110.
Sixteen.... Students must be at least 16 years of age to attend class unless otherwise noted (Exceptions include Glass Fusing Tike, Teen and Creative Kids Classes. Also, APPROVED youth who completed and passed our evaluation for attending a specific blacksmith class).
No, currently we are not allowing kids under the age of 16 to participate in welding, glass flameworking, or jewelry classes. We appreciate your understanding.
Any student under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian complete the waiver by CLICKING HERE.
NOTE FOR BLACKSMITHING: Students under the age of 16 who are interested in blacksmithing classes MUST contact Arc + Flame Blacksmithing Director (Candace Martens) for an evaluation prior to enrolling in a smithing class. Candace can be reached at blacksmithing@rocafc.com or 585-617-9644.
Our programs are designed to be as inclusive as possible. However, if you have any concerns with your vision, hearing, hand dexterity or mental health please contact us at info@rocafc.com or 585-349-7110 before signing up for this class. We want to ensure the best, and safest possible class experience for all students.
Sure thing. Send an email to our Operations Manager at experience@rocafc.com. Let them know what type of class you're interested in, quantity of people, days/times, etc. etc.
All students are equipped with the necessary safety equipment, gear, and materials based on the processes they are working with. All of our instructors are trained to educate and implement proper safety techniques for all students to use during their classroom experience. We have trained over 15,000 students since opening in 2012.
Short answer: Wear boots, jeans, and a cotton t-shirt!
Extended answer: Boots are preferred footwear, but sneakers
are acceptable if they cover the top of your foot and up to your ankle (ie: do
not wear shoes that expose the top of your foot). Long pants are required! We
recommend a cotton t-shirt. DO NOT wear
shorts, sandals, Crocs, dresses, or nylon/ highly flammable materials. DO NOT
wear yoga pants, or sweat pants! DO not wear loose or dangling clothing or jewelry.
If you have questions, please ask in advance of the class.
Failure to comply with proper attire requirements will result in being unable
to participate in class!
Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early. (Address: 125 Fed Ex Way, Rochester, NY 14624). When you enter the center, please let our faculty know the class you are signed up for AND your first and last name.
We recommend bringing a water bottle, a notebook and pen. Unless otherwise notes, all materials and safety gear are included in all of our classes!
You will receive a verification message after your transaction is completed and a confirmation email. If you don't receive a confirmation email, give us a call at 585-349-7110.
Samplers (3.5-4hr) or Workshops (8hrs) are great formats because they involve a smaller time commitment and dollar amount. Unless otherwise noted, all Samplers and Workshops require zero previous experience!
Some classes are intended for intermediate or advanced students, based on their prior class experience. There are also professional qualification and career training classes for those interested in welding. Those classes can be found here.
We are here to help! Call us at 585-349-7110 or email info@rocafc.com with your questions.
Questions pertaining to class information, signup, directions, or other general questions can be sent to:
Specific questions directed towards a particular processes can be sent to our directors:welding@rocafc.com
Interested in setting up a private class, team builder, or other custom class? experinece@rocafc.com
Our complete class list and our class calendar will show all available classes. You can also click "Find Class Now." Can't find what you're looking for? Give us a call at 585-349-7110.
Please consult with your physician! Although we do not prevent pregnant women from participating, we advise against it for any of our welding, smithing, and glass flameworking classes. There is still a minor exposure to high iron gasses, welding fumes, propane, and occasionally smoke!
Glass Fusing and Chainmail classes would be fine options that do not involve any open flame/ gas.
For most students, the best place to get started is with one of our 3.5-Hour Samplers or an 8-Hour Workshops. These classes are designed to introduce beginners to the art of blacksmithing, and are a great way to get your feet wet! Sampler classes are $80 per student and Workshops are $165, and you can find our current schedule online at https://www.rocafc.com/pages/classes-list-view-smithing.
If you have any interest in making knives or blades, you should look for a class focused on the tapers technique, as that is the fundamental skill necessary to create a blade. The most popular of these is our 8-Hour Tapers Skill Building Workshop:https://www.rocafc.com/products/blacksmithing-workshop
Awesome! All of our bladesmithing classes require students to have some prior forging experience. For beginners we typically recommend taking an 8-Hour Skill Building Workshop for Tapers (https://www.rocafc.com/products/blacksmithing-workshop), as this is the fundamental technique used to make a blade. Upon completion of this you will be able to move on to a bladesmithing class (https://www.rocafc.com/collections/blacksmithing-technique-bladesmithing).
No. Our one-day Workshops and 30-hour Night Courses are designed as skill building endeavors. They will give you a great foundation in the welding process of your choice, but will not provide you with any professional qualifications or prepare you for employment in the welding industry. Our Night Course and Workshop schedule is available on our website at: https://www.rocafc.com/pages/classes-list-view-welding
If you are looking for career training, you may be interested in our Welding & Fabrication Program. Detailed information about this course is available here:https://www.rocafc.com/pages/career-training-program
1.) Glass Flameworking: Using a table-top torch, glass rods are melted to a molten state, then shaped with tools and hand movements. There are two main types of flameworking glass, borosilicate (or boro) and soft. Each type of glass - boro and soft - is suited to making different types of projects (see below) based on its COE (coefficient of expansion). Below are descriptions of what each process entails:
Sculpture (Boro Glass): Boro glass is ideal for creating sculptures and hollow forms. Beads (Soft Glass):
Soft Glass is ideal for projects involving bead making and surface decoration.
2.) Glass Fusing: Flat pieces of cold, colored glass are cut and arranged into a pattern or design, then put in a kiln where the glass is fused together as one piece. The piece can then be slumped over a mold to make objects including plates, bowls, picture frames, sun catchers, and elements for making jewelry. Fusing is great for people who want to make a practical finished project or have aversion to working directly with fire.