MAKING THE TEKVENTURE MAKER STATION @ THE ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Fort Wayne, Indiana 2011 - 2013
TekVenture Incorporated is a 501 (c) (3) Indiana non-profit corporation created in 2006 by
repurposing a dormant non-profit corporation. Our vision has been to create a “Public Art and
Technology Laboratory…providing an environment offering space, tools, materials and mentors
where the community of NE Indiana can realize their creative potential and satisfy their need to
make things…”
In 2011 TekVenture and the
Allen County Public Library
(ACPL) signed an agreement
to work together to explore
expanding the services
offered through the Library
and TekVenture to patrons
learn about and access tools
to make things.
The initial phases of this
association has involved
parking on library property a
50 ft. x 10 ft. commercial
classroom trailer housing
hand, analog and digital tools
and assembly areas. The
Maker Station is outside of
secured ACPL buildings
enabling 24 hours access.
1. How is the maker space staffed:
The TekVenture Maker Station is an all-volunteer operation as we have not received sufficient
independent funding to hire any staff as yet. TekVenture appoints an volunteer maker staff of ten
makers who are willing to conduct workshops and to be present at pre-determined operating
hours. “Staff” range in age from twenty-something entrepreneur to several retired engineers and
educators. Maker-staff volunteer to monitor the open hours of operation as well as address
technical questions that come up. In exchange they are allowed to work on their own projects. All
maker staff have keys to the TekVenture Maker Station and may access all tools and the maker
station over 24 hours.
2. List of criteria for selection of staff.
Responsible adults who have technical capability and familiarity with tool use and who have
expressed enthusiasm for helping to build the vision of TekVenture are prime candidates.
Strongly recommended are those who have the patience and sensitivity to do informal teaching.
Workshop programming offered in the TekVenture Maker Station have been built around the
willingness and capability of these “staff” to present workshops.
3. What are the hours of the maker space?
With our Inventors’ Summer Workshops program now in play, our hours of operation divide into
two segments: “Workshops” and “Open Access”. Scheduled topical workshops are Wednesdays,
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 – 12 Noon. “Open Access” on Wednesdays, from 3 – 9
PM, Thursdays and Fridays 3 – 6 PM, and Saturdays from 1 – 4 PM. Public operating hours of
the TekVenture Maker Station are partly determined by alignment with ACPL hours as well as by
the availability of volunteer staff to monitor the facility.
“Maker MeetUps” are held every Thursday evening starting at 7 pm and ending whenever the last
maker/staff locks up the TekVenture Maker Station often after midnight, enabling opportunities for
wannabe makers and patrons to meet and talk shop with other makers. New friendships are
quickly formed among total strangers with common technical interests during the Maker
MeetUPs.
Is the maker space monitored at all times?
The TekVenture Maker Station is accessible 24 hrs to key-holding, technically qualified volunteer
maker–staff. Memberships at $30 per month are offered to members of the public for access
during public hours or by appointment. Library patrons may take advantage of free workshops
that are offered by TekVenture and staged both in the Maker Station and inside library facilities.
FUNDING
1. What is your budget?
Principal expenses for TekVenture Maker Station are insurance and minor administrative costs.
The ACPL pays expenses of printing programs and supplying electricity and Internet access. As
there is no paid staff there are no personnel expenses. The ACPL has not hired any library staff
to support the TekVenture Maker Station.
2. Do you recover costs?
TekVenture offers weekly 2 and 3 hour topical workshops for fees averaging $25 per workshop.
Revenues from these workshops are split evenly between TekVenture and those makers
presenting a workshop. As part of the Agreement between TekVenture and ACPL, a portion of
Workshop programs are offered, “free” to patrons. ACPL pays TekVenture a predetermined perseat fee for these workshops and TekVenture then splits that income with the presenters of each
free workshop.
Do you charge for each 3D print job? How do you decide what to charge?
