HOW TO CREATE A

MAKERSPACE
A R EAL -W ORLD C ASE -S TUDY
R ON D. M C F ARLAND , P H .D., PMP, CISSP

Copyright 2017 by Ron McFarland

http://www.wrinkledbrain.net

WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK

I wrote this book because I was in a position where I needed
to rapidly develop and implement a Makerspace in our
organization that would (a) address the needs of our users,
(b) address the expanding needs of our outside customers
(e.g. community members), and (c) the provide a viable space
for the rapidly growing need for a lab work areas that
supported the developing creative project work at my
organization. I was up to the challenge, in spite of many
obstacles of launching such a project in a short time-frame.
But given upper-level support and in particular, the project
support by a forward-thinking CEO to develop this project, the
project of opening up a Makerspace in less than 8 weeks
became a successful reality.
I faced many challenges including resistance by some who did
not support the Makerspace concept and others who believed
that they should be in charge of the effort, eventhough I was
assigned the task. Politics aside, this plan worked. Prior to this
position, I was an IT Project Manager for a number of years
and knew that this type of consternation and resistance is
fairly common. So I placed on my PM hat and worked with my
people skills tools to best work with and involve all
constituents to inspire, lead and educate.
The idea of planning and implementing a Makerspace was net
to me. In addition, while I have been a maker all of my life, I
never set up an environment for a broader environment that
would accommodate many maker type of projects. My maker
background included making a number of (some 30+)
Electronic Kits (from Heathkit, EICO Electronics, Allied Radio,
etc.) in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s (prior to the demise of
the kit companies), leather making including designing my
2

own styles of leatherwear, guitar building using templates and

designs, and many other make activities. But, I was left a bit
stumped on creating a broader-based Maker environment
when faced with the task of developing a Makerspace for our
organization.
Further, while I was tasked to open the Makerspace for the
organization, a group formed that contained varied
personalities (as is usual) that had specific notions about what
a maker environment should be based on my background, I
was faced, initially, with a contentious group of individuals
within the organization that (a) had their own ideas about
what a Makerspace should be, (b) a few individuals who were
grappling for power and control, and (c) others who out-right
rejected any notion for a Makerspace within the organization.
Moreover, I was provided an austere budget and given an
aggressive timeframe to open the Makerspace (about 8 weeks
from start to opening!).
While grappling with addressing the needs of the various
individuals who offered their time to assist with the opening,
I researched best methods to get a Makerspace up and
running in a short amount of time with minimal success. Also,
much of the research that I reviewed in a short amount of time
provided limited good advice.
Fortunately the organization that I worked for at the time had
a management training opportunity whereby small groups of
managers (teams of 4 or 5) were assembled to work part-time
on projects that the organization thought was worthy of some
intense focus. I mention fortunately since the team that I was
on decided (with very little pursuasion from me and a few
others) to take on the Makerspace project.
3

During the few weeks that our small team developed a plan,
which we indicated was our Phase 1 of x iterations (of many
unknown phases), we did research and used tools (like the
SWOT analysis which is discussed later) to formulate a rapid
plan to get the Makerspace up and running in a short timeframe with a limited budget in a contestuous environment. We
succeeded in building out the Phase 1 plan together, used
almost every nickle of the small seed money and opened up
the Makerspace with over 500 people in attendance on the
Grand Opening Day.
All in all, the Makerspace, which is getting close to a 1-year
anniversary at the time of this writing, is finally being more
broadly accepted by the organizational community, at large.
The growing success was not due to me (though I wish I could
take the total credit), but success has been achieved from the
top, the CEO, through middle-management and to the many
fantastic and inspired workers in the Makerspace.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK

You may already be a Makerspace expert or the concept of
Makerspace is relatively new to you. Whatever your level of
exposure to the Makerspace movement is, this book can help
you make good decisions about developing your Makerspace
based on things that I initially did wrong and later my small
team and I got right. This plan discussed in this eBook is
proven to be a route to success.
This book is about getting your Makerspace up and off the
ground, by example. My intention with this eBook is to help
you understand a bit more about what a Makerspace is, if you
are not familiar with Makerspaces. For the expert and novice
alike, I provide a case study that you can use, modify, and
implement. Also, consider providing suggestions for
improvement, as Ill continually update this document with
your input (Ive provided my contact information and other
resources at the end of this book). With a plan that was
actually implemented to success, in contrast to a theoretical
plan, there are several important resource links that will help
you to continue to build your Makerspace community one
youve launched your particular Phase 1 initiative.
Further, the Makerspace that was implemented based on this
case study plan (actually two Makerspaces were started), are
a testament to the inspired vision of the organizations CEO
who had the vision and guts to provide space, some
personnel and a start-up stipend that gave the middlemanagement team enough juice to begin two Makerspaces
in less than a few-months timeframe. Looking back, our
Makerspace(s) has been a great success in terms of the
numbers of community members who now use the space and
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the repeat offenders who frequent our very creative

experimental space.
Also, this book was written with notes that I compiled for our
project and added to for this eBook. The plan noted in this
eBook eventually lead to the successful opening of two
organizational Makerspaces. This eBook is written to give a
bit of direction (and maybe some additional hope) to
individuals, organizations (schools, companies, etc.), and the
for-profit and non-profit groups who are thinking about
forming some sort of Makerspace a bit more of a direction to
implement one.
Ive written my notes in a very conversational, nontheoretical manner in a best-effort to provide a document
that is easily read with the intention of becoming a useful
(and actionable) resource for you. Ive masked the
organization that I worked for on this project (though it will
be fairly easy to find out who the Makerspaces were
developed for). Finally, I provide a working template that you
can model for your Makerspace.
Yes, I spent more time on this project than was expected by
the organization and had the fortune to work with several
brilliant people that lead to ultimate success (at least for the
first round). One of the lessons learned on this project is that
success is a team effort. Always ensure that you have
inspired and focused individuals on your Makerspace
development team, as I did, since they will each contribute
far more that you could ever expect.
Also, as in any new effort, you will be making radical changes
in the organization. Some folks simply do not like change nor
understand it. Anticipate the naysayers who might throw out
6

roadblocks or speak poorly of your intended focus. Actually,

even the naysayers will provide you with gems, if you listen
carefully, that will forward the progress of your Makerspace
plan. Further, look to the naysayers as a group that can not
only provide you with hidden gems, but with a challenge to
bring them into the Makerspace fold.
With a plan in hand, inspired individuals on your team, the
location and nominal funding, your Makerspace
implementation should be a success. But, keep in mind that
the Makerspace, any Makerspace, is an on-going evolvement
and evolution of tools, techniques, projects, and people.
Youve embarked in an iterative project when you do and
create a Makerspace. And please note that the intention of
Makerspace is for your community. With a steady focus and a
clear plan, your Makerspace will unfold with good fortune
and success, as ours did.

