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    Arc Academy

    4.9 (73 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Services - Arc Academy

    Balcony addition

    Building additions

    Deck construction

    1 More Service

    Metal fabrication

    Arc Academy Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Arc Academy

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    Reviews With Photos

    Grinding metal in class with Steve behind the camera.
    Kelly B.

    I had always wanted to learn how to make yard art and my friend found this place on Yelp. We just finished the class and I already can't wait to take the next one! I left feeling very empowered and excited. Steve is an amazing instructor and is clearly passionate about two things: welding and people. He knows his stuff, but as soon as it starts to feel really technical, he turns it around and makes welding feel fun and approachable. He also offered to take pics of us and they turned out so great. We left with with our finished piece and a cool benie hat that we wore under our masks when welding. BONUS: The shop is in a great location, so we walked to Old Oak after and celebrated our victory with booze. A few tips: The shop isn't heated, but as long as you dress warm, you'll be fine. LAYERS! For clothing, I recommend a long sleeve shirt with a thick hoodie over it, jeans, and leather boots. Also make sure to bring something to hold your hair back. One last thing... Steve can teach up to 4 people per class so I suggest getting a few friends together to bond through welding!

    Our 2nd project -- beading the beeline.
    Ling L.

    There is nothing more satisfying than tackling something new and leaving with confidence and understanding. I took the class with my husband and 2 friends, and almost wanted to bail as I wasn't sure what I really could do with this skill ultimately. But curiosity and commitment got the better of me, and I don't regret a single minute of it. As the other reviewers said, Steve's coaching style was top-notch -- patient, thorough and encouraging. His workshop is well-equipped to handle a small class, complete with stylish Stormtrooper-esque welding mask/helmet, apron, and gloves. At the end of the class, we left with a souvenir of our butt-joint endeavor and an adorable beanie, which hides a bonus (I won't tell you what it is but it is truly nifty!) Better yet, I left with an appreciation for the craft of welding and admiration for those who can do it well.

    Now to decide a project to bring to the shop to work on
    Dave G.

    A friend and I decided to take a welding course and went with this one based on a couple of great reviews. The classes were booked almost a month out so be mindful of that. I really liked that the class size was only 4 people and that you got a hands on experience along with the classroom part as to how it all works. Stephen the owner/instructor was great. Super courteous and very knowledgeable. He took the time to explain the process and stressed safety but not to the point that it made you feel overwhelmed by it all. Over all I had a great experie6and will be back to use the available shop time to keep practicing while working on some projects brewing in my head.

    My 14 year old son using a Plasma cutter!
    Maria M.

    My son and just completed our second MIG class and we just love this place. Very patient and really relaxed atmosphere. We are looking forward to doing some shop time next and maybe joining the table class. I love that he teaches kids too. Best class for anyone who wants to learn welding fir the knowledge and fun of it. Pure fun.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Arc Academy

    Review Highlights - Arc Academy

    Steve was very thorough and explained the "science/concepts" behind welding and the equipment.

    Mentioned in 27 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Chicago Upholstery School - student project

    Chicago Upholstery School

    (5 reviews)

    North Center

    I love making things with my hands; I love the sense of accomplishment it gives me. My grandmother…read moretook up upholstery in her 70's and made some beautiful pieces, one of which I inherited. The fabric on the piece isn't really my style and I decided that if it was going to be re-done, I wanted to be the one to do it. There aren't many places to learn upholstery. I am lucky to live a few blocks from the shop; my classmates weren't so lucky, they all lived at least 20 miles away. I wasn't sure what to expect with the beginner's class, so it's worth noting that in the beginner class you most likely won't work on an actual piece of furniture.* What you will do is complete four projects that give you the skills to move on to actual furniture. The class is very hands on, you will thread a machine and start sewing in your first class. There are no prerequisites for this class; half of us hadn't used a sewing machine before. Owning a garment machine, there were a few things that took getting used on upholstery machines. There are two instructors; Jeff, the owner, taught my class and one of his staff taught the other. I can't speak to the other teacher's style, but Jeff is very laid back and a firm believer of learning by doing. Jeff is very generous with his time, knowledge, tools and materials; many students don't finish all of the projects in the allotted class time, but you're welcome to come back and finish after your session is complete (provided there's room). You're always your harshest critic, but I was so flattered when the manfriend thought my final project was something I had bought. I really loved this class and can't wait to start the intermediate class. The intermediate is like an independent study, you bring the piece you want to work on. If you've meandered by and seen the work in the window on Lincoln, those are student pieces. * One project is a bar stool cover. If you've got a piece to work on, you can use it. TIP: There's a lot of close work in the class and it's easy to get into a groove. Wear comfortable clothes you wouldn't mind getting dirty and bring your glasses, water and a snack.

    I just took the "Beginners' Upholstery Class" with Jeff Kraut and LOVED it!…read more The class covers upholstery techniques that can be applied to automotive upholstery, furniture upholstery, and bag making. It is taught on industrial sewing machines (no previous sewing experience necessary). I already knew basic sewing and I definitely picked up lots of new tricks/techniques. Some of the topics we covered: * setting up the machines and basic sewing. * quilted stitching on vinyl (like on the back of a car seat or stuffed chair) * adding piping trim * zipper installation and sewing a small case * stapling construction and making a panel (like recovering a chair seat or a car side panel) * beginning pattern making and making a seat cushion Projects might vary a little from class to class. I've posted photos of my work. The class was Mon & Wed, 7-9pm for 5 weeks. It's located just down the street from Trader Joe's on Lincoln. Easy parking & near the El. You can get more info from Jeff at canvasboss@yahoo.com. I'm looking forward to the advanced class!

