TechShop
Encyclopedia
TechShop is a chain of member-based workshops that lets people of all skill levels come in and use industrial tools and equipment to build their own projects. They have three locations in California and a fourth in North Carolina.
Typical tools and equipment offered by TechShop include:
TechShop offers safety and basic usage training on all the tools and equipment, and on various other topics. For most equipment, a safety and usage class must be completed before it may be used. Membership is available yearly, monthly, or daily. There are also "family" and "corporate" memberships for a discounted price.
TechShop is affiliated with the Maker subculture
, and they participate in Maker Faires
in the San Francisco Bay Area and North Carolina. They have machine demonstrations and classes available during the two day Bay Area fair.
and a College of San Mateo
robotics teacher, was also motivated by his students' frustration with lack of access to equipment. Ridge McGhee, a resident of Atherton, California, was upset by the loss of American manufacturing capability to other countries. After a highly successful donation drive, the first TechShop officially opened to the public on October 1, 2006 in Menlo Park, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.
. After being open for a year, the Portland location closed and went bankrupt; the Raleigh location remains open.
A location in Detroit is expected to open in late 2011, and an additional twenty locations are planned over the next three years.
Typical tools and equipment offered by TechShop include:
- manual mill, Tormach 3 axis CNC mill, and metal lathes.
- welding equipment including MIG, TIG, gas, arc and spot welders.
- sheet metal fabrication equipment.
- a 4-foot by 8-foot CNC plasma cutter that can cut 1/2" steel plate.
- oscilloscopes and other electronics equipment.
- a variety of equipment for working with plastics and composites, including carbon fiberCarbon fiberCarbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
. - Epilog Laser Helix laser cutter / engraver units.
- a DimensionDimension (company)The Dimension division of Stratasys manufactures 3D printing equipment which uses fused deposition modeling .A Dimension 3D printer is available at TechShop for member use.-External links:*...
3D printer that builds objects by depositing fine layers of ABS plastic via fused deposition modelingFused deposition modelingFused deposition modeling is an additive manufacturing technology commonly used for modeling, prototyping, and production applications. The technology was developed by S...
. - a textiles area with a variety of home and industrial sewing machines and a large cutting table.
TechShop offers safety and basic usage training on all the tools and equipment, and on various other topics. For most equipment, a safety and usage class must be completed before it may be used. Membership is available yearly, monthly, or daily. There are also "family" and "corporate" memberships for a discounted price.
TechShop is affiliated with the Maker subculture
Maker subculture
The maker subculture is a contemporary subculture, representing a technology-based extension of DIY culture. Typical interests enjoyed by the maker subculture include engineering-oriented pursuits such as electronics, robotics, 3-D printing, and the use of CNC tools, as well as more traditional...
, and they participate in Maker Faires
Maker Faire
Maker Faire is an event created by Make magazine to "celebrate arts, crafts, engineering, science projects and the Do-It-Yourself mindset".-Past events:The first was held April 22 – 23, 2006, at the San Mateo Fairgrounds...
in the San Francisco Bay Area and North Carolina. They have machine demonstrations and classes available during the two day Bay Area fair.
History
TechShop was founded by Jim Newton and Ridge McGhee. Jim Newton originally wanted to establish a place with tools to work on his pet projects, like building a digital clock, which he has still not gotten around to building. Newton, who'd been a science adviser to the TV show MythbustersMythBusters
MythBusters is a science entertainment TV program created and produced by Beyond Television Productions for the Discovery Channel. The series is screened by numerous international broadcasters, including Discovery Channel Australia, Discovery Channel Latin America, Discovery Channel Canada, Quest...
and a College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo is a community college in San Mateo, California. It is part of the San Mateo County Community College District....
robotics teacher, was also motivated by his students' frustration with lack of access to equipment. Ridge McGhee, a resident of Atherton, California, was upset by the loss of American manufacturing capability to other countries. After a highly successful donation drive, the first TechShop officially opened to the public on October 1, 2006 in Menlo Park, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley.
Partnerships
TechShop opened partnership locations in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina and Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. After being open for a year, the Portland location closed and went bankrupt; the Raleigh location remains open.
A location in Detroit is expected to open in late 2011, and an additional twenty locations are planned over the next three years.
External links
- TechShop official web site
- Official TechShop page listing locations
- TechShop RDU, NC - The Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina TechShop's website
- TechShop - A place for Makers to work on their projects
- Bay Area craft resources - a brief list of businesses that provide art and/or craft instruction in San Francisco.
- TechShop: Geek Heaven - walk-through of Menlo Park TechShop's features
- Photos: Hobbyists heed TechShop's siren song