Table of Contents
Why I Wrote This Book ....................................................... 2
Why You Should Read This Book ........................................ 5
Chapter 1. In the New Economy, Makerspaces are HOT! .. 9
Chapter 2. Setting a Clear Path For Success ..................... 15
Chapter 3. A Proven Method For A Strong Plan ............... 20
Chapter 4. Who Do You Serve? ......................................... 24
Chapter 5. What Your Competition Is Up To .................... 27
Chapter 6. A Shout Out to Your Community .................... 32
Chapter 7. Think Ahead -- Future Plans for Your
Makerspace ....................................................................... 38
Chapter 9. Things to Watch Out For ................................. 46
Chapter 10. Its Your Makerspace ..................................... 48
Appendix A: Presentation Materials from Our Makerspace
Opening ............................................................................. 51
Appendix B: Important Makerspace Resources ............... 55
Appendix C: Makerspace Products ................................... 59
About The Author ............................................................. 62
Other Books By Ron McFarland ........................................ 64

CHAPTER 1. IN THE NEW ECONOMY,

MAKERSPACES ARE HOT!
INTRODUCTION
I love the creative process. Since I was a teenager and began
to experiment with electronics technology by building a
stereo system, a shortwave radio and a vast array of other
electronic kits. I fell in love with the creative aspects of
technology. And while getting involved with the creativity of
electronics, I began to embark on the more creative aspects
of music and writing. Throw in some additional creative
work with leather and woodworking that I touched upon and
you might say that I have been (like many of us) a
quintessential maker. Further, as a way to earn a living that
complimented my creative bent, I entered into the computer
programming field, which is another place for a creative
technocrat to express himself.
I am sure many of you have a similar creative path as well.
We share the love of inspired creativity. Many artists,
writers, technicians, engineers have expressed to me their
sense of freedom with the creative aspects of their fields. We
need to bring the love of creativity to our students and to our
communities. And, one way to do that is to provide a creative
space for exploration via through the development and
implementation of a Makerspace in your community or
organization.

WHAT IS A MAKERSPACE
When our small team of four started the Makerspace project,
our first task was to describe and define what our
Makerspace was. In particular, our definition is both
customized for our environment while not being as
restrictive to confine what we needed to implement for our
constituents. We sought out several definitions and
descriptions and tailored the Makerspace to address our
community. Heres what we came up with (slightly edited for
this eBook):
Makerspaces are engaged community centers of
learning, rife with tools and materials ready for
creativity, engagement and learning to happen.
Makerspace combines manufacturing equipment,
community and education for the purposes of enabling
community members to design, prototype and create
manufactured works that wouldnt be possible to
create with the resources available to individuals
working alone.
After we shared our definition with several of our
constituents, we were immediately informed that our
Makerspace would not be a real Makerspace as we were not
focusing on, in particular, Computer Technology. By his
review of our definition, it was not accurate since it did not
focus on programming and other tech-related aspects. Being
a gear head and a technologist at heart, I was a bit perplexed
by his comments, initially. But, recalling my IT Project
Management experience, I attempted to reel him in a bit,
since his input was potentially useful. I always believe that
behind every complaint is a request. From his statement,
the essential request was Hey, why arent you including
Computer Technology in the Makerspace?
10

In response, the team reflected on what a Makerspace is, in

theory. Sometimes known as a hackerspace, a Makerspace is
a physical space or location where a defined community can
share knowledge, skills and abilities. Often, constituents of
the Makerspace will meet, collaborate on projects, and build
informal networks. Importantly, quite a lot of one-on-one
training occurs too. I liken a Makerspace to a garage with
plenty of tools and materials that can be available to develop
projects, gain hands-on skills and abilities, and work on items
that you are inspired to do.
As a collaborative studio space for creative work,
Makerspaces combine the essence of a lab, a shop, meeting
spaces and storage for partially completed work. A
Makerspace breaks down the silos of information that have
been common in organizational and educational
environments. Makerspaces are at the heart of an innovative
movement to break down silos and foster multi-subject area
environment. A blended environment affords
experimentation and is ushering in a new way for
organizations (educational institutions and corporations, in
particular) in approaching solutions. Makerspaces spawn
creativity and learning.
Makerspaces emerged as a resource for creative engagement
of learning in the non-academic community and was fostered
by several computer hardware and software companies
(think Googles creative work environment as one type of
Makerspace). Organizations have realized that sharing of
learning in a robust studio environment has yielded new
products and market approaches in the new economy.
Makerspaces have finally hit the education market and will
be deconstructing many of the legacy silos entrenched in the
college and university systems over time.
As we constructed our plan to address Makerspace, we
identified, from research, of several essential aspects that we
11

needed to address. The essential aspects of our Makerspace

plan included the following:
1. Locate Space: Initially, we did not have a space
provided to us by our organization. But, following our
directive for opening the Makerspace in a short
timeframe, we were fortunate enough to be provided
a good size space (1,500 square feet) to create the
space. We were given a golden nugget (the space). If
you are developing a Makerspace, this essential
element may be an item that can take quite a bit of
time and expense to acquire.
2. Secure Funding: We secured a small amount of startup funding from our organizations funding. The
intention with a small start-up fund was, quite
frankly, to see if our organizations Makerspace
would be viable. So, with a space appointed and a
small budget that was donated by our foundation, we
began the process of cleaning up and preparing our
space for a Makerspace at the same time that we
developed our plan to implement Phase 1.
3. Find suitable tools: After a few meetings with a
handful of our constituents, we identified a list of
items that would be suitable for our Phase 1
implementation of our Makerspace (we will do focus
groups and more extensive surveying for our Phase 2
to more clearly address our constituent needs). Our
list of suitable tools included:
a. Hand tools: Items like screwdrivers, soldering
irons, etc. were acquired from (1) donations
and (2) purchase from funds acquired from
the foundation. Further, we found some used,
somewhat dated, but still very usable
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equipment in some departments that were

easily acquired too.
b. Robotics: We found 24 Lego Robots that were
just about ready to be recycled due to the age.
However, we thought that the items were still
viable enough for experimentation by our
constituents. We grabbed these.
c. Makerbot (3D printing): Along with 2
donated computers, we purchased two good
quality 3D printers that our constituents
would certainly use on projects and
prototypes that were being designed. We
funded these from the funding provided by
our foundation.
d. Ideapaint (wall painting): We noted that
painting one of the large white walls was an
item that we would do during Phase 2 and
noted this on our to-do list.
4. Find your constituents: As noted earlier, for our
Phase 1 implementation, we invited a few interested
constituents to give us input into the Phase 1 focus of
our Makerspace. Overall, this worked out well with
some minor disagreements. But, the budget tended to
drive (and limit) the scope of our Phase 1
implementation. We noted the essential requirement
for (1) focus groups and (2) extensive surveys to
gather data that will inform the future progress of
subsequent Phases (Phase 2+) of our Makerspace.
In summary, the essential elements include a location that
can be accessed readily by your constituents, a viable funding
stream, a list of suitable tools appropriate for your
Makerspace, and (importantly) a sold understanding of who
13

your constituents are and how they plan on using the

Makerspace. Each of these items are iterative.
In the following sections, Ive noted the project plan that we
developed (along with my additional notes) for your use.
Please feel free to use anything in this section. Also, please let
me know if you have any questions, comments and
suggestions too. Since this is an eBook, I will be updating the
content frequently and if youve downloaded this from a
viable source, you will receive the updates from that source.

