Why a hackerspace / business incubator?
- I would like to use one...
- I have access to a bit of equipment I wouldn't mind sharing
- I'd like to collaborate on projects with other techy-types
- It could be good for the community
- It could make it easier for entrepeneurs to get funding or mentorship
- It could go in really interesting directions...
OK, what I have right now...
 |
| Make! |
- My unfinished basement
- My well equipped workshop, with:
- A lathe / mill
- A Sheet metal machine (shear/brake/roller)
- Lots of tools, power and hand
- Some oldish electronic test equipment
- Basic lab and bench tools
Where am I going with this?
I'd like to create a social vehicle to pool resources and mindshare, giving innovators access to equipment, space, and mentoring to develop their ideas into successful startups.
To provide an environment for mutual support, that fosters quick iteration, innovation, and creative productivity.
Well, that sounds cool, but the equipment you have is not all that high-tech...How is that going to help new tech businesses?
Building prototypes is often one of the most expensive and daunting first steps in any physical product startup. We can fabricate most things with the equipment we have, but there are some improvements that would be easy to implement if we shared the burden of implementation:
I'd like to start with rapid prototyping. We could make a
rep-rap type device for the hackerspace, that would be k3W1...then....
- We could set up some steppers on the xy table of the lathe/mill, giving CNC Lathe capability.
- We could figure out a good z-axis control, and we could have CNC milling, including prototype circuit board production...
- We could set up a good polymer deposition nozzle on the z axis of the mill, and we could have - high precision - 3d printing....
and then, we could take over the world....
But really, soon hopefully we'll need to move to a new location...because we'll have so many cool tech heads running around that we won't fit in the basement anymore.
We could maybe find a cheap or donated space, or we might even build one, the idea being to accomodate equipment and open office space for startups to hatch and thrive...
