Damn, this is good timing. I’d be interested in studio space but I need to know what would be the restrictions/regulations for using the space.
Currently I’m working full-time at an early stage social enterprise but we don’t actually have any office/work space. Our product is a physical device so we need manufacturing/workshop space more than an office. That’s hard to come by for a super small start-up that doesn’t have the capability to get all this equipment we need or cover the rent for housing it all. At the moment, I’m working from home, but am severely limited in space and equipment. We’ve been looking at Makerlabs for a while since it meets our needs, however they are moving within the next month or two and may not be in operation when we start low quantity manufacturing.
If VHS does this, I’d like to know if the mandates/regulations would permit this kind of use in the studio space and how accessible it would be. If so, then we’ll want studio space + additional lockerspace for inventory, assuming I can use it like an office with regular access.
Some of the advantages Makerlabs offers over VHS that interests us is the wide variety of large equipment: Laser cutters, 3D printers, full wood working shop, machine shop (supposedly after they move), photo booth, large communal working areas and meeting space. Those last two and the machining shop would be in question after they move though. Most of this is beyond our needs and really only interests us if our needs grow.
However, their big disadvantage is they have almost no equipment or space for electronics which is half of what we want to do. If we get space there, we’d probably need to buy, or at least contribute to a significant amount of equipment for prototyping and assembling electronics. This is where VHS might suit our actual needs better since we don’t really require the large equipment anyways, we would be fine with the current equipment VHS has. I have my own 3D printer, and the laser cutter (if we even need it) is the same in both spaces. I expect to do a fair amount of electrical prototyping which VHS is great for, but eventually when we have a finished design, we’ll be doing solder reflow.
I know right now VHS is getting a solder dispenser but doesn’t have it’s own reflow oven yet. One point I can offer is that if we need any equipment VHS doesn’t already have, then we would be willing to purchase (or pay a significant portion of) it to have it in the space where it could be used communally. Regardless of where we end up getting space I was planning on building a reflow oven anyways and I don’t expect to be using it 24/7.
If this kind of usage of the space can work with VHS then we should discuss whether a collaboration is possible in more detail. Fire me a PM if you guys want to setup a meeting, at the very least we’d be happy to talk about our social venture and what we hope to achieve.