14

CHAPTER 2. SETTING A CLEAR PATH FOR

SUCCESS
INTRODUCTION
One of the fist items necessary for any endeavor is to
establish an overall vision for a given project. While I have
been a maker individually over many years, as noted earlier
in the book, the objective of launching a Makerspace
becomes a definitive project.
The small management team that I worked with readily
recognize the Phase 1 planning for a Makerspace as a project
and, because of my background as an I.T. project manager
and the project management experiences of my team
members (which included construction management,
financial management, and health care management
experience), the team was in good footing to launch a
formalized plan.
During the onset of the project, we decided to follow a
general project planning methodology, as noted by the
Project Management Institute (see the link at
http://www.pmi.org).
The team focused on the Vision, Mission and Goals for the
Makerspace project, as a subset of the organizations Vision
and Mission statement. While these items tend to be very
MBA-like, the bottom line with starting with a Vision and
Mission statement is to ensure that the Phase 1 Makerspace
initiative was in alignment with the organization, especially
since the organization generously provided funding, some
15

personnel, and (very importantly) the space for the

Makerspace.
We focused on the Vision and Mission Statements and
hammered these out in a congruent manner over the first
week after the team had the initial kick-off meeting. Listed
below is our Vision and Mission Statements. Of course, these
will need to be modified for your organization, as the
intention of your organization will vary.

VISION
The vision of the organizations Makerspace is to create an
autonomous, community-driven maker environment, located
on the organizations campuses, by developing a shared
space with access to tools for friendly, collaborative,
inspirational, technical and artistic expression and
experimentation in the region.

MISSION
The mission of the organizations Makerspace is to offer
collaboration space for students interested in Science,
Technology, Engineering, Art and Math fields of study
(STEAM). The space will provide tools, resources, training
and entrepreneurial opportunities pursued by its
participants. Makerspace will provide venues where
individuals and business partners can consult, collaborate,
and create enabled by appropriate technology and their own
shared skills, inspiration, and resources.
Steps toward achieving these goals include:

16

Provide space, tools and activities accessible to

participants regardless of their current skills,
capabilities or financial status.
Sharing Maker knowledge through organized
events focused on particular technologies and
applications, including workshops and classes on
using Maker tools safely and effectively
Showcasing, participating, and sharing the
accomplishments of Makerspace with the
broader campus community and local business
and educational partners.

BUSINESS CASE
Following the Vision Statement and Mission Statement
creation which, again, aligned with the organizations Vision
and Mission statement, a Business Case was developed. The
Business Case is essentially a justification or reason to move
forward with a given project. For example, you could have a
Vision and Mission statement for a given project which
makes sense, but when doing the Business Case, things could
fall apart and the Business Case, in this rough example, could
fall apart. Our Business Case is provided below.

MAKERSPACE BUSINESS CASE

The organizations Makerspace is intended to bring a new
innovative and robust environment for inspirational
expression. Makerspace at the organization will provide:

A venue for multi- and inter-disciplinary

opportunities.
17

A means of expression and innovation to crosspollenate disciplines, stimulate entrepreneurial

thoughts, use of advanced manufacturing technology,
application of new tools and enhance education.
Enhance skills of participants.
The creation of new networking opportunities.
An opportunity for students to explore career
pathways.
An opportunity to learn how to use various tools in a
safe and monitored environment.

CORE VALUES
Core Values for an endeavor like a Makerspace are the
essential guiding principles that mandate the behavior and
action of the organizational entity. That is, the core values
can help those individuals that work with the Makerspace in
any shape or form to most effectively work with the
Makerspace. Core Values determine what is right or wrong in
the context of the work done within Makerspace. Core
Values, much like our personal Core Values, provide the
guidance for doing business. Listed below are the Core
Values for our Makerspace.

MAKERSPACE CORE VALUES

The sustained core values of our Makerspace involve the
Creativity (the ability to create and innovate), the
Opportunity (by having the space, resources and support),
the Relationship (involvement with other peers and faculty),
Entrepreneurial (the ability to create something new and to
move it from concept to reality), and Skill Building (the
18

ability to try something new and/or develop skills with tools,

technologies, and processes).
To this end, we further defined the Makerspace core values
using CORE as an acronym to highlight the following values
of our Makerspace:

C: Creative: Creativity is the spark of innovation.

Makerspace is a place (location) and provides the
tools and resources to support creativity.
O: Opportunity: Makerspace supports the creative
opportunity by providing tools, the location, a
collaborative space, assistance, and many layers of
support for STEAM related projects.
R: Relationships: Makerspace is a collaborative
learning space. In this collaboration, new
relationships will be formed and existing
relationships will be supported around STEAMrelated collaborative work.
E: Entrepreneurial: The Creative spark in Makerspace
is the engine for the entrepreneurial engagement.
Support for entrepreneurial projects is available for
work involved in the Makerspace.
S: Skill Building: As a collaborative space for the
engagement and creation of STEAM-related projects,
Makerspace will support skill building by providing
tools, a lab environment, educational/training
support, and information on techniques for
Makerspace consumers in a robust and engaged work
environment.

19

CHAPTER 3. A PROVEN METHOD FOR A

STRONG PLAN
INTRODUCTION
A SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)
analysis is common in many business planning textbooks and
guides, so I wont belabor you with a lengthy discussion
about what a SWOT is about. Suffice it to say that a SWOT is
looking at the business (in this case, the Makerspace) from
varied perspectives. This view of looking at the Makerspace
from the four varied perspectives can give you, as the
planner, insight to problems and opportunities that need to
be further explored. Our Makerspace SWOT is provided
below for your preview and use.

MAKERSPACE SWOT
The following list of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats for the Makerspace project is listed below. The
intention of the SWOT Analysis is to think through and plan
these items so as to address issues now and leverage other
items in order to create a robust opportunity with our
Makerspace.

Strengths
Makerspaces were first formed in the early 2000s as part of
the "Makers Movement" and includes the following
Strengths:

Not entirely new concept.

Operates in 1967 locations throughout U.S.
20

Key components and disciplines already exists within

the organization.
Built around multidisciplinary collaborative efforts.
It is a powerful learning force in the organizational
community.
Encourages taking individual ideas to invention.
Reflects the organizations entrepreneurial image and
reputation.
Useful working with STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math)/STEAM (Science, Technology,
Engineering,Art,andMath) education.

Weaknesses
The following weaknesses have been identified for the
Makerspace:

Difficult to explain.
Concept is vague.
Not well understood.
Lack of knowledge about what a Makerspace is.
Equipment may be costly and expensive.
Finding appropriate venues and operating space
within the organization.
Ensuring that there is adequate infrastructure for the
operation of equipment.
Need for proper staff supervision.
Must deliver skills, safety guideline, and learning
protocols before allowed use of equipment.
Need to acquire technology and tools.