At present TekVenture does not charge on a per-job basis. Any charges are for membership that
provides qualified access to tools. Members are expected to provide their own materials. 3D
printing filament is for the moment considered an investment in advertising and education.
TekVenture is currently studying how to structure cost-recovery for individual tools.
3.Did you offer free printing when your maker space was first opened?
Yes. Demand, however, has been less than overpowering. After purchasing a MakerBot Thing-OMatic over one year ago, much time has been spent tweaking the machine to attain high quality
output. TekVenture and ACPL have recently acquired three more 3D printers and are working
through the learning curve on each.
The need to be reasonably literate in a computer-aided design (CAD) software in order to create
and then translate the design into machine language for fabrication on digitally-controlled
machines like 3D printers, routers, EggBots and machine tools, has emerged as a potential lowlevel obstacle to patron-use of these machines.
CAD literacy in the neophyte maker as an issue has been partly side-stepped in the Replicator2
which has design and performance characteristics which seem to make it an ideal first machine
for library patron use. The Replicator can print design files preloaded on a SIM card so that a
patron can simply select a pre-designed object and print it with only a few button pushes. If they
are sufficiently intrigued from that point the next step is for them to realize they can create files at
home or in our facility from freeware like SketchUP or other CAD software and then upload them
to the Replicator (or any of the 3D printers we have.)
We continue to offer introductory workshops on SketchUp for beginners. During these sessions
(about 3 hours,) they learn the basic commands and then design a very simple object (or modify
and existing object,) which they then attempt to print.
POLICY
1. What is your maker space policy?
The TekVenture Maker Station is open to the public as stated above free of charge. However to
access tools and make things outside of scheduled workshops, we ask they become members of
TekVenture. We have been charging $30 for a one month membership, $20 if they are a
documented student or senior citizen, $10 per month for kids 12 and under. Kids 12 and under
must be accompanied by an
adult/mentor. We do not permit
any kids under about 8 years
old. (This is primarily because
we do not as yet have either the
volunteers or the programming
to appeal to elementary-aged
kids. We plan to change this in
the future as we acquire a larger
facility.)
For this fee, new members are
instructed in the safe use of
machines. We do not give out
keys for 24 hr. access to
members, only staff. All
members or participants in
workshops are required to sign
waivers drawn up by our attorney.
2. Do you require patrons to sign user agreements or fill out an application prior to using
the maker space?
We require those wishing to become members and thereby to have access to tools to fill out an
application form that includes such information as name, age, cell phone, email, and “emergency
contacts”. We also ask what tools they know how to use, tools they might be willing to loan, what
they might have or be willing to teach in a workshop, as well as what they would like to make or
cool things they may have made.
Members who sign waivers have those put in their file so they do not have to sign other waivers
for workshops they wish to participate in.
3. Do you require patrons to view or attend an orientation before using the lab for the first
time?
Frequently, aspiring members have already attended our Thursday evening Maker MeetUps
several times and have built some familiarity with the TekVenture Make Station. Most apply as
individuals and are given an introductory “tour” of facilities when they sign up.
4. Do you require lab users to be library card holders?
Because TekVenture is a stand-alone non-profit corporation promoting a “public art and
technology laboratory” and because we describe our market area as NE Indiana (beyond Allen
County, the jurisdiction of the Allen County Public Library,) we do not require members to be
library card holders. However, library patrons can benefit from the many “Free” workshops in our
programming that are sponsored by the Allen County Public Library.
5. What is the policy on printing weapons? Have there been issues with this?
As yet TekVenture has had no issues with weapons fabrication. We would discourage
manufacture of weapons by any member unless they were bona fide replica’s or mock weapons
such as those they might be used in theatrical or gaming situations. We ask each person who
wants to make something what they are going to make and there is sufficient monitoring of
makers to presumably detect any efforts to manufacture weapons parts that we would not
approve.
6. How is space on the computers
and 3D printers in the maker
space allocated?
Are reservations required or is it
walk-in? Do you use a PC
reservation system?
