Metalworking at Past Lives
A 1600-square-foot, fully equipped metal shop with 24/7 access for members.
Metalworkers Guild
& Metal Shop
Past Lives Makerspace offers a fully-equipped blacksmithing and welding workshop with anvils, forges, welding, cutting, and grinding equipment. With over 1,600 square feet of space, the shop gives blacksmiths, welders, and metal artists the room, equipment, and flexibility to take on projects that don’t fit in your garage at home.
Whether you’re a professional or swinging the hammer for the first time, our Metalworkers Guild supports learning, collaboration, and serious making—on your schedule.
The Metal Shop:
Space, Tools & Infrastructure
Past Lives members have 24/7 access every day of the year to professional-grade equipment and shared workstations.
Shop Highlights & Equipment:
Fully equipped forge setup for blacksmithing
MIG, TIG, and stick welding stations, including dedicated aluminum welding
Three 2x72 grinders (two variable speed), ideal for knife making and finishing
A 25-ton forge press for shaping and forming
Cutting, grinding, and general fabrication tools
Small-scale metal casting and forming capabilities
Bridgeport and PCM milling machines (?)
In-house CNC plasma metal cutting services
What You Can Do Here:
Forge & Blacksmith
Work directly with heat and steel to shape material into form. Learn foundational hammer techniques and build everything from simple objects to complex, sculptural pieces.
Weld & Fabricate
Use MIG, TIG, and stick welding to cut, join, and assemble metal structures. Create functional builds, artistic work, or components for larger projects.
Make Knives & Blades
Grind, shape, and finish blades using professional equipment. Explore Damascus techniques and develop the precision and consistency that knife making demands.
Build & Experiment
Take on custom projects, fabricate parts, and push ideas into physical form. Combine metal with other materials and explore new approaches as your skills grow.
Materials, Storage & Support
To make working easier and more efficient, the Metal shop includes:
An in-house store with access to various types of metal materials
Private studio and storage spaces available for rent
A loading dock to receive materials
Plus, we offer personalized assistance and expert guidance, as well as equipment training.
In the Shop:
What Members Make
Artists of all experience levels create incredible things with metal at Past Lives!
Sculptural and functional metal pieces
Hand-forged knives and Damascus blades
Gates, fence panels, and trellises
Garden art
Home hardware (handles, brackets, hooks)
Commissioned pieces for clients
Visit our Gallery to see (and maybe purchase) the incredible output from our Metalworkers Guild.
Aound the Shop
(Members in Action)
Classes & Plugging In
Take an Orientation:
Get quickly up to speed on the equipment and tools available to you.
Take a Class:
A great entry point for new members to learn new things or deepen their skills. Try a class — Past Lives members get 10% off. See our Class schedule (new ones are added all the time).
Join Guild Meetings and Events:
Connect with fellow makers and help shape the direction of our Metalworking shop.
Teach Here:
Are you an experienced or emerging instructor? Our classes are taught by our expert members.
Show and Sell Your Work
Show and sell your woodworking projects in the Past Lives Gallery — including S.E. Portland First Friday Art Walks and our annual Holiday Bizarre marketplace.
Keep 100% of the proceeds
Photograph your work in our photo station
Submit work made at Past Lives for posting on our Instagram (13k followers)
Produce work for paid commissions
Build a metalworking business, with Past Lives as your homebase.
One Membership
Gives You 24/7 Access
to Everything at Past Lives
Membership provides access to a whole creative ecosystem. Our 250+ members have access to tools, expertise, and collaborations across other Past Lives Guilds, including:
Textiles
Woodworking
Leather
Glass
Plus, 27,000 square feet of shops, a Gallery and event space, a shared kitchen and communal area, an outdoor garden/hangout area, and other cool spaces.
Get Started
If you’ve wanted to try metalworking —or to take your existing skills to new heights —booking a tour is where you start. Come say hello and see all we have to offer in our buzzing hive of creativity.