Video Slashdot Visits Metrix Create:Space in Seattle (Video) 27
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Metrix Create:Space is full of people busily making electronic gadgets. And shot glasses. And everything in between. Some of them saw the street-level sign and stopped in out of curiosity, while others are long-time createspace scenesters. It doesn't matter which you are, says Metrix founder Matt Westervelt. Come in and make something. Need new skills? They have workshops. And lots of great tools.
hackerspaces.org (Score:5, Informative)
Eh, it's okay. (Score:4, Informative)
Metrix is okay. I've been by a few times but it doesn't really meet any of my needs. It's a great place for people to go work on projects who don't have any means to work on them at home, but if you have a workbench or workshop in a room or basement at home you'll probably never feel a need to go unless you want something laser cut or printed. I'd go for the social aspect of working on a project surrounded by other hackers, but a lot of my projects involve soldering and that's only allowed in the cloistered-off soldering room, or require equipment that Metrix just doesn't have and so I don't feel like carting my stuff down there to work.
I'd go more, and pay a $10-20 fee each visit, to get access to some more hardware though. I really would like to be able to use an LCR analyzer (that can actually apply decent DC bias), variety of stable test oscillators for generating AF and AM RF, a sweep generator/marker that runs at 455KHz, 4.3 and 10.7MHz, and a VHF FM signal generator, and a nice scope like a Tek with a DM44 or something else that does automatic measurements. Stuff I can't afford, do actually need for my projects, and have to do a lot of wonky workarounds to make do without.
I'd go slightly more if they let me solder in the main room where everyone is.
I'm proud of my local hackerspace (Score:2, Informative)
757 Labs on Hackerspace [hackerspaces.org]