There is no “perfect” equipment list, and the tools of a makerspace will be as variable as makerspaces themselves. Makerspace.com has suggested some common tools and niches depending on the nature of your space. To get your imaginations flowing, please view the following abridged list of tool and equipment considerations:
Discussion Question: If you were to expand an established makerspace, which craft areas would you propose combining, and to what valued ends would you imagine the melange?
Discussion Summary: Based on cohort discussions, other factors that may be considered in this topic are:
- Domain Combinations: the choice of tools and educational options are available within a makerspace to foster creative potential and applicable results. Creating a marketable makerspace relies on a cohesive set of varied, yet linked, tool choices.
- Potential for Wearable Technology: the booming wearable technology movement allows for a “bring your own device” initiative within makerspaces. Further research on how wearable and portable technology can enhance makerspaces ability and adaptability is required.
Please view the cohort experience in the comments below. If you are accessing this OER after November 3, 2013, you are welcome to further contribute to the discussion.
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I’m not sure I fully understand the question, but I suppose if you had to combine different craft areas, the wood working and metal working areas would probably share a space, with textiles and computer areas requiring their own spaces.
Hello @brendangalexander and thanks for the response, sorry if the question was unclear but I believe you’ve got the sense. As makerspaces grow, the opportunity to branch out into different tool genres becomes possible, depending on the driving interests of your client base. As you’ve mentioned, woodworking and metalworking could be a good fit; at my highschool alma matter, for example, these the wood and metal shops were neighbouring and the same teacher managed them both.
One consideration would be the type of metalworking tools available in the space, which could range from jeweling tools to welding gear – metalworking often requires the application of heat, which would necessitate careful precautions if there was also an abundance of wood material in the vicinity.
I think that combining the electronics and textiles could be very interesting, particularly if one could offer sessions on DIY wearable electronic devices. As this is an area that has been explored in this class and in other classes, this is a booming market, and with all that Arduino and other compact devices have to offer, this could be a great marriage of maker spaces.
Hello @jetz66
Wearable electronics is a hot topic right now. Not only is the DIY market booming, the topic made its debut in this year’s NMC Horizon Report (Higher Education) in the 4-5 year range. It stands to reason that there will be makers playing with the technology for a broad range of reasons including education, fun and profit and more. The scope of wearables and the possibilities for configurations of Ardunios render this a very interesting melange indeed.
The true innovative and creative advantage of makerspaces is in combining domains that have been traditionally segregated. A worthwhile challenge may be to ask enthusiasts in electronics and computing to engage in collaborative projects with experts in textiles, woodworking and metalworking to see what they can come up with. Somehow we have to decompartmentalize the designs that have been trained into our brains.
Exactly, @jldr! There are so many untold opportunities for projects that cross traditionally held boundaries. I don’t think these projects would necessitate expert input, either; the decompartmentalization you mention could be fruitful at all levels.
Makerspaces allow for the combination fo different activities. In setting up a Makerspace I could see wood working, metal smithing and welding equipment. At the college we have all these areas in our technical centre. When I look at the many different areas that Makerspaces can be involved in, the college has many mini-Makerspaces in living textiles, and designing.
Hello @dmp6, I’m curious about your mention of living textiles. I googled the phrase but I’m not sure I have found what you are referring to, could you please elaborate?
I was in part referring to a program we have here in interior design and the fabric/textiles that they use in the completion of their course work.