Sacramento Open Shop

Currently the biggest thing that I am involved with is the Sacramento Open Shop.

We are a group of inventors that get together and work on projects of various kinds. In this group are people with every skill that you can imagine. So if you can think of something that you want, this group CAN build it! This can become truly amazing. Robots, Upper atmosphere balloons, steampunk faux weapons, RepRap machines, the list of projects is endless.

I see this as much more than just a community workshop. I see this as a possible solution for a lot of the economic problems that we have here in the U.S., and here at home in Sacramento.

We have a LOT of unemployment. A large majority of manufacturing jobs have gone to other countries. Creating products and selling them to the world made America wealthy and strong. If products are produced in other countries, only the wealthy owners of the companies continue to make money. The middle class is free falling into poverty.

If we are to survive this change, local people need to learn to produce products for local customers. Not shoddy products at low prices, quality CUSTOM products! New products!

One new orientation is ‘Open’. Open means that the information needed to build a device is freely available to everyone, and that anyone has the right to build as many as they want, for themselves or to sell. That is what I believe in, that is why it is an Open Shop. We will tap into that information. We will add to that information.

Another orientation is 3D printers. These amazing machines allow you to input a CAD file, and then they either cut out a product from a block of material, or build a product by extruding material. If you have the machine, you can download a file to build the product you want, at only the cost of the raw material and the electricity. We will have these machines. We will teach CAD classes.

Our main problem is that we need a steady location, centrally located. We would like to have some equipment, and 24/7 access. At this time we get together when we can, in empty rooms, which really isn’t enough.

I am trying to get pledges so that we can plan a budget, and actually go out and lease a building. If we get pledges of over $700 a month, we can find a small place, slightly bigger than a garage. At $1000, we start having elbow room. OR, if anyone reading this would like to donate any size space, PLEASE CONTACT ME!! This would be a long term relationship, lol.

Personally, I pledge at least $100 a month, a little more if needed. I also pledge my time and every possible effort. I am in the process of making this a non-profit corporation, which is not easy or cheap.

Memberships are available at different amounts.  As I understand it right now, I can not promise any privileges for members based on their contributions. Pledge whatever amount you can, not what you wish you could. If there is not enough pledged, we can never open the doors. We will make membership cards that display your status (and perhaps they will have RFID to unlock the doors).

Eventually, this will be the most exciting place to BE that you have ever experienced. The goal is to have comfy couches, kitchen, work areas, and social events. We will have WiFi and websites, and classes based on learning how to DO things.

So, figure us into your budget. Doesn’t this seem to be worth at least as much as a dinner and a movie?

Sacramento Open Shop Pledge Form

Name(required)

Email(required)

Street

City

State

Zip

Donation

Monthly Membership Bronze ($25)

Silver ($50)

Gold ($100)

Consider me for board position

OH YEAH! Board Positions!

A board member is someone that can raise funds on a regular basis. That could mean recruiting new (paying) members, donating funds themselves, getting grants, or any other method that you can dream up. At this early stage, you can be a member of the Board of Directors if you are a Gold Member and recruit 2 other Gold Members. In the future it will become much more difficult to join the board. We will have a maximum of 11 people on the board.

You can put this title on your resume and business cards. Trust me, that is VERY impressive to people that run companies.