Opportunities
The following opportunities have been identified for the
Makerspace:
21

Stimulates entrepreneurship.
Offers new opportunities for training in
manufacturing skills.
Allows for community collaboration.
Expands new directions for the organizations
educational programs.
Presents new avenues for partnership and
collaboration with local businesses.
Fits the organizations set of strategic goals.
Inspires an interest in science, technology, design,
and life-long learning.
Provides opportunities for a wide range of the
organizations courses
Enables our constituents to build a portfolio of
accomplishments for future education and careers.

Threats
The following threats have been identified for the
Makerspace:

Where Makerspace should be housed?

Where is its organizations address?
What are its lines of authority?
Who has ownership within the organization?
Who is responsible and has control of the project?
How does Makerspace align with the organizational
Administration?
How does Makerspace sync with other departments
within the organization?
Where are the funding sources to include technology
like 3D printers, sewing machines, soldering guns,
laser cutters, robotics, and wood carving machines?
22

MAKERSPACE SWOT SUMMARY

In general, by creating a SWOT, the items listed can be
further expanded upon and explored. I encourage you to take
this list, modify it as you see fit for your Makerspace. Add to
the SWOT list.
Once the list is exhausted, expand on each item and provide
more definition. If you are working with a team of
individuals, you will achieve an excellent list of items that
you should do in your Makerspace and, importantly, a list of
things you must avoid. The SWOT Analysis is where rich
rewards can be surfaced when you spend good time and
conversation fleshing out the aspects of your SWOT.

23

CHAPTER 4. WHO DO YOU SERVE?

INTRODUCTION
Following the SWOT analysis, the focus of the planning
centers on what you can provide your community and how
you can support the needs for a Makerspace within the
community that you want to serve. At this point in the
project, we started looking at what we could do in the
context of a short timeframe and funding stream provided
and targeted what we could deliver based on what our
community needs. Of course, this is where you will need to
have a good understanding of what your community needs.
As a tangential aspect, you may consider a survey or focus
groups to flesh out and identify the community needs for
your Makerspace. This is one area that we did not do for our
Phase 1. However, we do have some funding (at the time of
this writing) to do an individual survey for our different and
varied constituent groups so that we can more closely
address our community needs in the subsequent Phase 2 of
our Makerspace development.
Listed below is our Phase 1 discussion on services that we
determined what would be offered, based on our close
relationship with our community.

Makerspace Services Provided to the Community

Services provided to the organization and the community at
large will be driven by the design and implemented tools in
the Makerspace. At present, there are two distinct Phases are
defined in the Makerspace planning. Each of these phases
and the associated tools provided are noted below.
24

MAKERSPACE PHASE 1
The first phase, launched on May 12, 2016, will provide a
limited Makerspace environment primarily focused on
electronics and computer technology. The tools for the Phase
1 Makerspace will include:

3D printer(s).
3D scanning.
Small CNC mill.
Hi-end PCs (several, most with Intel I7 processors).
Various hand tools (screw drivers, wire strippers,
etc.).
Soldering irons.
Oscilloscopes and other electronic devices.
Digital multi-meters.

PHASE 2
While the Phase 2 Makerspace has not been described and
defined by a Steering Committee, consideration for Phase 2
should include:

Involvement of Arts, Sciences (Biology, Chemistry,

Engineering, etc.), other Technology Areas (Welding,
Networking, etc.) and related programs on either the
Valencia or CCC Campuses.
Involvement of Faculty, Students, and Staff from each
represented area.
Exploration and involvement of various Community
Constituents that will support the goals of the
Makerspace.
25

Consideration for having Maker Movements, periodic

presentations, and other related on-going events in
the Makerspace.

A consideration of tools for the Phase 2 Makerspace should

minimally include:

Wood saws.
Jigsaws.
Sewing Machines.
Dremel tools.
Additional Work Benches.
Storage Cabinets/lockers.
Saw horses.
CNC Routers.
Lathes.

Makerspace Services Provided to the Community

Summary
As you can see from the list above, you can further flesh out
the specifics. For example, how many tools, soldering irons,
etc. do you minimally need to start out with in Phase 1.
Further, whether referring to the Phase 1 or Phase 2 list, you
can start building out a budget (perhaps in a Spreadsheet)
that will give you numbers that can be applied for each of the
Phases.

26

CHAPTER 5. WHAT YOUR COMPETITION

IS U P T O
INTRODUCTION
In Market Analysis, you are essentially looking at what your
potential competitors are doing. And if they are doing what
you plan to do, is there enough of a market space to add
another? In this section, youll see some of the discussion
that ensued for our Makerspace.

COMPETITION
Currently, competition between Makerspace facilities does
not exist, primarily due to their limited numbers, but this is
slowly changing. In addition, the diversity of facilities,
equipment, and resources provides the opportunity for
multiple Makerspace enterprises to co-exist in a region. 3D
printing (numerous medium), Laser cutting, welding, metal
fabrication, sewing, computer graphics, software
development, etc. can all play a significant role in the
activities performed at a Makerspace facility.
Makerspace technology focus is as varied as their affiliations
and organizational structures. Business profiles include
profit based, non-profits, school affiliated, library
partnerships, business alliances and/or a combination of
various collaboration. In general, they tend to have local
support and membership, with their technology emphasis
being driven by their constituents.

27

COMPETITION COMPARISON
For our Makerspace, market competition is not a factor since
our facility is the first of its kind in the valley, however there
has been recent proliferation of Makerspace type facilities
across California, the nation, and around the world.
Even though there are no Makerspace in the valley,
Makerspace facilities around the area include:

Burbank Makerspace http://burbankMakerspace.com/about-us/

Los Angeles Makerspace - http://laMakerspace.org/
Los Angeles Makerspace http://www.theexploratory.com/
Hex Lab Makerspace (near Chatsworth) http://hexlabMakerspace.com/
Deezmaker (Pasadena)- http://deezmaker.com/
PCC Fab Lab (Pasadena)https://pccfablab.wordpress.com/
Make Ventura - http://www.makeventura.com/
CV Make (Conejo Valley) - http://cvmake.org/
Pierce Makerspace Club - No website

Makerspace will have ongoing marketing efforts of outreach

to keep the community aware of the latest facility upgrades,
equipment enhancements, and weekly activities highlighting
training sessions, networking events and partnership
activities.
The city has several organizations that attract and retain
entrepreneurs and promote networking such as:
28

Economic Development Corporation: it works to

provide an integrated approach to attracting,
retaining and expanding a diversity of business and
industry in the valley.
Chamber of Commerce: it represents and promotes
business successfully in the valley through
leadership, advocacy and member services.
Industry Association: serves as a one-stop shop for
relevant business information, supports local
educational initiatives, and provides networking
opportunities.

IMPLEMENTATION
At this step, the plan ramps into the actual implementation.
Here is our (again, rough) implementation considerations.
Add more steps to your list and flesh out each. Further, I
encourage you to start tagging a by when timeline to each of
the implementation items, as they will tend to be more of a
to-do item on your list. Our Makerspace Implementation list
is provided below. Use it as your starter implementation list.

