For a long time, it has seemed to me that it must look like nothing is happening at TechShop. If you only see the mailing list emails, then I'm sure it looks like not much is going on. A few walls, some painting. But the truth is, we are so busy, that I don't even have the time to update the website and write entries for my blog. OK, I took some time and wrote a bunch...

Pretty much every day we are there. Noon to 7 or so, and the rest of the time is spent in front of this computer or otherwise chasing stuff for TechShop. I've been buying some equipment and smaller tools. This week will (hopefully) finish up the painting.

I'll be sending out a big work party email later this week. This one will be asking for help setting up the things that will be coming in. Of course, people can always drop in any time we're there. Like I said, usually that means at least from Noon to 6 or 7.

We're getting very close to hiring some employees and if you think you might want to work at TechShop, now would be a good time to let us know. You can email us at jobs@techshopdurham.com but first, take a look at the different jobs we will be offering here...

http://techshopdurham.com/frontdesk
http://techshopdurham.com/facilitiesmaint
http://techshopdurham.com/instructor

We are buying more stuff and filling TechShop rapidly. One shipment comes in tomorrow and I am hoping to send the trucker on to Garner to pick up another big pile of "stuff" right afterwards. This load isn't as exciting as some, but we still need things like work tables, garbage cans, shelving, stools for the workbenches and a bunch more "stuff".

This load will make TechShop really start to look like something more than a construction project. It's about time!!!!

The first milling machine is set up and we will be receiving another one along with a lathe and a whole bunch of tooling. This will happen on Wednesday or Thursday if the weather allows. Look for classes on these within the next few weeks.

The end of this week could also bring the Blacksmithing tools I'm buying from Enrique Vega. He's been doing it for twenty years or more and just got burned out. Pun intended. We're also getting his 4 x 12 foot CNC plasma cutter. It will probably take a little longer to get that moved though. Big stuff! And the weather is not cooperating.

The recent financial crunch slowed the influx of capital for quite a while, but people are now figuring out that TechShop is a pretty good deal and new lenders are starting to show up.

One of our previous lenders, Paul MacDougal, is stepping up again with more money to help us get this show on the road. Thanks Paul!

It also looks like Donnie Barnes will be making good on his promise to come in as a lender, too.

We have two others that have said, "Probably..."

I have made a deal with the North Carolina School of Science and Math. NCSSM and TechShop will be partnering in ways that will benefit both organizations. They're building a Fab Lab (fabrication) but this will take a few years. We're going to offer their students access to TechShop a lot sooner than that. They have already sent out a notice to their alumni, talking about the potential partnership, and we have seen one new potential lender from that notice. One of the neat things we are doing is offering a free student membership for the school for each membership an alumni buys. If an alumni becomes a lender, we give the school a free lifetime membership. By the way, Paul MacDougal is also giving a lifetime membership to NCSSM. Awesome.

We're also talking to some folks at NC State. They are building "the Garage". This is another long term project building a facility similar to TechShop and we are in discussions with them to facilitate a similar partnership as we have with NCSSM. We've structured these agreements to be able to use them with pretty much any institution that wants access to TechShop.

So you can see that even when it looks like nothing is happening, we're doing a whole lot more than just painting a few walls. Keep watching and you'll see the results of our labors soon.

Thanks,

Scott