Tech Shop DIY workshop?

[ryball]

So not knowing anything about machining other than the little bit I did in the one metal shop class in high school seven thousand years ago, I started looking for a metal lathe intro class.

Ran across this place in Menlo Park, CA - http://techshop.ws/

So, I guess it is a membership based community machine shop with classes. Has anyone checked this out? They have classes on the weekends and was thinking about signing up for something.

I was mainly looking at their lathe and milling classes, but they have a 9 hour 3D modeling class that looks pretty awesome... laser cutting and etching... cnc... vacuum forming... carbon fiber... welding...

 

[gadget_lover]

I've been there a few times.

The concept is really neat. You can use big toys that you may not have room for at home. The mills and lathes are all second hand, but they work well enough to do most anything you need. Commercial grade equipment that is maintained may look funky yet work perfectly well.

The Mill and lathe SBUs are just classes to make sure you understand the fundamentals of the machines. How not to get killed or ruin the hardware. They do not teach you how to make stuff. I did 3 SBUs so far; MIG, MILL and Lathe. I did them mainly so that I could compare my home shop equipment against commercial grade. I was happy with the result.

I have credit for 3 classes and a month of membership, but I've been waiting for a time when I will have free time to run over there to cash it in and start the 1 month clock.

I see that they now have mode advamced milling and lathe classes, so I'm torn between that and the CNC or laser equipment. Such decisions!

Daniel