Macanon Dhein opened Make-It Mac’s Makerspace in 2021 with the intention of establishing a fully-equipped wood and metalworking facility that is “as accessible as possible to the Greater St. Cloud Area.” But the idea for a community makerspace has been an idea of Macanon (Mac)’s since he was just six years old. “I used to spend a lot of time at my grandfather's shop, and it always stuck with me that access to this equipment shouldn't be limited to people with tens of thousands of dollars in disposable income and an extra 5,000 square feet on their property.”
Mac grew up in the St. Cloud area and stayed here because it was just the right fit. “I stayed in the area because it's about as big of a city as I would want to live in and is still conveniently close to the larger metropolitan areas. Plus, I always liked how St. Cloud continually defies meteorological predictions when it comes to major weather events” - haha! Mac attended St. Cloud Technical and Community College for welding; the Makerspace is his second full-time job. “I’m a full-time pipefitter; that helps pay the bills. I run the Makerspace because I believe in it.” Although Mac is the Owner & Founder of Make-It Mac’s, he prefers the title Facilitator, as his goal is to facilitate self-improvement through creativity and education.
A “makerspace” is a new term used more in the last 10-15 years. If they’re new to you, they operate similarly to a local fitness center. Instead of workout classes and equipment, makerspace members pay a fee to gain access to woodworking tools and other manufacturing equipment. Their mission is to promote cooperation and creativity through education and support by providing makers with the resources needed to explore, learn, and develop skills for their hobby or career.
Make-It Mac’s Makerspace is the only facility of its kind in the Central Minnesota region. While there are similar spaces in Duluth, Hibbing, and the Twin Cities metro, this is the only place our communities have access to a 3D printer and equipment for welding, machinery, carpentry, and blacksmithing. The full list of tools and equipment can be found on their website, but a glance at the list shows it includes everything from a belt sander to saws (several different kinds), drills, welders, plasma torches, forges, hand tools, engravers – and more. The Makerspace has a variety of membership options available for both individual and corporate access.
Since its start, Mac’s Makerspace has held an annual fundraiser for the Tri-County Humane Society. They make and sell custom paw print tree ornaments and half of the proceeds go directly to the humane society. They also have a non-profit, What We Do, which functions as a fundraiser to help cover membership costs for students and underprivileged individuals with interests, skills, or passions they want to explore and/or develop with access to the Makerspace.
“Having the opportunity to try and make my six-year-old self’s dream come true has been the highlight of this endeavor for me,” shared Mac. “We’ll be here as long as we can.”
To learn more about Make-It Mac’s Makerspace you can visit their website, or make donations to their non-profit at whatwedononprofit.org.
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