February 29, 2024

March 2024 Newsletter

The DIY Spirit - Keep it Alive! I’ve been in New Zealand this month and thought I would share a relatable observation. The DIY spirit in New Zealand is deeply ingrained within the cultural fabric of the nation. Known for its resourcefulness and can-do attitude, Kiwis take pride in tackling tasks independently, whether it’s home renovations, crafting, or problem-solving. This spirit is nurtured by a combination of factors, including the country’s remote location, where access to specialized services may be limited, as well as a cultural ethos valuing self-sufficiency and creativity. From building backyard sheds to brewing craft beer, New Zealanders embrace the DIY ethos as a means of personal expression, community engagement, and sustainable living.
February 2, 2024

February 2024 Newsletter

Who runs MakerBarn? As we begin 2024 we have lots of things going on at the Barn, but I thought I’d take a quick time out this month and answer a common question - who is the Executive Committee of The MakerBarn? The executive committee of any organization plays a crucial role in the governance and decision-making processes. It is typically composed of key executives, senior leaders, or board members, and its primary function is to provide leadership, strategic direction, and oversight to ensure the effective operation of the organization. The Board of Directors set up the structure and responsibilities of the MakerBarn by using our by-laws and 501c3 formation as a guideline.
January 16, 2024

January 2024 Newsletter

Happy Maker New Year! Here we are in 2024. Happy New Year to you all. What a year 2023 was at MakerBarn! Let’s just try to list all the new equipment we acquired this past year; - Jewelry Punch machine - CNC Milling machine - Green Laser for Rotary Work - Horizontal Bandsaw - CNC Plasma Table - Replaced the wide belt sander with new model - Bambu Labs PIP printers (4) - A Kiln, pottery wheels and all things ceramics!
January 16, 2024

December 2023 Newsletter

Happy Holidays! December is a busy month at the MakerBarn. Members tend to ramp up making Christmas gifts, which is always inspiring to see as you scroll through this and every newsletter. Here are a few things to know this month:
January 16, 2024

November 2023 Newsletter

Gratitude in Action: Thankful for Our MakerBarn Members It’s November and the holidays are fast approaching. I’ve been thinking about gratefulness. In the realm of non-profit organizations, the heart and soul lies within its dedicated members. These individuals commit their time, energy, and passion to make a meaningful difference in large and small ways.
January 16, 2024

October 2023 Newsletter

A Change of Leadership We started The MakerBarn in 2016. For most of those seven years, George Carlson has been at the helm as our President. He has set the tone as a family friendly, community inspired, and reasonably priced place to learn about and use equipment that, for most of us, may be out of reach due to cost and space constraints. We are very fortunate to have this smart, sustainable makerspace model to call our own.
January 16, 2024

September 2023 Newsletter

Of Classes and Machines… Everyone expects August in Texas to be hot, but over 100 degrees every day? Thank goodness for air conditioning. A good place to escape the heat is to work on projects at The MakerBarn. This month John Buckley will be teaching a course on Fusion 360. Fusion 360 is a 3D computer aided design (CAD) program that allows the user to design complex 3D structures. John’s course is currently full, hopefully he can teach it again when this session is complete.
January 16, 2024

August 2023 Newsletter

Cool Air and Hot Plasma! I don’t know about you, but I am sure glad we installed the two mini-split air conditioners in the shop. July was a scorcher. The new A/C units kept the shop habitable the entire month. The other big change was the three new 3D printers in the lab. All three have been working well and getting plenty of use. They are so easy to use compared to what we had before.
January 16, 2024

July 2023 Newsletter

Entering Our Eighth Year! The 7th anniversary celebration we had last month was a huge success. Apparently, it was in the Impact newspaper as a thing to go to on the weekend. There must have been close to 100 people in the Lab and Shop at one time. No grumbling was heard, everyone had a good time. As a result, our new member waiting list jumped up to about 30 people. We must be doing something right.