Penland Metals Studio Information

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Equipment
This list of equipment is not comprehensive; it is meant to give you an idea of what to expect during your class here at Penland. Keep in mind that although we do have this equipment, if something is not necessary for your class it may not be prepared for use. The equipment used by your class will be determined by your instructor, and will be appropriate to the techniques covered in your class.

All of our equipment is divided between two studios: 2 rolling mills, 16 flexible shaft machines, 10 acetylene torches, 3 mini torches, 1 large annealing torch, 2 Smith oxy/acetylene rigs, 3 anvils, 2 burnout kilns, 3 enamelling kilns, 1 Beverly shear, 1 guillotine shear, 1 bench shear, 3 drill presses, 1 bending brake with fingers, 1 slip roll, 1 buffing machine, 1 3" belt sander, 1 grinder, 1 portable grinder, 1 Unimat lathe, 1 air compressor, 1 sand blaster, 1 wax injector, 1 vulcanizer, 1 investment mixer, mold frames, 1 vacuum machine, 1 Electromelt furnace, 1 scroll saw, 2 hydraulic presses, 2 ventilated etching boxes, 1 ventilated electroforming tank, anodizing equipment, 1 Whisper baby forge, 1 large band saw, 1 draw bench with plates and tongs, many assorted hammers, 13 vises, many various forming stakes, 2 ultrasonic cleaners, dapping blocks, 2 sets of dapping punches, some chasing and stamping tools, 2 sets of disk cutters, Jr. hand punch, 4 tubing jigs, various crucibles and ingot molds, pitch bowls, tumblers, 1 ring bender, 1 granite surface block, assorted ring and bezel mandrels, and assorted hand tools (files, etc.).

Supplies and Materials
Materials available for resale in the school store include silver (fine and sterling) sheet, wire, and hard, medium, and easy solder in strip and wire, copper, brass, nickel silver, and nu-gold in sheet and wire. The gauges we keep in the store are the most common, 16-24, with some exceptions. Unless the instructor has asked for a specific metal and/or gauge other than the ones noted above, you should bring your own material if you foresee needing something other than what is listed above. The store accepts cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, and Penland Tender.

The metals studio does not provide most expendable tools. Small items like solder picks, needle files, small drill bits and flex shaft accessories should be brought with you or purchased at the school store.

As a class uses supplies, gases, expendable materials and special materials recommended by the instructor for shared class use, a studio fee will be assessed.

Toolkits
Beginners yoolkits are available through your studio assistant for checkout. These kits include saw frames, ring clamps, sets of pliers, center punches, small bench blocks, and small ball pein hammers. There is no rental charge, but students are responsible for replacing lost or damaged tools they have checked out.

Classroom
The metals studios are housed in the Edward Fortner Metals Studio, in between the main offices and the clay studios. Both studios are accessible from outside, the upper studio takes a little more effort to get to from the dining facilities than the lower studio, but they are about the same as far as accessibility is concerned. They are joined by an inside staircase on the south wall. The classrooms are quite different; the upstairs studio gets a lot of light and gets warm in the summer, while the lower studio does not get much light (it is a basement but has windows in the classroom) and stays cool in the summer. Each classroom is adjacent to a workroom where most of the noisy, heavy, or hot work is done; at most there will be twelve students in your class, so there is plenty of room to work. A CD player and a refrigerator (with an inoperable freezer) are provided for your convenience.

Student Workspace
Each student gets his or her own bench at which to work. At each bench are one incandescent lamp and an office chair awaiting the eager student. If you have specific seating or lighting needs, you will want to bring what you need with you.

Storage
Each bench has a small (approx. 1 cubic foot of space) lockable storage space. Bring a lock.

Safety Information
Your instructor will list any specific safety equipment required in his or her list of materials. In addition to what your instructor lists, you should bring safety goggles, a dust mask (at the very least) or a respirator, and hearing protection. Gloves, an apron, and a towel for drying your work are good things to bring as well. These items are all available for purchase at the school store if you cannot find them before you arrive.

There is a mandatory safety walk-through at the beginning of every class. The walk-through is to introduce you to the studio space and to show you the safety equipment. For your information before you arrive: sandals are not recommended in the metals studio, and long hair should be kept tied back while working with motor driven equipment. Each studio has three fire extinguishers, a first aid kit, and an eyewash station. The lower studio has a safety shower by the large annealing torch, and a safety shower and another eyewash station in the etching room. Penland has a hazardous waste removal program. If your class creates any matter that cannot safely be disposed of, you will be charged a small fee to pay for hazardous waste removal.

Alcohol is not permitted in the studio; working while intoxicated is also prohibited.

Shared Studio Equipment
The equipment in the metals studios is shared equipment. If there is something you need to use that is in the other metals studio, you are more than welcome to use it as long as you are not interrupting a demo or someone else's work on that equipment. You are also welcome to relocate smaller tools to suit your needs, as long as you return the tool to its place of origin when you are finished using it.

If during your session you wish to use equipment in any of the other studios here at Penland, you must work with the instructor, studio assistant or coordinator of that studio to arrange access. They will determine if the use is compatible with their class' activities, and if you are able to work safely and independently with the equipment.

During Your Session
Classes begin on Sunday at 8:30 p.m., preceded by an all school meeting at 5 p.m. in the Northlight building and dinner at 6:15 in the Pines. During the session there will be scheduled studio clean ups in which everyone participates. At the end of the session (except seventh session) there will be a benefit auction the night before clean up. The metals studios reserve the morning of Show and Tell day for a two hour studio scrub down, followed by the 11:00 am Show and Tell in Northlight. After Show and Tell, there is lunch, followed by the packing of cars and saying goodbyes. If you are a work-study student or a studio assistant, you will of course be here at 9 am the day before your class starts, and stay until 5 the day after Show and Tell. No one may continue to work in the studio after clean up unless given specific permission by the coordinator.

If you have questions contact:
Metals Studio Coordinator: Adam Whitney
Phone Number: 828.765.2359x29
E-mail Address: metals@penland.org