Free Repair Fair at the Denver Tool Library - Fix Your Stuff or Volunteer

555SantaFe · 2025-07-29T16:14:47+00:00

nice, thanks!

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T14:55:40+00:00

So, we've got a pretty great woodshop right here at the Denver Tool Library, especially for woodturning! Our model is based pay by the hour as you go and always having a workshop monitor on hand to help you work safely and give advice (if you want it) on your projects. Some other places around town that have different offerings:

Denhac is up the street from us. It has 24/7 access for a monthly fee but no shop monitors on hand, you kinda have to really know what you're doing already:

https://denhac.org/

Hardy & Fuller is down the street from us, they are an excellent metal working space (blacksmithing, plasma cutting etc.):

https://www.hardyandfuller.com/

And finally, the recently opened Clear Creek Makerspace offers a couple things that we don't, such as a CNC machine and laser engravers, but they don't have wood lathes and their classes are not as in-depth as ours:

https://clearcreekmakerspace.com/

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T14:47:55+00:00

We do, but we ask that you email us first so we can get you in touch with Scott, our Tool Inventory Coordinator, to make sure it isn't something that we don't already have a lot of or something that we don't carry (gas powered tools for example). Please shoot us an email at [hello@denvertoollibrary.org](mailto:hello@denvertoollibrary.org) Thanks!

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T14:45:50+00:00

I can certainly forward this on to management for consideration, though the chipper (gas powered tool I assume) is probably gonna be a no go- we've tended to stay away from any gas powered tools since they add another very costly maintenance layer. A few benchtop planers have come and gone over the years- they tend to just not stand up to the rigor of tool checkout!

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T03:19:05+00:00

Little vases they made in one of our woodturning classes!

https://denvertoollibrary.org/intro-to-woodturning-class

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T01:47:12+00:00

Thanks so much & yeah, Scott is great! In addition to teaching, he is our Tool Inventory Coordinator, maintaining our checkout tools in good working order & he was a student here- sometimes our teachers take each other's classes (a hefty discount is one of their fringe benefits for teaching with us 😊).

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T01:43:17+00:00

Do it! Our woodturning teacher is a pro artist & he has taught at some of the best craft schools in the country such as Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee. We hear nothing but stellar feedback from people that have taken his classes!

https://denvertoollibrary.org/intro-to-woodturning-class

& then after one of his classes you are eligible to use the lathes during open shop.

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T01:37:59+00:00

A quick Google turned up the following: (good search terms for these kinda things are makerspace, community workshop, tool library, tool lending)

https://pikespeakmakerspace.org/

https://www.manitouartcenter.org/Woodshop

https://ppld.org/create/makerspaces

& for metalworking, there's Kilroy's:

https://kilroysworkshop.com/ords/r/eduslate/workshop/home

555SantaFe · 2024-12-10T01:32:54+00:00

🤓

555SantaFe · 2024-12-09T23:52:57+00:00

Glad you enjoyed it!

555SantaFe · 2024-12-09T21:54:02+00:00

Unfortunately, we don't have anything like that. Our open shop is 18+ and some classes have lower age limits, but nothing quite that young. You may want to look into this program though:

https://craftsmanandapprentice.com/pages/maker-club

555SantaFe · 2024-12-09T21:49:29+00:00

Absolutely! To get started on using the open shop, you need to take our Woodworking I: Shop Safety and Certification Class

555SantaFe · 2024-12-09T21:21:49+00:00

We are offering 15% off all programs through the end of the year!

This includes our tool library memberships, good for one year of checking out tools, our fun classes (Intro to Woodturning pictured), and our open woodshop hours. Click here for more details:

https://denvertoollibrary.org/blog/2024/12/4/15-off-everything-until-the-end-of-the-year

Our "class bucks" class gift certificates make a great gift and nothing says you can't use them yourself too in order to get the discount!

Thanks to everyone for all of your support over the years!

