Category: Construction Updates

With the construction workers moving out, the tools and furnishings are moving in! We started with the woodshop since we’re using a number of woodworking tools to build furnishings for the facility, but have started outfitting the metal shop, textile studio and electronics area as well.

Many of the tools that we’re moving in have been donated by our community members and local businesses! Thank you to everyone who has helped us out thus far! Do you have any tools that you can donate to the CMS? Do you know others who might? Please let us know at info@twinstatemakerspaces.org. These contributions help us out big-time, and are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

On the furnishings side of things, the CMS kitchenette received brand new cabinets built and donated by Crown Point Cabinetry! These beauties will be getting a countertop and sink soon, and will offer CMS members a place to make food, hydrate, caffeinate, and fabricate perfect sandwichs.

On the other side of the building, the personal studio spaces were built. Thank you Lumber Barn and LaValley Building Supply for donating lumber for the studios!

These 10’x10′ (100 sq/ft) and 6’x10′ (60 sq/ft) spaces may be licensed by CMS members as personal workspace. While every department at the CMS has shared work areas, these personal studios give dedicated members additional space to develop their projects, start their businesses, and much more.

The studio space layout. Which spot do you want?

If you’d like to learn more about a personal studio space, and be notified as soon as they’re available for reservation, please fill out this short form: Personal Studio Space Notification Form

Want to check out the studios in person, see what 100 sq/ft looks like, and claim your spot? Schedule a visit by emailing us at info@twinstatemakerspaces.org.

Afternoon light in the personal studio spaces = magic. 

The renovation of the Claremont MakerSpace is right around 80% complete, with most of the big items (ie. floor, heating, walls, lighting) checked off the list! We’re floored about the progress, and the Sawtooth building is looking better than ever.

 

The computer lab went through a major transformation. As soon as the drywall was finished, the windows were trimmed. And the next week…

 

…Painting! We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Sherwin-Williams for donating the paint for our community painting day! On this day, we had over twenty, awesome volunteers join us to paint every inch of drywall at the CMS. In addition to the computer lab, the painted areas included the cafe, kitchenette, some storage closets and the restrooms. It was a super fun day, and the newly finished walls look excellent.

 

Speaking of restrooms: We now have them and they’re fully functional! Toilets and sinks were installed, as well as mirrors so that you can check out your awesome-maker-self.

 

Furthermore, these restrooms, as well as nearly every other room at the CMS, were outfitted with doors. Certain doors at the MakerSpace, such as those connecting to the woodshop and metal shop, will be opened via RFID (radio-frequency identification) cards – which will correspond with the members/cardholders certifications. This is a safety measure that will help ensure that folks are only entering parts of the facility that they’ve been approved to utilize.

 

Last week, we set up a few mock ups of the CMS personal studio spaces. These spaces (which start at 10’x10′) may be licensed by CMS members who want additional, personal workspace. If you’re interested in a personal studio space where you can leave your gear, start your business, or work on your projects full-time, then shoot us an email at info@twinstatemakerspaces.org. We have a limited number of studios, and they’ll soon be open for reservation on a first come, first served basis!

Last but not least: Want to learn how to use our new Lulzbot 3D printers? Sign-up for Intro to 3D Printing, taking place this Saturday, January 27th. We’ve only got a few spots left. RSVP: HERE

Have a great week!

It’s cold outside. Like… really, really cold. The Sawtooth building on the other hand? Roasty-toasty! The Claremont MakerSpace’s radiant heating is fully online and it’s awesome. If you’re tired of working in a cold garage for half the year, or tired of a shop fan blowing dust in your face, then you’ll love using the CMS.

Thermal imaging cameras are rad and really handy.

And that’s just a fraction of the progress that’s been made over the last few weeks…

Drywall: Over the course of 4 days, all of the MakerSpace’s drywall was hung, mudded, taped, and sanded. The areas of the building that have drywall are: the classroom, kitchenette, bathrooms, cafe, a few closets and the vestibule between the reception area and the rest of the facility. It all looks great, and is ready for painting. Want to help out with this step? Let us know by shooting us an email at info@twinstatemakerspaces.org.

