Want to learn more about what’s going on at Maker Works?
Join us on Thursday, October 15th from 7-9pm for our Monthly Member Meeting, led by Maker Works co-founders Dale Grover and Tom Root. In it, they’ll cover:
Maker Works Business Scoreboard and Profit & Loss
Membership Options
Announcements & Upcoming Changes
If you are or have ever been a member, we would love to see you there!
Two-Part Class! Wednesday, 10/14: 6-9pm
Thursday, 10/15: 6-8pm
Improve your woodworking knowledge with one-on-one instruction through the creation of a long grain cutting board. The entire process will be covered from beginning to end, beginning with selecting what types of wood work best and going all the way through to the best finishes to use.
Woodworking skills you’ll learn include milling, gluing/clamping, shaping, and table saw ripping/crosscutting. Each attendee will walk away with the cutting board they built during the class. Pre-requisites: Attendees must be checked out on on the wood shop’s jointer, planer, and table saw.
This class meets twice: Wednesday 10/14 6:00pm – 9:00pm and Thursday, 10/15 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
This class is taught by Chris Riecker. Click here to find out more about his work.
On Saturday, September 26, Camp ShopBot took place at Maker Works. Beginners, seasoned veterans, and those just interested in learning more about CNC fabrication gathered at the shop for a day of demos, topic-based presentations from guest presenters, and show-and-tell.
There was a great turnout, and lots of sharing and learning.
Stop by the shop on any of the first three Saturdays in December and make your own beautiful, unique ornament from one of our custom kits.
Staff members Al, Je’Tone, and Beth have created designs and cut them out of wood on the laser. You get to come by, pick out a kit, and either assemble it in the shop or take it home with you.
Each kit will contain materials for four to five ornaments, and will be for sale for $10-$15.
The first three Saturdays in December
The 5th, 12th, and 19th
11am-3pm
Stop by the shop on any of the first three Saturdays in December and make your own beautiful, unique ornament from one of our custom kits.
Staff members Al, Je’Tone, and Beth have created designs and cut them out of wood on the laser. You get to come by, pick out a kit, and either assemble it in the shop or take it home with you.
The penguin kit contains three penguins, and the tree kit contains three trees. Both are $15 each.
The jewelry kit comes with a pair of earrings and a necklace, and costs $20.
The other kits come with four ornaments each: the geometric shapes kit, the classic ornaments kit, and the holiday cheer kit. These are $20 each.
The first three Saturdays in December
The 5th, 12th, and 19th
11am-3pm
Check out our photos of each kit below!
Classic Ornament Kit
4 Ornaments. $20.
Classic Ornament Kit: 4 ornaments. $20.
Holiday Cheer Ornament Kit
4 Ornaments. $20.
Holiday Cheer Ornament Kit: 4 ornaments. $20.
Geometric Shapes Ornament Kit
4 Ornaments. $20.
Geometric Shapes Ornament Kit: 4 Ornaments. $20.
Jewelry Kit
One set of earrings and one pendant. $20.
Penguin Kit
3 Ornaments. $15.
Penguin Kit: 3 ornaments. $15.
Tree Kit
3 Ornaments. $15.
Tree Kit: 3 ornaments. $15.
Check out photos from the November Go-Tech meeting, and join us on Tuesday, December 8th at 7pm for the next one!
We will have the usual 5-minute presentations, so bring in a cool project to share. Topics have ranged from metal-casting to printed circuit board design to web-based home automation and everything in between.
The meeting is free, and everyone is welcome! Pass this message along to folks who might be interested, especially any young people with an interest in making or fixing.
Go-Tech meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7pm in the Maker Works conference room.
Here’s an article we just posted on using recipes (Standard Operating Procedures or SOPs) in a makerspace. If you’ve been to Maker Works, you know that’s a core tool we use across the board. http://maker-works.com/using-recipes-for-a-great-makerspace/
In this kid friendly workshop attendees will build a toolbox suitable for holding the tools of a beginning woodworker! A brief discussion on wood and general safety instruction will be followed by use of a rasp, sandpaper, hammer, nails and clamps to assemble your toolbox.
This is a two hour workshop that repeats on the following Saturdays:
December 12th from 12:30pm to 2:30pm
January 9th from 12:30pm to 2:30pm
February 13th from 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Cost is $40. This includes materials, tools, and instruction for one Toolbox. No prior knowledge or experience required. Please arrive 10 minutes early if this is your first time to Maker Works.
