ShopKulture and the Future of the Garage Based Shop

We've seen the future and it looks like making stuff is coming back in a big way. This message is not lost on us. The luxury of playing around with sports cars, motorcycles and 4x4's is great fun, but it is a luxury after all. The serious economic times we are in require serious thoughts and actions. So we've been thinking about tools and equipment for productive work lately. What about building a tractor, a shop heater, a bandsaw lumber mill? And what if you could build this stuff from junk cars, appliances and scrap steel? Count us in!

A movement with the tentative name Open Source Ecology is doing just that. They are putting their money and effort where it counts right now. The stuff they are building is cool and functional. We're so excited we've got to get on this bandwagon!  

 Don't let the name fool you either. These are not a bunch of idle dreamers, these guy and gals are mad fabricating geniuses. They are building great stuff from scrap and low cost parts; lumber mills, tractors, shop heaters, farming implements, construction equipment, well drilling, and most importantly machine tools to aid in their low cost manufacturing approach.


Think what you could do with a computer numerical control (CNC) torch table that let you rapidly cut metal with computer accuracy. Or a CNC router table that could cut precision parts from wood or plastic while you did other things. A serious person could start making some real money and an independent lifestyle that didn't depend so much on the ups and downs of the overall economy.  

Now think about the fact that plans for building metal working lathes, milling equipment, heating systems and CNC tools are now circulating freely on the internet. And not just plans, support groups, blogs and discussion forums as well.  These are great times to be a Maker, a ShopKulture person, a Wrenchtech type.


Keep watching this blog as we focus like a laser beam on these new trends and work to pull together all the information and resources we can find to promote this thing that we love; MAKING COOL USEFUL STUFF ON THE CHEAP!

Don't forget to check out  The Open Source Ecology website. and maybe become a supporter of theirs at $10/mo. I have and I do.