The workshop is being at held at Bridge Rectifier, Hebden Bridge’s Hackerspace and is located at the back of Hebble End Works on the towpath between the Co-op and the Trades Club. We’re behind the Bike Cafe and the artist’s studios. The full address is 1b, Canal Works, Hebble End, Hebden Bridge HX7 6HJ

You don’t need to bring anything with you, we’ll show you how the laser cutter works, what software you need to use and we hope that everyone will leave with an item they’ve made.

We’ll be using Inkscape, which runs on Windows, Mac OS X and GNU/Linux. It’s a free and open-source software similar to Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW. You don’t need any experience of using this and we’ve prepared some templates that you can personalise. If you already have a design or idea you want to use, then please bring it along.

If you want to know more about Bridge Rectifier there’s a link to our website here. We also have a Wiki page and will soon be posting details soon on how the community can access and use the laser cutter for projects and prototyping.

If you’re not familiar with hackerspaces, they’re community owned and operated physical spaces where programmers, engineers, IT administrators, artists, chefs, musicians, and the curious share knowledge and learn from each other. They’re for people interested in converging technology, arts, crafts and music. In a sense they’re a modern geeky reincarnation of working men’s clubs, women’s institutes and an inventor’s shed where groups of people use imagination and technology to make existing objects do something unexpected. Think of it as an open community laboratory, machine shop and workshop studio with a highly social element.