Join Thea Eck, expert ShopBot instructor with over 5 years of experience, and learn everything you need to know about CAD designing and CAM toolpathing.
This 1-day workshop is intended for new and beginner VCarve 8.0 users. VCarve 8.0 is the official ShopBot Tools Inc. software to be used with the ShopBot CNC Router and other milling machines.
Participants will learn how to utilize VCarve 8.0’s drawing tools (the CAD) such as creating shapes, editing nodes, adding text, and offsets. They will then learn the 3 basic toolpaths (the CAM) as well as the tool database. Concepts behind CAD and CAM such as feed and speed rates will also be discussed.
This is a hands-on, project-based workshop. Each person will have their own computer station and take home workbook.
There will be a 45-minute lunch break, taken on one’s own, at noon, and two 10-minute breaks. $100.
There are only 6 spaces available in this class, so give us a call to reserve your spot today! Reach us at (734) 222-4911 or send an email to frontdesk@maker-works.com.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
9am – 4:30pm
Calling all makers with circuits, programming, and woodworking skills! Mentors are need to help student teams during the upcoming 36-hour Make-a-thon!
Mak-a-thon is a design competition that aims to pull the most passionate artists, designers and creators for a weekend full of creativity and innovative breakthrough. Innovation will be put on full display through three different forms of competition: Product Design Competition, Fine Arts Showcase and Sponsor Challenges.
January 29 – 31
University of Michigan
Stamps School of Art & Design
Send an email to mpowered-makeathon@umich.edu if you’re able to help!
Find more info here: https://mpowered.umich.edu/makeathon
Choosing from an assortment of wooden boxes the instructor provides, create an assemblage piece using a variety of techniques including collage, painting, and construction methods. Several digital file options of shapes (geometric) and objects (tree branches, animals, etc.) will be available which can be laser cut with the assistance of Maker Works staff members.
Instructor will also provide paper, fabric, acrylic and latex paint, and brushes, but students should bring favorite paint brushes (if desired) as well as any studio ephemera or objects/photos they might want to include. Finished 3D piece can either hang on a wall or be free-standing.
For reference on assemblage or artwork using boxes, check out Louise Nevelson, Betye Saar, and Joseph Cornell.
Sunday, March 6 | 10a-4p
One hour break for lunch.
Hosted by Ann Arbor Women Artists
Find out more about the instructor, Valerie Mann, here.
All skill levels are welcome! $95.
To register, contact Heidi Goodhart at dendles@gmail.com.
Beginning this coming Monday, February 1st, we’re offering a NEW level of membership: Pro.
Pro membership provides additional hours of access from 9am to 1pm Monday through Thursday. (Regular membership already begins at 9am on Friday.) We will only have one staff person on hand during these times, so this is for members who know their way around the shop and tools and don’t need our regular level of member support.
The price is $130/month. (Currently regular monthly membership is $90, and all-hours is $200.) Ask at the front desk or see our website for more details.
We are also phasing out our business discount. If you currently have a business discount, you can continue until the end of your membership period.
Periodically, Maker Works has hosted artists in residence. After a long break from the program, this is our latest one.
Maker Works’ goal in hosting artists like Monica is to promote people who are using the tools in creative ways, provide them with opportunities to learn new skills and use the shop’s tools, and also expose Maker Works members to the artists’ ideas and work.
Monica in the Maker Works wood shop.
As a child growing up in the scenic Rocky Mountain landscape of Colorado, Monica Wilson was often inspired by the natural materials that surrounded her. Early memories of lichen-covered granite and streams flecked with mica laid the foundation for what would become a lifelong passion for creating art out of earth.
Monica went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramic Art and Sculpture from Eastern Michigan University. Her earlier works included creative expression with mixed media in sculpture, such as a thought-provoking montage of 1980’s cartoons and commercials to depict the transformative effect of popular culture. Her postgraduate work has included travel to many countries, including India, Jordan, and Morocco, where she has studied art and culture through pottery while also working as a photographer and videographer for a team of paleontologists.
In places like the ancient carved city of Petra and the sandstone Hindu temples in India, Monica spent time appreciating the decorative structures that were crafted out of natural materials, and her interest in creating art out of earth was solidified.
During her travels, she sought out potters who used clay from their own land to make food storage containers, chai teacups, ritual pieces, and other functional, everyday dishware. The clay contained vegetative debris as a result of being dug directly from the ground; when fired, the ceramic pieces were left with pores where the organic material burned away. The honesty and lightness in this natural material, paired with the monumental beauty of temples carved from stone, inspired Monica and left a lasting impression on the art she creates.