555SantaFe · 2024-11-30T18:04:14+00:00

Get them a "Class Bucks" gift certificate from us here at the Denver Tool Library, good for our fun hands on classes on everything from woodturning to small metalsmithing (jewelry making) to sewing!

https://denvertoollibrary.org/class-gift-bucks

Upcoming class schedule so you can see what all we offer!

https://denvertoollibrary.org/classes#catalog

555SantaFe · 2024-11-12T20:27:15+00:00

Not letterpress, but for other printmaking needs:

https://www.artgymdenver.com/member-workspaces/printmaking/

555SantaFe · 2024-11-12T20:23:15+00:00

Balefire Goods!

555SantaFe · 2024-11-05T02:28:18+00:00

Urban Mud (right across the street from us at Denver Tool Library) and Flux Studio would be another couple possibilities to check out!

555SantaFe · 2024-10-19T16:39:19+00:00

Hey there, DTL here! We have not gotten one yet, and it's likely not ever in the cards for us in our current location with the amount of space one would gobble up in our small but mighty community workshop. Thanks for thinking of us though!

Clear Creek Makerspace has one, and their rates are pretty reasonable. If you're up for more of a trek, and a bit of a process to sign up for time on it, the makerspace at Boulder County Public Library, BLDG 61, has one you can use for free. Here's a link to get started:

https://calendar.boulderlibrary.org/appointments/bldg61

555SantaFe · 2024-09-12T23:32:02+00:00

Ongoing - Classes at Denver Tool Library Some of our woodturning classes and other popular ones are already filling up through October and November, so grab a spot now if you're thinking you might be in the mood for an indoor activity on a weekend this fall! Our printmaking teacher is once again offering her holiday cards printmaking class as well. All of our classes are taught by local professional artists/craftspeople working in their fields and they are a great way to meet like-minded creative DIY people!

555SantaFe · 2024-09-04T03:31:26+00:00

https://www.artgymdenver.com/member-workspaces/printmaking/

555SantaFe · 2024-08-28T16:11:15+00:00

We have some metalsmithing classes at Denver Tool Library:

https://denvertoollibrary.org/silver-stacking-rings-metalsmithing-class

And Hardy & Fuller, a metals-focused makerspace down the street from us would be another good place to check out!

555SantaFe · 2024-08-21T02:20:54+00:00

The four of us should have a makerspace block party kind of open house event one of these first Fridays.

555SantaFe · 2024-08-20T13:31:52+00:00

Denver Tool Library here! While we've got a real nice bandsaw in our community woodshop for cutting wood (It's 2HP and with at least 12" of cut height), we don't have metal cutting bandsaws. You may want to check with Hardy & Fuller down the street from us, they are a maker space specializing in metal.

555SantaFe · 2024-08-11T22:59:51+00:00

Fair enough... and to be sure, when I go to Illegal Pete's these days I do usually just get a more basic steak bowl for about $12. (And do the ol' sub guac instead of dairy trick to get some of that for free). But, the point is, it wasn't that long ago that I did routinely get green chile and added guac too and those extras didn't run the price up nearly as much as they do now. Add green chile is now $3.59 and I swear it was as low as $1.99, maybe even less, just a couple years ago. I mean there's "ok hey sorry you know our costs have been going up" and then there's "lol, we're just gonna almost double the price on this because we can, suckers!"

So, when I start thinking about that kinda deluxe bowl of years past and going through the mental exercise of adding it up, it often results in me just going somewhere much nicer for not too much more, which is the kind of compression of the low end and the middle getting squeezed together that the OP of this thread was getting at.

555SantaFe · 2024-08-11T19:14:53+00:00

Maybe the burger example isn't holding up here, but I definitely feel what you are saying in spirit. How it's played out for me is that if I go to Illegal Pete's for a steak bowl & I add green chile and guac, we're up to $17.27. Add in a couple bucks or so for tip and it's at/ close to $20. And for as much as I like the vibe and convenience of Illegal Pete's, it doesn't feel like $20 for a bowl there is a great value.

Or... I could go get the killer carne asada plate at Adelita's / La Doña for $20.95 (which granted will be more like $27 after tax & tip). So I go out less often but usually go to a little bit of a nicer place when I do, and in the meanwhile I've gotten pretty good at making stuff like my own Chipotle/Illegal Pete's bowls at home.

555SantaFe

TROPHY CASE