Woodwork

Woodworking will be supported at MakerSpace Ashfield with its own area, that allows members to go through the 5 steps of woodworking.

They are :

• Planning and Design
• Cutting
• Drilling
• Fastening
• Sanding and finishing

Planning and design being the most crucial part of the process.

With wood being a natural material, each piece will have its own beauty and flaws that can be enhanced by the wood worker into something functional yet beautiful to behold, with a homely smell and tactile feel. 

So come on down and make something unique.

Woodwork is located downstairs in the basement.

Department Lead, Martyn Stone

Textiles

Hello and welcome to Textiles at Ashfield Makerspace. 

If you have ever wanted to have a go at anything textile based now is your chance.

Come along and meet new people, share knowledge and have fun learning a new craft. You can get your hands on fabulous machinery and equipment, from sewing machines, overlockers and knitting machines to small weaving frames, and a wonderful embroidery machine, plus our fabulous long arm quilting machine.

We also have an extensive selection of hand sewing patterns for cross stitch and embroidery, needle felting and locker hooking supplies and textile books, patterns and magazines to inspire you.

There will be lots of information to get you going, from taster days and tutorials to sewing and craft groups. Wherever your crafting imagination takes you we can help you get there!

This is your space, run by its members just for them. So get involved, share your ideas and have fun.

Textiles is located on the ground floor.

Department Leads Lynda Barnes, Yvonne Morley & Teresa Jackson

CNC/Laser/CadCam

CNC is the friend you didn’t realise you needed. It takes your creativity and helps you produce a perfectly cut result. If you design a beautiful button for that beautiful knitted cardigan, your friend CNC can make another 5 exactly the same. If you can’t cut in a straight line, CNC can do it for you. Not only that but it can cut circles perfectly every time along with curves to die for. Whether it be a sign, a wooden box, a button, or a model windmill, CNC can help you achieve results you only could dream of. And then make copies when your friends see the result. If you can design it, CNC can help you make it real. The CNC equipment are CO2 and Diode lasers, 3D Printers and Router.

CNC is located both on the ground floor and in the Basement.

Department Lead, Matt Relf

Metalwork

The Metalwork department provides facilities for traditional handcraft, fabrication, and precision engineering. The area includes spaces for turning and milling, sheet-metal fabrication, grinding and finishing, polishing and buffing, bench hand-work, and large project assembly. An external outbuilding is used specifically for welding operations. The department supports a broad mix of interests and skill levels, from beginners learning core techniques to experienced makers.

Metalwork activities operate within shared workshop spaces and are supported through structured induction, supervised progression, and clear on-site guidance. Equipment includes metal lathes, milling machines, sheet-metal tools, and general fabrication equipment. Certain areas involve elevated risk and require prior familiarisation before independent use. The focus is on safe working practices, respect for shared facilities, and developing competence through experience.

Join a Creative Movement and step into a world where metal comes alive – a thriving community of creators, sparks, and unbridled imagination.

This is more than a community; it’s a collaboration. Connect with kindred spirits, exchange insights, and witness your ideas catch fire. Ready to be part of a world where your imagination meets molten metal? Join us, and let passion be your guide. Unleash your creativity in the realm of metalworking – where stories are told in steel. Let’s forge greatness together!

Metalwork is located downstairs in the basement.

Department Lead, Leo T. Beaver

STUDIO

Record a book for a grandchild? Make a tutorial for your friends? Or use it as therapy to get your thoughts out. The podcast studio will be there to help you record your ideas to share or to keep for yourself. 
With multiple cameras, microphones and state of the art tech, recording has never been easier at our Studio. 

The studio will be located on the ground floor and is currently under construction. If you have an interest in podcasts and would like to offer help setting up our studio, email us at info@makerspaceashfield.org.uk

Department Lead, VACANT

Other Crafts

Fancy doing a bit of painting? Some print making or maybe a bit of stained glass? Other crafts is the place to be. It’s the place to go for anything that hasn’t already been mentioned in the other departments.

We have a large range of equipment and smaller inner departments.
Our wet/messy room is equipped with screen printing stations, a Pooki print press for lino cut printing, a small Prometheus Pro 1 kiln for enamelling , a mug press, and areas for Batik work and Microwave glass fusing.

We also have a large flexible open area perfect for paper crafts, book making, jewellery making, leatherworking and gathering with fellow like minded makers to share projects you’ve been working on.

Other Crafts is located on the ground floor.

Department Lead, Yvonne Morley

Electronics

The Electronics department supports a wide range of practical making, learning, repair, and digital skills. The area is organised into clearly defined activity zones, including fully equipped electronics benches for soldering and circuit work, shared coding tables for robotics and control projects, and dedicated areas for diagnostics, repair, and digital design preparation. Members work on personal and collaborative projects in a respectful, shared environment.

Beginner-friendly courses and supervised sessions are available, including introductions to electronics and soldering, practical circuit building and testing, Arduino and Raspberry Pi physical computing, robotics for beginners, and electronics repair activities. Shared equipment includes soldering stations, multimeters, oscilloscopes, bench power supplies, and hot-air rework tools, with components available through a donation-based honesty system. Access to equipment is provided following appropriate familiarisation to support safe and confident skill development.

Electronics is located on the ground floor. 

Department Head, Leo T. Beaver

Financing

Though we have an income generated from our wonderful members as a non-profit community group we also depend on donations and external funding to keep MakerSpace running. If you’re interested in getting involved in some fundraising, or if you have anything big or small you’d like to donate to us, please get in touch via email at fundraising@makerspaceashfield.org.uk and we’ll will get back to you ASAP!

IT & Digital

If we’re doing it right, you’ll never need us ;). Building access, subscription and equipment payments, training records, instructions and how-to guides, documentation, machine access and more, all delivered via each member’s key fob RFID tag which interacts with our bespoke Fabman Management System. …and if it doesn’t work, try turning in off and on again. 

Department Head, Matt Relf