Workshop empowers members to create

It's a Friday morning in February, and TechShop member Susan Warren is aligning a laser cutter that will transform a star-shaped piece of glass into a presentable award.

Meanwhile, in other parts of the Round Rock facility, TechShop members work on projects ranging from building acoustic dividers for a recording studio to using a textile machine to stitch a quilt.

By being a part of the TechShop community, Warren and the other members have access to more than $1 million in equipment and software that allows them to build almost anything they can imagine, TechShop Facilities Lead Christian Manrodt said.

"We are empowering people ... so they can build whatever they want," he said. "So instead of someone thinking, 'Who am I going to get to do this for me?' they know there's a place where people will be able to train them to use all [these tools] and then be able to make something themselves."

TechShop is essentially a dream shop for anyone looking to create something, Manrodt said. The 18,000-square-foot facility is separated into different sections that include an electronics lab, a machine shop, wood shop, metal-working shop, a textiles department and welding stations.

"There's no way a person could afford ... a shop like this, so TechShop gives you the advantage of having all of [these tools] at your fingertips," Warren said.

Jim Newton and Ridge McGhee started TechShop in California in 2006. The business has since grown to seven locations in five states, with several more planned.

A primary goal of TechShop is a focus on building a community among its members, Manrodt said.

"People are always interested in what other people here are doing and if they want to collaborate," he said. "Without all these awesome people here, this is just a place with a bunch of tools in it."

Classes and team-building workshops

• From welding to chair-making, TechShop offers several classes to the public.
• TechShop Facilities Lead Christian Manrodt said the classes, which range from basic to advanced levels, are another way the store empowers people to create what they want.
• The most popular TechShop classes are the Beginner and Safety courses—which are required for those who seek to become TechShop members and use equipment.
• TechShop also hosts team-building workshops for companies. TechShop Accounts Manager Sam Spetalnick said the workshops have proved popular.
• "It gives people something that's hands on that's out of their element that forces them to collaborate and be creative," he said.

Membership cost

• $175 for a one-month membership
• $125 per month for a three-month membership
• $1,395 for an annual membership

120 Sundance Parkway, Ste. 350, Round Rock, 512-900-4664, www.techshop.ws, Twitter: @techshop, Hours: Sun.–Sat. 9 a.m.–midnight