2 ms·

With restricted access, at controlled hours, in a shared space subject to the whims of others. You're renting them. There are very few tools I can think of at

by throwaway22032 4y ago

With restricted access, at controlled hours, in a shared space subject to the whims of others. You're renting them. There are very few tools I can think of at least woodworking wise that I wouldn't "want" to afford myself. Particularly in the context that an urban home costs hundreds of thousands more than a suburban or rural one. Metalworking or something like that, maybe, I wouldn't know.

yunwal 4y ago
Maybe it’s just me but I quite like the community that’s built up around most makerspaces. People helping each other out, giving classes, showing off their projects. Seems absolutely worth the occasional misplaced tool.
abrugsch 4y ago
So I'll caveat this with "every makerspace is different" so it's definitely a YMMV situation, however hackspaces or makerspaces that have properly gone all in on the "movement" are typically not-for-profit organizations. (not all of them by any means, hence the caveat) but in my experience (as a UK'er with a typical UK family home) very few people can afford the dedicated space even a modest wood workshop requires. Most (average sized) homes here barely have garages, let alone a shed bigger than 6'x 4'. the best I can hope for in those situations is a small collection of hand tools and a rickety folding workbench. In contrast to that I have a local makerspace that has more facilities than I could ever afford to own, along with actual space to DO the work on projects I want to do with <GASP!> actual solid workbenches and fixed tools like pillar drills (press), table saw/router, band saws. and that's just on the wood side. They also have a CNC router, metal and wood lathes, welding kit/space, [FRICKEN] laser cutter, 3D printers, electronics workbench with a 'scope more expensive than my car. A whole host of things I would never be able to afford either the cost or space to host. And they have a phase of membership which permits 247 access (not extra cost, just a bit of familiarity) which by design also means it's a social space, so bringing back to the context of the OP, has meant good friendships are formed as new skills are acquired/shared. Yes it's a monthly cost, but even if I added up the total cost since I've been a member, it doesn't add up to how much even one of the major tools would set me back. Even taking all that into account, it's given me an opportunity to learn things I would never have considered doing on my own. I joined for the 3D printing and stayed for the laser cutting, CNC milling, PCB designing/surface mount soldering, microcontroller learning, welding and friendships.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
cortesoft 4y ago
> With restricted access, at controlled hours, in a shared space subject to the whims of others. You're renting them That isn't renting, that is sharing
- zamnos 4y ago
  G'morning class. Today's lesson on sharing has been replace by a lesson about intellectual property rights. Copyright, trademark, patents, and you!
bbradley406 4y ago
It depends on the type of woodworking you do, but larger stationary tools like belt-fed drum sanders and 4'x8' capable CNC's take up a large amount of space. While they're extremely handy tools for some projects, it's hard to justify purchasing them unless you're running a decent business. Cam at Blacktail Studio, who has a successful business and an impressive collection of quality tools, still rents time on the large machines at a different company. I'm not saying makerspaces are perfect, but unless you have a full size shop with 480V power there's always going to be some tools that make more sense to rent.

yunwal 4y ago

Maybe it’s just me but I quite like the community that’s built up around most makerspaces. People helping each other out, giving classes, showing off their projects. Seems absolutely worth the occasional misplaced tool.

abrugsch 4y ago

So I'll caveat this with "every makerspace is different" so it's definitely a YMMV situation, however hackspaces or makerspaces that have properly gone all in on the "movement" are typically not-for-profit organizations. (not all of them by any means, hence the caveat) but in my experience (as a UK'er with a typical UK family home) very few people can afford the dedicated space even a modest wood workshop requires. Most (average sized) homes here barely have garages, let alone a shed bigger than 6'x 4'. the best I can hope for in those situations is a small collection of hand tools and a rickety folding workbench. In contrast to that I have a local makerspace that has more facilities than I could ever afford to own, along with actual space to DO the work on projects I want to do with <GASP!> actual solid workbenches and fixed tools like pillar drills (press), table saw/router, band saws. and that's just on the wood side. They also have a CNC router, metal and wood lathes, welding kit/space, [FRICKEN] laser cutter, 3D printers, electronics workbench with a 'scope more expensive than my car. A whole host of things I would never be able to afford either the cost or space to host. And they have a phase of membership which permits 247 access (not extra cost, just a bit of familiarity) which by design also means it's a social space, so bringing back to the context of the OP, has meant good friendships are formed as new skills are acquired/shared. Yes it's a monthly cost, but even if I added up the total cost since I've been a member, it doesn't add up to how much even one of the major tools would set me back. Even taking all that into account, it's given me an opportunity to learn things I would never have considered doing on my own. I joined for the 3D printing and stayed for the laser cutting, CNC milling, PCB designing/surface mount soldering, microcontroller learning, welding and friendships.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

cortesoft 4y ago

> With restricted access, at controlled hours, in a shared space subject to the whims of others. You're renting them That isn't renting, that is sharing

zamnos 4y ago
G'morning class. Today's lesson on sharing has been replace by a lesson about intellectual property rights. Copyright, trademark, patents, and you!

bbradley406 4y ago

It depends on the type of woodworking you do, but larger stationary tools like belt-fed drum sanders and 4'x8' capable CNC's take up a large amount of space. While they're extremely handy tools for some projects, it's hard to justify purchasing them unless you're running a decent business. Cam at Blacktail Studio, who has a successful business and an impressive collection of quality tools, still rents time on the large machines at a different company. I'm not saying makerspaces are perfect, but unless you have a full size shop with 480V power there's always going to be some tools that make more sense to rent.