CMKT 4: Hacker-Space-Rock: CT Hackerspace - Our 29th Hackerspace Visit

In a town where the sidewalks get rolled up at 10pm, sometimes the local hackerspace is more than just a hackerspace. It serves as a focal point for the creative community in the area. When we arrived in Watertown, Connecticut, we found the hackerspace. No one was home, so we went out in search of coffee. Later on in the day, we received a phone call from our host, and met him at the hackerspace.

They were excited for our arrival, and had left us a "Welcome" message on their chalkboard. Upon entering the large warehouse building, we saw a gallery of old photographs hanging in the lobby.

Unable to get the elevator working, we used the stairs. The hackerspace was located on the 2nd floor, which they shared with a very large empty space.

We continued into the hackerspace. They were getting ready for their first Open House, so everything was clearly labeled and displayed. We were given a brief tour of their amenities. Their 3D printer was unique and noteworthy. They had constructed a "home brew" 3D printer, which is a pretty impressive feat.

Their snackerspace was large and well-stocked. In fact, one could survive off of their supply of stone-ground mustard for several months. They had a very well-equipped woodworking area. We usually have all of our bottlecaps pre-drilled for the workshops, but since this hackerspace had a drill press conveniently available, we had the workshop attendees drill their own caps. The workshop was well-attended by an enthusiastic group of hackers.

One of the hackers brought in an acoustic instrument that he was building. He dried out gourds, and sliced them in half. The halves were then reinforced with wooden braces, and used as the body of a stringed instrument. Notice the hand-made fret board in the picture..

The hackers we met that night were impressively creative, and perhaps our most enthusiastic group to date. We performed a full rock set for the attendees. We were probably the loudest thing in Watertown that evening. After the gig, we were unable to find any restaurants that were open that late, so we dined on gas station fare.

CT Hackerspace is an indispensable organization for the town of Watertown. Besides being very well equipped, their community is strong and intelligent. We hope to return to this hackerspace many times in the future, and wish them continued success.

You can find out more about CT Hackerspace here: http://www.cthackerspace.com/

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