Next week eight teams will have 48 hours to develop a product prototype for the community, but they won’t be alone in the process. Tool Techs have been a major component of the Make48 competition since the beginning. Our tool techs volunteer their time to help teams prototype their ideas using techniques such as: 3d printing, cnc machining, laser cutting, woodworking, textiles and more. Not only are they experts in their fields, they are some of the team's biggest cheerleaders and connect with the competitors in many ways.
Let’s take a look at a few of the tool techs who will help lead the teams to victory at GoCreate, A Koch Collaborative makerspace in Wichita, Kan.
The House of Timber, Lizzy Cook is heading to her first Make48 event! Lizzy started building The House of Timber one item at a time, and founded her business in 2019. Whether it’s her signature skull & acorn Maker signs or branding for others, Lizzy has an attention to detail. The proud mother is a self-taught woodworker who has a passion for the scroll saw and enjoys teaching others how to create using it. We’re excited for the teams to meet and work with the Kansas City-based artist.
Tyler Isaacs has been a recent addition to our tool tech team! The first time we met Tyler was in Hartford at MakerspaceCT. Tyler is the owner of the Wooden Whiskers Trading Co., where he creates custom-made home furnishings, pet furniture, cabinets and other home items. Not only is Tyler a Maker, but he’s also an engineer at Blue Origin with many skill sets. The Florida native recently helped teams at Nationals and will be returning to ICT next week.
Kyra Rubinstein has been on both sides of the competition. Kyra was a Season 3 competitor at our college v. college season in Baltimore with team ‘The Big Easy.’ A Tulane alumni from New Orleans, Kyra is currently working with Textron Aviation in Wichita, Kan. Kyra has volunteered as a Tool Tech for two events, Wichita ‘21 and Nationals, and she’s returning this June for another challenge.
Mike Hutton is an engineer at Spirit Aerosystems and is from Wichita. He's also a mentor at GoCreate and volunteered as a Tool Tech last June at our first Wichita city event. Mike’s speciality is in Woodworking and Assembly, and we’re happy to see him return!
Shea Zuckerman is a mentor at GoCreate and he will help the teams collaborate throughout the 48-hours. Shea has a background in engineering and business and has worked with some of Wichita’s most well-known aviation companies including Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft.
Last year Pankaja (or Punk to friends) Withanachchi teamed up with co-workers to compete as Team DropTables. Punk originally moved to Wichita in 2015 for college, and is an engineer at Filimin, a local start-up that invented Friendship Lamps. He's had a life-long fascination with how things work and wants to over-engineer and optimize everything from his workout routine to his morning coffee.
David Fowler is the owner of Fowler Woodworking, which specializes in designing and building quality hand-built furniture. He has served as President of the Sunflower Woodworkers Guild, is a published author in woodworking magazines and is a mentor at GoCreate. David loves the creative process and last year he competed with his son, Matt and friends on the ICT Design Team.
Our technicians will be led by our lead Tool Tech Stan Fernald! Stan has been involved since the first Make48 event and he’s got a variety of skill sets that make him a bonafide tool tech. What keeps Stan (Retrodiode LLC) coming back as a Tool Tech? “It’s the teams. Where else am I going to meet and work with so many creative people in an intense environment? To see teams struggle and overcome the difficulties that come their way makes it all worth it.”
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