General Information
Think of makerspaces as both DIY ("do-it-yourself") and DIT ("do-it-together") centers. They're places that provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage you to design, experiment, build, and invent by yourself or with your friends.
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Basically, a makerspace is where people gather to make things using a bunch of different types of materials and fancy technology tools. They're usually community workshops in which people with shared interests can work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge. Simply put, a makerspace is a place to make amazing things with technology you might not normally have access to at home, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, advanced woodshop and crafting tools, virtual reality, and even machining tools.
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It doesn't matter your age, education level, job, experience, interests, background — all you need to get started is a desire to learn. There's something for everyone at the Wyrkshop !
The Innovation Wyrkshop is a 3,500 square foot advanced-used makerspace with over $2M in equipment, including desktop and industrial 3D printers, laser cutters, 3D scanners, vinyl cutters, sewing machines, electronics equipment, and woodshop tools. We're one of the largest makerspaces in the Mountain West, and located on the north end of the University of Wyoming campus. You can find us in EERB #122 and #127, with large 'Bison and Bolt' logos on both of our entrance doors.
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To learn more, Plan Your Visit.
Anyone! Everyone! The makerspace welcomes visitors from pre-K to gray. No matter your age, ability, or affiliation with the University of Wyoming, you are always welcome in the makerspace. We look forward to seeing you soon!
As a general rule, the Wyrkshop is typically open when the UW campus is open, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday through Friday. During the summer, we are open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
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This week's hours
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The makerspace does not charge any membership fees! In order to keep barriers low and ensure that we're accessible to everyone, we don't charge to access the makerspace or attend instructional workshops.
Young, curious makers are welcome in the makerspace! We have plenty of K-12 toys and tinkering tools to ignite a love of STEAM subjects early. We believe that making and tinkering are essential to developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Therefore, we have developed a policy statement to ensure that all children who visit our makerspace have an enjoyable and educational experience.
Please note that children under 13 may not be left unaccompanied at any time. An adult must be present and actively working alongside any child under 13.
Additionally, equipment is marked with green, yellow, or red safety cards:
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🟢 Those aged 13 to 17 may operate green equipment unaccompanied.
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🟡 Those aged 13 to 17 may operate yellow equipment only with an adult present nearby.
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🔴 Those aged 17 and below may not operate red hazard equipment (such as table saws, advanced woodshop equipment, and laser cutters) under any circumstances. Only those 18 years and older can use red hazard equipment.
Nope! We'll teach you. We take a "teach a person to fish" approach to equipment access. This means we'll never operate equipment for you, but we'll always teach you how to use anything in the makerspace for free!
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In a typical week, we might offer a mix of 15-20 in-person and online classes on a very wide array of equipment. To learn more about how we teach, visit https://www.makeraccesspass.com/
No one may access equipment without prior training, and without receiving the requisite badge through the Maker Access Pass training program.
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If you don't have previous experience with that specific equipment, we ask that you attend and pass a free workshop either in-person or online before use. Once you pass the 60-90 minute class, you can reserve the machine whenever it's available.
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If you have prior experience using equipment, there's no need to attend a workshop! Simply pass the quick online competency quizzes through the Maker Access Pass program and you're good to go! Those with prior experience are typically through the program with badge in hand in about 10-15 minutes.
Our only expectation is that whatever you make remains campus-appropriate. If what you make poses a risk to others, or is deemed innapropriate for a multicultural, multiage community, we ask that you use another service to create it. This include realistic or functional weaponry as well as inappropriate or tasteless projects.
Yes, but please ask a full-time staff member first and get written approval via email. We have limited space, and thus large equipment can't be stored long-term in the makerspace. Likewise, some custom projects and home hobbyist equipment may pose hazards or fire risks, so we ask that a staff member review the equipment before use.
Ongoing construction and residential zones can make parking difficult around campus. Street parking is often the best approach. Streets tend to alternate one block of resident-only parking, one block of free parking. Make sure when parking that you are not in a residential permit area. Typically two to three blocks north of the EERB has sufficient free parking available for small vehicles. Buses and large tour groups should consult with UW parking policies.
