The not-quite open first peek at the space

The music room – several members are now planning a weekly drum circle type get toghether.

The entry way.

We stayed late.

I brought my spinning wheel, wool picker, and fiber over.  I will be at the space on Mondays – if any memebers want to learn to spin or use the picker/carder.  I will teach an intro to spinning class in March (non-members welcome) watch for details.

The garage – soon to be Hot Shop.

The kitchen.

This will be a dark room as soon as it can get set up.  It’s bigger than it looks.

Yeah, I paid extra for this….

We need 30 members to pay the bills at $100 per member per month general access (2 persons whether co-habitating couple/sibling/etc at same proven address count as 1) . Basically a household of 6 adults would require 3 memberships.

After 30 members we can offer student rates and possibly scholarships. As membership grows rates will decrease – the idea is to pay for the space and equipment, not make a profit.

Start up will begin with operations hours of 12noon til 10pm-ish . The insurance quote is based on always having a responsible “adult” present.

On Feb 15th the downstairs will be ready for use including tables, chairs, electric, wifi, personal storage bins, bathroom (with shower), and kitchen.

There will be a work party bbq on Saturday Feb 13th at the site.

I (Cheryce) will be storing my leather working tools there as well as my fiber arts stuff. As well as the scraps of my jewelery / beading supplies. These things will be available for on site use.

Phase 2 will be the garage with kiln, hot shop work areas and heavy fabrication. The sooner the better – membership participation needed.

We have on roster so far:

Jinxmedic – who besides his cartoon greatness is a watercolor artist, leatherworker, blacksmith, and general fabricator.

Cheryce – Jinx wife (me) – fiber artist, mixed media artist, former welder, foodie/chef-type, writer/editor/researcher, and dedicated recycled crafts person.

Josh – silver working artist, shop master, maker of wearable wire art, mixed medium artist, and familiar in Tribal design artwork

Yvonne – Notary agent, business liscense  holder,realtor, seamstress, mixed medium artist, short story writer and responsible adult

Christine- Administrative assistant, mixed medium artist, amish loom knitter, avid afghan maker, short story writer and closet poet

Daven – mixed-media artist and bs detector.

A silver artist whose name I missed, sowwy.

There will be a regular meeting every Tuesday night for any member interested in influencing decisions of the ad hoc board.

There will be at least one open bbq / meeting a month for potential members.

A maker’s shed is a membership organization (usually limited to 50 members) who share space in a dedicated artisans facility (in this case, a converted 1894 house) to work on their projects, take or give classes, or just hang out and bounce ideas off of like-minded folks. All members get locked storage for their projects and personal tools, as well as access to coummunity tools and equipment on site. (A seperate woodworking and “hot shop” (including kiln) is located in a convenient outbuilding.) Community work tables are set up for use during open hours, and WiFi will be available on site so that code may downloaded for IC programming (and whatever else the interwebs can provide for artisans).  The shed includes wall space for gallery-style displays of flat art, and has the capability of lockable dedicated spaces for those who require it. Membership rates are competetive with other similar maker/hacker spaces nationwide, and is not intended to make a profit- merely to make site expenses, and to add to the tool and equipment inventory. Site is fully insured and licensed.

Stay tuned here for more details regarding a get-together informative BBQ at the shed site on February 13th. Meet local artisans and hackers, have some hot dogs (seperate veggie grill will be going as well), and see the space.

We look forward to seeing you!