We will introduce a computer-based
reservation system. We require
advanced registration for all topical
workshops inasmuch as we have so
little space and can accommodate
only six persons at one workshop.
We have experimented with
EventBrite but are looking at other
options.
7. What is the average wait time
for space in the lab?
We have not experienced any wait times as yet. Most of our users are attending a workshop or
are members who use the machines when they are available.
8. Are there limits on how long a person can use the computer and/or printer
To date we have not experienced any overlapping demand for machine use. A limiting factor is
the time required for a 3D print. Some require several hours to print. The machine cannot be used
during that time, however, designs can be developed on controlling computers as long as they
are not connected to the printer at the time of printing.
9. Who maintains equipment in the lab if/when something breaks?
The volunteer Makers repair all our tools.
EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES
1. We are planning to purchase a MakerBot Dual Replicator. What do you use?
We started with a MakerBot Thing-O-Matic which we bought as a kit and assembled in 2011. This
machine required a lot of tweaking and had a relatively long learning curve. We then received a
SeeMECNC 3D Printer kit that we assembled. It is used primarily by our volunteer maker staff.
We understand this machine is no longer manufactured. On our recommendation, the ACPL has
purchased two Replicator2’s and an Afinia. They are not duel extruders and printed only PLA
thermoplastic filament. That said the TekVenture Maker Station has been very happy and
surprised with its performance. This is our first experience with PLA.
Both machines continue to be quite reliable as long as certain protocols are followed. Whenever
the machines are physically moved (from TekVenture Maker Station to and from the Library
building,) they must be recalibrated and leveled. Care must be taken in protecting the build
platform areas from air currents as from A/C diffusers that can cool one corner of a project in the
build process causing that corner to loosen from the build platform and deform the project.
2. What software do you use for your 3D printer?
2. Of the 5 printers we've used (Thing-o-matic, SeeMeCNC h1.1, Printrbot, Afinia, Replicator2)
each use different software. For the open source type printers, Maker Station recommends
Repertoire Host using Slic3r.
3. Are you satisfied with the printer and software you use?
3. We've been very happy with everything we've used, hardware and software. Please realize, 3D
printing can be complex. Sometimes figuring out how to tweak the settings and environment if
you start getting bad prints can eat up user/staff time and materials.
4. How many rolls of filament (PLA for the dual Replicator) do you use in a week?
In a month?
Robin:
4. We really don't have an idea of amount of materials we've used at this point. It all depends on
size and solidness of the print. Of the first spool of PLA, we have used the most, about half, in a
week of testing.
5. How many rolls of filament do you keep on hand?
5. 5 spools were bought with the printer. After one year of use we are at the point of needing to
replace most of the rolls.
6. Do you add new pieces of equipment or software periodically?
The ACPL indicated they were interested in acquiring several 3D printers and were advised by
TekVenture to purchase a Replicator2 and an Afinia. These recommendations were based in part
on MAKE Magazine’s special issue on 3D Printers in which the Replicator and Afina were highly
rated. ACPL felt both units were best suited for use by its patrons curious about 3D printing.
ACPL has subsequently bought a second Replicator2. At present we share these printers.
7. What other equipment do you have in
your maker space?
In addition to four 3D printers, an EggBot and
OstrichBot, TekVenture Maker Station also
has a CNC router table we built from plans, a
CNC Milling machine for metal acquired from
the school system, a 9" South Bend metal
lathe (not CNC), a small drill press, large band
saw, variable speed scroll saw, chop saw and
hand miter saws. In addition we have a
vacuum forming machine and an injection
molding machine, both for making small
objects and a large air compressor. There are
electronics tools including older oscilloscopes
and signal generators, soldering stations, test
meters, and an assortment of older electronics
components like resistors, capacitors,
potentiometers, switches, etc. we again,
acquired from the school system. We also
have hand power tools including reciprocating
saw, circular saw, sander and router and
assorted hand tools including socket
wrenches, measuring tools, etc. Many of these
tools were picked up at auctions or were
donated by members or friends.
