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Mon Nov 9 20:01:52 CET 2009
population dense, has a high-tech presence, and is full of people with some
disposable income. This sort of demographic also means that there are a lot
of people nearby who want to use tools but can't afford their own garage or
shop.
Unfortunately, that also means very high rents, expensive insurance and
salaries, and a correspondingly high burn rate for money.
A lot of the capital costs can be kept down. Used machninery that is only
half worn out and OK for a non-production environment isn't that expensive
if you know how to shop for it. Imporovements can be done on cheap with all
of the unemployed contractors right now. But the basic economics of running
a tool gym are hard to get around.
Arclight
23B Shop (SoCal)
https://hop.23b.org
On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 2:32 PM, Far McKon <farmckon at gmail.com> wrote:
> Also in Philly is NextFab.com . they are less like hackerspaces, and
> more like Gyms for Engineers. Sweaty equipment, not much in the way
> of joint projects or community from what I've seen. That said, they
> are still enabling more people to build awesome stuff, so I'm a fan.
> They're just not hackerspaces. I don't think they even really compete
> with hackerspaces.
>
> They are also having some problems with money/closing and too much
> investment, and not enough members. . AFAIK the ones supported by
> trust fund or startup cash are going to do OK, but it's not a model
> that can spread and grow , due to the super-capital intensity of it.
>
>
> http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/is_the_techshop_model_in_trouble.html
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/dorkbotpdx-blabber/browse_thread/thread/1e169d14bbe51d08?pli=1
>
> hack on,
> - Far McKon
>
> On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 5:08 PM, das ende der nahrungskette
> <jg at monochrom.at> wrote:
> > hey folks!
> >
> > what's that?
> >
> > http://techshop.ws/tssf.html
> >
> > sounds like a commercial version of a hackerspace...
> >
> > all the best
> > johannes
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Discuss mailing list
> > Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> > http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org
> http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
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I know that the Portland Techshop just closed down, and from what I can tel=
l there is a very narrow envelope that this sort of business can operate in=
side.<br><br>From a money perspective, they need to be located in an area t=
hat is very population dense, has a high-tech presence, and is full of peop=
le with some disposable income. This sort of demographic also means that th=
ere are a lot of people nearby who want to use tools but can't afford t=
heir own garage or shop.<br>
<br>Unfortunately, that also means very high rents, expensive insurance and=
salaries, and a correspondingly high burn rate for money.=A0 <br><br>A lot=
of the capital costs can be kept down. Used machninery that is only half w=
orn out and OK for a non-production environment isn't that expensive if=
you know how to shop for it. Imporovements can be done on cheap with all o=
f the unemployed contractors right now.=A0 But the basic economics of runni=
ng a tool gym are hard to get around.<br>
<br>Arclight<br>23B Shop (SoCal)<br><a href=3D"https://hop.23b.org">https:/=
/hop.23b.org</a><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 2=
:32 PM, Far McKon <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:farmckon at gmail.co=
m">farmckon at gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, =
204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">Also in Philly is=
NextFab.com . they are less like hackerspaces, and<br>
more like Gyms for Engineers. =A0Sweaty equipment, not much in the way<br>
of joint projects or community from what I've seen. That said, they<br>
are still enabling more people to build awesome stuff, so I'm a fan.<br=
>
They're just not hackerspaces. =A0I don't think they even really co=
mpete<br>
with hackerspaces.<br>
<br>
They are also having some problems with money/closing and too much<br>
investment, and not enough members. . =A0AFAIK the ones supported by<br>
trust fund or startup cash are going to do OK, but it's not a model<br>
that can spread and grow , due to the super-capital intensity of it.<br>
<br>
<a href=3D"http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/is_the_techshop_model_i=
n_trouble.html" target=3D"_blank">http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/02/=
is_the_techshop_model_in_trouble.html</a><br>
<a href=3D"http://groups.google.com/group/dorkbotpdx-blabber/browse_thread/=
thread/1e169d14bbe51d08?pli=3D1" target=3D"_blank">http://groups.google.com=
/group/dorkbotpdx-blabber/browse_thread/thread/1e169d14bbe51d08?pli=3D1</a>=
<br>
<br>
hack on,<br>
<font color=3D"#888888">- Far McKon<br>
</font><div class=3D"im"><br>
On Tue, Mar 2, 2010 at 5:08 PM, das ende der nahrungskette<br>
</div><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><<a href=3D"mailto:jg at monochrom.=
at">jg at monochrom.at</a>> wrote:<br>
> hey folks!<br>
><br>
> what's that?<br>
><br>
> <a href=3D"http://techshop.ws/tssf.html" target=3D"_blank">http://tech=
shop.ws/tssf.html</a><br>
><br>
> sounds like a commercial version of a hackerspace...<br>
><br>
> all the best<br>
> johannes<br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> Discuss mailing list<br>
> <a href=3D"mailto:Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org">Discuss at lists.hacker=
spaces.org</a><br>
> <a href=3D"http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss" tar=
get=3D"_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss</a><b=
r>
><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Discuss mailing list<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:Discuss at lists.hackerspaces.org">Discuss at lists.hackerspace=
s.org</a><br>
<a href=3D"http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss" target=
=3D"_blank">http://lists.hackerspaces.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br>
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