Calling All Tinkerers

MakeHaven, the techie maker space on State Street, is trying something new this Friday and Saturday: its first inaugural Make-A-Thon, intended to familiarize more local tinkerers with the organization, its staff, and its tools.

According to Chief Maker J.R. Logan, it’s about time.

In its fourth year at the Ninth Square location, MakeHaven has already become a fixture in the community, where seasoned makers and novices alike can learn to silkscreen, 3‑D print, laser-etch projects, do woodwork, experiment with brewing equipment, and more. The Make-A-Thon, a ​“two day marathon celebration of making,” seeks to push the space’s mission and capabilities, promoting teamwork and community at the same time. The competition, which is still accepting single participant and creative teams, starts Friday night and goes through Saturday evening. 

For self-proclaimed tinkerer Logan, whose idea of a ​“local lab” for makers in New Haven stretches back to a MakeHaven Listserv several years ago, the concept for the Make-A-Thon originated as he saw Hackathons, also known as code fests, appearing around the country with explosive popularity. 

“There’s these things called Hackathons that you see across the country,” said Logan of the event. ​“But we chose to call it a Make-A-Thon because a lot of the Hackathons focus on either the software side or electronics, small components, hardware. We wanted to be explicit around opening it up to making anything.”

For him and Tambira Armmand, MakeHaven’s head of creative direction, that means collaborative, teamwork-oriented projects that work across MakeHaven’s disciplines and tools, from electronic light manipulation and woodworking to sewing and silkscreening for cosplay — getting in character by dressing up in costume, as fans might at a comic-book convention.

“Basically, it’s encouraging people to create something that involves a crossover of different areas,” said Armmand. For instance, teams could try ​“combining clothing with something that is lit up,” using ​“the sewing machines and embroidery machines with the electronics area. Or maybe you’re into cosplay, and you could create a costume using the mold former with LEDs and the 3‑D printer, and some casting in there. Or designing a prototype for some signage or some interactive public display space that would encourage people how to use a park, or convey some helpful public safety information in a fun and innovative way.” MakeHaven is ​“basically encouraging people to come play, whether the idea is something for enjoyment or it’s a prototype that can be utilized in another capacity.”

It’s that kind of sustained and often collaborative activity, Logan said, that fits into MakeHaven’s mission of trying to ​“capture people’s imagination and break down barriers, particularly around technology.”

More specifically, Logan wants people to realize that they don’t have to know as much as they think they do. ​“I know, just in talking to people, they have this image that they need to have more skills than we require.” MakeHaven is ​“breaking down that barrier by showing that, within a small team, you’ll have the knowledge to make something amazing.”

Armmand added that she was excited for the event’s potential to bring new makers to the space, particularly women, people of color, and different age groups. Of MakeHaven’s 100-some members, too few from those demographics are turning out; she hopes that will change this weekend.

“I would like for people to be more inspired to actively start nurturing their creativity,” she said. ​“It’s about getting people from different backgrounds and capabilities … encouraging people from different types of backgrounds to just come and play.”

“It just starts with an idea,” she added. ​“That sparks you, that lets you learn from one another.” 

Registration for this weekend’s Make-A-Thon is still open. To find out more, visit the organization’s events page. To listen to an interview with J.R. Logan about the Make-A-Thon on WNHH radio’s ​“Artbeat,” click on or download the audio above, or subscribe to our new ​“WNHH Arts Mix” podcast.