A collapsible 10 x 10 tent can be set up just
outside the TekVenture Maker Station where welding and flame-working workshops are
conducted that cannot for safety reasons be held inside the Maker Station.
8. Do you allow outside equipment to be used in the maker space?
While we are very limited in space (500 sq. ft.) we do allow externally owned tools and equipment
to be brought into the space if they contribute to a specific project or workshop.
9. What is the size of your maker space lab?
The TekVenture Maker Station is housed in a 50 ft. long by 10 ft. wide industrial duty trailer, (500
sq. ft. purpose built for the state vocational college system as a traveling classroom. donated to
TekVenture when it was no longer of use to them. The trailer is fully air conditioned and heated
electrically and requires a 240 volt power supply to run the HVAC system and our metal milling
machine. TekVenture is actively seeking to relocate into a real building. We are currently looking
at buildings 3,500 – 6,000 sq. ft.
10. Do you offer space for your patrons to store/showcase their physical project?
Again, because space is so limited we only allow the Maker volunteer staff to store tools and
materials and projects. We do not as yet allow members or workshop participants to store
materials. They bring them in with each visit.
PROJECTS
1. How long do patrons spend on the average project?
We have two categories of participants: one category are those who participate in 3 hour topical
workshops or they will typically produce some object allowing them to synthesize the information
they receive in the workshop. In the second category are member makers who may work on
projects for many hours or multiple hours over multiple days.
2. Do lab staff “sponsor” projects with patrons, seeing them through from start to finish
(design to printing,) How much time do staff spend with each patron?
Our Maker Volunteer staff do work with many patrons and workshop participants either
supervising participants in workshops or advising participants they can develop designs at home
on free downloadable software and then bring their files in for adjustment and fabrication of their
designs. TekVenture also offers repeated workshops in 3D printing, Arduinos, CAD and CAM
workshops for the CNC machines, soldering and electronics, kite-making, robotics, flame-working
glass, welding, welding for
women and other workshops
many of which are for one or
two participants.
3. How much assistance do
you provide patrons, or do
lab staff act as monitors
only?
Maker staff function as
supervisors, advisors,
troubleshooters and instructors
as needed.
4. Do you have pictures of
projects that regular patrons
have created at your library.
We are working to collect those.
5. Do you use pre-made project designs from such places as Thingiverse? Other places
We print a lot of things from Thingiverse, but our group also designs their own projects for
printing. These have included parts for assembling other 3D printers, gears for triangular pumps,
jewelry boxes, etc.
Miscellaneous questions
1. How popular is the maker space? What are the busiest times?
The TekVenture Maker Station is growing in popularity as people hear about our workshops
through the Library and public media. Because we all still remain volunteers, our operating hours
are somewhat restricted to availability of maker staff. At present TekVenture Maker Station is
open to the public Wed. from 7 - 9 PM, and Saturdays from 9 - 4. We hold Maker MeetUPs every
Thursday evening starting at 7 PM and ending when the last Maker goes home often after
midnight. Our most popular time is Thursday evening Maker MeetUp when new people show up
to "check us out" and often end up joining for a t least one month.
2. Who are your primary users?
Adults are so far the largest population of users; many are ACP patrons or staff. Home School
groups and Boys and Girls Clubs have been contracting multiple workshop days to bring in small
groups of teens. Our minimum age is 12 years but as we expand our location we plan to open up
more workshops for younger children.
3. How do you advertise your maker space?
Primary advertising so far has been through promotional fliers and posters printed by the Allen
County Public Library and distributed to their 13 branches. TekVenture Maker Station also has a
link to the TekVenture homepage on the ACPL website home page.
In additional TekVenture solicits interviews and air time whenever possible from local media.
Word of mouth is also a strong selling tool once someone has been inside the TekVenture Maker
Station and experienced the energy level there.
Maker Station staff also recruit workshop participants and sell the workshops to local groups like
the Scouts and Boys and Girls Clubs. It is always most effective to bring leadership of target
organizations into the TekVenture Station to help them understand what we can offer their group.
