Triangle Area is getting a TechShop

hobie

hobie

Sub-par
Moderator
Joined
Mar 11, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
Just saw this on Make magazine's website. There is a TechShop coming to the Triangle. They're having an initial community meeting next Tuesday. I am DEFINITELY going. While I don't have a load of time now, this place is something the Triangle needs. The guy who started all of this in California is coming here to talk about it and possibly drum up support. They're gonna need backers.

What is it? From what I have read... It's a place to learn fabrication skills for any situation. It's a place with tools you don't generally have at home, with some help using them.

I have my doubts. I want to see how they handle $$, how they handle enforcement, how they handle legal issues. All the stupid shit we see here, it makes me a little nervous to even post it. I worry about how they deal with kids (even over 18) who have a sense of entitlement and no real clue.

Here's the link to the place:
http://durham.techshop.ws/index.html Check out the tools and classes info.
Here's the RSVP form (fill it out if you are going and serious):
http://durham.techshop.ws/rsvp.html

J
 
Yeah, some of those tools could do a lot of damage to someone.. But hell, if they could make it work in commie Cali, it'll work here!

I wanna watch when the fast & the fartcans show up for a dyno day and some ricer launches off the rollers at 9000rpm.. ba-ding-ding-ding-ding-baawwwhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeBANGSMASHBANGBOOMBANG. :lol:
 
Kick ass! Another MAKE subscriber! I'd love to get down there for the meeting, but Raleigh on a Tuesday is pretty much out for me. Those guys are smarter than me, though. I'm sure they'll be fine without my presence. However, it's fantastic that they're doing this. I've got to come check it out once it's up and running. I've got some local maker friends, maybe we can work up a road trip.
 
Hell, 90% of the folks here are Makers in their own way... This looks to be a meet and greet/get the word out session. If anyone has any questions not answered by the site, lemme know.

J
 
We have a shop here in Myrtle that is similar. Some investors from the local speedway put it together. They don't run it like this one sounds though as there is no membership buy in to use it. They get grants from the state unemployment office to run it and offer use to people who need to develop skills to get a job. You have to qualify by making a low salery. I wish they would also use it the way this tech place sounds and let you buy in to be a member or pay to take the classes.
 
I will be there a little early because I got 2 hours to kill after work gets out.

I am hopeing that I can get them to include a Automotive paint booth. I also am thinking about teaching some classes. eather in automotive or Electronics or both
 
Questions I'm bringing from CNC:
  1. When is it opening?
  2. What will the cost be? (everything in cali is more expensive, but there the price is ~100 a month)
  3. What about project storage?
  4. What about a paint booth (ok, it was Carl's question, so he'll probably ask it)
  5. Rates for teaching a class (my father in law may be interested)
  6. Will there be group discounts (club, church, company, website)?
  7. Is the membership good in all locations?
  8. Will safety gear be provided?

J
 
hobie said:
Questions I'm bringing from CNC:
  1. When is it opening? earliest July but most likely sept to aug 08
  2. What will the cost be? (everything in cali is more expensive, but there the price is ~100 a month) $30 day pass,100/month, 1100 per year
  3. What about project storage? yes per Square foot charge
  4. What about a paint booth (ok, it was Carl's question, so he'll probably ask it) it is possible depending on interest and EPA regs
  5. Rates for teaching a class (my father in law may be interested) TBA but it sounded like a goodrate
  6. Will there be group discounts (club, church, company, website)? there are famlily/corporate memberships at 1.6 times the normal cost
  7. Is the membership good in all locations? Yes
  8. Will safety gear be provided?Yes and manditory to be worn. They are very safety oriented
J
Click to expand...
They also have Life time membership that are good for the whole family with a $25,000 investment in the techshop company
Each person must take a $30 operation and safety course on the heavy equipment. it does not matter if you are a certified welder or machinist you stil have to take it.
All of there equipment is new.
you can reserve time to use the equipent, or you can use it if it is not beiing used.
i think this will be a very good thing. I could never have access to all of that stuf for the cost of a membership.
 
Answers from last night...

Who:
The founder is a guy named Jim Newton.
He's always been a hacker, used his dad's garage as a kind of tech shop when he was a kid. He built a battlebot for the TV show but never got to air it. He taught battlebot building classes in San Francisco. He taught machine shop and became a science advisor for MythBusters.

