This place served as a very strong reminder that not all hackerspaces are the same. Housed in a masonic temple, 7hills makerspace is quite different. They are fairly new, having just built out the location in January. I didn’t have a visit planned, and just happened to get lucky enough to catch [John Grout] there doing some screen printing. He agreed to give us a tour on the spot, and I think he did a fantastic job.

The space had most things you could think of aside from the messier and larger manufacturing tools. They had 3d printing, a music editing station, video editing station, electronics stations, a lounge, electronics lab, screen printing and vinyl cutting equipment, and more stuff that I can’t even remember. While they may not have a full sized lathe or welding/grinding equipment, there was a table saw and a few other pieces of equipment tucked away outside the main hall. You also get a glimpse of the robotics arena that is currently being housed there from the local school robotics program.

[John] showed us something that was a new idea to me, but a very good one. They had a project that they called the “hello world of making”. It is a flashlight that involves making a custom circuit board, soldering, 3d printing a case, and laser cutting and engraving the sides of the case. This gives you an introduction to many of the processes in the space.

[John] had a project there that he was willing to show us. This is a sanitation system that would ensure people sanitized their hands before entering or leaving a room in a hospital. This is a subject we’ve actually seen before as it is a common concern.