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Helping MakeIt Labs, NH's First Makerspace, Grow

MakeIt Labs has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to expand into a new building, but we need your help!

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Helping MakeIt Labs, NH's First Makerspace, Grow

Helping MakeIt Labs, NH's First Makerspace, Grow

Helping MakeIt Labs, NH's First Makerspace, Grow

Helping MakeIt Labs, NH's First Makerspace, Grow

Helping MakeIt Labs, NH's First Makerspace, Grow

MakeIt Labs has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to expand into a new building, but we need your help!

MakeIt Labs has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to expand into a new building, but we need your help!

MakeIt Labs has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to expand into a new building, but we need your help!

MakeIt Labs has a once-in-a-lifetime chance to expand into a new building, but we need your help!

Bill Schongar
Bill Schongar
Bill Schongar
Bill Schongar
1 Campaign |
Nashua, United States
$13,830 USD 123 backers
46% of $30,000 Flexible Goal Flexible Goal

Dream It.  Learn It.  Make It.

We are MakeIt Labs, New Hampshire's first and largest Makerspace,  located in Nashua, NH.  We opened our doors in 2010, with the mission of becoming a place where anyone can come to dream, learn, and create, with other like-minded people. 

We are avid supporters of the STEAM fields: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.  Members have access to our workshops and equipment for laser cutting, 3D printing, CAD, electronics, computer programming, metalworking, welding, machining, automotive repair, woodworking, ceramics, and much more.  We also host classes and seminars for members and the public alike, to share our knowledge and skills with anyone who wants to learn.  

We're going to MakeIt better...

MakeIt Labs has grown from its humble beginnings in a small garage, into a 6000 sq. ft facility with almost 100 active members - all without outside sponsorship.  As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we greatly benefit from the generosity of individuals and companies donating their time, equipment and materials to us.  We rely on our membership dues for operating funds and improvements, but we're outgrowing our current space, and we have reached a critical point in our evolution.

Through a partnership with the City of Nashua, we have the opportunity to expand and improve our offerings.  They have offered us a lease on a building that is over 3 times the size, for less than we pay for our current space!  This will allow us to host larger groups, more effectively teach classes, and further expand our equipment and tool offerings.  This is an amazing deal, the likes of which we may never see again.

But it will cost a lot to repair and renovate this building into our new home - over $30,000 - on top of the hundreds of hours of labor that our members have pledged in volunteer work.

That's where you come in.  With your help, we will turn this vacant building into our new home - a place which will enable us to make an even bigger difference in the community.  In the process, we will breathe new life into a building that dates back to the late 1800s, and is a part of Nashua's rich manufacturing past.  Help us carry that spirit of innovation forward into the future.

Where it All Goes
$30,000 is a lot of money. Honestly, it's far more than we thought we'd need when we began discussing the site with the City of Nashua.  As you can see from our video and gallery, some parts of the space are in great shape and are almost move-in ready, but looks can be deceiving.

Since becoming vacant, the site has been vandalized - windows broken, heaters destroyed, plumbing and electrical fixtures ripped out, every scrap of copper pipe stolen.  Working with the City, we have since taken steps to secure the building from further vandalism, but that doesn't undo the damage that has been done.  

On top of these necessary repairs, any move into a new space costs money.  We have to improve lighting, install our automotive lift, bring in better electrical service, and perform other renovations to adapt the space to our needs.  It all adds up!  Just take a look at some of our working estimates:

Roof Repairs $5,000.00
Plumbing Repairs $10,000.00
Electrical Repairs $5,000.00
Workshop Electrical  $4,000.00
HVAC Service & Repairs $1,500.00
Paint $400.00

.. and the list goes on.


But what if...
Let us be completely honest with you - there are several things that could go wrong between the time we start this campaign and the time it closes that would make it impossible to get the building:
  1. The tentative rental agreements ironed out with the City of Nashua may not pass final approval.  Update: As of March 24, 2015 the Board of Aldermen has approved the agreement to rent the building to MakeIt Labs!
  2. New, previously undiscovered or underestimated damage to the building may make it way more expensive than we can possibly afford even with fund raising. Or the damage and effort may suddenly expand beyond the capabilities of our volunteer labor pool.
  3. Permitting or approvals required may hit an unexpected snag.
In any of those cases, our core goals remain the same - we want to continue to provide value to our community and share our love of Making.  So if we can't move to this amazing building right down the street, we'll use every penny raised to improve our existing space and its capabilities to provide the classes and community engagement opportunities we want to achieve.
But we want to succeed. 

The Perks of Giving

As a Makerspace, we have a wide range of talents and tools to draw on, and we'd love to share some of the things we do with you as a way of saying "thank you" for helping us reach for our goals.  In that regard, we're offering a wide variety of perks and plan to add more!

Other Ways You Can Help

We understand if you can't contribute, but there are plenty of other ways to help!

  • Get the word out and make some noise about our cause by sharing our campaign with your friends, family, coworkers, tech blogs, clubs - everyone!
  • Volunteer your time or expertise to help us with this amazing opportunity!
  • Stop by any Open House (Thursdays, 6PM-9PM) and see what we're about!

Thank you for your support!

Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
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Choose your Perk

featured

Digital High-Five

$5 USD
Thank you. Gracias! Merci! Danke! Grazi! Thank you for helping MakeIt better! We’ll send you an email shout out and a random picture taken just for you of the current space, the potential space, a project made in our space, or something else with you in mind.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
1 claimed

A Token of our appreciation

$15 USD
We’ll mail you an acrylic token, laser cut here in our shop, to show our thanks. We'll also include your name on our website's thank you page, and you'll also receive the benefits of the "Thank You" perk. Add $5 for international shipping.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
3 claimed

Secret Mystery Surprise Item

$20 USD
We'll send you a something. It'll be a something we made. A something you'll cherish forever.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
17 claimed

Marshmallows. Lasers. Awesome.

