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Draft:Knox Makers

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Knox Makers
Formation2011
Type501(c)(3) organization
PurposeArt, Hacking, Hobbyist, DIY
HeadquartersKnoxville, Tennessee
Location
Region served
East Tennessee
Membership
350
Workshop Space
10,500 sq ft
Member Access
24/7
Funding Sources
membership dues, donations, grants
Websiteknoxmakers.org

Knox Makers is a membership-based community makerspace located in Knoxville, Tennessee. It places emphasis on peer learning, creativity, and self-actualization while serving as a welcoming social environment and third place for its members. Knox Makers teaches and promotes use of open source software and hardware.

Activities

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Knox Makers routinely hosts classes, workshops, and social events for its membership as well as an open house every Tuesday evening. Part of this weekly event is "Show and Share," an opportunity for makers to present their recent projects, successful or otherwise.[1][2]

In partnership with Spark, Knox Makers adapts toys for children with disabilities each holiday season via their Toy Tech program.[3] Spark and Knox Makers also have an ongoing collaboration, assisting Spark's clients with bespoke adaptive technology and training.[4][5]

Knox Makers organizes and hosts bi-annual Maker Markets. These open air markets exclusively feature hand-made arts and crafts sold by the makers themselves.[6]

History

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Knox Makers was formed in 2011, directly inspired by Germany's CCC Mainz space and Chicago's i3 space. The organization's original 1,000 sq ft facility was in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, within the Tech 2020 incubator. In 2016, Knox Makers moved to Knoxville, expanding the workshop to over 3,000 sq ft.[7] In 2017, Knox Makers hosted a grand opening with a ribbon cutting by Mayor Madeline Rogero.[8][9]

In 2016, motivated by a local group adopting a similar name, Knox Makers filed for a trademark.[10] The service mark was granted in 2017.[11]

Facilities

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The Knox Makers workshop incorporates

  • laser cutting, with both carbon-dioxide laser and fiber laser tools available
  • 3D printing via fused filament fabrication and stereolithography
  • fiber art, including tooling for sewing, quilting, CNC embroidery, leather crafting, and dye-sublimation printing
  • electronics, including tooling for prototyping, testing, soldering, desoldering, and rework
  • arts and crafts, including facilities for large format printing, molding and casting, stained glass work, and vinyl cutting
  • woodworking, including a table saw, cut-off saw station, thickness planer, jointer, bandsaws, drill presses, lathes, router table, sanders (disc, belt, spindle), and a CNC router
  • metalworking, including tooling for gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, shielded metal arc welding, and plasma cutting, as well as grinders, benders, and a sandblasting cabinet
  • machining, including tooling for milling, heat treating, ultrasonic cleaning, jewelry making, locksmithing and locksport, lathes, a press brake, hydraulic press, shear, and hardness tester
  • blacksmithing, including propane and coal forges, a power hammer, and anvils
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References

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  1. ^ Shannon Smith (October 3, 2022). "What do you want to create? Knox Makers has the space and tools for you". Teknovation.
  2. ^ Justin Young (January 8, 2020). "Knox Makers open in South Knoxville". WATE News. Nexstar Media Inc.
  3. ^ Kristi L. Nelson (December 5, 2019). "Volunteers, makers adapt toys for children with limited mobility". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  4. ^ Carol Z. Shane (March 23, 2023). "Knox Makers do the 'impossible' – even at 6,500 degrees". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  5. ^ Jedidiah Cuttle (9 November 2019). "The Halloween Party Van". Spark website. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  6. ^ "Knox Makers hosts third annual fall market". WBIR News. October 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Morgan Herrig (June 30, 2016). "Knox Makers Sets Up New Shop in South Knoxville". City of Knoxville website.
  8. ^ Cortney Roark (April 2, 2017). "Knox Makers get space to collaborate and create". Knoxville News Sentinel. USA Today Network.
  9. ^ Joseph Keenan (April 1, 2017). ""Knox Makers" community workshop celebrates grand opening". WATE News. Nexstar Media Inc.
  10. ^ "Trademark Clinic helps local nonprofit Knox Makers". The University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Law website. October 17, 2016.
  11. ^ "KNOX MAKERS". United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved March 8, 2024.