Gordon put up this awesome photo (actually 3 photos merged together with an $80 High Dynamic Range photo stitcher) of the lot behind the local Best Buy. WOW!

I spent a couple of hours at the TechShop in Menlo Park today. It was a blast – here’s the official tour (the guide is Jim Newton, one of the founders).

Previous TechShop news can be found from Phillip at Make and here.

[Update: MAKE did an interview / tour.]

I’m ecstatic about the news that TechShop is opening right here in Menlo Park, CA – less than 2 miles from my office! 3D Printers, Laser Cutters and CNC machines in a workshop that only charges $30 a day?!?!?!

Here are some excerpts from their site to fill you in on the shop details and then head over to Make to learn about the Grand Opening event this weekend (I’ll definitely be there)!

Main Page:

• TechShop is a fully-equipped open-access workshop and creative environment that lets you drop in any time and work on your own projects at your own pace. It is like a health club with tools and equipment instead of exercise equipment…a Kinko’s for geeks.
• TechShop is for EVERYONE! If you already know how to use all the stuff at TechShop, that’s great. But most people only know how to use a few of the tools, machines and equipment at TechShop. If you want to learn about the equipment and tools you have never used before, you can take a short group “Building Block” class to get up to speed in about an hour, or take a more in-depth class on any subject to learn about it more fully. Don’t be afraid to try new things, no matter if it is welding, using a milling machine, working with fabrics and leather or plastics, or cutting keyways in a gear. The whole point of TechShop is to enable you with a wide variety of new capabilities so you can start to see the pathway that lets you make new and exciting things.

FAQs:

• Our goal is to have the TechShop facility open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But initially, the hours will probably be 9 AM to 10 PM, 7 days a week.
• We will have programs and classes for kids. We are still working on the details but kids and young adults (under 18) can work at TechShop with a parent or legal guardian.
• We have priced TechShop Unlimited Monthly Access Passes at $100, and TechShop Unlimited Daily Access Passes at $30. Up through the TechShop Grand Opening weekend, you can also buy a TechShop Annual Unlimited Access Pass for $1,000.