Thursday Night Quick Start Guide

Never used power tools? You're not alone. Our Quick Start Guide class series helps beginners understand and use the basic equipment in our work zones. These one-on-one, hands-on sessions cover the essential knowledge needed to operate that tool. These Thursday night sessions are taught by our Facilities and Incubator Director, Dan Falkenstrom and offer an opportunity for Makers to select from a list of potential topics for private classes.

Please choose your session topic from the list provided below during the registration process. 

Are you two or more individuals that want to take the class? Email info@tvcog.net for group rates. 

Available Sessions for this date:

1 Hour Sessions: $40 COG Members | $50 Non-Members

Quick Start Guide 1: Cordless Drills (Metal Shop/Woodshop)

There's more than one way to drill a hole. This class will cover how to use battery powered hand drills, and how to choose between different drill bits (twist, spade, forstner, hole saw, stepper, etc). 

Quick Start Guide 2: Angle Grinders (Metal Shop)

Cutting metal may seem like a daunting task. Angle grinders may be messy and loud, but they make the task easy! This class will cover how to cut, grind, polish, and sand metal. 

Quick Start Guide 3: Cutting and Bending Sheet Metal (Metal Shop)

Sheet steel and aluminum may seem like daunting materials to work with. This class will show you how to cut straight lines on the shear and bend simple angles on the brake. 

Quick Start Guide 4: Jointer & Planer (Woodshop)

The jointer and planer are used to make clean parallel and perpendicular edges on wood. This class will cover the basics of how to properly use each of these tools to transform wonky wood to exact dimensions.

Quick Start Guide 5: Table Saw (Woodshop)

The table saw is an essential tool for cutting wood sheets. This class will teach you the basics of table saw operation. 

Quick Start Guide 6: MIG Welding 

Welding is easy to learn, but difficult to master. MIG welding is a simple process for quickly joining steel. If you've never touched a welder before, MIG welding is where you should start. This class will cover the basic operation of a MIG welder to join steel.  

Quick Start Guide 7: TIG Welding 

Welding is easy to learn, but difficult to master. TIG welding is a little more difficult than MIG, but provides more flexibility to join steel and aluminum. If you've soldered an electrical joint, you'll find TIG welding very approachable. This class will cover the basic operation of a TIG welder to join steel. 

2 Hour Sessions: $70 COG Members | $80 Non-Members

Quick Start Guide 8: Mill 

The vertical mill is an essential tool for cutting, shaping, and drilling in metals and plastics. It's a big and intimidating machine, but the basic operations aren't difficult to learn. This class covers machine safety, simple work holding, fly cutting, and end milling. 

Quick Start Guide 9: Metal Lathe

The lathe precicely cuts and drills round metal stock (and some not round, too!). Mastering the basics of this tool, along with the mill, opens up an almost limitless world of creating accurate metal and plastic parts. This class covers machine safety, installing chucks and collets, basic cutting tools, using the tailstock, and the parting tool.

Quick Start Guide 10: Laser Cutter Design and Operation

This class covers machine safety and operation as well as basic vector design.

No previous experience necesary. All materials included. Participants must be 18+. Registration for all classes in this series closes 1 hour before the workshop begins. Discounts will automatically be applied to current COG members during the registration process.

We ask that you do not attend your class if you are showing any COVID related symptons. If this is the case, and you cannot attend your class, you have the option to request a full refund up to 1 week before your class begins. After this point, students experiencing symptoms may request a full class credit for the class. 

COVID-19 Safety: TVCOG is committed to ensuring the safety of its members, instructors and guests and as such, has set certain COVID-19 safety precautions in place which follow NYS and CDC guidance. You will be asked to complete a COVID waiver, sign a COVID Safety Pledge and provide contact tracing information during the registration process. Everyone is expected to complete a temperature check upon initial entry to the facility, and maintain social distance (6′) from individuals outside of their own group while in the facility; this class size has been limited to 1 participant in order to ensure adequate social distancing. Masks are required for participants at all times while in this class, regardless of vaccination status. All shared tools/equipment will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after each class. Read our full policy here.