Whats your ah-ha moment at Dallas Makerspace

This could involve a tool or finally getting an idea or possibly a fellow maker helped unlock an idea or problem you had in your head. What’s a moment you’ve had that finally something clicked and it was like ray of lights/angels singing/the lightbulb shattered/you were spurred onto a million different concepts all at once…

For me it was:
@mkart carefully explaining the physics of tools in respect to the lathe. It was perfectly logical but as he explained it I was like ohhhhhahhhhhh well dang.

2 Likes

For me it was helping someone else with a project. He wanted a very tightly stretched piece of lycra fabric in order to create a sound for tapping. (A drum guitar, if that sounds familiar.)

Someone else had 3d printed a form for him to use in the in the guitar drum. He was hoping to find a glue to use with it. On impulse, I pulled out a sewing machine and guessed at a sleeve that would wrap around the wedge. Taught him to wet the fabric in order to pull it on very tightly, and how to use glue before he cut the slit in the back to place a sensor so that it wouldn’t fray.

It worked like a charm. He thanked me every time he saw me.

The experience taught me to trust my instincts when it came to what I know, and also that collaborative work can be very rewarding.

My love/hate with the space is no secret. But when the love is good, it’s really good.

3 Likes

I started at Makerspace because I had a need to create a couple of simple trinkets for our wedding, or so I thought. I caught maker fever pretty quickly when I realized the scope of things that can be made using the unique combination of tools we have (I still haven’t even scratched the surface). I made xmas ornaments that were laser cut, laminated coasters that were laser etched (don’t do this, it makes a perfect place for water to get into the wood) I made my wedding ring, a guest book that was laser cut to have a wooden spine, pens on the lathe for the groomsmen, a rubber laser-cut stamp, a cigar tube, a ring box, a cake stand. And probably a few more things. Having a project like that definitely helped me dive in and learn a lot in a short amount of time but it’s the amazing people that take time out of their days (@talkers, @Tapper, @mkart, @nausser915, @jlcourtman, @Azalaket, to name a few) that make it possible and make DMS a very cool place to hang out and learn new things.

10 Likes

Does no paper in the stall count as an “Ah-ha” moment?

7 Likes

More like an “oh nooooooooooooo!” moment.

Or would it be “Ohhhh…shit!”

2 Likes