A test run of her design using the ShopBot and insulation foam.
Fast forward a few years, past her return to the US and past many ceramics and sculpture exhibitions, presentations, and awards, to six months ago when her interests came together in this current sculpture project: a brick-like decorative wall made from gas-infused clay. She knew that in order to make this piece, she would need large-scale machining tools.
Monica connected with Bob Stack, long-time Maker Works member and organizer of the shop’s monthly Go-Tech meetings. They worked together on creating a digital design based on vintage wallpaper images. In the process, Monica learned to use MeshCAM, a software program that imports computer-aided design (CAD) files and also creates 3D files using only a bitmap image. Furthermore, MeshCAM uses G-Code, a numerical language, to communicate the specifics of the files to many of the machine tools at Maker Works, including the ShopBot CNC Router. Monica has been using the ShopBot to carve out the physical product.
“I have learned how to use design software and a CNC router, and the use of these tools has made it possible to produce my art piece on a grander scale,” says Monica.
Right now, Monica is working on the second iteration, and is about a quarter of the way through the whole project. The finished porous ceramic wall will be comprised of a Victorian wallpaper pattern in an exaggerated three-dimensional relief. She has created all of the 3D models using MeshCAM software and the ShopBot.
A prototype done on insulation foam.
While the overarching design for the sculpture has stayed consistent throughout the phases of her project, she is considering incorporating additional materials into it, like resin, embedded glass, or even solar-powered LEDs.
“The community at Maker Works has been really important for bouncing ideas off of,” Monica adds.
In the future, Monica plans to teach a workshop at Maker Works on using MeshCAM for organic 3D modeling.
Once her project is finished, Monica’s goal is to enter it as a venue into Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize competition.
To learn more about Monica’s work, visit her website here: mo-wilson.com.
Saturday, March 12 | 10a – 12:30p
Learn to use MeshCAM to create 3D models and generate tool paths for your art/design project. We will take a digital image and walk through each step from preparing and importing the file, to generating the tool path needed for Maker Works’s ShopBot CNC router. Additional topics discussed will be color mapping, use of grayscale value images and creating masks from vector files.
This will be 2 ½ hr class for 6 participants, computers, software, and handbook provided. $40.
You may have heard about our newest membership option: Pro.
Pro membership provides additional hours of access to the shop from 9am to 1pm Monday through Thursday. (Regular membership already begins at 9am on Friday.)
Check out all of our membership options below!
This is our most common membership. To understand how it works, think of it like a membership to a health club, but instead of treadmills and weight machines you’ll have access to all the tools in our shop: 3D printers, laser cutters, a full woodworking shop, CNC routers, metal smithing tools, a CNC embroidery machine, sewing machines, and more.
In order to safely use many of the shop’s tools, you’ll be required to be checked out on them.
Click here to find our complete list of check out and skill development classes.
During any time you have a monthly membership, you’ll get to come and go in the shop as often as you like during our standard business hours.
The Family Membership works the same way as the Individual membership, but after the first adult joins, each additional adult is half price. Children under 15 are are free with a family membership.
With a day pass, you’ll have full access to the shop’s tools during business hours that day. If you have a smaller project, or just need to put the finishing touches on a larger project you’ve been working on, this is a great option.
The Punch Card Membership is one of our newer membership options, and is quickly growing in popularity. You’ll get a punch card with 10 punches, each worth one visit to the shop during standard hours. You can use your 10 punches anytime over the course of a year.
This is a great option for a project that is spaced out over a long period of time, or for a series of smaller projects.
The Pro Membership is similar to the monthly membership, although you’ll get additional hours of access from 9am to 1pm Monday – Thursday. (Regular membership already begins at 9am on Friday.)
We’ll only have one staff person on hand during these times, so this is for members who know their way around the shop and tools and don’t need our regular level of member support.
With the All-Hours Membership, you get access to the shop any time you like. You’ll have your own key and alarm code to the building.
Previously available only to members who licensed space at Maker Works, this new level of membership carries additional responsibilities. Maker Works members who have been in active membership for at least three months, who have taken at least two checkout classes, and who meet other requirements outlined in the All-Hours application, are eligible.
Click here to find out more about the All-Hours Membership.
Get custom, individualized coaching from an expert. If you’re encountering a challenge you could use a hand with, get the advice and skills you need from someone with lots of experience.
