Facilities
Mill Forge comprises five main areas within the roughly 6,000 square foot space: CNC and 3D, Electronics, Metals and Welding, Textiles, and Woodworking. In addition to a wide array of hand tools, use this page to learn more about the space and our larger available equipment.
The Space
Mill Forge Makerspace is housed in a late-1800’s mill building in the former Winslow Brothers and Smith sheepskin tannery. Now known as Norwood Commerce Center, the complex is over 160 years old, and includes 14 buildings once part of the bustling facility.
Mill Forge occupies the entire first level of the building—nearly 6,000 square feet of one and a half inch thick hardwood floors and exposed wood ceilings supported by massive posts. History pervades the building, from holes and niches in the brick, to pits and scars in the floors, to the paint hardware tracing ghosts of equipment once hung from the walls.
The main workspace, approximately 4,000 square feet of open hardwood floors with 14-foot ceilings, occupies most of the east end of the building. The open area is separated into sections for woodworking, welding, metalworking, CNC & 3D printing, and work bays available for rental.
Walled-off areas at the west end of the building create spaces sheltered from the creative chaos and dust of the main workspace. In this end of the makerspace are the textile and electronics area, wet utility room, meeting and collaborative space, office, and restrooms.
Work Areas
Four vintage machinist’s benches form a six-by-ten-foot community work table in the center of the workspace. For even larger projects, there is a 300 square feet section of open floor area. Members can work on smaller, solo projects on one of the many individual rock maple workbenches and heavy-duty work tables around the floor.
Surrounding the open areas are the first seven of Mill Forge’s 50-square-foot work bays, each eight feet by six and a quarter feet. These spaces are long-term rentals where members can store specialized tools, materials, and ongoing projects – or even run small businesses. The work bays have three-foot plywood partition walls on three sides, and members can customize the spaces with shelving, work benches, storage cabinets, or whatever suits their needs. Larger work bays may be available, depending upon demand. Work bays rent out quickly, but there are more on the way!
Equipment
In addition to a wide array of hand tools, learn more about our larger available equipment by category.
CNC & 3D Printing
CNC, or Computer Numeric Control, brings together computer aided design with powerful equipment for cutting, engraving, or building up almost any material imaginable. Unlock your creative impulse by creating sculpture, toys, prototypes, cases, parts, or anything else you can dream up. Cut or engrave wood, acrylic, cardboard, glass, leather, stone, and other materials, build with PETG, PLA, resin, or metal or wood-enhanced plastics, or cut out up to 4×8 foot sheet materials with the precision of digital 3D or 2D designs.
- Bambu A1 Multicolor 3D Printers
- Bambu X1 Carbon Professional Multicolor Printer
- Maslow 4’ x 8’ CNC Router Platform
- Vevor 130W 55″x35″ CNC Laser Cutter
Electronics
Repair appliances or electronics, automate your home with a Raspberry Pi, build LED sculptures, or animate your constructions in Mill Forge’s electronics area. The electronics area provides ESD-safe work areas with tools for soldering, parts reclamation, circuit prototyping, phone repair, and more.
- Weller Soldering Stations
- Tektronix Oscilloscope
- Amscope Binocular Microscope
- Solder & Hot Air Rework Stations
- Electronics and Device Disassembly & Repair tools
Metalworking & Welding
Want to work with sheet metal or structural steel, but don’t have a safe place to set up or the electrical capacity to run an industrial welder? Mill Forge has the tools for cutting, bending, rolling, soldering, riveting, and welding in a dedicated space designed for safety.
- Millermatic 210 MIG Welder
- Miller Synchrowave 250 TIG/Stick Welder
- Clausing Precision Drill Press
- Turn-Pro 7-Inch Horizontal Bandsaw
- 24” Finger Brake, Shear, and Slip Roller
Textiles
Clothing designers, tailors, costume creators, and prop builders – welcome home! With multiple industrial sewing machines, embroidery machine, serger, six-foot cutting tables, and more, the makerspace’s textile area is ready for your next project.
- Bernina 642 Industrial Sewing Machine
- Bernette Serger
- Bernette, Brother, & Singer Sewing Machines
- MakerCraft 12” W Vinyl Cutter
- 6’ Cutting Table
Woodworking
The wood workshop is located at the east end of the main workshop, with easy access to the 8 foot wide, ten foot high loading dock for large materials and projects. Members can mill, cut, shape, and finish with professional-level equipment and plenty of space for maneuvering and assembling large-scale work.
- SawStop CB 53230 Cabinet Table Saw
- Grizzly G1018 8” Jointer
- Rogers Panel Saw 12’ x 6’ capacity
- Delta Drill Press
- Shop Fox W1849 Resaw Bandsaw – 14” height x 13.5” throat
- Porter Cable Pneumatic Framing, brad, and pin nailers
- DeWalt cordless hand tools
Plan a Visit!
Get in touch with us to plan a tour us of Mill Forge Makerspace, where you can learn more about becoming a member of our maker community, and see how Mill Forge can help you unleash your creative potential!
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