http://durham.techshop.ws/

"TechShop http://techshop.ws/, an open-access public workshop that's
kind of like a health club with heavy machinery and sparks instead of
treadmills. Tinkerers, inventors, and hackers pay a membership fee, and
in turn receive access to professionally-maintained gear, workshops,
mentors, and a community of like-minded makers."

This sounds pretty awesome. I know nothing about how to use most of these tools, but always wanted to learn.

5/7/2008 8:41:07 AM

I was all for that until I saw that the membership fee is $900

5/7/2008 9:04:32 AM

damn, I hadn't looked at that part yet

5/7/2008 9:08:19 AM

^^ Damn, I was just about to say that 'I'm In!'

5/7/2008 9:11:04 AM

I have wanted to learn to weld for a while now and thought this would be the place.

You can get a one-day pass then take a course and be done with it.
But that defeats the whole purpose of the place you know.

5/7/2008 9:16:27 AM

well u don't have to be a member to take classes...just to come in and work whenever u want

5/7/2008 9:23:06 AM

if they have "most of the tools and equipment" that the original location has:

http://www.techshop.ws/equipment.html

then it's probably well worth 900$

5/7/2008 9:28:52 AM

yeah

$900/year for all of that stuff isn't bad at all

i'm definitely in

5/7/2008 9:44:03 AM

most of this equipment is available around campus, just got to know where it is... like for example all the electrical components are free from NCSU ECE department...

for ECE parts go talk to Rudy Salis in the basement of EB2... if he ask what its for just say senior design, or your a grad. student

for ECE equipment, just goto a senior deisgn lab in EB2 too, no one ever id's anyone or makes sure that you shouldnt be there.

as for all the mechanical stuff, there is a lab behind daniels that has all that in there, just act like you belong there, if you need help just ask if someone can help you use the equipment, remember if you can read you can operate anything ;-)

[Edited on May 7, 2008 at 9:56 AM. Reason : .]

5/7/2008 9:55:26 AM

but what about the 3d prototyper

and metal casting stuff

that's what i'm most interested in

5/7/2008 12:41:02 PM

machining tools, CNC milling, 3d printer, that kind of stuff you can find in the College of Design

5/7/2008 1:06:48 PM

i want to use this stuff!

5/7/2008 1:27:00 PM

^^good luck getting access to that stuff without actually being IN COD. hell apparently it takes long enough to get access if you are.

5/7/2008 1:39:28 PM

yeah, you have to be in the College of Design to get access to those stuff. I tried a couple of times and ended up getting a friend from COD to get access to some of their equipment.

Even for 900 a year, it might be worth it to play around and learn stuff on your own. If they had the equipment and had some guidance, I'd be all in to build a go cart frame.

[Edited on May 7, 2008 at 7:38 PM. Reason : ]

5/7/2008 7:35:22 PM