Hackspace Manchester - A new space for HAC-Man

HAC-Man who now prefer to be called Hackspace Manchester, have recently moved into a new space just a couple of doors down the road from their old stamping ground at Mad Lab in the Northern Quarter just a stones throw from the Ardale shopping centre.

Previously HAC-Man had a few square feet in the community based, technology and arts centre known as Mad Lab where they could at least work on electronics and store a few soldering irons and components. The move to an 800 square foot room on the 1st floor above a cafe is an infinite improvement. The hackers have divided the area up. One area with a long central communal table, electronics area, media PC with a huge TV screen and snackspace is the main area. This is shared with the DIY Bio lab that is being made in the same room. A DIY Bio group who share space with the Hackers, hope to set up an accredited lab though progress had been minimal on my visit. A fortuitous acquisition of JB Sports shop shelving from a local furniture salvage company has provided both a divide and great compartmentalised storage for all their bits and bobs from AV kit to kettle leads.

In the workshop or "woodwork hall" as it was grandly called, there is a good selections of power tools including a scroll saw, chop saw, table saw and pillar drill. centrally was a good size work table at a useful height. there projects are all over the entire space. In the "metalwork hall", a cupboard sized room off near the loo, they have a super little Myford lathe that at this time is minus it's chuck key. They hope also to make that room a dark room for developing film and other light sensitive projects.

At the moment Hackspace Manchester (as they shall now be known) have about 17 members. I forgot to ask what the cost of membership is. They have an open night every Wednesday at 7pm which is open and free to all.

Before my visit to the hackspace I decided to go and check out Fab Lab in New Islington. It occupies a unit on the ground floor of the Chips building by Urban Splash. At the time of visiting at about 12:00 on a Sunday it was closed. Pointless in my opinion. I know it's not trying to be a hackspace, but I would have thought most folks would want to use the place on a day they are doing traditional work? I suppose it costs too much to provide the technicians. Still I'll try and have a look at it the n ext time I go to Manchester whenever that is. I still got to see lots of nice architecture on my way over there which made it worthwhile.

Something that was open but was also a bit of a disapointment was the Lego store in the Arndale shopping centre. After the visit to Hackspace and being unable to get to the Lego Discovery Centre I thought a trip to the Lego shop would be good. Lego is too expensive which makes me sad :(

In all it was a great trip up to Manchester and I've recorded some stuff for the Hack ALL the Spaces which I hope to post before too long!