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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.
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.
Reminds me of a story my dad told me, he worked a lathe operator back in the 80's, and they had a few old guys who used to do all the tapping and die cuts by eyesight alone. They could turn out a threaded bolt that was so tight it would strip out the tapped hole from the air pressure. Or feel by touch whether or not there were imperfections in stuff they'd made. Something similar as my grandfather who was a bodyman, he could see and feel imperfections in a repair job that other people would miss even the guys who were doing repairs now.
The guys before all the computerized stuff were artists in their trade, because they had to be just that good.
Om, nomnomnom...