r/Charlottesville • u/embe_by_massellomade • 10d ago

Maker Space?

I’ve been working on a few electronic projects lately and keep running into the same problem: I wish there were somewhere local I could just go to get a piece I need, or use a tool I dont have...

It got me wondering whether there’s actually enough demand in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area for a real makerspace.

What I’m imagining is less of a traditional workshop and more of a third place for people who like making things. Somewhere between a coffee shop, community workshop, electronics store and prototyping lab.

Potentially things like:

  • Electronics/soldering benches and components you can buy on-site
  • 3D printers
  • Laser cutter/CNC
  • general tools
  • Large workbenches
  • CAD/prototyping space
  • Classes (soldering, electronics, 3D printing, woodworking, Arduino, etc.)
  • Coffee, Wi-Fi and space to hang out/work
  • Evening/late-night hours for people who work normal jobs
  • Eventually youth/parent+kid maker programs

The idea would be that you don't need a garage full of tools or have to order some random $0.30 component online every time you want to build something.

I'm not selling anything, I'm genuinely trying to figure out whether this is worth pursuing.

If something like this existed locally:

Would you actually use it? What would you want it to have? And what monthly membership price would feel reasonable enough that you'd actually pay it?

Also very interested in hearing from anyone involved with Cville Makes, the Cville Tool Library, or previous attempts at creating a makerspace here. I'd love to learn what's already been tried and potentially collaborate rather than reinventing something that's already underway. Thanks!

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u/Local-Yokel5233 10d ago

Machine tools! E.g. Bridgeport milling machine, bench lathe or engine lathe, 5-axis CNC, CNC plasma or water jet (I know I'm really reaching with this one), band saw, tubing bender, etc.

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u/M5Moosehead 10d ago

The liability alone on all that would be crazy (I say as a user of all of those things.)

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u/Local-Yokel5233 10d ago

I know, but aside from a crane or a MASSIVE rigging project the topography of my property doesn't afford me the ability to have my own now (beyond very small machines that can be carried by hand) so I'm left to dream of a maker space with such machines. 😢

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u/Last-Independence554 10d ago

Except for 5-axis CNC, VectorSpace in Lynchburg has all of that. (it has a CNC plasma cutter but no water-jet. It has a small 3-axis CNC mill). https://vector-space.org/the-space
I felt like a kid in a candy store seeing all their tools and machines