Running a Table

So, You Want to Work a Table for Makers Local

First and foremost, thank you!

When you volunteer to work a table, you volunteer to represent our organization to the greater public, to be our face (if only for an afternoon), and to field many, many questions about what it means to be a maker and what exactly is a “makerspace” anyway??

To that end, we have created this document to help you answer commonly asked questions, what to do if you don’t know an answer, and as a guide for interacting with the public at events.

Of course, no guide will be totally inclusive, so feel free to use your best judgement!

Thank you again, and happy making!

Attire, Accessories, and Attitude

We aren’t going to tell you what to wear, of course. Just that it be clean, neat, and welcoming! ML256 t-shirts are always a safe bet!

There are a couple items it’s handy to have when you’re working a table: the ML256 banner, a dark tablecloth, a pen, ML256 business cards, and ML256 fliers. Always bring more fliers and business cards than you think you’ll need!

We know running these tables can be tiring – that’s why we love it when people volunteer! But please try to keep a positive, welcoming attitude (we want people to like us, after all!), and be willing to answer questions!

The Basics: Our Elevator Pitch

By far, the number one question we receive at events can be summed up like this: “So…what exactly is a ‘makerspace’? Like what do you guys…do?” Honestly, it can be hard to capture all the great and varied things we do at the shop when you’re put on the spot, so feel free to use this elevator pitch:

“Maker’s Local is a community workshop where people can come together and work on projects, share tools, and learn new skills and ideas.”

You certainly don’t have to deliver this statement verbatim. As long as you hit all the important points, feel free to use your own voice!

Other FAQs

This section will cover a handful of questions we typically will field!

How do I become a member? We like our members to be part of our community before they apply – so if you’re interested in joining, come visit us on Open Nights (Tuesday 6pm) or weekends to get a feel for our space and let us learn about you!

How much does it cost? Membership is pay-what-you-want! Our average member pays $20/month.

What kind of tools do you have? We have all kinds of tools! Laser cutters, 3D printers, tools for woodworking, a lathe, and more! Is there something you’re interested in in particular?

Do I have to be a member to use the tools? Nope! But you do have to sign a waiver to use our large tools, like saws or the laser cutter, or any power tools.

Where are you located? We are located close to Five Points, on the same road as Po Boy Factory (underneath the exit 20 off ramp).

What kinds of projects do people work on? Our members work on all kinds of projects – mostly software – but also building furniture, cosplay, welding, and general crafts!

How are you guys different from STEAMWorks/co-working spaces/etc? Our space is a social space as well as a makerspace - our members come by to hang out just as often as to work on projects! We’re set up to be fun, exploratory, and community-driven! We encourage collaboration amongst our members, and self-directed and unscheduled learning.

What if I Don’t Know the Answer?

Sometimes, you get a question that is really specific, really nuanced, or outside your wheelhouse! It’s okay not to know the answers to these types of questions. When it happens, you have a couple options:

A. For general inquiry, direct them to the contact email (contact@makerslocal.org) or the Facebook page contact! Both of these contacts are on our business cards (feel free to give out business cards!). Questions that go to contact can then be routed either to the general membership, or to a particular person.

B. Ask them to come by on an Open Night and ask around – this is most effective if someone needs assistance with something (typically someone wanting help with a project), or if somebody wants to know about a specific piece of equipment.

C. Ask them to join our Slack channel and ask the question in there - the question will reach a broad sampling of members, and usually will be answered fairly rapidly. Also, feel free to encourage people to join our Slack channel generally! It’s a great place for discussion - we have several different channels devoted to projects, general chat, and more!