RECENT NEWS

Springtime is Here! We had a great turnout, about 30+ people, for the Spring Cleaning Day recently. The MakerBarn was a hive of activity with all those busy bees. I hope you notice the difference the next time you come in. A sincere thank you to all of you that could be there to help elevate The MakerBarn to be a better place to create. Two big events are coming up in June. Our 8th anniversary party and Summer Fun Mondays. We’re in the planning stages of a summer camp for our members’ kids! All the details including dates, ages, and activities planned will be ironed out soon. If you’re interested in leading an activity or in helping out in any way, come to the planning meeting on Thursday, May 2nd, at 2:00PM in The Lab.

Springtime is Here! We actually get remarks on how “clean” our Shop is from visitors and other members. It happens more frequently than we would expect and it’s always a bit surprising and enjoyable to hear. When you care about a place, you take care of it. That’s what’s going on here at The MakerBarn through efforts by members like you and, in large part, due to the efforts of our volunteer Shop Managers.

The DIY Spirit - Keep it Alive! I’ve been in New Zealand this month and thought I would share a relatable observation. The DIY spirit in New Zealand is deeply ingrained within the cultural fabric of the nation. Known for its resourcefulness and can-do attitude, Kiwis take pride in tackling tasks independently, whether it’s home renovations, crafting, or problem-solving. This spirit is nurtured by a combination of factors, including the country’s remote location, where access to specialized services may be limited, as well as a cultural ethos valuing self-sufficiency and creativity. From building backyard sheds to brewing craft beer, New Zealanders embrace the DIY ethos as a means of personal expression, community engagement, and sustainable living.

Who runs MakerBarn? As we begin 2024 we have lots of things going on at the Barn, but I thought I’d take a quick time out this month and answer a common question - who is the Executive Committee of The MakerBarn? The executive committee of any organization plays a crucial role in the governance and decision-making processes. It is typically composed of key executives, senior leaders, or board members, and its primary function is to provide leadership, strategic direction, and oversight to ensure the effective operation of the organization. The Board of Directors set up the structure and responsibilities of the MakerBarn by using our by-laws and 501c3 formation as a guideline.

Happy Maker New Year! Here we are in 2024. Happy New Year to you all. What a year 2023 was at MakerBarn! Let’s just try to list all the new equipment we acquired this past year; - Jewelry Punch machine - CNC Milling machine - Green Laser for Rotary Work - Horizontal Bandsaw - CNC Plasma Table - Replaced the wide belt sander with new model - Bambu Labs PIP printers (4) - A Kiln, pottery wheels and all things ceramics!

Happy Holidays! December is a busy month at the MakerBarn. Members tend to ramp up making Christmas gifts, which is always inspiring to see as you scroll through this and every newsletter. Here are a few things to know this month:

Gratitude in Action: Thankful for Our MakerBarn Members It’s November and the holidays are fast approaching. I’ve been thinking about gratefulness. In the realm of non-profit organizations, the heart and soul lies within its dedicated members. These individuals commit their time, energy, and passion to make a meaningful difference in large and small ways.

A Change of Leadership We started The MakerBarn in 2016. For most of those seven years, George Carlson has been at the helm as our President. He has set the tone as a family friendly, community inspired, and reasonably priced place to learn about and use equipment that, for most of us, may be out of reach due to cost and space constraints. We are very fortunate to have this smart, sustainable makerspace model to call our own.

Of Classes and Machines… Everyone expects August in Texas to be hot, but over 100 degrees every day? Thank goodness for air conditioning. A good place to escape the heat is to work on projects at The MakerBarn. This month John Buckley will be teaching a course on Fusion 360. Fusion 360 is a 3D computer aided design (CAD) program that allows the user to design complex 3D structures. John’s course is currently full, hopefully he can teach it again when this session is complete.