Stairs: The MakerSpace’s stairs (going from the reception area to the mezzanine) are taking their final shape, with risers and treads added just last week. Until these stairs are ready for a protective finish, they’ll be covered with lauan – seen the pictures above.

Metal Shop Wall: We decided to extend the metal shop wall all the way to the ceiling, in order to mitigate the amount of noise transmitted from the more industrial, louder areas of the facility to the quieter parts of the building. This big, new wall is just asking for some cool artwork. Let us know if you have any ideas!

Workbenches: You may have heard about our recent “Workbench Building Day.” Thanks to a donation of materials from The Home Depot, nourishment donated by Ramunto’s Pizza and The Java Cup, and a gang of awesome volunteers, we pumped out ten sweet work surfaces that will be used all over the MakerSpace. Our next community building day will be this coming Sunday, January 7th, to do the painting mentioned above. We’ll be posting details about this event very soon, and would love to see you there.

We’re pumped to be starting 2018 with so much activity – and with the MakerSpace’s opening in sight! We can’t wait to see all the projects, classes, and connections that the new year brings, and we hope yours is off to a great start!

Quite a bit has happened since the last Construction Progress post, and all of the new work is looking stellar. It’s wild to think that just a couple months ago, the floors were dirt… and we had a few resident trees…

 

Over the past two weeks, the electricians have been hanging lights throughout the entire building. Makers need to see exactly what they’re making, and the CMS will be nice and bright. No more hunching over your basement workbench with a dull clamp-light.

 

The main wall between the reception area and woodshop was wired, insulated, and then shiplapped right up to the ceiling. The United Construction team created a very cool aesthetic by mimicking the angle of the stairway on the upper section of shiplap. Oh, and we’re now having doors and interior windows installed! (ah, the simple things in life)

 

Inside the aforementioned wall is a whole bunch of Cat6 Ethernet cable, and some fiber optic cables too, providing data transmission between the electrical closet and computer lab. Not only will the MakerSpace have stellar wifi, but there will be no shortage of access points to plug directly into the CMS’s network – this goes for all personal studio spaces as well as most shared workspaces.

 

Last but not least, our heating system is nearly online. The boilers and have been installed, and a slew of piping has been run from the mechanical room to the radiant heating manifolds and hot water access points in the kitchenette and restrooms.

On a separate note, you may have heard (on the CMS Facebook page, HERE) about some of the awesome equipment that we’ve been acquiring – most recently, a SawStop table saw, a woodworking lathe, Lulzbot 3D printers and a bunch of sewing machines! These tools were donated by local businesses and community members, and we’re absolutely grateful for the support. If you would like to help make the Claremont MakerSpace a success by donating equipment, please contact us at info@twinstatemakerspaces.org. We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so your contribution will be tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law.

Want to use this sweet gear? Sign up for Membership: https://claremontmakerspace.org/membership-pre-order/

Have an excellent week!

 

 

 

 

The construction continues in every direction – walls going up, new lights hanging down, mechanical and electrical lines across the building, and much more. A lot has been built out since the Open House just a few weeks ago, and it’s looking great.

 

This picture was taken from inside the CMS’s future woodshop – looking at the main wall between the woodshop and reception area. This is one of the few floor to ceiling walls being built in the MakerSpace (and definitely the biggest). We wanted a full wall here to help separate dust sources and loud noises from the rest of the building.

The square cut out on the left wall is a large window, accessible from the mezzanine walkway – it’s a very cool view. And just to the upper left of that you’ll see some copper piping. This piping will be bringing hot water to the MakerSpace’s radiant heating system (which sounds so nice on these frigid days). In other pipe-related news: Interior propane lines were installed!

 

Left: drilling through the bricks to install a propane line. Right: A chain pipe vise, used for holding and cutting the propane pipes.

The wall between the reception and the woodshop definitely wasn’t the only one to go up over the past two weeks. The computer lab, metal shop, mezzanine and mechanical room all had their walls built out – which included some very cool corrugated steel accents!

 

Left: Shiplap and corrugated steel installed in the CMS reception area. Right: the walls and steel railing of the computer lab.

