Check out your local makerspace and discover what happens when creativity meets community, and the right tools are placed in the right hands.
There’s something deeply satisfying about making something with your own two hands – whether it’s a wooden coffee table, a laser-engraved leather wallet, or a personalized suit of armor. But most of us don’t have a CNC router in the garage or a 3D printer humming away in the basement. Enter the makerspace – a modern workshop where creativity meets community, and where access to world-class tools is within reach for anyone with a willingness to learn.
Part workshop, part classroom, and part community hub, a makerspace is like a golf club but much cooler. Here instead of bar carts and tee times, you’ll find woodshops, welding equipment, electronics labs, and industrial sewing machines. Members pay a monthly or annual fee and for that they get 24/7 access to the tools, along with training sessions and the chance to connect with like-minded tinkerers, artists, and artisans.
It’s a concept that has exploded across the United States with spaces opening in cities big and small. One of the oldest and largest is in Milwaukee. Located in a sprawling warehouse on the city’s south side, entering Milwaukee Makerspace is like stepping into a candy store for anyone who loves to build. There’s a woodshop stocked with everything from table saws to lathes, a stained-glass studio, machine shop, 3D printers, leather working, laser cutters, a forge, and craft and electronics labs, to name a few.
This is equipment most of us could never dream of affording. A professional-grade laser cutter? That can run upwards of $20,000. A CNC milling machine? Try closer to $50,000. Even high-end 3D printers are beyond the average hobbyist’s budget. But at the Milwaukee Makerspace, these tools are there for you, ready to help bring your wildest project ideas to life.
Faith Finfrock, Paid Media Coordinator here at Forsake, has been a member for seven years and served on the board of directors for three. She was first attracted to the space for the access to tools and the knowledge she hoped to gain from other members. “These people all have something in common. They’re ambitious, driven, and creative. They look at a problem and can figure out 10 different ways to fix it,” she says.
Faith says that most projects at the Milwaukee Makerspace are small. “Lots of cutting boards, knives, and pottery, but I've seen large projects, like a guy who built a whole sailboat, 14ft pneumatic wings, and Burning Man sculptures. I've even seen a cast-iron pour. Watching them pour hot liquid metal into a mold is pretty awesome,” she says.
One of the most exciting aspects is that projects often cross disciplines. A woodworker might collaborate with an electronics expert to create a custom guitar, or an artist might work with a coder to develop an interactive sculpture. The possibilities are endless, and collaboration is part of the DNA of these spaces. And there’s always someone on hand to help. Whether it’s a volunteer mentor, a staff member, or just a fellow maker who’s been there before, the community spirit is strong. It’s a place where knowledge flows freely, from seasoned engineers to first-time hobbyists.
If you’re a tinkerer looking to expand your toolkit, a seasoned artisan, or just someone who misses the smell of sawdust and the hum of machines, a makerspace might be right for you. As Faith points out, “along with the tools you’ll also find a strong sense of community, and probably build lasting friendships with other members,” she says. Sound good? Then check out your local makerspace and discover what happens when creativity meets community, and the right tools are placed in the right hands.