It’s in one of those half empty Longmont mall store areas next to the UA Twin Peaks 10 Movie Theater. Calling themselves the Longmont TinkerMill, it is part of a growing trend happening around the country as happy hackers get their organization on and unite in geekdom glory. The ‘movement’ appears to be going in the direction of the Northern Colorado Foothills as groups have set up shop in Denver (The ‘DenHac’), Boulder (The ‘Solid State Depot’), and now Longmont (The ‘TinkerMill’). Could a space be ready for Loveland and Fort Collins soon?
IT’S A THREE DEE PRINTER !
It is called a Rostock 3 D printer designed by a guy who was born in Rostock, Germany. You may have heard about 3-D printers in the news when some UT law student wondered if it was possible to print a working gun using this kind of machine. Whatever! If you want to prototype a physical object, you just gotta have one of these. And if you want to see one in action, get ye to a HACKERSPACE.
Recording and PodCasting Station
I heard that there was an open house on Tuesday night, but I happened to be in Longmont a bit early, so I stopped in to look around. This is their first real space in a shopping mall (for now) and it is expected to expand as more of the user’s needs develop. Right now there is no place to have a welding station or large metal fabricating machines, but from the looks of things they are well on their way to getting all of their wish lists fulfilled.
Project storage
Ok, this looks like the East wall of my basement. Members pay some nominal amount per month to use the HackerSpace and it seems that volunteers are open to teach other members how to use the equipment.
Play time area
While waiting for the 3-D printer to finish building your masterpiece, I guess you could go shop in the mall, but why not stick around the shop and play some pool. Maybe you will get hustled by a pool playing robot?
Biz Start-up developers area
I didn’t ask, but I’m guessing that the hackerspace has some kind of business membership arrangement and will have areas set aside for small tech start-ups to get some work done while bouncing ideas off the hacker membership. Maybe even hire some of them later why not?
An Art Gallery begins in the hallway
Hmmm. Geek art. I would love to see something on the order of Nam June Paik but I think a hallway wouldn’t do. Back in 1970 when I first met Mr. Paik, he was using standard iron magnets to bend the electron beams in his work TV Bra for Living Sculpture with my friend Charlotte Moorman.
Data Center
There’s a server rack on the side. I would estimate that at least 50% of the Tinkermill’s membership can install a Linux server with one hand tied behind their back. That’s just a guess.
Textile Workstation
This is good. I usually might use a sewing machine in October for Halloween costumes but I think this station may also use computers for embroidery pattern design (I think). I saw in the Makers Playbook that this area is also given the term ‘Soft Circuits’ or maybe ‘e-Textiles’ , a term used in the context of gender diversity (i.e., Buechley and Eisenberg felt that women were more engaged in electronics in the context of textiles rather than robots?)
Solder Station
Soldering is a useful skill. De-soldering is even more useful.
Small Tools
Well, ya gotta have these!