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TechShop Announces Chapter 7 Bankruptcy; Closes All Locations

Posted by BeauHD on from the closed-for-business dept.

ewhac writes: To the shock and dismay of many, TechShop today announced the immediate closure of all of its U.S. locations and is entering Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings. Their homepage has been replaced with a PDF relating TechShop's history, and detailing the circumstances leading to shutting down the company. First launched ten years ago, TechShop was one of the first "shared maker spaces," a members-only machine and work shop where tinkerers, makers, inventors, and innovators were able to prototype their ideas, launch products, or even just fix their own stuff. Its closing will be a huge loss to the tech and maker communities.

17 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. To many classes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It was a great idea but they made you take a class to touch just about every tool so for makers like me with a decade or more of experience it was never really an option. It would have taken me months and hundreds of dollars just to get certified on all the tools I already use and own.

    1. Re:To many classes by serviscope_minor · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It was a great idea but they made you take a class to touch just about every tool so for makers like me with a decade or more of experience it was never really an option. It would have taken me months and hundreds of dollars just to get certified on all the tools I already use and own.

      You say that but... my hackspace is one where any yahoo can have a go at almost anything (with very few exceptions). End result is that most things are broken most of the time and really nice expensive kit gets trashed.

      I know it kind of sucked to get recertified, but trust me it sucks harder when you set aside time t owork, get over there and find all the tools fucked up.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    2. Re:To many classes by Khyber · · Score: 2

      Please. We have people that would come into the rock shop and say "Yea, I know how to use this" only to have the motor bound up and burning in five minutes.

      This is why warehouses won't hire you as a forklift driver until A. you've gone through the 'certification process' outside of the company and received a certificate and then B. passing their own in-house forklift test (which is the one actually mandated by OSHA and is the only one that matters, the 'certification shops' are just BS money makers.)

      Did the shop forbid you from bringing your own tools? If not, why didn't you just bring your own?

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    3. Re:To many classes by rickb928 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The hackerspace I go to does put you through certification classes for the obviously delicate stuff (laser cutter, welders, lathe, mill, 3d printers) but you can use almost anything else, and no one seems interested in your certification status for woodworking equipment.

      Of course, it's not as shiny at TechShop, and we never have enough room nor electrical service to do everything at once, but it's friendly, lots of people involved with decades of experience, and affordable - free if you've got no $, but you can contribute.

      I've been to the Chandler TechShop a few times for events, it's not close enough for a membership, and it was busy, but it seemed that classes were a revenue source. Unfortunate to see it go, but our space will be looking to pick up some of their tools cheap, if the trustees liquidate.

      --
      deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
    4. Re:To many classes by barc0001 · · Score: 2

      The problem is for every person like you, there's a hundred others that claim to have the experience and knowledge and then if taken at their word, they end up wrecking a multi-thousand dollar CNC machine because they're a lying sack of crap.

    5. Re:To many classes by barc0001 · · Score: 3, Informative

      > no one seems interested in your certification status for woodworking equipment.

      Most woodworking equipment is robust enough that average misuse won't damage it, and gross misuse is usually harder on the meatbag attempting it than the machine. Example, in the contest of idiot vs lathe, always bet on the lathe. And have a phone handy for the 911 call.

    6. Re:To many classes by barc0001 · · Score: 2

      When he's referring to tools, he means the ones you go to the space to use because you don't have room/money/both to have one yourself, like a cnc or laser cutter or lathe, etc.

    7. Re:To many classes by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      they made you take a class to touch just about every tool

      The classes were quick and hands-on, often just 20-30 minutes, with plenty of practical tips in addition to safety. I never felt they were a problem, and I learned something in every class, even when I had previously assumed I was an "expert"

    8. Re:To many classes by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Insightful

      gross misuse is usually harder on the meatbag attempting it than the machine.

      That might have been the problem. Liability insurance may have killed them.

    9. Re:To many classes by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 2

      I was a member for a few years.

      I didn't mind the classes that much. I saw many kids use laser cutters and fuck them up. their parents just let them run wild there and that was a really bad idea. some kid just stared at one of the cutters while it caught fire (!) and he just STOOD THERE, gaping. I had to open the cover and blow out the flames. stupid idyut!

      so, yes, you HAVE to take 'safety' classes on $30k epilogue laser cutters and such.

      I'm just so bummed out that I now have no other place to go to do my laser cutting, and I counted on that place, too.

      zero notice to customers. thanks, guys. really appreciate it. even 1 week notice would have let us finish our projects.

      fuckers! ;(

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    10. Re:To many classes by barc0001 · · Score: 2

      Sadly that's what happens when a lot of "makers" think a youtube video is a substitute for training/experience/both.

    11. Re:To many classes by dex22 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Former member here. They had the table saws that fired an aluminum block into the blade if you touched the blade - to protect you. That would require the charge cartridge and block, and the blade, being replaced. Over $120 a pop. Nice for safety, except it would fire off for things like damp wood.

      What killed them was the required classes to use anything. You'd join ($100) then the random selection of stuff you'd want to use would cost $300-400 all in to get certified for. If the certification classes were a nominal fee, I would a) still be a member and b) have used a lot more gear.

      They were also crap at supporting electronics.

  2. So much for those who bought "lifetime" membership by cheese_boy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am *so* glad I didn't buy a membership a year ago when they were trying to raise funds for moving the San Jose shop.

  3. Re: leadership by cyber-vandal · · Score: 2

    Making stuff is hard. Having lots of meetings about brand identity and designing a new corporate logo are where the cool kids are.

  4. Re:So much for those who bought "lifetime" members by cheese_boy · · Score: 2

    But maybe if you had, they wouldn't have run out of money. Did you think of that? DID YOU!?

    I know you're joking.

    But I'll answer anyway.

    It was $7500 for "lifetime" membership.
    or $5k for 5-year pre-paid membership
    https://web.archive.org/web/20...

    Another article said something about them losing $30k/month in Pittsburgh.
    I don't think my $7.5k would have helped much.

  5. Re:The Great Recession by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It couldn't possibly be that it was a stupid, pointless, unworkable idea.

    It may have been financially unworkable, but it was neither stupid nor pointless. I was a member for years, and used it for plenty of prototyping projects. They had CNC machine tools, laser cutters, welding equipment, a full woodworking ship, 3D printers, and even sewing machines (for "welding with cloth").

    They always seemed pretty busy, so I am not sure why they failed. I am sorry to see them go. This could have a detrimental effect on the local economies, since a lot of members were working on startup ideas.

    The only drawback for me was the age limit. Much of the equipment had a minimum age of 18, so my kids couldn't come with me to work on their own projects.

  6. Re:huge loss? by Stroman+Rebar · · Score: 2

    It depended on the location. Some of them were quite liquid. Some were not. I understand the Pittsburgh location was in the red to the tune of $40k per month prior to its closure. If you already have a lot of debt from expansion costs, that sort of negative cash flow is killer. The St. Louis shop where I was a member was 18 months old and just hitting the black. When you have a big corporate debt, all the locations producing a small profit isn't enough :(