Maker Spotight: Michael Curry

Name: Michael Curry

Home Town: Kansas City, Missouri

Makerspace: Hammerspace Workshop

Day Job: Consulting Designer – Kansas City Kit Company 
I provide design, drafting, and product development services from my office located at the local makerspace, Hammerspace Workshop in Kansas City, MO. Check out my Portfolio

How did you get started making? 
I’ve been a creator of odd things since childhood. One of my first jobs was working at a Space Camp. In architecture school I was a teaching assistant in our model shop, and was known for spending my off evenings building strange things for amusement. I joined the local hackerspace shortly before the 3D printer became the newest craze, and I got pretty active creating and sharing 3D models online.   I found the world of professional design ponderous, rigid, and slow, so I joined a 3D printing startup as their creative designer, rode a crazy wave, ended up in a Netflix documentary and finally ended up back in Kansas City. I have been working professionally as a maker ever since.

What type of Maker would you classify yourself as? 
Maker Extraordinaire? I’m not afraid to challenge myself, so I’m willing to take on any crazy project and carry it forward to a final result. The result isn’t always good, but I always learn something new along the way!

What’s your favorite thing you have made? 
My Ride-on Atomic Bomb Go-Cart! Because who doesn’t want to tool around Maker Faire straddling a homemade nuclear weapon?

I learned how to lay up fiberglass for this project, which was a bit outside my normal skill set. The 3D printed molds I designed helped me to produce stellar looking panels with my newly acquired fiberglass skills. The frame was a chance to play with the plasma cutter and welder, and the countdown timers in the warhead were an opportunity to learn about controlling 7 segment displays and make a neat, custom PCB.  The hoverboard hub wheels posed another set of obstacles, but the CNC mill solved those challenges and it all came together.

Any Advice for People reading this? 
Dive in and try it! Watching is great, but doing is infinitely better. Anything someone else can do, you can learn to do yourself. Being good at anything takes time and experience, and the first step is to try!