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As of Feb. 1, artists, tinkerers, music enthusiasts, builders, and entrepreneurs can all come together under one roof and work side by side at SLO MakerSpace.
It’s the first of its kind in SLO, and perfect for anyone who doesn’t have the machinery or space for their next project. SLO MakerSpace is here to help you “build, learn, and hack.” Hack into your own product that is.
“If you don’t open it, you don’t own it,” Clint Slaughter, Chief Executive Officer and an emergency room physician, explained his borrowed motto.
“If you purchase something, and you can’t open it and fix it, then it’s not yours,” he explained. “And we’re here to help you with that.”
There are four sections to the SLO MakerSpace building, two downstairs, and two upstairs. Downstairs is the makers’ workspace and the workshop.
The workspace is where artists and tinkerers can work. There is a 3-D printer, vinyl cutter, hand tools, sewing machine, dremel station, and the music machine all accessible for $40 a month, and there are already actual creations on display that Slaughter and his wife produced, like electrical piping in a couple of capes.
One thing the shop is collaborating on with the 3-D printer is the machine shop’s future robot. So far just the arm has been developed, but they won’t stop until they have the full robot developed and roaming the office.
Then there is the workshop that contains the heavier duty machines like a CNC router, vibrating, orbital, and belt sanders, and a Blacktooth laser cutter and engraver. The workshop has a wood skeleton cutout of a pterodactyl hanging in the corner that was designed and cut out right there in the shop. They also created all the work tables, as well as logo decal and stickers from their very own machines.
“We’re taking it back to our grassroots of industrial arts and design, and entrepreneurship, back to building things, and repurposing, with some of the skills we’ve lost along the way,” said Slaughter.
With Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” motto, SLO is the perfect place for MakersSpace. They are also trying to work with local schools and teachers with technology hands-on-based learning techniques.
Also, any small business that wants to purchase space for their employees can do so for $450 a month, and will have 24-hour access to the workspace. Upstairs is where classes can be taught. You decide what you want to teach and how much you want to charge, and MakerSpace will help promote your class, post the hours and dates on their website, and keep half of the proceeds.
SLO MakerSpace is located at 3988 Short St. Suite 100 (behind the Food4Less and Trader Joe’s shopping center), and can be contacted at 242-1285 or [email protected]. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 6 to 11 p.m., no workshop accessibility on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and open Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 11 p.m., no workshop access from 1 to 4 p.m. Check out their website at slomakerspace.com, or like them on Facebook.
Fast fact
More than 100 students contributed to a collection of essays and poems about the environment for a book titled The Dune Forum: Nature is Full of Children and Animals, and Don’t Forget the Plants, too which was just unveiled in Guadalupe. A total of 25 essays and poems were published and a copy of the book can be picked up at The Dune Center, located at 1065 Guadalupe St. in Guadalupe.
Intern Lareina Gamboa compiled this week’s Strokes. Send your business and nonprofit news to [email protected].