And last but not least, the electricians – Collins Electric – have been very, very busy; running conduit, installing outlet boxes, and getting the MakerSpace’s first set of lights turned on!

 

Upper Right: Installing electrical conduit in the restrooms. Upper Left: Tool of the trade – a conduit bender.

Bottom: Lights on! (these ones are actually right over the MakerSpace’s jewelry studio.

 

Over the next couple days and weeks the lights will continue to go up and on, the main walls will be completed, and we’ll have the heating system running. We’ll also be doing some building projects with our community members (like you) – building work surfaces, shelving, studio partitions and more. Do you have basic woodworking skills or do you want to learn some basic woodworking skills, put them to good use, and get an introduction to the MakerSpace’s new ShopBot CNC machine? Please consider helping us out with these building projects! If you’d like to take part, let us know via email at: info@twinstatemakerspaces.org

And remember, with the walls nearly finished and the lighting underway, the Pre-Opening Membership discount will soon be reduced… very soon. Want the best deal on your MakerSpace Membership? Sign up today, here: http://bit.ly/CMSMembership

Have a great week! Stay warm!

The Sawtooth’s interior is changing every day – it’s awesome. As each wall is framed, you get a much better sense of the layout and flow of the space (and are constantly reminded how great our big old building is). Over the past week and a half we’ve seen:

1. Tons of framing, including the metal shop, the electrical room, the wall between the woodshop and the reception, the restrooms, and some storage areas.

 

2. The mezzanine walkway completed.

 

3. Steel studs used for the upper section of the wall between the woodshop and the reception area.

 

4. Electrical wire strung to the sub panels throughout the the building.

 

5. Our first lights!

 

And more…

You can see it all at our upcoming Open House, this Saturday, 10/21, from 11am to 1pm! Stop on by for a tour anytime during that period, and a chance to see this incredible renovation underway. Info and RSVP, HERE.

And just a reminder: Once all of the interior walls are up (which will be quite soon), the Pre-Opening Membership discount will be reduced again, from 15% to 10%. If you’re excited to see the MakerSpace taking shape, want to take full advantage of all the CMS will offer, and wish to save as much as possible on your membership, then right now would be a primo time to sign up. Learn more and become a Member, HERE.

If you have any questions about the MakerSpace, this Saturday’s Open House, or Membership, please reach out to us via the Contact page.

Have a great week, and see you this weekend!

 

We are so happy to announce (again, it actually happened last week) that the Claremont MakerSpace has a new floor! It took fourteen truckloads of concrete and a long day of hard work – CretePavers rocked it – but it looks great.

Once poured, the CretePavers team smoothed everything out with power trowels and then cut control joints to mitigate cracking. It won’t be long until we have the radiant heat pumping through this fresh slab!

 

It’s amazing how fast concrete cures. Just twenty four hours after the pour, United Construction was back on site to frame out the CMS’s computer lab. This lab is going to be AWESOME. Not only is it a nice, big space (nearly 30’x30′) for classes in programming, 3D modeling, graphic design and more, but it will also have a mezzanine on top – providing a terrific, multi-use space for classes, meetings, and hanging out.

A few days later…

There’s something very cool about being on the second floor, just a dozen feet below the Sawtooth’s huge skylights.

Wth the bulk of the computer lab was framed, the teams moving on to the restrooms and wall that will separate the reception area from the woodshop. We can’t wait to share this space with all of you!

On the day that the floor was poured, the Pre-Opening Membership was reduced from 20% to 15%. Once all of the interior walls up, the discount will be reduced again – so we highly recommend that you sign up now and get the biggest discount possible! You can do so, HERE. If you have any questions about membership, don’t hesitate to shoot us an email at info@twinstatemakerspaces.org.

Have an awesome week!

Last week, the Sawtooth building was strung with over 12,000 feet of radiant heating tubing. This tubing was popped in and tacked down to the insulation (the legos) that was installed the week before, and covers the entire footprint of the building. It won’t be long until hot water is coursing through these plastic veins, heating up the floor, and keeping us makers warm all winter! Tired of trying to work on your projects in a frozen garage? We’ve got your covered – come work on them at the MakerSpace.