Makerspace Implementation
To successfully implement Makerspace, these following steps
should be considered:

Have significant collaboration and participation of

constituents within the organization.
Inform the Board.
Robust facility and equipment resources.
Market and advertise via social media.
29

Explore potential grant funding sources i.e.:

o Corporation foundations that support
business, entrepreneurship business student
education, and economic growth.
o Economic development agency support in the
form of sponsorship and scholarships.
o Angel investment circles.
o Private philanthropic foundations.
o Business sponsorships and naming rights.
Identify sources for grant match-funding, i.e.:
o Existing SBDC funds.
o Business Department resources (funding and
in-kind).
o Business community and agency match.
Explore continued fundraising with the
organizations foundation and the SBDC.

PROMOTION AND OUTREACH

Now that youve defined an Implementation Plan and
(maybe) associated dates, the by-when timeframe, for each
implementation item, you will need to get the word out in the
proper and suitable venues. A Makerspace Promotion and
Outreach list must be developed. Listed below is our
Makerspace Promotion and Outreach plan. Again, use, adapt
and expand upon what is provided below.

Makerspace Promotion and Outreach

The services offered at Makerspace will reach out to
students:

Makerspace Website.
30

An attractive, and user-friendly website enriched by

the use of social media (Facebook page, LinkedIn,
etc.).
Active networking with organizational Foundation,
FBLA and business community.
Advertising throughout the organizations campuses.
Email blast, brochures, etc.
Email-all messages.
Calendar events promoting the incubator process,
providing tips on developing ideas, and celebrating
past ideas.
Steering committee presentations.
Electronic bulletin board postings.

SUMMARY
At this point in the plan, the bulk of the work is done. The
project plan can be (and should be) reviewed by all
constituents for feedback. How we did this is that we had a
couple of meetings where we asked our perspective
constituents in to a meeting (yes, provide some cookies or
other finger food) to discuss the plan to-date. This will lead
to some robust conversations about what should be and
shouldnt be in Phase 1 and Phase 2. But, the essential
element is that you begin achieving buy-in, especially for
those who may have been initially disenfranchised with the
concept of the Makerspace.

31

CHAPTER 6. A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR

COMMUNITY
INTRODUCTION
The target of your marketing effort must be defined. I can
create a great snow shovel, but if I dont clearly identify that
my target will be to those who need snow shovels, my effort
(time and expense) may not be as efficient.
Further, to measure the efficiency and efficacy of your
market target, specific goals should be identified. By
identifying goals, you can use each goal as a measure of
success and a benchmark used to determine if your
marketing target has been achieved.
To this end, listed below is our Makerspace Marketing Target
and Goals. Again, use this and flesh it out as you see fit.

MARKETING TARGET & GOALS

The initial emphasis will be the outreach to the faculty, staff,
and students. Through the promotion and implementation
activities mentioned above, a focus will be to heighten the
awareness of the organizations community at-large. This
involves a publicity campaign of explaining what the
Makerspace concept is all about and the unique resources
and opportunities that are available. The Organizations
Board and Economic Development partnerships and
collaborations will also be marketing targets to promote
understanding and support of our Makerspace initiative.
32

In later phases (after Phase 1) of development the target

audience will expand to include the K through 12 community
and the community at-large. Marketing emphasis may focus
on Industries and various civic organizations to host and
sponsor entrepreneurship enterprises. Local residents will
be encouraged to participate, as well as clubs and private and
public organizations.
Ultimately, the market target and goal for the Makerspace
facility will be to encompass the entire community
population as eligible participants of the facility. At his point
in the evolution of Makerspace, multiple facilities will exist,
with availability and access to easily meet community usage
and demand.
In particular, the intended areas of impact for our
Makerspace involve the following aspects:

Inspiration: inviting students to participate in the

creative economy and to direct their own future.
Innovation: serving as a catalyst for grassroots
invention.
Education: building a connection between the
community and learners.

SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE ORGANIZATION

Makerspace is a movement. Being part of a movement means
the benefits and outcomes from this activity will evolve. The
idea of Makerspace is that it will provide two things: tools,
equipment, technology for the community to create, make
and craft objects of ones imagination; and to provide a
community of practice where ideas, making, collaboration,
33

and energy can come together to allow the innovation and

invention to happen in a space.
The beginning of the Makerspace project will provide tools,
technology and capacity for making. The tools will go from
basic hand tools to computer controlled machines. The
Makerspace will allow students with the skills and
knowledge to produce their creations as an extension of their
program knowledge. It will serve as an educational space
and an extension of the organizations programs.
Our constituents can use the space as an extension or
expansion of the classroom. Whether it is to complete course
projects, perform an experiment, or expand on classroom
experiences, the Makerspace will be a resource for students.
Another service the space provides for the organization is a
community of practice around creation, production, and
innovation. Bringing together the concepts of STEM and
STEAM, our constituents with different perspectives can
communicate and collaborate around concepts ideas and
solutions. The Makerspace will bring together the unique
approaches of the creative and the technical. It will allow
artistic expression to meet the nut-andbolts. By
encouraging and welcoming the artistic and technical, the
mechanic and the artist, the chance for creative artistic
expression is enhanced in the space. Our constituents get an
opportunity to learn new skills and techniques. This can be
done either through formal training and instruction or
informal instruction through student contact and interaction.
The Makerspace members, staff and faculty will serve as a
resource for the college community makers.

34

As the Makerspace evolves, the capacity focus, and

environment will change. If the Makerspace is to become an
educational component of the campus, it must support and
reflect our programs and support our students. Additional
capacity and equipment will be added or deleted according
to the needs of our programs. The space will also serve as a
tutoring area for Career and Technical Education programs.
As program needs become apparent, the space could provide
an area to help students with course work and projects. Our
organizations CTE tutors will reside in the space to offer
assistance in programs that would not be otherwise be
available to students in a conventional tutoring center.

PROCESS
The overall development of Makerspace is based on the
desire to help students, faculty, staff and community
members with a passion and drive to create and share the
maker movement, while supporting and encouraging
creativity and innovation.
The PDR 1 and 2, adjacent to the cafeteria will be dedicated
to Makerspace. Tools, Projects, Mentors, expertise and other
supplements will be added as needed.

NEED
Makerspace comes in various shapes, sizes and locations.
Tools alone does not define a Makerspace. Rather it is
defined by what it enables: making.
Learning environments are rich with possibilities and
nurture a vibrant community that introduce new ideas and
35

projects while providing on-going feedback and support.

They allow access for open and collaborative networking of
educators and the Makers community as well as provide
training, support and tools (both hardware and software).
The need of the Makerspaces is based on its core values.

Create a dedicated space, ideally a classroom, lab,

studio, or dedicated corner space
Opportunity to engage faculty, staff, student and
community members.
Relationship - building with campus and the local
business community.
Empowerment for self-expression and
experimentation.
Skill building, as well as address safety /liability
concerns.

