Fab Labs

[Ags]

Has anyone used one of these? They look like a great way to machine components.

[Gina]

Not me. Do you have a link to see what we're talking about, please?

[Dai150PL]

Hi Gina just googled it and found this link for fablab in uk. - UK's first FabLab brings invention to the people — Looks very interesting.

[Gina]

Hi Gina just googled it and found this link for fablab in uk. - UK's first FabLab brings invention to the people — Looks very interesting.

Thank you What a great idea Some of those in this country would be marvellous.

[LukeSkywatcher]

What a GREAT idea.

[Ags]

I think this could be the next big thing, as big a wave as the internet has been. It turns fabrication into a commodity. All i need to do now is invent something ... :-)

[Reggie]

These sound like hacker spaces, google that, they're very popular in modding circles, until you mentioned it, I'd never heard of 'fablabs'.

At hackerspaces you might get 3d printers, cnc machines, pcb design fabrication, metal work etc.

www.hackaday.com is a good place to look for stuff being done all the time, youtube is fantastic for tutorials on various processes, programming etc. also loads of forums across the net to deal with all kinds of diy manufacturing

[Ags]

Interesting... But I would never want to categorize myself as a hacker so I hope the Fab Lab name takes off. It just sounds much more friendly and neutral to my ears. I underdtand that hackdom has its appeal though.

[Reggie]

It depends what you define as hacker, in the modding community a hacker is someone that modifies something to do more/something other than it was originally intended. It doesn't mean you break iinto corporate networks and steal sensitive information I do understand why some people are uneasy about being called hackers because of the negative stuff associated with the name in the media, being called a modder/fabber is less likely to upset people.

Either way, hacker spaces are all over the place, so they're worth looking up, it'll be the same kind of place as a fab lab, same kind of people For instance, during/after the tsunami in japan, tokyo hackerspace came up with a number of cheap easy to build designs for radiation detection and lighting.

[ismangil]

I was listening to a piece about this on R4, there's one in Manchester, close to where I am.

It does look interesting, using a CNC laser cutter etc for free...

-- Perry Ismangil

[Reggie]

Things may not all necessarily be completely free, you might have to join and pay a small subscription but that money goes towards the hackerspace itself, they're not run for profit so any moneys raised goes towards kit/projects for the space