    Career Training Center of Chicago - Wonderful memories with our CNA HEALTH CARE HEROES

    Career Training Center of Chicago

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    Been fighting myself either to take a CNA class or just take my nclex exam but taking the CNA class…read morewith our very humble Clinical Instructor Ms Candice has been the best decision I made in my nursing career. She's an experienced nurse and doesn't hesitate to share the good and bad side to mold us in this career. She teaches so much more than the text book and thats what makes her so unique.She also teaches us in a way that makes it easy to understand the material. I have gained so much knowledge within this short period of time. I'll definitely recommend the school and all. Thank you Ms Candice

    I went through this top notch program a few years ago when my Dad suffered a debilitating stroke…read more Completely prepared me for the home health environment. Their holistic approach equips you with the know how as well enabling you with the professional compasion to provide exemplary patient care. Their program gave me the credentials needed to land a great job at a physical rehabilitation hospital even though I lacked clinical experience. The program also gave me a complete foundation to build toward an RN-BSN. I would highly recommend the program at Career Training Center of Chicago. It's afforadble - with flexible payment options. It's a concise, concentrated program that will get you quickly into the medical field. It's in depth, high quality, and comprehensive which will put you a cut above other CNAs. And it provides a great foundation to build from if you wish to pursue nursing or other allied health fields. They easily earn 5 stars.

    Chicago Portfolio School

    Chicago Portfolio School

    (2 reviews)

    Near North Side

    It says "Meh, I've experience better" for 2 stars. Well, unfortunately that isn't the case. I…read moredidn't go anywhere else for portfolio school. I chose Chicago Portfolio School. The promises they made up front and what they delivered are in stark contrast to one another. The 'classes,' while informative, felt stuck in an ad time far removed from today's ad market. This school focuses on tradition print advertising. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but currently traditional print advertising is about as relevant as MySpace. We never even looked into developing fully integrated campaigns until over halfway through this program. As anyone who is looking for jobs in today's market can tell you, employers aren't looking for 3 really great print ads. Today's agencies want fully fleshed out, integrated, web-based campaigns in your books. That isn't what you get from CPS unless you go rogue and decide to do that yourself. Follow exactly what this school tells you and you'll find a great job. Baristas at Starbucks get full benefits and stock options don't they? I was told I would come out of this school with a portfolio that would be competitive and strong enough to get a job or interview most anywhere. This couldn't be further from the truth. One person out of my entire class had a book when this program was over. Most of the ads the students put in their books were created well after this program ended as they were rushing to get a book together so they could start looking for jobs. I would have been better off taking a year and the money I spent on this school and traveling Europe or southeast Asia for a year, then returning and trying to throw a book together in 3 weeks. If you are looking for a really social school however, this school is for you. In fact, the only reason I gave this school 2 stars is because of the friends I made while I was there. Even still, If this school focused half as much time on going out and drinking, perhaps the students could focus more on their work rather than discovering new and inventive ways to nurse their hangovers. Don't expect to be motivated to do anything at this school other than to get to the front of the line so you can get at least two or three more drinks before the school closes its tab at the disgusting bar up the street. If you're contemplating this school, I have a word of advice - reevaluate your options. Hey, I hear Wal-Mart might be hiring.

    A great school that helped me put together a great portfolio, which helped me land a great job. Not…read moremuch more I can really say, except thank you.

    Woodsmyths Woodworking - Showing off my projects.

    Woodsmyths Woodworking

    (27 reviews)

    Roscoe Village

    I really enjoyed taking this class and having Neal as an instructor. This class should be called…read moreWoodworking and Life Lessons. We learned a lot about wood and tools, but we also learned a lot about each other and had some deep conversations. There were two other people in my class. As far as woodworking, Neal asks questions in a way so that you think through building your project instead of just having step by step instructions. In this class you can expect safety first and that also means having a very clean classroom. Neal is straightforward when he talks. The class was very organized. Some cuts are pre-made and instructions are always posted before class starts. Neal will demonstrate how he got to the cuts and then will demonstrate next steps and possibly a lesson about tools or wood. I built a shelving unit, a toolbox, and an end table.

    My uncle lives in a house that he nearly single handedly built himself in the woods of Vermont…read more It's sturdy, beautiful, and expertly crafted. So I thought, "surely I must have some of this handiness in my previously totally non-handy self." But before I plunked down thousands of dollars for lathes, circular saws and other manly machines you can buy at Home Depot, I thought I'd test the waters with a woodworking class. Finding one in Chicago proved harder than expected until one say I saw a flyer at a local coffee shop advertising Woodsmyths. It sounded like exactly what I'd been looking for: hands on, experience with a variety of common woodworking tools, and a mix of instruction and projects. The class started out fine enough: there were about 10 people, we read some handouts, received some brief instructions, then got down to business. I liked that we'd get to work on things ourselves that we'd then take home to keep, but the instruction left a lot to be desired. The teacher is a bit eccentric and seemed more concerned that everyone finished their projects than whether they actually learned anything. I felt rushed, didn't feel encouraged to ask questions and when I did, the instructor often just fixed my problem for me instead of showing me how to do it. After 10 weeks and $350, I had three items I'd crafted mostly myself: a toolbox, a simple bookshelf and a storage box-style end table. The last of these I really liked and still have, the others didn't survive my most recent apartment move. And disappointingly, I don't feel like I really learned all that much. The teacher was a stickler for safety (a good thing), so I feel mostly comfortable operating woodworking machines. But I don't feel like I know better now than I did before the class what to do with them. I know Woodsmyths also offers a more advanced class that people seem to take, so maybe others had better experiences that I. So if you can't find any other woodworking class options, it may be worth giving this one a go. But don't expect to be anywhere but a tiny step closer to building your own cozy bungalow in the New England woods.

    Arc Academy - contractors - Updated May 2026

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