The local owner is a guy named Scott Saxon. They are looking for a building in Durham and may find one between RTP and Bethesda.


What is is:
They're setting up a business with the same kind of business model as a health club. But instead of a weight setup its kinda like a neverending shop day. They have a 500 member cap, and little or no contention for equipment.



To use the place you must be a member. To use the heavier equipment (like the welders, CNC mill, etc.) you must take a class and check out on it, even if you have ten of them at home and have been a machinist for 30 years. It is how they deal with their insurance company. Guests can come with you and tour the place, but if they want to use something they need to buy a guest pass and be qualified on it.


Answers to our questions:
  1. It is opening between July and October of this year, depending on a few variables.
  2. Cost -- 30 a day for a day pass, 100 a month, 1200 a year, or give them an unsecured loan of $25k (I forget the exact details) and you get a lifetime membership (they pay the loan back over ~10 years) -- Details on the lifetime membership should be discussed with them.
  3. Storage is available in a variety of ways. You can rent a room (500 sq foot) or smaller areas and it works out to about 2 bucks a square foot. They're going to have to work out info as they go along.
  4. Paint booth? Possibly, depending on cost. If there are enough members interested (and there seemed to be), then there may be a paint booth.
  5. They didn't want to talk to much about employment opportunities. I'm not sure they've gotten this figured out, because they hired from within the community in Menlo Park. They will be doing a build up and will be looking for volunteers, which might be a good time to show your skills.
  6. No club discounts, but there will be special memberships though. A corporate membership can have 3 named people access the shop but only 2 at a time. A family membership can have 2 adults and up to 3 children under 18 at a time. Both run 1.5 x the regular rate.
  7. Yes. As are your equipment ratings. They will have the same equipment in all locations, so you could move to another location and still be able to work.
  8. Yes. You can bring your own or use their eyes and ears. They are serious about safety and you should challenge other members if they aren't wearing safety equipment.

Other important points:
  • Membership is not required to take a class.
  • There is generally no contention for equipment. If there is, they buy more. In the meantime there is a reservation process and they intend to treat this like a weight room or tennis court. If you aren't using it, don't hog it.
  • They charge for consumables and they will label those charges up front.
  • They do not want this to become an auto shop, but there were a number of automotive enthusiasts there. From restoring 20's Dodges to


Ok, now that's said. If you are interested, talk to them. I'm not their boy. I think this is a good thing for the Triangle community and the wheeling community, and it was worth doing the research.

J
 
hobie said:
[*]
They have a 500 member cap

Cost -- 30 a day for a day pass, 100 a month, 1200 a year, or give them an unsecured loan of $25kJ
Click to expand...

So from what you got out of it do you think that if they hit the 500 cap with the year members and month members, that will make it where they will not able to sell day passes or did it sound like they would offer so many 50 day passes 200 month passes 200 year passes and 50 life passes.
Also thinking If the pases are good at other shops then if they hit there cap you can join another, then transfer.

Our shooting club hit its cap and we need to let someone die or quit before you can join up. The reason is to make it so people are not waiting for range time.
Jon
 
Jon the 500 cap is for each location. there are only 20 lifetime memberships for each site that is investment money that they use to get the site started up.
The monthy membership money is not used for the start up and if for some reason you sign up and pay you year member ship and the location does not open up then you will get a refund.
you can use you member ship at other locations. but currenty there is only one location in CA and 9 more will be added this year.

From what I understand there are only 500 membership allow at 1 time. you can ask them about the day pass to see if that is included in the 500 I do not know.

There are alot of people that want to open locations across the country(800 currently show interest).

since most all locations will have the same Equipment and same member ship then I think there will not be alot of cross over. But they said the if there is a high demand they will keep opening shops untill it is satisfied. So I guess there could be several locations in this area.
 
This should real cool and I think it will be work. Don't know that I will do the 25K because of the risk but I will talk to them and see what % they plan on paying, rate and repay. But I would go for a month or year membership to see how it works out. Having been it a lot of healthclubs in the past, yes me, the new ones you always wait for time on the better stuff and they have 4-5 of each item. But if I can sign up the get on a mill or something else I need, that will be cool. I see a few more cannons and mortars in my future if I can turn say 8" stock......
 
damn it would see a shitton of mexi's and people that don't know what the heck they are doing

i would love to open one in Fayetteville though
 
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