Design and Prototyping

[Jack Coats]

For historical purposes... this reitterates some background from the
MakerBot list
that seeded this group:

100K Garages started out to be a Shopbot only thing, but now allows
others to come and play.

Basically you register as a 'maker', and put your contact info in it,
and you are mapped onto a physical map so you are 'easy to find'.  I
like the idea of using 'local makers' as much as possible.

Anyway, if you want to make something and have designed it, you can
contact local 'makers' to have them do what you want (cut plywood, or
do more depending on what you negotiate).  You settle on design,
price, time frame, delivery, etc, then 'do it'.

At least initially there was no charge to either maker or builder, but
I don't know about now.

I think the mapping thing is a mashup using Google Maps and some web
hocus-pocus (yes, I am a professional computer geek and I now consider
that a 'technical term' for this purpose :) )

http://www.100kgarages.com/ is their site.  I just looked and it seems
to have changed from my review some time ago.

Now there are 'designers' if you don't want to design your own, and
'fabbers' - folks who do the fabrication.  Apparently now you submit a
'job' for bidding (more detail the better) and appropriate firms or
individuals get back with you.  I looks like they have 3D printers as
one of the options for 'fabber' (and CNC router, laser cutter, and
'other').  Evidently the same search is used for 'Fabbers Only',
'Designers Only' and 'Designer and Fabber' depending on the skill set
posessed.

There is also a search for fabbers and designers that is map based
still so you could just find someone 'close' and deal with them.

But no, I have not had anything built via this.  Just an interested party.

Check out their rules at:  http://www.100kgarages.com/fairPlay.php