Lots more pics at the link below.
How many inventions have gone unmade because the person with the idea had no way to implement it? Hopefully, these will pop up all over with special rates, classes and whatever for students subsidized by companies. They could be like farm teams for the high-tech industry. Think what would come out of a 100 PARCs?
Ensure the workers own the patents, etc. No funding company automatically has rights to anything so as to foster the entrepreneurial spirit.
How to Change the World: TechShop: Geek Heaven
One of the challenges that geeks, inventors, hobbyists, hackers, burners, and artists who are trying to change the world face is finding a place to do their work. Ideally, it would have lots of equipment, supplies, and other geeks. Until the last year, they would have to set up their own workshop or beg for space at a machine shop. Now they can go and hang out at TechShop in Menlo Park, California.
Jim Newton founded TechShop in the summer of 2006 because he needed a world-class workshop so he could work on his projects and inventions.
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TechShop provides its members with a huge variety of tools, machines, and equipment in a 15,000 square-foot workshop environment. The equipment at TechShop is not likely to appear in the hobbyist’s home workshop. The range of tools and equipment covers machining, sheet metal, welding, casting, laser cutters, rapid prototyping, CAD, CNC equipment, electronics, sewing, automotive, plastics, composites, and lots more.Membership is modeled after a fitness center, and several levels of membership are available. There are currently approximately 350 monthly, yearly, corporate, and lifetime members.
These places are one of the coolest things ever. I looked at opening one of these just about one year ago. However, when I look at this blog post I see the photographs of the big empty rooms. Also, I wonder how they insure it.
Very interesting concept. Would be a great holiday gift, even for a case modder!
Great post, UD.
GregA, some of the rooms were pretty sparse when they first opened, more than a year ago, but they are quite full of tools now. The membership fees are sufficient to cover the insurance and other overhead costs.
#3
I think you may have misunderstood me. I first read about this place in Make magazine last year, right as they initially opened. I think it was a great idea.
However I look at the new pictures in the blog, and it doesn’t look like they have a lot of customers. There is at least one picture of a big empty project room on the blog. As a business person that was my concern. Also for being open a year and only having 350 club members to pay for all those tools…
The other issue when I was exploring this concept last year was insurance. The insurance for a building where you are operating welders and plasma cutters is high but not a deal breaker. On the other hand, if people were operating those machines in an occupational manner, they would benefit from public occupational and disability insurance in the event of an unfortunate accident. As private citizens they have no such coverage. I spoke with several insurance companies at the time and they were unwilling to even consider selling me liability insurance for that. I wonder how this company managed that.
Finally about the enough customers thing again… Here in the shadow of Detroit we have these small little auto clubs that people join to customize their cars. But they struggle financially.
I guess I get stuck on the whole “how does this make me rich” question. This goes beyond that somehow.
Anyhow, I have a number of investors lined up if someone from the Menlo Park club would want to contact me and discuss it further.
Inventors without tools? My first thought was:
http://vrinimi.org/rainbowsend.html
#2: What the….
James Hill complimenting me on something???? Have I stepped into Bizarro World? Um, thanks!
I have several case mods I’d like to make and I can’t get it done. Metal working shops won’t give me access to tools, and the job is too small for their minimum job setup.
If schools were a resource to the community, they have all the minimal tools I need. But such is not the case.
Great idea. And one doesn’t need the latest and best tools either to do most projects. Usually a lot of second hand equipment will work to create prototype items. Plus these clubs will have fellow enthusiasts that can contribute ideas and methods as well.
How can I get one in Ohio? I want it, I want it bad.