STAFFING AND SERVICES

There will be an ongoing financial need for staffing, to
purchase tools, maintain upkeep and provide continued
maintenance of machines as well as tool replacement.

COMMITTEE
Formed from those who express interest in the
transformation of education to support innovation. Such
committees include the Foundation, School of Applied
Technologies, Facilities, Faculty and Executive Management
as well as a broad cross section of our campus community at
both campuses.
36

SERVICES OFFERED AND TIMELINE

The following is a general time-line. This serves as only a
starter time line. However, each item noted in many of the
sections above are part and parcel of a to-do list and each
item on a to-do list (as considered a task) should have an
associated by when due date affixed. Below are the general
parameters of our Makerspace project.

Phase 1 Committee Formed: January, 201X

Management Committee Formed: April, 201X
Promote Makerspace among constituents: TBD,
Phase 2
Launch of Makerspace Phase 1: May 12, 201X
Phase 2: following the Opening of Makerspace Phase
1

37

CHAPTER 7. THINK AHEAD -- FUTURE

PLANS FOR YOUR MAKERSPACE
INTRODUCTION
Makerspaces are places of creativity, inspiration and
involvement. As such, a Makerspace, any Makerspace must
take on an organic role whereby the Makerspace evolves as
the community needs for the space become more clearly
defined. As such, if you have two identical Makerspaces
within the boundaries of a region, the Makerspaces will
naturally and organically shape as the needs of the
communities that surround each Makerspace will evolve and
define each Makerspace. The Makerspaces that started out
the same a year prior will look quite a bit different in the
year following.
To this end, when building out a Makerspace plan, it is good
to project and estimate what the Makerspace (each one, if
you have multiple) may look like in a year, two or even five
years. For our project, the Future Programming was intended
at a 1 to 2-year window and is provided below for your
preview and use.

FUTURE PROGRAMMING
The future of Makerspace includes several aspects:
1. Involvement in the Maker Faire movement: One way
the Maker movement convenes like- minded
individuals is through Maker Fairs, both those
organized by Maker Media and the Mini Maker Fairs
38

that are organized by local communities, and popping

up in school cafeterias, public parks, and empty
warehouses around the country and the world. Our
Makerspace will seek to be involved in the Maker
Faire movement to garner additional community
support.
2. Deepen the involvement in Education: As a college, it
is critical that our Makerspace be involved in
deepening the involvement in educational aspects for
our Makerspace. In the future, we will look at the
viability of these educational items integrated into
our Makerspace:
As a college, continue to promote the context
that develops the Maker mindset, a growth
mindset that encourages us to believe that we
can learn to do anything.
Build a new body of practice in teaching
makingand a corps of practitioners to follow it.
Design and Develop our Makerspace in a
variety of community contexts in order to
serve a diverse group of learners who may not
share the access to the same resources.
Identify, develop and share a broad framework
of projects and kits based on a wide range of
tools and materials that connect to student
interests in and out of school for our school, the
Hart district and other educational
constituents.
Design and host online social platforms for
collaboration among students, teachers, and
the community.
Develop programs especially for young
people (K-12 and the Community College)
that allow them to take a leading role in
creating more Makers.
39

Create the community context for the

exhibition and curation of student work in
relationship with all makers. Making sure
that new opportunities are created for more
people to participate.
Allow individuals and groups to build a record
of participation in the Maker community,
which can be useful for academic and career
advancement as well as advance a students
sense of personal development.
Develop educational contexts that link the
practice of making to formal concepts and
theory, to support discovery and
exploration while introducing new tools for
advanced design and new ways of thinking
about making. This means developing
guidelines for teachers, mentors and other
leaders that participate in our Makerspace.
Foster in students the full capacity,
creativity and confidence to become agents
of change in their personal lives and in their
college and the community at-large.

SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

One of my biggest concerns with a Makerspace is Safety.
Safety is an item that will get you into trouble and is a major
risk factor, especially if your constituents who use the
Makerspace are not sufficiently trained in safety manners
nor are sufficiently monitored by staff members.
Further, the Infrastructure has certain implications for safety
and budget considerations (in terms of how you
manage/lock up equipment for risk management, how you
will keep the environment clean for safety sake, etc.). Listed
40

below are our Phase 1 Makerspace Safety and Infrastructure

needs. This, in particular, is an area of ongoing concern,
evolution and focus.

Makerspace Safety and Infrastructure

Our first Makerspace is modest in size in contrast to other
Makerspaces. Currently, our footprint is about 1500 square
feet. There is a concern for staffing in our Makerspace to
ensure that it is run both effectively and safely. Staff
members in the space will maintain the cleanliness, support
the equipment, order/stock supplies, check in/out students,
and ensure student safety. Several concerns with safety and
infrastructure items include:

Soldering stations should have sufficient ventilation

or be outside.
Messy projects need easy-to-clean environments.
We currently have a mix of carpeting and
concrete floors, which will need to be addressed
in the future.
Robust wireless internet must be available
throughout the Makerspace environment.
Projects and equipment with sensitive
electronics need to be protected from moisture
and dust.
Projects that use flammables will be restricted
and later, may require outdoor space with
pavement, no overhead foliage, and lots of
room to test projects.
Some projects need relative quiet, while others
are so noisy that they need to be acoustically
isolated. The space will need to be designed to
accommodate this.
Some projects use 220 volts or even three-phase
power. The space will need to be designed to
41

accommodate this too.

PROJECT SUPPORT
Makerspace will be a campus-community driven project. As
such, it is anticipated that support for the Makerspace project
will be derived from several areas:

The Foundation will provide on-going support for the

Makerspace program in terms of sustained
contributions and one-time contributions. Further,
the Foundation will serve as the conduit for
donations made by individuals, companies and other
organizations to our efforts to develop and evolve
Makerspace.
The School of Applied Technologies will initially
spearhead the staffing necessary for the Makerspace
Phase 1 implementation, which includes the Grand
Opening event. Further, the School of Applied
technologies has funding to support a limited number
of open hours through June 30, 2016 to introduce
and set-up the initial phase of the Makerspace
project. Subsequent staffing and necessary funding
must be obtained to continue staff support for the
Makerspace at both the Valencia and Canyon Country
locations.
The Facilities department will continue to maintain
and provide facilities updates to the Makerspace
area. Facilities was involved in the Phase 1 setup,
which achieved the first round of equipment and
facilities necessary to open up the Makerspace
through June 30, 2016.
42

The Grants Development department can assist in the

identification of additional sources of money, to
include grants, donations, in-kind services, etc. At the
writing of this document, the Grants Development
office has assisted in 3 grant opportunities including
one grant from the State and two grants from college
sources (Associated Student Government grant and
the Chancellors Innovation Grant). At the time of this
writing, decisions have not been made for these three
grants.
Faculty contribution in terms of how they can
incorporate class activities and lab-related work
within the context of Makerspace.
The Executive Management to allow us to continue
the expansion of the Makerspace project beyond the
current Phase 1 implementation, which concludes by
June 30, 2016.
The Makerspace Committee, which will create a
board. Eventually, by the end of 2016, a board will
consist of students, staff, faculty, and community
members so as the Makerspace movement can be
appropriately sized and institutionalized with
representation by relevant constituents.
Continued and persistent broad cross sectional
involvement of our campus community including
faculty, staff and administration will continue to
support planning, themes, a speaker series, and other
related events for the Makerspace at both the
Valencia and CCC campuses

