Makerspaces provide the tools and the training for creative projects

A maker movement is going on around the country, and the Corridor has not one, but two, of these new collaborative spaces.

If you're not familiar with Make magazine or the Maker Faires that are popping up nationwide, a makerspace allows community members to build and create all types of projects, using shared equipment. From electronics and woodworking to 3-D printing, a makerspace provides both the tools and the training, all for a small member fee.

In Cedar Rapids, the Science Center opened the Cedar Rapids MakerSpace in June at 5824 Council St. NE.

'We allow people to have access to the latest technology without great expense,' said Monica Challenger, Science Center executive director. 'There are so many possibilities, and a lot of collaboration happens here. We are building a sense of community for these makers.' 

The makerspace in Cedar Rapids includes a commons area with several work benches, a wood shop, a metal fabrication lab, an electronics lab and a 3-D printing lab. Each lab is outfitted with the latest technology and a whole host of sophisticated equipment that members can use to work on various projects.

'This is a beginner- friendly environment,' Challenger said. 'You can come here and learn something new in two hours time. People are truly willing to teach you and help you create what you envision.'

Challenger noted that in addition to letting people pursue their individual interests, the makerspace has proven to be the ideal place to work on prototypes for several start-up companies.

She said while there has been a great diversity in the age range of people interested in participating, a lot of the Cedar Rapids MakerSpace's programming targets teens and kids, hoping to expose them to a variety of career paths.

'This is a place for kids to kick the tires of different careers. And we have so many people willing to come and teach, mentor and pass on knowledge and skills.' Challenger noted this is just one of many reasons supporting makerspaces in a community makes economic sense.

Kirk Cheyney agrees. He created the area's first MIT-style fabrication lab (or Fab Lab as they are called) in Iowa City when he opened The STEAM Room just five months ago.

The STEAM Room is currently located in what had been Sycamore Mall and is now referred to as the Iowa City Marketplace. The STEAM Room offers high-tech equipment — including 3-D printers and CNC machines — much like in Cedar Rapids.

'These machines can cost $30,000 to $50,000,' said Cheyney. 'You don't just have them in your garage. The STEAM Room evens the playing field for everyone.'

Cheyney noted that it's not just about access to the machines, however. 'People also need the space to use this equipment,' he said, noting that individuals, businesses, community groups and schools have really responded well to The STEAM Room so far.

Cheyney, a biomedical engineer by training who now serves as the director of operations for The STEAM Room, said the space has been so popular they are looking for a new, larger building. The STEAM Room recently launched a capital campaign to raise the necessary funds for the purchase and move.

'Giving our community a place where every person has equal opportunity to create without boundaries is what this is all about,' said Cheyney. The new Fab Lab building will feature full workshops for wood, metal, welding, jewelry and crafts, plastic works, a computer lab, an electronics/robotics section, and specialty tools like CNC machines, laser cutters and 3-D printers. More centers, such as auto work and renewable energy, are planned for the future. All of the tools, training and services are open to everyone in the Corridor.

'We are in a post-industrial society,' Cheyney said. 'We don't make things anymore and with that, we've lost that DIY, pioneering American attitude. Our Fab Lab offers easy access to all the technologies and tools that makers need. This place fills a void many of us who have a passion for creating feel.'

The Cedar Rapids MakerSpace also will soon expand when it moves in a few months from its current location on Council Street NE to a larger, permanent location on North Center Point Road in Hiawatha. The larger makerspace will accommodate a food science lab and an art lab, as well as the four labs already featured.

'We know we are on to something here,' said Challenger. 'If you get the right tools in the hands of these makers, they can change the world.'

For more information: www.crmakerspace.org