Factur

Factur, which opened this summer, is Orlando’s first «maker space.» They offer access to otherwise-​pricey machinery and workshop space on a membership basis, making cool tools accessible to those who are starting up or have a side project and thus wouldn’t make the investment in full-​time ownership of, say, a CNC router. Their setup includes tools for woodworking and woodburning, 3-​D printing, and metal work — and courses where you can learn to use all that great stuff.
When I toured the space I saw everything from furniture to jewelry to a Quonset-​hut type house (the WikiHouse) being built. We learned how to use the Deltamaker 3D printer which is made here in Orlando — it’s controlled via iPad and extrudes plastic filament into your design.
I love seeing all of the fusions of art, science and technology that are cropping up in Orlando and Factur is definitely a part of that community.