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More information, including directions, can be found via Plan Your Visit.
Equipment
The Wyrkshop is host to $2,000,000 in advanced emergent technology, including:
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14 desktop FDM 3D printers
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3 desktop SLA 3D printers
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2 industrial FDM printers
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1 industrial polyjet printer
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2 laser cutters
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1 structured light 3D scanner
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4 domestic and industrial sewing machines, including an embroidery machine
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A vinyl cutter and associated heat presses
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A screen printing station
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Jewelry making kits
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Leatherworking tools and assorted crafting tools
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An electronics bench with oscilloscopes, multimeters, power supplies, function generators, soldering stations.
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A fully-equipped woodshop with CNC routers, lathe, SawStop table saw, miter saws, drill press, belt and spindle sander, and countless power and hand tools.
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To review our equipment in detail, visit Equipment.
Yes. In order to ensure that equipment is accessible to all members of the community, individual makers are limited to 4 reservations per machine category per week. Each of the 4 bookings can be a maximum of 24 hours, and reservation limitations reset each week.
Yep! We provide materials for most advanced technology, such as 3D printers and laser cutters. While there's plenty of scrappy wood throughout the woodshop that you can use for free, we find that most woodworkers prefer a 'BYOW' (bring your own wood) approach, and thus we rarely supply large amounts of wood for projects beyond what other makers leave behind.
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If you wish to use our filament or consumable materials, we charge at-cost simply so we can recoup funds and continue to purchase additional consumables. Material price lists are available at most staff desks.
You bet, but please get all personal materials approved by a staff member first. We'll give you a sticker to place on your material that tells us that your materials have been vetted and approved. Please make sure to retrieve your materials once your project completes, as the makerspace is not responsible for others accidentally using your material.
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Unapproved materials are not allowed, as they can cause machines to fail or break, often resulting in costly repairs. Any user using unapproved materials after more than one warning will be prohibited from using the space.
Once you pass a workshop through the Maker Access Pass, you can reserve equipment whenever you'd like via the Reservation page of your instance of the MAP.
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We never revoke access or remove badges, so if either of these scenarios has occurred and you are no longer able to reserve equipment that you previously could, reach out to a staff member and we can see what might have happened.
Nope! The only fees we ever charge for equipment are if you wish to use our materials. If you bring your own materials (pending staff approval), use of equipment is free start to finish.
We certainly understand that over time, things break. That's part of the creative process! We ask that if you accidentally break something, let a staff member know immediately so we can take the machine offline and start repairs.
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That said, we firmly believe that not everything is a hammer. If you are found to be willfully breaking or misuing equipment or attempting repairs that you have not been trained to do, you will be responsible for any damages and cost of repairs.
Absolutely! Our makerspace is driven by community demand, so please let a full-time staff member know (preferably via email) what equipment you wish to see in the makerspace, and why it might be useful for us to have.
Safety
The Innovation Wyrkshop has a robust record of safety and compliance that we're very proud to uphold! Around the makerspace, there are ample first aid kits, eyewash stations, fire extinguishers, and PPE zones. In addition, safety cards for equipment are posted prominently on all machinery. Users may bring their own PPE, though sufficient PPE is supplied for free in the space. At a minimum, behind the yellow and black tape, users must adhere to the following requirements*:
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Safety glasses
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Closed-toed shoes
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Hair tied back
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No loose or dangling clothing, including watches, hoodie strings, necklaces, or bracelets.
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*Please note that if you wear specific clothing or items for cultural or religious reasons, please let us help you determine how best to secure the items in a reasonable manner that allows for safe work in the makerspace.
All users are required to complete SAF101: Basic Safety in the Innovation Wyrkshop before using any equipment. SAF101 can be completed online, at your own pace in about 60-90 minutes. Users are then required to pass training or demonstrate prior experience for all equipment they wish to use. No equipment may be operated without training.
Young, curious makers are welcome in the makerspace! We have plenty of K-12 toys and tinkering tools to ignite a love of STEAM subjects early. We believe that making and tinkering are essential to developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills. Therefore, we have developed a policy statement to ensure that all children who visit our makerspace have an enjoyable and educational experience.
