Hi there, my name is Tom and I am the co-founder of rlab hackspace in Reading UK ( www.rlab.org.uk )
I arrive in Brisbane from UK on Thursday morning for a long holiday with my girlfriend and would love to visit your hackspace and learn how hack space works in Australia compared to back home. Ideally I would like to become a temporary member while I am in the area if this is possible. Is someone available from Thursday onwards who could show me round and possibly sign me up for membership? Thanks and look forward to meeting you.
I’m not sure if I’ll be around then since I’m busy planning my wedding until early December. Our open nights are on Tuesdays from around 5pm until midnight, however there’s often people at HSBNE on Thursdays, Fridays and the weekend.
It seems Rlab is a fairly traditional hackerspace, with an emphasis on electronics. HSBNE was very much like that until we moved to our current campus (it’s one of the biggest floorspace of any in the world). Now that we have a fully equipped metalworking and machine shop, woodwork shop, a car inspection pit, a chemistry lab and a huge outdoor paved area, we’re attracting a more varied group of people. I guess you could call it a makerspace (although I’m unsure of the definition).
Hopefully somebody will be around to see this who can make it to the space to show you around. If not, we’re always there on Tuesdays.
Thanks for getting in touch with us. As Bluefires said, we usually have an open Night on Tuesday and that is when the majority of our members come at the space all at once. During other days of the week, members go in and out of the space at different times, so there is no real guarantee that someone will be there. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to make it tomorrow, so unless someone else is available, I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday Night
