# TechShop Portland



## macona (Oct 8, 2008)

For those of you in the Portland, OR area TechShop Portland should be having a open house to show off our new building October 22nd.

For those of you who dont know what TechShop is, it is like a 24Hr Fitness, but instead of exercise machines we have useful machines! Plans are to have a full weld shop, machine shop, sheet metal shop, wood shop, etc. Goodies will include CNC Router Table, CNC Plasma Cutter, Rapid Prototype machine, Laser cutter, foam cutter, etc. Plans are 3 lathes, 4 vertical mills, maybe one CNC. Not sure yet. Hope to put in a metal casting foundry as well.

30,000 sq ft!

The website is here:

http://portland.techshop.ws/

The first locations site in Menlo Park, CA is here:

http://www.techshop.ws

So how am I related to all this? I am the Shop Forman! ;D


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## wareagle (Oct 8, 2008)

Wow! That is a great thing. I can see a huge draw to these places from people in all sorts of hobbies and industries. I'd love to have one in my area! It would be great to have access to stuff that I will never have room for nor the money to buy.

Best wishes in the endevour! Keep us updated on how this is going.


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## mklotz (Oct 8, 2008)

I have one question...

How on earth do you get liability insurance for a place like that?

Powerful machine tools + general public dumber than a box of rocks =
unimaginable gore.


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## macona (Oct 8, 2008)

Lawyers, lawyers, and more lawyers! :

All the dangerous equipment will require Basic Safety and Usage classes taken before they can use the equipment. Thats lathes, mills, cnc equipment, welding, torches, saws, planers, car lift, ect.

Similar to a school wood and metal shop. If you want to use it you have to take a test.

I am hoping to install a RFID based authorization system that will limit access to individual pieces of equipment until they are checked off on the computer.

Down in Menlo Park they have been open a few years now without anything major happening.


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## robert1352 (Oct 10, 2008)

I wish we had something like this were I live. ;D


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## macona (Jan 19, 2009)

Getting a bit further along. Got the wood shop pretty much squared away. We have Gary Martin from Martin Model and Patternmaking (http://www.martinmodel.com( running his shop out of out building. He is supervising the wood shop and teaches patternmaking for castings and wood shop. He is currently teaching a wood class through Portland Community College out of our location. I am sure some of you have bought his flywheel castings from littlemachineshop.com

The machine shop is slowly moving. We have 4 lathes from a SB9A to a Series 60 Monarch swinging 24", theres a 9x32 Bridgeport, 6'x3' surface plate, powermatic surface grinder, and even a little CNC training lathe based off a sherline.

Went today to look at a couple CNC machine. A Mori SL-0 chucker and a BP Interact 412. Also a Harig surface grinder and a mandrel bender.

New web site at: http://www.portlandtechshop.com

I also have a photobucket album set up on photobucket. Click on the albums on the left column for departmental pics.

http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp69/TechShop/


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## te_gui (Jan 19, 2009)

I like the concept in theory, and attended the initial meeting. I was a little taken aback by some perhaps perceived only on my part arrogance by the founder. I was closing down a business and asked if they were interested a donation or sale at very reasonable prices of some pretty modern CNC equipment in exchange for "visitation" rights at times. I was shut down pretty quickly. The other thing I didnt care for is the rule that you have to take all these classes for $65 before you can operrate equipment. I think with 20 years experience as a machinist I could very quickly demonstrate proficiency on most of the equipment listed. If the people running the shop are as experienced as they should be, it should be obvious who knows what. I realize the rules are there for safety but it also seems to be a way to milk additional profit out of the members. Id be interested in taking a pattern making class from Gary if that is something that will be offered.


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## 1Kenny (Jan 19, 2009)

te_gui,

Please refrain from slaming. 

Thanks,

Kenny


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## Cedge (Jan 19, 2009)

Te_Qui
Unfortunately I can understand the classes thing. With the type of business Macona is starting up, they would have to be able to document training on each machine for insurance purposes, if nothing else. In fact, I'm amazed they could find someone to write a policy covering public usage of industrial machinery at all. I can imagine the premium costs are quite a high percentage of the $65.00 per class. 

Steve


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## shred (Jan 19, 2009)

As I understand it, the financial side of a TechShop is pretty thin, so if they need to charge $65 for classes to use the machines, I guess I can be ok with that if it means they stay open.

Alas, the local Austin TS doesn't seem to be making it to fruition.


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## te_gui (Jan 19, 2009)

My comments were not meant as a slam. They were simply my perceptions after dicussing things with the founder Jim Newton. I do think that if I was to pay the approximatly $1000 yearly membership fee, it seems like nickle-diming to charge for a sign-off on each piece of equipment. I have no problem if it was something I had never seen before, and would want a through vetting prior to my operating it, I just think there should be an option to demonstrate proficiency. My biggest reason for not joining was location, but I am hoping they offer classes for non-members as well, assuming space is available, with priority given to members of course. The website is a little sketchy on upcoming classes and the policies but they are still trying to get up and running


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## macona (Jan 19, 2009)

te_gui  said:
			
		

> I like the concept in theory, and attended the initial meeting. I was a little taken aback by some perhaps perceived only on my part arrogance by the founder. I was closing down a business and asked if they were interested a donation or sale at very reasonable prices of some pretty modern CNC equipment in exchange for "visitation" rights at times. I was shut down pretty quickly. The other thing I didnt care for is the rule that you have to take all these classes for $65 before you can operrate equipment. I think with 20 years experience as a machinist I could very quickly demonstrate proficiency on most of the equipment listed. If the people running the shop are as experienced as they should be, it should be obvious who knows what. I realize the rules are there for safety but it also seems to be a way to milk additional profit out of the members. Id be interested in taking a pattern making class from Gary if that is something that will be offered.



 ??? Who did you talk to? When? To someone at the portland location? We have already traded equipment for membership. That how we got the Series 60 Monarch. The less we have to spend on equipment the better.

As for the SBU (Safety and Basic Usage), Its a two fold subject. First is safety. 99% of the users there is no way we can verify you are what you say you are. Second is we gotta make money. This IS a for profit business. We charge for a lot of things, classes, storage, consumables, etc. Now the classes are not all profit. We pay the instructors very well for the time for the class. If you are a machinist and would be interested in teaching let me know.

Most classes are cheaper than the $60 for the lathe class. 

Gary is currently teaching a patternmaking class on wednesdays. He is requiring basic woods as a prerequisite. 

If you are interested in the class email me.


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## macona (Jan 19, 2009)

te_gui  said:
			
		

> My comments were not meant as a slam. They were simply my perceptions after dicussing things with the founder Jim Newton. I do think that if I was to pay the approximatly $1000 yearly membership fee, it seems like nickle-diming to charge for a sign-off on each piece of equipment. I have no problem if it was something I had never seen before, and would want a through vetting prior to my operating it, I just think there should be an option to demonstrate proficiency. My biggest reason for not joining was location, but I am hoping they offer classes for non-members as well, assuming space is available, with priority given to members of course. The website is a little sketchy on upcoming classes and the policies but they are still trying to get up and running



You dont need to be a member to take any classes. 

FWIW, we are on own from the Menlo Park location and Jim. We are doing our own thing. The original plan to open locations all over was premature on their part and thats why we and the Durham locations are the only ones coming to fruition. Denney (Portland) and Scott (Durham) took it on themselves to make this a reality without any support from HQ.


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