Please note that children under 13 may not be left unaccompanied at any time. An adult must be present and actively working alongside any child under 13.
Additionally, equipment is marked with green, yellow, or red safety cards:
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🟢 Those aged 13 to 17 may operate green equipment unaccompanied.
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🟡 Those aged 13 to 17 may operate yellow equipment only with an adult present nearby.
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🔴 Those aged 17 and below may not operate red hazard equipment (such as table saws, advanced woodshop equipment, and laser cutters) under any circumstances. Only those 18 years and older can use red hazard equipment.
We're a pro-brainfood facility! Feel free to bring in food and drinks, but please ensure that:
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Drinks have lids.
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Food isn't messy or crumbly. No snacking on Nature's Valley granola bars while hovering over the 3D printers!
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You keep snacks or drinks away from expensive equipment or laptops.
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You clean up any messes!
PPE is required behind all yellow and black lines, and when operating most machinery. Users may bring their own PPE, though sufficient PPE is supplied for free in the space. At a minimum, behind the yellow and black line, users must adhere to the following requirements*:
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Safety glasses
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Closed-toed shoes
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Hair tied back
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No loose or dangling clothing, including watches, hoodie strings, necklaces, or bracelets.
Often equipment requires more than the four core PPE requirements. Refer to the equipment safety cards to learn more:
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Yes. First aid kits are located throughout the makerspace (EERB #122, #127) as well as the woodshop. Fire extinguishers are also located in both EERB #122 and #127. We ask that if you use something from the first aid kit, let a staff member know so that we can quickly replenish low supplies.
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Take a virtual tour the makerspace and the view the locations of key safety equipment through our browser-based WyrkshopVR room. Alternatively, complete SAF101: Basic Safety in the Innovation Wyrkshop to learn more about Wyrkshop safety policies.
If you receive a minor injury in the space, please use the first aid kits to first address any minor injuries. Then notify a staff member so that we might assess damages, ensure you are safe, and help you clean up the area.
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If a major emergency occurs, you may need to call 911 or summon authorities. Emergency numbers can be found on our "Emergency contact sheet" located on the wall next to either staff desk. Instances that may require a call to 911 include, but are not limited to medical emergencies, fire, or criminal activity. To evaluate whether one should call 911 or not, consider whether life, health, or property is in imminent danger. If any of these things are in danger it would be appropriate to call 911.
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If someone is seriously injured in the Innovation Wyrkshop beyond what is manageable by simple first aid:
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Call 9-1-1 from any phone
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Alert Makerspace staff
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Provide assistance to the injured party until the emergency response team arrives
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Do not attempt to remove foreign objects from the eye or body.
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If chemicals get in the eye(s), wash eye(s) for 15 minutes in an open flow of water before proceeding for medical treatment.
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Alert the Makerspace Coordinator immediately following a health/safety incident so that an incident report can be filed
Make sure you know where your emergency exits are. The nearest emergency exit is located near the entrance to room #127. In the case of an emergency, please make your way towards this door and exit the north side of the building.
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Classes and Workshops
Lots of them! In a typical week, we offer free in-person and online workshops for all ages and abilities. Typically these are classes such as CRFT110: Introductory Singer Sewing Machines or FDM101, FDM150: Desktop FDM 3D Printing Basics.
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Our workshops and events are led by enthusiastic students, staff, and volunteers and offered around 15-20 times per week. That's just over 1000 events per year!
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Check out our full library of workshops or jump right in and sign up for a workshop today.
Currently we host a library of approximately 125 classes, though the specific number may change per semester. Our classes are hugely varied, ranging from FDM101, FDM150: Desktop FDM 3D Printing Basics and WRK107: Advanced bench saws to DRON101: Introduction to Drone Piloting and LAS110, LAS120: Introduction to Laser Cutter Basics.
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For a full list of our workshops, browse our library.
Never. Our workshops and classes are free and open to all members of the community at no cost. Though we do accept chocolate bribes.
