The Rise of Makerspaces

nat rosasco • February 17, 2016

In recent years, the D.I.Y. (do it yourself) movement has been skyrocketing. Along with this boom, there has been an increase in the number of outlets for business-minded creative makers. These include Etsy , an online marketplace for artisan craftsmen, and Maker Faires , which showcase makers in the science, engineering, art, performance. Therefore, it’s no surprise that more and more people are discovering and joining the maker movement.

In addition to the variety of avenues makers have at their disposal for selling their work, the tools required to create, no matter what the specialty, have generally become more easily accessible, especially thanks to makerspaces or hackerspaces. Makerspaces are shared areas that offer resources for people to work on projects that might be insurmountable otherwise due to lack of space or tools. But the truly exceptional aspect of these spaces is that they allow for a community of makers to develop and share their knowledge with one another. It is the cooperative atmosphere that creates studios that are not only a space to make, but also a space to learn and hone your skills.

Pumping One: Station (PS1), a hackerspace in Chicago, offers this exact environment. This volunteer-run non-profit was founded six years ago. As PS1 explains on their website, they “are a collaborative environment for people to explore the intersections between technology, art and culture.” They have over 400 members, including carpenters, web developers, musicians, cyclists, tailors and seamstresses, beer brewers, and more. PS1’s 6500 square foot space, which will soon expand to 11,000 square feet, is filled with tools that have the ability to support the wide variety of work in which the members partake.

We contacted Ray Doeksen, who’s in charge of public relations for PS1, to find out more about them. He explained that the space is member-driven, with members voting to determine the direction of the space. “Full members can propose votes or vote on proposals.” For instance, Ray noted, “We will be adding a jewelry (specialized jewelry type tools) capability that we didn’t have before, based on a recent vote to fund that.” Classes are also offered on occasion, though PS1 primarily holds authorizations, where volunteers show someone how to be responsible and safe with a tool, rather than classes.

If you’re interested in learning more about PS1 or becoming a member, check out their website , Facebook page, or Instagram photos.

Makerspaces have also been popping up at schools and universities across the country, including M.I.T, Rutgers University, and Santa Clara University. A recent article in the New York Times states, “Taking things apart and putting them together — skills children used to absorb in Dad’s or Mom’s workshop — has an important role to play in learning, according to Karen Cator, the chief executive of Digital Promise, a nonprofit organization created by Congress that focuses on the use of technology to improve education.” Throughout this process, you expand your creativity and develop design-oriented thinking. As you create, you learn how to persevere if unsuccessful and how to try again.

Like the makerspaces present in the community, the makerspacers at schools also foster self-directed learning and collaboration. An article from Educause , a nonprofit that uses information technology to improve higher education, explains, “Where these spaces are open to use by faculty, students, and staff from a cross-section of content areas, they promote multidisciplinary thinking and learning, enriching the projects that are built there and the value of the makerspace as an educational venue.” One day, makerspaces at different schools may be connected, allowing students on different campuses to work on projects together.

With over 2,000 makerspaces around the world, and more and more frequently forming, the maker movement doesn’t look as if it will be slowing down any time soon. To join in the movement and find a makerspace or hackerspace near you, visit here or here. And to buy some of the gorgeous work from our master makers, click here.

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Inventory Sale

By nat rosasco • January 22, 2019

Reclaimed Table's huge selection of one-off, custom table tops are being sold at deep discounts at our Villa Park showroom. Find the durable tables you need for your next project, at prices you won't come across again!

Client Feature: Oak Tables & Benches for Navy Pier's Centennial Vision

By nat rosasco • July 17, 2018

Chicago’s iconic Navy Pier has always been a popular attraction since it opened just over 100 years ago in 1916. It currently welcomes 9 million guests per year. As explained on the Navy Pier website, the Pier was designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost and was originally based on architect’s Daniel Burnham’s “the People’s Pier” in his 1909 Plan of Chicago . It was originally known as “Municipal Pier,” but was renamed in 1927 in honor of the World War 1 Navy personnel who were housed there. As we blogged about a couple of years ago , Navy Pier has been undergoing renovations in honor of its “Centennial Vision” to reimagine and enhance the pier. While updating the pier with new programming and a greener landscape, this vision has also been attracting more local eateries ( like Tiny Tavern ) and shops, creating a space that’s more inviting to local Chicagoans. After providing pieces for the first phase of the remodel last year, we were pleased to continue to be part of this project for the recently completed phase two. Partnering with Gensler, we provided white oak tables and benches near the main entrance and for the brand new, 200,000 square foot Family Pavilion that features over 50 businesses. Fortunately, these pieces were created not only with their visual aesthetic in mind, but also to impressively withstand this sort of high traffic area. We also built the reclaimed red and white oak blade signs flanking all of the restaurants and shops, which creates a unified look within the complex. Much like the Pier, these signs have an interesting, rich history behind them. The red and white oak wood used to make the signs were actually horse fences on a farm in Mercy County, Kentucky that dates back to the late 1800s. Mercer county was one of the first settlements in the state, and the farm itself, Shawnee Springs, was originally over 2,000 acres. In the 1970s the farm was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. We knew the Navy Pier project was the right one for this specific wood-- historic wood for an historic landmark. (See our other applications of reclaimed red and white oak Kentucky horse fence here .) Check out photos of our tables, benches, and signs at the recently updated and unveiled Pier below. And if you’re in the Chicagoland area, you can check them out for yourselves in person, along with a whole host of entertainment on the Pier. Interested in some durable tables and benches for a high-traffic area? Contact us here to get started on your next project.

Aging Booker's Bourbon: Finding the 'Sweet Spot' for Flavor

By nat rosasco • June 18, 2018

When it comes to aging bourbon, Booker’s small batch bourbon has the process literally down to a science. Currently produced by the Jim Beam distillery, it was Jim Beam’s grandson, Booker Noe, who founded this brand in 1992 with bourbon from barrels he personally selected. According to the Booker’s Bourbon website, Booker was actually raised at a Kentucky distillery and brought his family’s six generations of master distillery knowledge to his bourbon batches. How does Booker’s perfectly age their bourbon? As we pretty much all know, bourbon ages in wooden barrels. When the weather becomes hot and humid, like it does during those sticky Kentucky summers, the wood expands and absorbs the bourbon, allowing for a chemical interaction between the bourbon and the wood. In colder weather, the wood contracts and the bourbon escapes the barrel’s walls. This interaction changes the spirit’s taste and color. The longer bourbon is in the barrel, the smoother the taste, (up to a certain point, that is). Barrels are kept in rackhouses where temperatures can easily be regulated. Rackhouses were originally built out of stone with several wooden floors and an exposed dirt basement to control humidity and large temperature swings. The windows were designed to keep the buildings well-ventilated.