To find out more about personal consulting, stop by the front desk anytime we’re open.
K-12 teachers and administrators, students over the age of 16, and military veterans all qualify for discounts on monthly and annual memberships. All memberships are half price to these individuals.
Click here to find additional info on membership and consulting pricing.
Stop by the front desk anytime we’re open, give us a call at (734) 222-4911, or send an email to frontdesk@maker-works.com.
If you haven’t already done so, be sure and come by for a free tour of the shop!
In this 2-hour class, students will learn to install a zipper, use a zipper foot, and attach straps to a customizable canvas tote bag.
All materials included! If you want to bring your own machine, please let us know. Ages 10+.
Saturday April 9: 1-3pm
We’ve been working hard to put together a group of fun, innovative summer camps that we just know you and your camper are going to love.
Each session is a half-day (three-hour) workshop that will be held in either the morning or afternoon. And, you can mix and match as many morning and afternoon workshops as you choose! You do not have to sign up for the whole week.
Check out a brief description of each workshop below. We’ll release more details in the weeks to come!
Build Your Own Bike Shelf
Create a custom, hardwood bike rack that can hang in your garage or house! We’ll use hand tools and power tools to cut the wood and assemble the pieces. This workshop is taught by woodworking wizard Al McWaters and jack of all trades Eric Rudolph.
The Magic Behind Fairy Doors
Learn the magic behind making your very own fairy door! You’ll use a variety of tools to cut, shape, and customize your own fairy door, then decorate it with different finishes. We’ll also go over how to install your fairy door once it’s home. This workshop is taught by ambassadors to the fun and whimsical, Kc Dixon and Josh Williams.
Sew a Felt Plush Monster
Use laser-cut felt parts, hand stitching, and machine sewing to create your own tiny creature. At the end of this workshop, you’ll walk away with an awesome monster and basic stitching skills to carry your interests further. This workshop is taught by innovative fiber artist and milliner Je’Tone Alexander.
Creative Costume Props
Make your own custom props like swords, lasers, weapons, crowns, and more! First, we’ll create drawings of our props and plan them, and then we’ll use a variety of materials from the ScrapBox to make them come to life! This workshop is taught by enthusiastic costume designers Stu Parnes and Kc Dixon.
Metal Lawn Ornaments
Original Wire Jewelry
Make your own original jewelry! Design a bracelet, necklace, or ring using wrapped wire of various gauges and incorporating different beads and ways of finishing the metal. This workshop is taught by master metalworkers and jewelry designers Wade Buck and Je’Tone Alexander.
Origami Robotics
Learn a traditional Origami form (Crane or Dragon) and augment it with shape-shifting electronics! We’ll explore the basics of paper folding, electronics, and how the combination allow our creatures to move. Starting with a piece of paper and a few electrical components, you’ll go home with your own animated origami creation! This workshop is taught by world-famous origami artist Beth Johnson and electric wizard Josh Williams.
The Epilog Laser Cutter is one of the most popular tools in the shop, and oftentimes one of the first tools members use.
If you have a digital design, image, or text that you want to either engrave cut out of a material, the laser may just be your go-to tool. Wood, acrylic, paper, glass, and cloth can all be laser-cut and laser-etched to great effect.
Once you have a digital file of your design, you’ll use CorelDRAW software to communicate the details of the design to the laser. Think of it like drawing a picture: your brain has the image in mind, and communicates with your hand, which sketches the image.
To get started on the laser, just sign up for the checkout class. In the class, you’ll learn how to operate the laser safely, and you’ll be introduced to the CorelDRAW software.
Click here to sign up for an Epilog Laser check out class.
If you’re looking to learn even more about the specifics of using CorelDRAW, take a look at our class: “CorelDRAW for the Laser and other Machines”. In this class, you’ll learn how to use the software in-depth and how to create artwork you want.
Click here to sign up for “CorelDRAW for the Laser and other Machines”.
Just what sorts of things can be done on the laser? Check out some of the things our amazing members have made:
Acrylic swizzle sticks being cut on the laser
As Maker Works member Shabier Raffee prepared to tie the knot with his fiance Samantha, he decided, quite literally, to take the matter into his own hands. In true maker style, he carefully planned and executed every last detail of his wedding and its decorations.
For many of the items, he chose to use the laser. With this tool, he made an intricate rubber stamp, wooden laser-engraved invitations, an acrylic letterpress, and even 300 acrylic swizzle sticks.
Click here to see more photos of Shabier’s work.
