What is Wowlab

Wowlab is a Fablab. It is located in the studio of Wout Zweers and offers facilities, support, advice and a workspace. It is a small but well equipped artist studio where projects and experiments can be realised. The emphasis is on design, construction, printing and sculptural projects, but other projects are also welcome if I feel that I can offer help or facilities.

The main machine is a laser ( the small is sold, it was never used since the purchase of the large laser). There are also tools and facilities to prepare raw materials and finish cut materials such as a drill press, bandsaw and workbenches.

The laser is very user friendly and can be operated with good results very quickly.

Recently two Bambu lab printers have been purchased and they work fine.

A CNC mill is present, for wood, foam and aluminium but it is practically never used by visitors as well as the other machines.

Wowlab is rooted in designing and building skills and experience. Water,  theater and sculpture, graphic design and printing are my background. I realized  many home teaching classes for young kids last three years as well as various workshops,  in Wowlab and in and around Enschede. These workshops aimed at paper craft, printing, design methods and construction. I also gave classes, lessons at concordia (theater), at fablab Enschede ( as coordinator I organized many laser classes), and yet more classes and workshops, all focused on designing, making, printing.

If you want to use a lasercutter, router or other tools you can make an appointment with me. I do not offer a walk- in workspace, which demands so much time that is not feasible to do as a single person Fablab. Other Fablabs or makerspaces in and around Enschede such as Saxion Fablab and TwenSpace, do offer walk-in hours.

Intended workshops for 2025:

How to develop a design, improve it, produce it. Will be using the lasercutter in designing and prototyping. 

A children workshop where small, easy to work with printblocks are made and used. I already gave it several times, and it works very well.

-Gelliplate printing( will be scheduled soon)

-Making lamps, using paper, cardboard, perhaps the 3D printer, decorating it. Presently my own focus of interest, so I’d like to work and cooperate with others and see where we get

A very different workshop was designing and making patterns, using programs like illustrator and Inkscape combined with the lasercutter. Not for the beginner, and probably best to organize as a master class. It was scheduled but did not take place. Next try this year? Read this post about this workshop

 

 

Goals of Wowlab

Enthousiasm and  wanting to share and cooperate determined the goals of Wowlab:

• Support makers with facilities and experience,
• Provide a place where for discovery and enjoying making things, starting from your own interests. This applies especially to children. The younger they start this, the better,
• Promote interesting ways of working and methods to make the best of tools and knowledge,
• Make users feel familiar, well informed and competent with the tools, methods and materials, develop a curious and playful attitude,
• Working with hands, brains and hart (yes, a cliché but very true)
• Share the fun.

Wowlab as a Fablab:

Wowlab’s goals are realized by a small but dedicated group of users who support the goals and help to develop these. Together we organise workshops, develop new activities and act as ambassadors for Wowlab, Fablabs and for making in general.

Occasionally friends drop in with ideas: Ruud Steltenpool, Edwin Dertien,  Tjibbe Knol, amongst others like people associated with Tetem Enschede, Maakfestival Twente. And there is cooperation with artists, mostly from Enschede but also from farther away. They use Wowlab for it’s facilities (mill, laser) and expertise (how can we make this?)

Evolution of Wowlab

Wowlab’s goals are alive and evolving (we keep updated them) , defining the identity of Wowlab. We try not to be a copy of others but to find out what we are good at and do that properly. We by developing and giving workshops and by participating in Maker festival and other local festivals . We have a low profile, this suits Wowlab well: we have no intention to become the big Fablab in the region. We rather use Wowlab as an experimental place where interesting ideas get enough time and place to get developed instead.

Funding

Wowlab is not a commercial organisation but still has to pay the bills. We receive money from the machine rental and workshops. In 2017 a subsidy for purchase of childrens tools was granted by Willem Willink foundation (Borne). It is planned to become Wowlab foundation which allows funding of furniture, extra tools and special projects. Once.

Who can use Wowlab?

Basically there are no exceptions, but Wowlab focus is on creativity. Most customers are artists or designers. For lcommercial use such as mold making, milling or modelmaking we suggest you consult Wout Zweers or Rolling Hills

Safety

The mill, bandsaw, drill press and welding gear may not be used without instruction beforehand, for user safety. The lasers, 3D printer, hand tools and small electric tools are regarded as safe, but you must use your common sense. But that’s the first commandment for every maker.