 

The tubing was then attached to four wall mounted manifolds.These manifolds are the hubs for both the supply and return lines for the hot water.

 

 

While the radiant tubing was being installed, the garage bay area was framed and insulated. Soon we’ll have a new, 9’x9′ door. This entrance connects directly to the metal shop – providing an excellent access point to bring in large equipment, materials, projects, etc.

 

The walls in the main entrance were framed as well.

 

At the end of the week, a stack of steel wire mesh sheets was delivered to the building. These sheets will end up in the middle of our very-soon-to-be-poured concrete slab, providing additional reinforcement to reduce cracking in the floor.

And when we say “very-soon-to-be-poured,” we mean this week! We’re floored (pun totally intended) to have this milestone just days away. It won’t be long until we’re building the furnishings, moving in equipment and opening up for making.

When the floor is poured, the Pre-Opening Membership discount will be reduced by 5%. So, sign up ASAP to make sure that you get your CMS membership at 20% off!

Learn more about Membership, and sign up, HERE.

And please do us a favor and remind your maker friends to do the same (share this post on Facebook). No one wants to miss out on a bargain.

Have an excellent week!

 

Last week marked one of the final “brownfield remediation” steps of the Sawtooth renovation! That is, the last of the subsurface venting system was installed and the entire vapor barrier was rolled out and sealed! The seams were taped and certain areas were sealed with mastic sealant. It was pretty amazing to see the whole floor turn bright yellow for a couple days.

 

The last of the sub surface electrical conduit was laid out before getting covered, the next day, with the vapor barrier.

 

The yellow stuff is the vapor barrier. The white foam is the radiant heating insulation.

 

As each section of the vapor barrier was installed, the construction team got right to laying down the radiant heating insulation – or as we like to call them, the lego blocks (let’s be real, they look like huge legos). Each piece of the foam insulation interlocks with the adjacent pieces. This allows the radiant tubing to be popped right in, as it’s anchored between a series a nubs.

Insulation = installed.

The next step will be the radiant tubing – which is happening this week! The new floor is right around the corner! On the right you can see that they’ve started framing out the garage bay door. Yet another wonderful attribute of the Sawtooth – a big bay door for bringing in equipment and materials.

 

On a separate note: Did you see our “What Will You Make?” video? A few weeks ago, we asked a bunch of community members what they’ll make when they have the MakerSpace’s tools, classes and workspaces at their fingertips. The footage paints a good picture of what you’ll find happening at the CMS!

Check it out on Vimeo, here: https://vimeo.com/231704204 (please share it with others!)

And take a 3D tour while you’re there: https://vimeo.com/231973044

 

Have an excellent week!

 

Twas a busy week at the Sawtooth! The subsurface venting system is 90% complete. As the installation team finished each section, the electricians came in and ran conduit for power outlets. FYI, we’ve got outlets all over the place – on the walls and on the floors. Finding power in the CMS shouldn’t be a problem.

 

 

The subsurface ventilation system makes a grid across the entire footprint of the building.

 

Speaking of power… WE NOW HAVE ELECTRICITY! For real.

 

On Wednesday, we had VT Concrete Cutting come in and cut the doorway to the mezzanine above the computer lab. It was a cool process to watch – and included a pretty terrifying chainsaw.

 

And finally, on Friday, the vapor barrier came out. This yellow sheeting – yet another protective measure against any traces of bad stuff in the soil – is the final step before the radiant heating. This is super exciting because it means we’re really close to pouring the slab and finishing the floor! It’s taken a lot of work to get this far, and it will be great to move on to the next stage of the buildout and start bringing in equipment! On that note, please contact us if you, or someone you know, have tools that could be donated to the Claremont MakerSpace! They will go to great use and are very much appreciated. Here’s a list of the type of stuff we’re looking for: https://claremontmakerspace.org/tools-equipment/

 

With the radiant heating installation and slab coming up on the calendar, we’re getting closer to the Pre-Opening Membership discount being reduced from 20% to 15%. So… if you’re excited to use the space, sign up soon – HERE!

By doing so, you’ll also get discounts on our current workshops and events. Check them out, HERE.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!