Lastonk

Okay, I want a non profit center where people can come and make anything imaginable. I want this space to be easy to operate, easy to replicate, and so user friendly that kids in middle school can safely go there (with guidance) without worrying about missing fingers.

I want things like 3d printers, multi axis routers, vacuum formers, sewing machines, basic woodworking tools, laser cutters, electronics kits, pneumatic kits, hydraulic kits, and a lot of more advanced stuff that requires increasing levels of skills and training to use.

Basically I want to see a friendly maker space that can be integrated into a strip mall store front, that is encouraged to be copied by other entrepreneurs to make this into a mainstream movement.

phone companies have things called CLECS (competitive local exchange carrier) that let start ups basically use the telephone lines to deliver alternative services. even charging cheaper rates than the phone companies do.

from what I understand, this is because the phone companies were given a monopoly for putting in the lines, but then did not deliver cheaper rates and better services they promised.

Can we not demand that congress create something like a CLEC for broadband, where the local FTTN (Fiber To The Node) can be used by any one granted a licence, because of the monopoly they received to put it there in the first place, and then that competitor can connect their own backbone connections from the central office that node goes to?

Wouldn't this mean that a thousand competitors could spring up overnight to take comcast fiber lines already in existence and their customers and create a far better experience?

I'd leave them right now, if I could find anyone else with broadband. And I once worked for them. edit:(damn, too late)

How much space and how much would it cost to make a middle school age friendly maker space in a Seattle suburb?

what I COULD do along those lines is have a place with multiple 3d printers, laser cutters and multi axys routers, with staff touching the tools, while kids (or anyone really) could come in with a finished CAD file and maybe the material.

staff cleans and preps, kids go home with finished products.

AND have safety classes, age limits and good insurance before they touch the soldering irons, band saws and lathes.