In January 2019 ten teen girls interested in fashion design and unfamiliar with computer programming were introduced to the world of possibilities afforded by the ability to code during our Fashion + Tech project sponsored by Best Buy. Students learned technical skills in the areas of electronics, using microcontrollers and Python to allow their garments to interact with the real world.

How Far did your Autonomous Boat Sail?

We have a new toy! Thanks to a generous contribution from the Al Stroobants Foundation, Vector Space is the proud new home of a Tormach PCNC 440 desktop mill. Make: boasts that the Tormach "cuts metal like butter," and we're eager to try it out.

We need your help!

Watts Petroleum has generously offered a $2,000 matching donation this giving season. From now through the end of the year, your gift will be doubled! We need individual donations of every shape and size to meet our goal. Thank you for supporting maker education here in Lynchburg!

Summer is almost over, and that means workshops are back! School isn't the only place for learning- sign up for one of our workshops to learn something new AND have a great time. Workshops are open to teens and adults. 

Upcoming workshops include sewing, electronics, laser cutting, 3d printing, screen printing, and more! Click here for the full roster of workshops: https://vector-space.org/workshops

This summer Vector Space received a generous grant of $9,500 from The Easley Foundation to fund the acquisition of new capital equipment for our machine shop. Our existing milling machine (a 3-axis Bridgeport) will stay, and we will add sheet metal tools, tube benders, a cold cut saw and a vertial bandsaw. We will also replace our existing lathe with a larger and more powerferul one. Our plans for expansion go beyond this grant, and will eventually include a CNC milling machine.

School is officially out for the year. My boys had a great group of teachers this year so I thought I'd make them some nice gifts.

1. It's cheaper than gift cards.
2. It will last them for years to come
3. It's fun
4. Because I can

Last year I did something similar. I used the CNC machine to make desk plaques with the teachers names on them.

I thought it would be fun this year to do something similar but using the 130 watt laser.

This is a tale of making without blueprints and loving every moment of it.

Last summer I built a fence in our backyard, but the soil was so rocky, I had to use a jackhammer to "drill" the holes for the posts. Unfortunately, my extension cord was not long enough for the jackhammer to dig all the holes, so, for the last 4 posts, I used metal stakes that go 3' into the ground and have a 6" holder for the fence post to sit in - I know, I know... should have just got a longer extension cord, but I had to learn that the hard way.