$30 USD
Marshmallows plus Lasers = Awesome. We’ll send you an unassembled, laser cut Marshmallow Crossbow kit, our own original design. All you’ll need is a little bit of glue and time to let it dry, and your co-workers are doomed. We’ll also give you early access to the Instructable and Thingiverse sources that go along with it. You'll also get all the benefits of the "Token of our appreciation" perk. Add $5 for international shipping.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
8 claimed

Domo Arigato, have a roboto

$40 USD
We’ll mail you a laser cut wood robot holding a dry-erase compatible sign, our own design. Attach him to his base and put him on your desk with your own message of the day like “I am your new overlord” or “The EOF is coming!”. We’ll also give you early access to the Instructable and Thingiverse sources for this little guy. You'll also get all the benefits of the "Token of our appreciation" perk. Add $5 for international shipping.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
5 claimed

Personal Arsenal

$50 USD
A fully assembled Marshmallow Crossbow with your first name (or up to a 12 character word) engraved on it. No gluing, no waiting… just shooting. Also includes an additional unassembled Marshmallow Crossbow kit. You'll also get all the benefits of the "Token of our appreciation" perk. Add $10 for international shipping.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
12 out of 50 of claimed

Let us give you a lift

$80 USD
If you can drive to Nashua, your car-sized vehicle can take a ride on our Auto lift and one of our auto-savvy members will guide you through a routine 30-minute or less auto maintenance task such as changing your oil , changing a headlight, rotating your tires or just getting to know your vehicle from a whole new angle... literally. Please note that *you* will be performing the task under guidance with your materials and our tools. Includes everything from "Token of Appreciation" perk.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
2 out of 10 of claimed

You+Laser = More Awesome.

$100 USD
We’ll help you bring your existing design to laser-cut and/or engraved life, then send it to you! Includes a 12”x12” sheet of either 1/4” birch plywood or clear acrylic, up to 30 minutes of laser time on that material, and help (via email) getting your existing file ready for its laser debut. IMPORTANT NOTE: Before selecting this perk please contact us with as much detail as you have about the design you want to cut; we want to avoid disappointment!
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
1 out of 25 of claimed

3D Printed Object

$100 USD
Pick an object from Thingiverse, or submit a design of your own for us to print on our Replicator 2 3D printer. Object may consist of multiple parts, but must fit on build platform, be less than 10 cubic inches in volume, and will be in a single color of PLA plastic only, color limited to filament on hand. IMPORTANT NOTE: Before selecting this perk please contact us with as much detail as you have about the design you want to 3D print; we want to avoid disappointment!
Estimated Shipping
June 2015
1 out of 10 of claimed

Class/Workshop voucher

$120 USD
We offer a variety of classes and workshops to the community. This voucher is good for any of the following classes: -Sparks to Parts: Plasma CNC Training -Melty Melty MIG Welding -Intro to TIG Welding -Raspberry pi: How to do stuff -From CAD to Creation: Dream it. Learn it. Make it. -How to Train your Drone. Drone not included.
Estimated Shipping
June 2015
16 out of 30 of claimed

Do not stare into laser...

$150 USD
... with remaining eye. If you can drive to Nashua, NH we’ll spend an hour with you bringing your sketch or existing designs to life on our laser, using thin plywood, acrylic, leather, cloth or other materials you supply that are compatible with our laser’s capabilities. Note: Please be sure to contact us BEFORE selecting this reward so we can make sure what you want to do will work, and advise you on materials selection. Also includes "Token of our Appreciation" benefits.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
0 claimed

Edison’s Apprentices

$500 USD
Do you have something you want to make, think could be made, but don’t know how to approach it or have the specific skills to do it? Not to worry. This reward include up to two hours of “magical helpers” time to review an idea and give you input on how to make it work, help you prototype something on our machines (remotely or in person), and do whatever we can to move your idea forward. Designs must adhere to laws of physics
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
0 claimed

Donor Wall - Standard Plaque

$500 USD
Custom laser engraved 4"x8" plaque with your name, logo, or dedication, hung prominently on our donor wall immediately inside the main doorway.
Estimated Shipping
May 2015
5 out of 20 of claimed

Field Trip!

$1,000 USD
We'll host a three-hour project or science based event for up to 10 people at our facility. Birthday party, boy/girl scouts, school event, corporate outing; you name it, we'll MakeIt happen! Propose your own project, or ask us for suggestions on cool things to make. All participants will leave with something they built themselves using our array of equipment.
0 claimed

Donor Wall - Custom Design

$1,000 USD
Custom 8"x10" design using your artwork (photo, logo, etc.), hung prominently on our donor wall immediately inside the main doorway.
Estimated Shipping
June 2015
2 out of 15 of claimed

We Come to You!

$1,500 USD
We'll travel to your location (within 30 miles of Nashua) and run a workshop for your group of 10 or less. We can teach you about electronics and soldering, how to program arduino or raspberry pi boards, multi-rotor aircraft (drones), 3D printing, or anything else we can safely travel with to your location. Please contact us first to ensure your event will be feasible, we do not want to disappoint!
0 claimed

Donor Superstar!

$5,000 USD
You just got yourself a prominent spot on our wall of awesome! Place a dedication, company logo, or pretty much whatever you want on a significant portion of the wall immediately visible through our front door. Please contact us in advance for sizing and placement availability.
Estimated Shipping
July 2015
0 out of 5 of claimed
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