Workshop near Cambridge ?

[jaunedeau]

Hi,

I am currently living in france. My parents have large house in the countryside and I have a workshop there, part of the tools belongs to my father, others are mine. I never could use them as regularly as I wish because that's not my place, it's not always available, and I go there to visit my family and not to stay in a workshop . I spent a few (hundred) hours there trying to make jigs, machines, and have an almost finish ukulele.

I my move to Cambridge for a few months or a few years. I will take some chisels and my saw with me, but will leave most of the tools in France (my father's ones, all the 230V ones, ...) and I'd really like to find a workshop to share tools, ideas, knowledge, and a good drink. I already found that there is a fablab in cambridge with laser cutter, tool to make PCB and solder electronic component : I'll definitively go there (I am a software engineer), but I would also like to find a "real" woodworking workshop.

Do you have some address I should visit when I arrive ? (nothing is sure for now, but I hope to be able to move in early 2014)

Best Regards,
Jaunedeau.

 

[hanser]

Jaunedeau

Bienvenu to the forum. I am sure you will get constructive advice from the professional guys/girls in due course.

 

[MickCheese]

Jaunedeau

This question has been asked before and a common answer seems to be that a commercial workshops would not be able to allow you to use their machines in case you suffered some injury and their insurance would not cover them/you.

I suppose the other issue is around allowing someone who you don't really know potentially destroying your tools.

I don't know of any amature workshop sharing schemes maybe a local collage?

I wish you luck in your search and welcome.

Mick

 

[jaunedeau]

>I don't know of any amature workshop sharing schemes

Maybe my message was not clear : I'm indeed looking for an association, a club... somewhere where I can share ideas and experience, as well as use the tools. Or if this is not available, maybe I can find someone who has a personal workshop and who would would be happy to let me use it with him ; I'm sure I would find something to offer in return

 

[thecambridgetryer]

I am looking for something similar as I don't really have the space for table saws, router tables etc. Plus, I don't know what I'm doing.

You might like this place, good for recycled wood, Cambridge woodworks

 

[mind_the_goat]

The Cambridge makerspace looks to be well equipped http://wiki.makespace.org/Equipment ...in fact looking at what's on offer there I think I need to move to Cambridge too.