No, though there are some workshops that are only appropriate for those over 13, or occasionally those over 18. Certain equipment, such as laser cutters and table saws, can only be accessed by those over 18. Thus, while a minor could learn about a piece of equipment, they might not be able to operate it themselves, or without an adult present. When in doubt, refer to the safety card. Equipment is marked with green, yellow, or red safety cards:
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🟢 Those aged 13 to 17 may operate green equipment unaccompanied.
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🟡 Those aged 13 to 17 may operate yellow equipment only with an adult present nearby.
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🔴 Those aged 17 and below may not operate red hazard equipment (such as table saws, advanced woodshop equipment, and laser cutters) under any circumstances. Only those 18 years and older can use red hazard equipment.
Storage
Yes. Small storage lockers are available to rent for free for one month periods. Please chat with a member of staff to secure a "Parking Pass" tag for your supplies. Anything unclaimed after one month may be recycled or discarded.
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Note that makerspace staff are not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen supplies and that users can reserve and use storage lockers at their own risk.
The makerspace offers small storage lockers for smaller projects, as well as floor space for larger projects. Both require Parking Pass tags before use. Depending on demand, Parking Pass tags may renewed for free each month. Anything unclaimed after a Parking Pass tag expires may be recycled or discarded.
Nope! Storage is free.
Please chat with a member of staff to secure a green "Parking Pass" tag to affix to your supplies. Please note that anything unclaimed after a Parking Pass expires may be recycled or discarded.
Special Events
Yes! We offer regular after-hours events a few times each month that range from K-12 STEAM engagement activites to community programs and even fun crafting socials like our Design After Dark series.
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Browse our upcoming special events online.
We frequently host all types of special events, from papercrafting to board game design and everything in between. Past events have included things like:
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Felt stuffed animal crafting
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Jewelry making
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Rocket-powered pinewood derby
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DIY charcuterie boards
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Valentine's Day crafting
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Wine glass engraving
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Origami circuitry
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Custom board game pieces
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Nail and string art
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Leatherworking
Yes! Unless otherwise stated, our events are open and accessible to everyone. Please note that some events, however, such as the Design After Dark series, are designed for 18+ crowds and may include snacks, libations, and some salty language from those attending the crafting social. Thus, these events are better suited for older audiences.
Typically, yes. Because special events require special materials and because users take home everything that they make, we charge at-cost to recoup any cost for materials that we provide to you. This usually means that we charge $10-$15 per attendee for events. Event cost is always posted on the sign up page, and collected when you show up to the event.
Head over to Workshops & Special Events to see a list of our upcoming special events! Alternatively, posters plastered throughout the makerspace advertise upcoming events each month.
Miscellaneous
At this time, we are not currently accepting new volunteers while we train our newest cohort of student staff. Check back soon!
You bet. While we rarely do private events in order to ensure that the makerspace is open and accessible all day for walk-in users, we can make special arrangements in some cases.
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If you're an educator and wish to book the space, please visit https://www.wyrkshop.org/book to book a tour or group activity.
We're lucky to have little turnover in student staff, most of whom have worked for us for 4+ years! That said, we do hire regularly at the start of each semester. Visit the UW job posting website to view any openings.
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In addition, youth with disabilities ages 14-21 may also be eligible to participate in our paid Makerspace Ambassador program thanks to generous support from the Wyoming Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Ambassador positions are typically available year-round. Contact a member of staff to learn more.
Not right now, but stay tuned! We've got some exctiing plans in the works for a store to buy both souvenirs, Wyrkshop brand clothes and stickers, as well as project parts and fasteners.
Yes. UWIT provides wireless data networks on most campus locations, including the makerspace:
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UWyo – recommended wireless network for UW students, faculty, and staff
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UWguest – recommended network for UW guests
Yes! We just ask that if you wish to store a project, following our instructions above in Storage to secure a Parking Pass tag. And likewise, ensure that you're adhering to the Wyrkshop rules for appropriate projects detailed in our project restrictions.
We'll gladly accept any donated tools, materials, and equipment! Talk to a member of staff to secure a donation form, and we'll arrange a time to pick things up. Thanks for thinking of us!