RECENT NEWS

The MakerBarn continues to grow and improve! We recently added a brand-new OMTech Pronto 45 laser engraver to the laser room. This state-of-the-art machine gives members faster engraving speeds, greater precision, and a large work area like the other machines we have. Whether you’re cutting wood, acrylic, or marking coated ceramic tiles, the Pronto 45 will help take your projects to the next level.

Keith Bradshaw, a longtime member of The MakerBarn, is interested in gathering a group of people to explore starting a makerspace in the Conroe area. We at The MakerBarn think this is a wonderful idea! Our waiting list has grown quite large, and a new makerspace would give more people a place to create, collaborate, and belong without such a long wait.

Hello Makers, A Popular Community One of the things we are most proud of at The MakerBarn is how many people want to join our community. Right now, we have over a hundred folks on our waitlist! While this is a great problem to have, it also highlights something important: our region is ready for more makerspaces.

As we reflect on the 9 years of our existence here at The MakerBarn, creativity meets community and none of it would be possible without the incredible dedication of our volunteers.

You’re Invited! Celebrate 9 Years of Creativity at Our Makerspace Anniversary Party!

I attended a glass fusion class recently, and it got me thinking about the interesting classes we’ve had at The MakerBarn throughout the years. A member showed others how to use various woodworking tools during a simple cutting board class. We’ve had classes in embroidery, welding, photography, sublimation, pen turning, electronics, the Bridgeport mill, stained glass, and ceramics, among others. We offer free Vectric V-Carve software training for the CNC (thank you, Jim!), and basic Lightburn software training for the laser cutters. We’ve had two multi-week classes in Autodesk Fusion 360. George has an ongoing electronics class each week and has recently started up a Saturday morning Kicad software class which ties into that electronics class.

Thank you to all who submitted a bid on our recent Big Auction. We had 7 bidders and some of those bidders were interested in more than one item.We took in over $500 as we bid farewell to some surplus equipment. The Jet Bandsaw was the only item with a reserve and that reserve of $700 was not met. We’ll likely post it on Craig’s List or similar sites. If you’re interested, let me or anyone on the Executive Committee know. We hope the winning bidders will enjoy using their new-to-them items!

Announcing The MakerBarn’s First Large Scale Auction We have identified fifteen items that are no longer in use or are duplicates at the Barn. We are offering our first ever, large scale auction. It is open for bidding now and will close at 6:00 pm, Friday, February 14th. Please look over the photos and descriptions of each item in this month’s newsletter. A closed bid for any items that interest you may be submitted in writing and placed in either bid box located in the Lab and the Shop. Forms are near the bid boxes. Non-members may come to the Shop to submit bids. The Shop manager on duty can help you. Only one item, the Jet Bandsaw, has a reserve price that must be met.

Happy New Year! There was quite a bit of activity in the Shop and Lab leading into the holidays. I trust your family and friends were wowed by your Homemade for the Holidays gifts! A gift from your heart and your hands is sure to be appreciated and treasured.

The MakerBarn has expanded! We rented suite 102B across the parking lot. It’s now known as The Learning Center. We have 10 computers set up on the same tables like they were in the old space. On one wall are two smart TVs and a large white board placed for the instructors to use. Additionally, we have some adjustable height tables that can be used for a variety of classes, such as electronics, crafts, or other purposes. This puts the MakerBarn square footage at around 8,000!

Expanding the Barn! Good news this month! We recently signed a 1-year lease on suite 102B across the parking lot from our current space. It’s a bigger space in which to hold classes utilizing the Learning Center computers. The current Learning Center will become the Ceramics Room. It will house the wheels, the roller, shelving and other accessories. Under the direction of Lisa Lane, the ceramics program has really sparked an interest among members. This new space will be a welcome home for all things ceramics.