Membership Guildlines:
Arc Academy’s Open Shop provides qualified welders with access to shop space and equipment for continued practice, skill development, and personal projects.
Open Shop is an extension of Arc Academy’s educational mission. It is not intended to function as a commercial fabrication facility, private studio, storage space, or place of business.
The monthly membership fee of $105 includes up to 40 hours of Open Shop time per month. Hours beyond the monthly allowance will be charged at a rate of $10 per hour.
Access to Open Shop is subject to shop availability, staff availability, and compliance with the following guidelines.
Open Shop time must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. Scheduling 48 hours in advance is strongly encouraged.
Open Shop access is available only when an authorized Arc Academy staff member is present. Requests may be denied or rescheduled when appropriate supervision is not available.
Member shop time is limited to:
40 hours per month
10 hours per week
5 hours per day
Members may distribute their available hours throughout the week, subject to shop capacity and scheduling availability.
Unused membership hours do not roll over to the following month.
Non-members who have been approved for Open Shop use pay by the hour and are not subject to the monthly or weekly membership limits. Daily limits, scheduling requirements, shop capacity, and all other Open Shop rules still apply.
Scheduled time includes project setup, work time, cleanup, and the removal or proper storage of materials. Users must stop working early enough to fully clean their workspace before their scheduled time ends.
Repeated late arrivals, no-shows, last-minute cancellations, or failure to leave at the scheduled time may result in restricted scheduling privileges or suspension of Open Shop access.
Open Shop members and hourly users must be at least 15 years old.
Members and hourly users under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign all required membership agreements, consent forms, and liability waivers before using Open Shop.
Arc Academy students may use only the welding processes, tools, and equipment for which they have received training and approval from Arc Academy.
Completion of a class does not automatically authorize unrestricted use of every tool or machine in the shop. Arc Academy staff will determine whether a user has demonstrated the knowledge and ability required to operate equipment safely.
Users may not operate unfamiliar equipment without receiving permission and additional instruction from an Arc Academy staff member.
Individuals who have not completed training through Arc Academy must:
Pay a one-time assessment fee of $250
Provide evidence of relevant training or experience
Complete a skills and safety assessment
Pass a welding test for each process they intend to use
Arc Academy reserves the right to require additional instruction or deny access to any process, tool, or machine based on the results of an assessment.
Damage resulting from misuse, negligence, unauthorized equipment use, or failure to follow operating procedures may be charged to the user responsible.
Open Shop may be used for:
Practicing welding and fabrication skills
Developing skills for future employment or career opportunities
Completing personal projects
Experimenting with approved techniques and materials
Continuing work related to Arc Academy instruction
Open Shop may not be used to operate or support a private business.
Members and hourly users may not use Arc Academy facilities, equipment, utilities, storage, materials, or staff support for:
Producing items for sale
Fulfilling customer orders
Performing paid fabrication or repair work
Manufacturing products in quantity
Regularly creating inventory for a business
Operating a commercial welding, fabrication, art, or production practice from the shop
Arc Academy understands that personal projects may occasionally be gifted or later sold. However, projects created primarily for commercial sale, client work, or ongoing business activity are not permitted.
Arc Academy staff have final authority to determine whether a project falls outside the intended educational and personal-use purpose of Open Shop. Commercial use may result in immediate suspension or termination of shop access.
Open Shop users must work only in designated welding bays, worktables, and preparation areas, as directed by Arc Academy staff.
The classroom is off limits to Open Shop users and is reserved for classes, instructor preparation, demonstrations, and other Arc Academy functions.
When Open Shop is at capacity and all designated work areas are occupied, Arc Academy staff may open the classroom as an auxiliary cutting and preparation area.
The classroom may be used only when specifically opened and approved by Arc Academy staff.
Users may provide their own project materials, use available scrap, or purchase materials from Arc Academy. Arc Academy provides standard shop consumables, including shielding gas and filler metal, as part of Open Shop use..
Arc Academy may allow limited use of designated scrap materials and offers metal for purchase. All use of scrap, consumables beyond standard shop use, or Academy-provided materials must be approved by staff.
Arc Academy reserves the right to stop work on any project that is unsafe, disruptive, excessively large, or otherwise inappropriate for the facility.
Large projects may not exceed a 2-by-2-foot floor-space footprint without advance approval.
Large or ongoing projects must generally be completed or removed within three weeks.
Projects and materials may be stored only in an area assigned or approved by Arc Academy.
Stored items must be clearly labeled with the user’s name, phone number, and anticipated completion or removal date.
Projects may not block walkways, exits, welding bays, equipment, electrical panels, fire extinguishers, instructional areas, or the daily operation of the school.
Arc Academy is not responsible for the loss, theft, or damage of projects, tools, materials, or personal belongings left in the shop.
Projects or materials left beyond an approved deadline may be moved, recycled, discarded, or removed at the owner’s expense.
All users must follow Arc Academy safety procedures and staff instructions at all times.
Required personal protective equipment must be worn for the task being performed.
Users may not work while impaired by alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, medication, fatigue, or any other condition that could affect their ability to work safely.
Horseplay, reckless behavior, threatening conduct, harassment, and unsafe equipment use are prohibited.
Users may not alter, bypass, disable, or remove machine guards, ventilation systems, safety devices, or equipment settings without authorization.
Users must immediately report injuries, equipment damage, unsafe conditions, sparks or fire outside designated work areas, and malfunctioning tools.
Arc Academy staff may stop any activity they consider unsafe or inappropriate.
Only current Arc Academy members who have signed the required waiver are permitted in the shop.
Open Shop users may not provide instruction, supervise another person’s work, or allow another person to use their reserved shop time or membership.
At the end of every session, users must:
Turn off and safely secure all equipment
Return tools, clamps, leads, carts, and accessories to their designated locations
Remove project materials and personal belongings from active work areas
Dispose of scrap and waste in the appropriate containers
Clean welding tables and work surfaces
Sweep the welding bay and surrounding floor
Address any sparks, hot metal, sharp edges, spills, or other hazards
Notify staff of damaged, missing, or malfunctioning equipment
Cleanup must be completed within the user’s scheduled shop time.
Users who repeatedly leave tools, equipment, materials, or workspaces in unacceptable condition may be charged a cleanup fee and may lose Open Shop privileges.
Open Shop access is a privilege dependent on safe, respectful, and responsible use of the facility.
Arc Academy may limit, suspend, or terminate membership or Open Shop access for:
Unsafe conduct
Unauthorized equipment use
Commercial activity
Misuse or theft of materials
Equipment damage
Failure to clean the workspace
Excessive storage or abandoned projects
Repeated scheduling violations
Disruptive or disrespectful behavior
Failure to follow staff direction
Violation of any Open Shop guideline
Membership fees and unused hours may be forfeited when access is suspended or terminated because of a policy violation.
Arc Academy reserves the right to revise these guidelines, restrict access to particular equipment or areas, and deny any project or activity that conflicts with the school’s safety requirements, operations, or educational mission.
By using Open Shop, members and hourly users acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to follow these guidelines and all Arc Academy safety procedures.