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Ask Slashdot: How Should I Build a Maker Space For a Liberal Arts College?
XxtraLarGe writes: I work for a small liberal arts college, and have been asked to research makerspaces. I have done a bunch of initial research which tells me a lot about equipment being used, as well as location, etc., but what I'm not finding are what to know before you start, or what it takes to make the effort worthwhile.
I'd be interested in hearing from other educators, staff, students and other maker community members on Slashdot that had makerspaces at their schools or community — can be any level — and what was the experience like? 3D printer, 3D scanner & Laser cutting machines seem to be a given, so I'd like to hear what kinds of think-outside-the-box equipment/materials did you have? We are considering putting it in our library, which seems to be a popular choice with most schools. There's also the possibility of having it somewhere in town that it could be more accessible to members of the community, maybe even as a co-op.
I'd be interested in hearing from other educators, staff, students and other maker community members on Slashdot that had makerspaces at their schools or community — can be any level — and what was the experience like? 3D printer, 3D scanner & Laser cutting machines seem to be a given, so I'd like to hear what kinds of think-outside-the-box equipment/materials did you have? We are considering putting it in our library, which seems to be a popular choice with most schools. There's also the possibility of having it somewhere in town that it could be more accessible to members of the community, maybe even as a co-op.
Because if you call it workshop upper middle class guys will think it's a place where dirty. low-class, lowlifes work with old techniques like welders and stay away. As a makerspace they know none of that riff-raff will be around to question their choice of Sci-Fi/pop culture toys reproduced in plastic; so they will come. And since it's at a Liberal Arts college, most of the potential market are those annoying upper-middle-class white guys.
Because if you call it workshop upper middle class guys will think it's a place where dirty. low-class, lowlifes work with old techniques like welders
Welding is a good way to make stuff, and even an upper middle class guy should be able to learn it. The equipment for MIG welding is simple and cheap. Any decent workerspace/makeshop should have one. You also want a CNC vertical mill, and lathe, even if it is just a table top, like a Sherline. If you have a Techshop nearby, you should partner with them. If there is a Techshop a day's drive away, you should pay them a visit. You will learn a lot. You might talk to them about opening a branch in your town. Also, talk to your insurance company, and make sure what you are planning is allowed under your existing policy.
I work at an art school. The equipment you choose is important, but not as crucial as the level of commitment from your institution. Building a space isn't just picking and buying the equipment. The institution also needs to look at the cost of staffing the space with knowledgeable, dedicated staff who can help manage expectations and keep things running. Layman think that laser cutters, 3D printers and CNC machines are like laser printers, they're not. There are safety regulations to consider, as well as proper ventilation and dust filtering. In academic spaces, "maker" devices get beaten to hell and are constantly breaking down. Grad students can only be expected to do so much. If your school is committed to "making," then then need to commit an annual budget to build an appropriate home as well as staff and maintain the facility with at least one full timer who can train faculty, and manage grad students and work study.
You need a good supply of hand tools, work benches, raw stock to fool with (wood, metal, plastic). You need an enormous selection of fasteners (machine screws and nuts and washers from #0 or #2 up to 3/8"). You need adhesives (epoxy, contact cement, Spray 77, etc.)
You need consumable supplies (shop towels, sandpaper, dykem, pencils, etc)
You also need conventional power tools: band saw, hack saw, sanders, grinders, drill press, a lathe, a vertical mill (preferably with CNC capability, or at least digital readouts). A welder and a plasma cutter are quite useful.
AND, you need someone who can teach people how to use all this equipment without maiming themselves and spraying blood and body parts around the shop. that's a special skill: a lot of machinists are not well suited to the task, because they tend to be perfectionists and want to do it "just so"; they tend to be "here, just let me do it". You need someone who says "these things in the rack are called collets, and you need to pick the one that matches the size cutter you are using. Tighten the drawbolt using this wrench, and for gods sake, remember to take the wrench off before starting the machine."
"Uh, tie your hair back before starting the lathe, unless you want to be gruesomely scalped."
Some other poster suggested finding a shop teacher, and that's ideal.
Find yourself a shop teacher, and let them tell you what kind of stuff you need. (I would think that 20-40k would probably do it, if you buy decent used machine tools. You're not doing production work to a gnat's eyelash, so almost any 48" Bridgeport with readouts and drives would do.
As the son of a machinist, I still have a little trouble with the too-precious culture surrounding "makerspaces". My first job was sweeping up around his tool and die shop and if you wanted to see dudes who could make stuff, that was the place.
You are welcome on my lawn.
... a CNC vertical mill, and lathe, ...
Is that what being 'a maker' means? Who would have thought it. So it is all about spending a load on high-tech equipment and the pushing a button?
I may just be a sad, old hippie, but I think relying on heavily computerized equipment, where you can download a blueprint, push a button and out comes a finished product, that doesn't mean you're a 'maker' in my book. Yes, I know I exaggerate, but still. Or is 'maker' what you call yourself when you don't want to learn how to actually do things, you just want the finished result?
Whatever - rant's over - but I think there is a lot of real benefit to learn how to do it the primitive way, even if you later just use a machine; it gives you an insight, just like being able to write a program well in C or assembler gives you a good ballast, even if you later only write Python programs. It is sometimes quite surprising how little difference there is between using an electric tool and a manual one, if you are competent with the techniques. Just take the process of cutting a piece of plywood: it seems enticingly easy to just take an electric jigsaw and the result is guaranteed to be good, right? Except that it amazingly easy to produce a poor result. Then try the same with a handsaw - it is somewhat slower and it may be physically harder work, but it is not actually that much harder or slower, and it is in fact quite easy to do it well, if you don't try to rush it.
What I'm getting at is, don't just fall for the fallacy thinking that the only way is to set up a high-tech production facility. A very large part of the advantage of machinery is that you can produce high volumes of the same thing, but it also introduces a limitation in flexibility and will hamper your creativity. And it easily insulates you from the basic insight into what you are doing - it makes you feel helpless without your machinery.
The makerspaces I have visited are mostly populated by educated upper class type geeks. Many of them are doing projects that at some point will involve mechanical work: robotics, 3d printing, structural stuff, or even just making a decent enclosure for whatever electronics they created. And most of them struggle even with the basics of woodworking, welding, or machining. If you have these skills, you'll be welcomed with open arms. I haven't met a "maker" who doesn't regret not having had or taking the opportunity to learn them in school or college.
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...