(206) 650-0235 mimiriley@gmail.com

Note to girls & women

by | Dec 8, 2022

I love to teach  girls and women. I remember when females welding was an unexpected and a bit radical.  Of course during World War Two women were put to work welding, riveting and fabricating machines and heavy equipment for the war effort. After the war women in large part returned home to be wives, mothers, nurses or secretaries.

After College in 1986 with a degree in Psychology, I worked at a bank as a teller on track to work in Human Resources. This was a default job choice, I found this job to be stifling. After 3 miserable years at the bank I quit to become something radically different. I joined Local 46 to become an apprentice Industrial Commercial Electrician. After 4 years on the job I “turned out” and became a Journeyman Electrician. There were many men who did not think women should be electricians and showed it. There were some really great guys who taught me a lot and looked out for me and respected me and my work ethic.

I do remember one time going to a party with a friend and having good conversation with a man. When we got to the “so what do you do for a living?” part I told him I was an electrician. With a look of disbelief on his face he responded like a bratty little brother saying “prove it!” Another time a guy I was telling a guy what my career was, he just stopped talking, turned and walked away.

So, I still get a thrill being a woman and firing up the welding torch. I love teaching a woman who has not had experience working with tools or equipment. It lights me up when she figures out that.. She Can Do It!

Classes pricing

by | Nov 18, 2022

Frequently Asked Questions

Is age an issue?  Nope, I have taught responsible 8 year olds and fun loving 83 year olds – I can still see the smiles.

I am nervous about working with electricity and fire…Will I be OK?  We will practice safety at all times.  You will have time to practice holding the weld gun in a safe manner, body positioning, and  stabilization before we even turn on the welder.  I will support you at all stages of learning.

I have a disability, can I still learn?  Most likely, I have successfully worked with various mental and physical disabilities.  I am all about getting you to weld, call or text to discuss any concerns.

 

 

 

Number of Students

Per person per hour

Total per hour

1

$75

$75

2

$65

$130

3

$55

$165

4

$45

$180

5

$45

$225

6

$45

$270

 

Classes for Barter

by | Nov 18, 2022

Number of Students

Per person per hour

Total per hour

1

$75

$75

2

$65

$130

3

$55

$165

4

$45

$180

5

$45

$225

6

$45

$270

school credit

by | Nov 18, 2022

 

Teaching for school credit is always a rewarding experience.  Let me know if your school has any special requirements or leaning outcomes, I am happy to accomodate special requests.  Students start with my 4 hour Beginning Welding class.  This covers safety, welding basics and general welding theory.  My goal is to give students a gut level understanding of the welding process so they are not constantly having to read the manual just to adjust settings or improve their welds.  We learn to fix minor mechanical issues.  I want students to be one with their welder.

Follow up classes may focus on standard welding exercises to build eye hand coordination or on fabricating a simple project.  We will  focus on what is interesting to you.

A parent is welcome in classs,  this is an amazing bonding experience and a way to reinforce learning.

I love to teach welding especially to girls and women cause I remember when it was an unexpected and a bit radical

I need to video content to post on the web and for my own learning and review.

teaching is a passion of mine.  I would like to video parent and daughter during class, of course I could change the voice, use a comic filter etc. or obscure the face if you do not want anything identifying you posted.   Of course I will give you a copy of this video.

As a one woman shop, artist and collaborator I can’t help to throw out a barter for part of this class in trade for one parent to video; not looking for professional video but real life experience on video.

 

I need to brainstorm a bit on the barter.  Please feel absolutely free to tell me “no

Weld Classes

by | Nov 10, 2022

I took your Garden Art Welding class a few weeks ago with my wife.  We LOVED your class, it was very inspiring.  In fact we ran out and bought a MIG welder on EBay, because #1 we are impulsive and #2 we both fell instantly in love with doing metal work.  You do a really great job communicating the important information clearly, and in a way that sticks.