Makelab Charleston (Charleston, SC, USA)

Makelab Charleston is a hackerspace for hobbyist and professionals who share common interests in technology, computers, science, or digital/electronics art. It provides an environment for people to create anything they can imagine: from electronics, 3D printing, and construction, to networking, and programming.

Location	3955 Christopher St, North Charleston, SC 29405
Members	24

Treasurer David Vandermolen will tell us something more about Makelab Charleston.

Tell us about your meeting space!

We started in a 500 sq. ft. garage, but took a step up and are currently renting a 900+ sq. ft. home that’s been renovated.  We now have the space for a electronic/soldering room that also has our 3-D printer. One other room is dedicated to power-type tools and our CNC machine that is still being built by our members.  The other spaces in the house are used for classes and member activities such as LAN parties.

What tools do you have in your space? (Soldering stations? Oscilloscopes? 3-D printers?)

Soldering stations, oscilloscopes, 3-D printer, power tools, large table-top CNC machine (in progress), and a rack server for the IT minded to play with.

Are there any tools your group really wants or needs?

A laser CNC, nice tables, and chairs .

Does your group work with embedded tech (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, embedded security, MCU-based designs, etc.)?

We have members that dabble in multiple areas so we try to provide classes on the technology people want to learn about and explore.

Can you tell us about some of your group’s recent tech projects?

Our most recent tech project has been a overhaul of our server system. Other projects include the CNC currently in progress. That’s been an ongoing project for about a year.

What’s the craziest project your group or group members have completed?

Probably the wackiest project we completed was actually, something not tech related at all, building a bed for Charleston Bed Races. We put together a Lego bed (not real Legos) complete with Lego man and all.

Do you have any events or initiatives you’d like to tell us about? Where can we learn more about it?

We list any events or classes we are doing or plan on doing on our Website. Just click on classes and events on the main page or go to the calendar tab.

What would you like to say to fellow hackers out there?

Makelab Charleston is about opening the world to information and sharing that information with the people in our community. The best way to do that is through teaching.

Show us your hackerspace! Tell us about your group! Where does your group design, hack, create, program, debug, and innovate? Do you work in a 20′ × 20′ space in an old warehouse? Do you share a small space in a university lab? Do you meet a local coffee shop or bar? What sort of electronics projects do you work on? Submit your hackerspace and we might feature you on our website!