Entry No. 38 — the Kansas City file — filed under: metalsmithing
Alloy: A Metalsmithing Community
Tucked inside a historic nine-story red brick building in the West Bottoms, this community-focused metalsmithing studio offers specialized classes for crafting custom jewelry.
The story
Up on the seventh floor of a historic nine-story red brick building in the West Bottoms—1600 Genessee, Suite 726—metalsmith Kelly Conner built a hideaway for anyone who would rather torch, bend, and hammer their own jewelry than buy it off a display velvet pad. Alloy operates as both a shared communal bench space for working artisans and an open door for novices curious about hot flame and raw metal.
Instead of standard craft-store projects, the focus here is real bench skill. Studio offerings range from low-pressure Make + Take sessions to their flagship four-hour DIY Wedding Band workshop, where couples sit side-by-side with jeweler’s saws, blowtorches, and raw metal stock, shaping and soldering each other's custom rings from scratch under direct guidance.
What it's like
Head into the brick high-rise on Genessee and ride the elevator up to Suite 726. Inside, the air smells faintly of silver flux and torch heat, with jeweler's benches lined up under warm work lighting. You will sit down with real tools—flex shafts, rawhide mallets, flux, and soldering bricks—and work metal yourself. The studio vibe is focused but casual, though torch work requires paying attention. Wear natural fibers (cotton over polyester), tie back long hair, and leave loose sleeves at home.
The move: Book their signature 'DIY Wedding Band' workshop to spend four hours side-by-side at a jeweler's bench, sawing, soldering, hammering, and finishing each other's custom rings.
- 📍 West Bottoms
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1600 Genessee St. #726, Kansas City, MO 64102
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Weird Stuff Antiques — Walk a few blocks through the West Bottoms after your studio session to browse industrial salvage, vintage neon, and bizarre oddities.
- The Ship — Head six blocks south in the Bottoms for a post-bench craft cocktail inside this nautical, warehouse-bound music room.
- Klā Sanctuary — Soothe sore hands from four hours of hammering metal by booking a session in the quiet thermal baths just a short walk away.
Good to know
Do I need prior jewelry-making experience to take a class?
Not at all. Intro classes and Make + Take workshops are structured specifically for beginners, walking you through torch safety, sawing, and finishing step-by-step.
What happens during the DIY Wedding Band workshop?
You spend four hours at the bench with your partner, using professional tools to saw, solder, hammer, and polish raw gold or silver stock into finished wedding rings for each other.
Where is Alloy located inside the building?
Alloy is located inside the nine-story red brick building at 1600 Genessee Street in the West Bottoms, in Suite #726.
Can I just drop in, or do I need to reserve bench space?
Classes, workshops, and DIY wedding band sessions require advance registration online, as bench spots are strictly limited per session.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · delicatehammer.com
last checked: 2026-07-21