A Longmont place built for making
Some places are designed around what you can buy. TinkerMill is built around what you can create.
Inside this Longmont makerspace, artists, inventors, entrepreneurs, hobbyists and curious beginners share access to tools, workspaces and—just as importantly—knowledge. TinkerMill describes itself as the largest makerspace in Colorado and the surrounding Rocky Mountain region, with nearly 800 contributing members across a multi-shop 13,000-square-foot space.
Why TinkerMill is In The Spotlight
MKT Colorado created In The Spotlight to go beyond a directory listing and tell the stories behind Colorado businesses, organizations, places and people worth discovering.
TinkerMill stands out because it is more than a workshop filled with equipment. It is a volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit community where members learn, teach, collaborate and create. The organization also supports entrepreneurship and new product development, giving people a place to experiment with ideas that can grow into something larger.
One building, many ways to create
The range of creative spaces is part of what makes TinkerMill unusual. Depending on your interests, you may find woodworking, machining, welding, blacksmithing, electronics, robotics, 3D printing and rapid prototyping alongside pottery and ceramics, jewelry and metalcraft, stained glass, textiles, photography, glasswork and other maker disciplines.
That variety means a project can cross traditional boundaries. Someone developing a prototype may need digital fabrication and electronics. An artist may move between metal, glass and textiles. A beginner may simply discover a craft they had never considered trying before.
Learning is part of the experience
TinkerMill is not simply a room where people are handed powerful tools. Many shops and machines require training or certification before independent use. Classes teach safety, shop procedures and the skills needed to work with specific equipment.
Many classes are also open to nonmembers, giving people a way to learn something new before deciding whether membership is right for them. TinkerMill's volunteer Shop Captains help support individual shop areas and share specialized knowledge with the maker community.
Ideas, prototypes and new businesses
The makerspace also has an entrepreneurial side. TinkerMill says it has helped more than 30 businesses get started, providing access to equipment, workspace and a large community of people with different technical and creative skills.
That combination can be especially valuable when someone has an idea but does not own the machinery—or have every skill—needed to bring it to life. A makerspace creates opportunities for people to learn from one another and turn experimentation into real projects, products and ventures.
Planning your visit
TinkerMill currently lists public tours on Sundays from 2–4 p.m., with no registration required. Member access and equipment access have their own rules, and many shops require certification before tools can be used independently.
Classes, tours, access policies and schedules can change, so check TinkerMill's official website before making a special trip. If you have ever wanted to learn a new skill, build something you do not have the tools to make at home, or simply see what happens when a community gathers around the idea of making, TinkerMill is worth discovering.