With the laser cutter, you have the ability to create extremely detailed designs in a very simple way.
This is certainly the case with Alexis Colombo’s awe-inspiring Maleficent costume, based on the lead character from the movie of the same name.
Each of the feathers were cut out using the laser, and if you looked closely you can see etching on each one.
The laser also lends itself well to cutting designs out of fabric. On the bag below, staff member Je’Tone used the laser to do just that. After the fabric was cut, she adhered it to the contrasting background fabric using an iron-on mesh adhesive. With the two fabrics now adhered to one another, she was able to cut and sew them into a bag.
When it came time for his wife, Elisa, to exhibit a science experiment at the Grand Rapids ArtPrize competition, Matt Fromboluti that would engage visitors and encourage them to stop by the booth.He used the laser to cut acrylic for the sign, and incorporated LEDs to really make it glow.Check a time lapse video of making the arrow sign here:
Elisa’s experiment is now on display at Maker Works! Stop by and check it out. Find more information about it here.
We’re excited to be offering two “make-n-take” style classes where you’ll get to improve your woodworking knowledge with one-on-one instruction, and walk away with beautiful cutting boards.
The classes are taught by long-time Maker Works member and woodworker extraordinaire, Chris Riecker.
The entire process of making the boards will be covered from beginning to end, from selecting what types of woods work best to the which finishes to use once they’re all done.
In the Long Grain Cutting Boards class, you’ll make a board where the wood grain is oriented horizontally. This means that when the board is used, the surface being chopped on is the edge of the wood.
In the End Grain Cutting Boards class, the grain of the wood is oriented vertically, so the knife comes in contact with the end grain of the wood. This style of cutting board is also sometimes called a butcher block cutting board.
The processes for making end grain cutting boards is similar to long grain ones, except that making an end grain board requires an extra set of cutting, gluing, and clamping.
In the photos above, the long grain cutting board is pictured at left and the end grain board is on the right.
Woodworking skills you’ll learn in both classes include: milling, gluing/clamping, shaping, and ripping/crosscutting with the table saw.
Each attendee will walk away with the cutting board they built during the class.
Pre-requisites: Attendees must be checked out on on the wood shop’s jointer, planer, and table saw.
Woodworking Skill Development: Long Grain Cutting Boards
Monday, May 9, 6-9pm and Tuesday, May 10, 6-8pm
Monday, June 6, 6-9pm and Tuesday, June 7, 6-8pm
Woodworking Skill Development: End Grain Cutting Boards
Monday, May 23, 6-9pm, Tuesday, May 24, 6-8pm, and Wednesday, May 25, 6-8:30pm
Monday, June 20, 6-9pm, Tuesday, June 21, 6-8pm, and Wednesday, June 22, 6-8:30pm
Click here to access our calendar and sign up!
Or, give us a call at (734) 222-4911.
Do you have some experience with VCarve, the official ShopBot Tools Inc. software used with the ShopBot CNC Router and other milling machines, and want to learn more? Check out these exciting new VCarve 8.0 classes held in the shop! They’re taught by Thea Eck, expert ShopBot instructor with over 5 years of experience. Click here to find out more and to register.
Thursday, May 5, 7-9pm
Friday, May 6, 9:30am-12pm
VCarve Pro 8.0 now has 3D editing and toolpathing capabilities. This 2-hour workshop introduces you to the ‘Import 3D models’ command that can import STLs and other 3D files types, as well as the clip art folder, which has an array of free 3D files. Learn how to edit your 3D files and set up your file for 1-sided machining. You will also learn the two 3D toolpaths as well as a few different strategies to cut down on machining time.
Wednesday, May 18, 1:30-3:30pm
Thursday, May 19, 7-9pm
Creating decorative signs in VCarve Pro is a lot of fun and a breeze when you understand how to utilize the Text commands and VCarve Pro 8.0’s new texture drawing option. This 2-hour workshop will introduce you to creating and editing text and then applying various textural components onto a design. We will also take a look at how to set up your file if you want to use the Vcarve toolpath option.
Wednesday, May 25, 1:30-3:30pm:
Friday, May 27, 9:30-11:30am
Learning how to use the various production options in VCarve Pro can vastly reduce machining time and increase production rates. This 2-hour workshop will introduce you to a few of them including the Nesting Command, the new Merged Toolpaths option, and creating a pressure fit jig. We will also look at how to quickly create a complex project by using some of the ‘Offset and Layout’ design options.
Each class must have at least 4 people to run.