4.Are there other maker spaces or maker groups in your community?
There are at present no other maker spaces or groups in our community beyond traditional
groups like the 3 Rivers Woodworkers, or the Machinist Group of NE Indiana. TekVenture has
worked closely with both groups, and are currently working to partner with a high school-oriented
competition robotics group also looking for workshop space.
5. Do you network with other maker groups in your community?
In addition to our own volunteer makers we draw on the wider community of makers and artisans
and fabricators to conduct workshops offering them greater exposure which they often welcome.
We also produce the Fort Wayne Regional Maker Faire® Powered by TekVenture in Fall in a
large, centrally-located city pavilion which draws thousands of people to both display and
observe. By design, this provides an additional source of makers, sponsors and workshop
participants for our workshops and support.
6. Do you use a maker group advisor Board?
TekVenture is an Indiana 501.c.3 non profit corporation governed by Board of Directors with a
maximum of 13 members which hold monthly meetings. In addition there is a the Volunteer
Maker Staff which oversees the operation of the TekVenture Maker Station.
TekVenture maintains a signed Agreement with the Allen County Public Library that defines
certain responsibilities of both parties.
7. Do you host maker clubs at your library?
We hold Maker MeetUPs every Thursday evening starting at 7 PM and ending when the last
Maker goes home often after midnight. At present we do not have the facility to host maker clubs
because of the space and mess required with these groups. Partly for this reason we are seeking
to move the TekVenture Maker Station facility to a fixed building near the Downtown Library.
8. How do you solicit feedback form your users?
In workshop situations or in training situations, feedback is more or less automatic or solicited.
The ACPL also provides feedback cards which we endeavor to have patrons fill out and return.
This has not been a wholly effective feedback system
Return or new customers which come from word of mouth or public event demonstrations
conducted by TekVenture have been most effective.
9. What are common problems you are facing?
Lack of space is our greatest problem. This has restricted our ability to engage more patrons and
members and thus restricted our ability to generate revenue or funding for operations and a paid
staff. The ACPL is attempting to address this restriction but it necessitates TekVenture finding
and occupying a larger facility so we can serve the needs of many more patrons.
10. Are there any safety issues we should know about?
The most important two issues are to be sure the supervisors are trained to safely use and
observe safe use of any tools and machines accessed by patrons and others, and to be sure
patrons and other users are properly trained in the safe use of equipment.
11. Do you have any recommendations for us? Any equipment you would not
recommend?
1. Engage outside partners: to provide tools; to provide volunteer support; to conduct workshops;
to provide funding and material support; and to advertise your program in as many ways possible.
2. Recognize that adults will be your primary users initially; at least they are our primary users.
3. Kids are also most anxious to use the digital tools but often lack the patience required for
successful 3D printing for example, often requiring additional activity to occupy them while their
3d object is printed.
4. Rapid prototyping tools require a language translation from the deign file to the machine code
to be able to execute a design. People often don't understand you have to convert design files to
machine code before you can 3D print machine or perform other digitally controlled operations.
5. "Making" is not just about "digital." It is about "Art" creating a vision of something to be made
and then converting the vision to a model possibly requiring a machine-readable file.
6. "Making" is a basic human activity, about using hands and brain to affect materials through
tool use to create things, as it has been since the Stone Age. Don't discount the use of hand tools
and time-tested techniques to create, often beautiful, and functional things.
For further information about the TekVenture Maker Station and the Allen County Public Library:
www.tekventure.org
www.acpl.lib.in.us
Greg Jacobs, President
TekVenture
[email protected]
260.432.1095
Jeff Krull, Executive director
Allen County Public Library System
[email protected]
260.421.1200
Responses based on "Questions for Maker Space (Idea Lab) at Central Library" submitted to
TekVenture Maker Station by the San Diego, CA. Public Library in 2012
619.236.5832 [email protected]