43

FINANCIAL PLAN
FINANCIAL PHILOSOPHY
Unlike a typical for-profit venture, the Makerspace will not
compete with other businesses in the area to attract a share
of peoples expendable incomes. In fact, Makerspace will
work to involve community organizations, student
organizations, faculty, administration, staff and other Maker
movements into the on-going financial and fiscal
development and continuous improvement of our campus
Makerspaces. This will include reaching out for any suitable
fees, grants, or donations from the various constituents
involved in our Makerspace. Further, in future iterations of
this plan, fees may be collected for short-term trainings, use
of tools for specific projects, and the sales of certain
consumables that will serve to sustain the Makerspace on
both campuses.
The financial operations of the Makerspace Project reflect the
LEAP solution teams foundational belief and commitment to
advance Makerspace as a vehicle to enhance the creative,
academic and inspirational qualities of programs on campus.
Makerspace will support the colleges educational programs,
and become a destination to visit in the valley.

INITIAL CAPITAL OUTLAY (PHASE 1)

The Initial Capital Outlay for Phase 1 (start-up) was from a
nominal $15,000 grant provided by the Foundation. The
Phase 1 monies must be spent by June 30, 2016, else must be
returned to the Foundation. It is planned that funding will be
spent on the following:
44

Supplies, 3D printers (2) and tools: $8,300

Projects for students and faculty: $5,000
Project materials for opening day: $1,300

SUSTAINED FUNDING (PHASE 2+)

As noted in a prior section of this document, sustained
funding will be the result of (a) donations,
(b) foundation support, (c) grant funding and (d) faculty and
staff support.

45

CHAPTER 9. THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR

INTRODUCTION
There are several risks associated with this project that must
be addressed. The three most significant challenges
presented by this project are:

Lack of classified staff support: Classified support

provide the much necessary components of (a)
safety, (b) training, (c) monitoring equipment, and (d)
assurance that policies and procedures in the active
lab environment are maintained
Lack of campus and community support: A sustained
and on-going program to involve the campus
community, including faculty, staff, and
administration, must be developed, continually
maintained, and implement.
Lack of available funding for development of the
project: At the time of the writing of this document,
while grants have been applied for and donations
sought, there is no funding for sustained future
efforts. However, as a risk that must be addressed, a
consorted and persistent effort to ascertain funding
and grants must be an on-going task of the
Makerspace committee.

SURVEY
A survey will be periodically distributed to the campus
community (faculty, staff, and administrators). The intention
of a survey is to ascertain what the community wants,
46

desires and expects from a Makerspace on campus. Further,

it will be used to shape the direction of the campus
Makerspace as well as to inform of ongoing efforts to address
community needs for the campus Makerspace. Our survey
should demonstrate support (and lack of support) for the
project from the general college population as well as
established committees such as ASG, who is willing to
partner with our project.
Our team will work with the Foundation on a proposal to
establish a Friends of the Makerspace to bring in money
through memberships in the group. These monies will be
used for the development of the three phases of the project
and will help cover initial marketing costs.
In cooperation with Public Relations Office and use of
existing campus marketing venues, our group believes we
can keep the marketing costs to a minimum.

47

CHAPTER 10. ITS YOUR MAKERSPACE

The Makerspace Project will provide a robust collaborative
learning space for faculty, students, staff and community
members. Makerspace Phase 1 launched on May 12, 2016
and will be an on-going and continuous project that will
ultimately shape to the needs of the Makerspace
constituents. This project was to identify the initial needs
(Phase 1) and the on-going needs (Phase 2 and on) for
Makerspace. Key to the success for Makerspace is a focus on
the SWOT items especially the need for on-going Staff
support to operate and maintain the Makerspace. Further,
the need to build out policies and procedures in the
Makerspace for safety, equipment use, and materials is
necessary as well. Lastly, the development of programs,
related curriculum, scheduled activities, and planned
integration into the community at large is necessary.
Makerspace, with the suitable attention, will become a robust
and supportive ad-hoc lab environment for STEAM.

Downside
What are the downsides? Space in learning facilities is
often at a premium, and cost is a consideration in setting up
an area for making. High-end 3D printers that print with a
variety of media can be expensive. Smaller, more
affordable 3D printers generally create only small items,
often from a single medium in only one color. Equipment
such as milling machines, welding equipment, lathes, 3D
printers, and laser cutters may be in high demand, which
can result in long wait times for students trying to use these
48

facilities. Some of these machines can be dangerous, too,

raising liability issues. Finally, much of the value of a
Makerspace lies in its informal character and its appeal to
the spirit of invention, and some of this advantage can be
negated if well-meaning faculty choreograph student
activity to a degree that squelches experimentation.
Where is, it going? One key demand of a Makerspace is
that it exists as a physical location where participants have
room and opportunity for hands-on work, but as these
environments evolve, we may see more virtual
participation. Video may invite input from remote experts,
and teleoperation may enable manipulation of machinery
from afar. As Makerspaces have become more common on
campuses and have found their place in public libraries and
community centers, their influence has spread to other
disciplines and may one day be embraced across the
curriculum. Eventually Makerspaces may become linked
from campus to campus, encouraging joint project
collaboration. Students who use these studios to create
tangible portfolio pieces may find their work of interest to
future employers. As education assessment evolves, the
project work done in Makerspaces may one day be
accepted and reviewed for college credit in lieu of more
conventional coursework. What are the implications for
teaching and learning? The Makerspace gives room and
materials for physical learning. Because these spaces can
easily be cross-disciplinary, students in many fields can use
them, often finding technical help for work they are
undertaking in their areas. At the same time, those in
engineering and technology will find their work enriched
by contributions from those in other fields. Makerspaces
allow students to take control of their own learning as they
take ownership of projects they have not just designed but
49

defined. At the same time, students often appreciate the

hands-on use of emerging technologies and a comfortable
acquaintance with the kind of experimentation that leads to
a completed project. Where Makerspaces exist on campus,
they provide a physical laboratory for inquiry-based
learning.

50

APPENDIX A: PRESENTATION MATERIALS

FROM OUR MAKERSPACE OPENING

51

52

53

54

APPENDIX B: IMPORTANT MAKERSPACE

RESOURCES
The following table contains a list of makerspace resources,
as a starter list, for you to explore.
Adafruit

Build-a-lab

Cubeecraft

Instructables

Make:

Adafruit is a fantastic site that contains

many Arduino, raspberry pi, lillypad, 3D
printing and other projects that you can
implement in your makerspace. Perhaps
any of these projects can be used as a
theme in your makerspace.
Url: https://learn.adafruit.com/
Build-a-lab, hosted by the Utah State
Library, is a good resource for videos on
makerspaces.
Url:
https://heritage.utah.gov/library/build-alab
Cubeecraft provides a list of projects that
can be printed and folded.
Url: http://www.cubeecraft.com/
Instructables is a wonderful site that
contains a multitude of projects for food,
technology, home, etc.
Url: http://www.instructables.com/
Make: Magazine has a wonderful set of
training videos and other resources.
Further, there are plenty of suggested
projects that you can use in your
makerspace.
55

MakerEd

Maker Faire

Makerspace.c
om

The Maker
Map

Hackerspace
s

Url: http://makezine.com/
MakerEd focuses on education and is
focused on the creative inspiration for
science, technology, arts, math (STEAM)
through making.
Url: http://makered.org/
Maker Faire provides a list of Maker
festivals and competitions. The website
notes that Maker Faire is done with a focus
on a celebration of the Maker movement.
There are quite a few events per year and,
in addition, you can list your event here as
well.
Url: http://makerfaire.com/
This is a list of makerspaces. You can
register your makerspace here.
Url: http://www.makerspace.com
The Maker Map provides a map with pin
points of makerspaces an area. You can
click on each pinpoint to get the location
and other information about the particular
makerspace.
Url: http://themakermap.com/
Hackerspaces is a place (a volunteer
network) that contains a wiki (think of
Wikipedia) for hackerspaces/makerspaces
to share stories. Theres quite a bit of good
resource information especially if you are
just starting a makerspace (youll have to
search around a bit, though).
Url: http://hackerspaces.org/
56

MITs Project
Manus

NIH 3D Print
Exchange

Yagi

Yobi3D

Bld3r

Youmagine

YOUmedia

The MIT Project Manus is intended to

foster a gold standard for makerspaces.
There is quite a bundle of good
information on makerspaces here.
Url: https://project-manus.mit.edu/
NIH 3D Print Exchange (from their site)
"Provides access to a communitycontributed database of bio scientific 3Dprintable files."
Url: https://3dprint.nih.gov/
Yeggi a website to search 3D printable
models that you can use in your
makerspace.
Url: http://www.yeggi.com/
Yobi3D a website to search 3D printable
models that you can use in your
makerspace.
Url: https://www.yobi3d.com/#!/
Bld3r a website to search 3D printable
models that you can use in your
makerspace.
Url: http://bld3r.com/
Youmagine (a take-off on imagine) is a
website dedicated to share and find
designs that you can use.
Url: https://www.youmagine.com/
YOUmedia is focused on younger makers
and digital learning labs. YOUmedia
provides several useful makerspace links

57

that can assist you with your makerspace

planning process.

RepRap
Object
Library

Thingiverse

Makezine

Url: http://www.youmedia.org/
RepRap Object Library provides a small
collection of 3D designs that you can use in
your makerspace.
Url:
http://reprap.org/wiki/The_RepRap_Obje
ct_Library
Thingiverse is a wonderful site containing
a large repository of 3D designs that can
be downloaded and used as is or modified.
Url: https://www.thingiverse.com/
Makezine is a good e-zine for several
maker projects.
Url: http://makezine.com/

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APPENDIX C: MAKERSPACE PRODUCTS

Listed below are a few Makerspace Product links for your
consideration. Many of these products can be purchased as a
part of a theme or project that you want to present and use in
your makerspace.

Afina

Arduino

MakerBot

Maker Shed

Afina is a site that provides Information

on using an Afinia 3D printer. This site
also has a gallery of printed projects.
Url: http://afinia.com/
Arduino offers product information,
support for Arduinos, and project
information using Arduinos in your
makerspace.
Url: https://www.arduino.cc/
MakerBot provides information on
projects (particularly 3D printing projects)
that you can use in your makerspace.
Url: https://www.makerbot.com/
Maker Shed is the official store for the
Make: magazine (url for Make: provided
in the prior Appendix).

Url: http://www.makershed.com/
Idaho
Idahos Commission for Libraries
Commission website that provides a robust list of
for
maker products and links to purchase each
Libraries:
item. A good resource if youre looking
Maker
Projects
59

for projects to do as a theme in your

makerspace.

Raspberry
Pi

Heathkit

Sparkfun

Url:
http://libraries.idaho.gov/page/materialstools-and-kits
The Raspberry Pi site provides product
information and other support information
for the Raspberry Pi. Additionally, a list
of projects that can be done with the
Raspberry Pi is provided.
Url: https://www.raspberrypi.org/
Heathkit is a recently revitalized company
that was on the forefront of the DIY
initiative decades ago. They provide some
electronic kits and other electronicsrelated items that you might consider in
your makerspace.
Url: http://heathkit.com/
Sparkfun is another electronics- and
computer-centric site that you can use as a
resource for parts and projects.
Url: https://www.sparkfun.com/

60

61

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ron McFarland is a dedicated writer. He has written

for academic and technical journals. He has also
written several Information Technology books for
students of Information Technology, Computer
Security, and Computer Forensics. Additionally, he has
served as a technical editor for several technical book
publishers.
Most importantly, because of Rons love of the written
word, he has written hundreds of poems (several of
which are published in this book) and several short
stories.
His blogs (technical and fiction/poetry writings) are:

Poetry and brief prose:

http://www.cowboyhaiku.com
Fiction Writing (short stories, etc.):
http://www.rottonronnie.com
A contemporary discussion of the Spirit:
http://www.buddahcat.com

62

Information Technology, Information Security,

and Digital Forensics articles, eBooks, etc.:
http://www.wrinkledbrain.com

Please stop by, read and comment. He would love to

hear from you.

63

OTHER BOOKS BY RON MCFARLAND

TECHNICAL BOOKS

How to start a Computer Forensics Business:

A Small Business Success Guide:
http://amzn.to/2gZEjwR

Information Security Basics: Fundamental

Reading for InfoSec Including the CISSP,
CISM, CCNA-Security Certification Exams:
http://amzn.to/2gTCcMk

Introduction to Software Development: A

Prelude to Creating Applications:
http://amzn.to/2glZSbg

Personal Information Security: An Introduction

for the Individual and Small Business Owner:
http://amzn.to/2gA63Ls

An Introduction to Using BitCoin and other

eCoin Options: The Revolution of Electronic
Currencies: http://amzn.to/2gTCNNV

How to Create a Makerspace: A Real-World

Case-Study: http://amzn.to/2iiKmxG

64

FICTION, NON-FICTION AND POETRY BOOKS

Happy, I am: Lessons from a Near Death

Experience: http://amzn.to/2gNmhyK
Love and Silence: Selected poems of Ron
McFarland: http://amzn.to/2gzUnse

65

One Last Thing...

If you enjoyed this book or found it useful Id be very
grateful if youd post a short review on Amazon. Your
support really does make a difference and I read all
the reviews personally so I can get your feedback and
make this book even better.
If youd like to leave a review, then all you need to do
is click the review link on this books page on Amazon
here: http://amzn.to/2h5R5hl
Thanks again for your support!

66