Written By: Anna Lucas

Engineering is a very rewarding profession, in which the fruits of your efforts can be seen almost immediately after completion. The hands-on nature of engineering makes the work of engineering seem more fun than anyone would ever imagine work to be. Because of this, some young aspiring engineers don’t want to wait for their career to begin before they can begin tinkering. However, it can be difficult to gain access to the kind of materials and equipment needed to fulfill these ideas and projects. Luckily, when there is a will, there is a way, and so in this article I will list places in which middle schoolers, high schoolers, and college students can gain access to professional engineering equipment in all 50 states for very little cost or even free.
Alabama
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Alabama is located at Red Mountain Makers, 810 4th Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Metal, wood, fibers and electronics labs
High-end, specialized tools like laser cutters, 3D printers, welders, industrial sewing machines, table saws, wood and metal lathes, forge & anvils, and more
A community of 50+ members to ask for help, and bounce ideas off of
Alaska
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Alaska is located at 1406 West 33rd, Anchorage, AK. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Several kinds of 3D printers
High-end, specialized tools like laser cutters, soldering irons, oscilloscopes, woodworking supplies, pottery equipment, computer science materials, and more
Arizona
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Arizona is located at 101 W 6th St #111, Tucson, AZ 85701. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood, metal, crafts, electronics/Arduino, CNC, and blacksmith/metal casting shop
Laser Cutter/Engraver
Jewelry and Fused Glass Studio
3D Printing Lab
KMKR Radio Studio
2 classrooms (w/ projectors, tables, & outlets), a backyard courtyard, stage, and a computer lab
Arkansas
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Arkansas is located at 204 E 4th St, North Little Rock, AR 72114. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Computer equipment
Electronics and prototyping equipment
Printmaking
Metal shop
Carpentry shop
Screen printing equipment
Advanced manufacturing equipment
Ceramics equipment
California
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in California is located at 6050 Lowell St #214, Oakland, CA 94608. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Laser cutting equipment
Power tools
Hand tools
CNC router
Textiles equipment
Electronics equipment
3D Printers
Colorado
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Colorado is located at 700 Kalamath St, Denver, CO 80204. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Laser cutter, CNC, 3D Printers (Prusas)
Solder station, oscilloscope, and accessories
Silicon Station and electronics project workbench
Table and band saw
Drill press and bench grinder
Welding machines (mig,tig,arc)
Connecticut
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Connecticut is located at 36 Talcott St, Hartford, CT 06103. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood, metal, textiles and jewelry, machine, plastics, and digital labs
Computer lab
Think tank
Delaware
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Delaware is located at 503 N Tatnall St, Wilmington, DE 19801. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
2D printing and photography
3D printing and scanning
Design software
Electronics lab
Laser cutting and engraving
Woodworking tools
Florida
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Florida is located at 8600 Commodity Cir #158, Orlando, FL 32819. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Laser cutting and engraving
CNC routing
3D printers
Wood and metal working equipment
Sewing and embroidery equipment
Georgia
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Georgia is located at 3043 Commerce Way, Atlanta, GA 30354. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Woodworking equipment
Metal Lathe
MIG/TIG/Flux/Stick Welders
CNC Router
Belt, Spindle, Drum Sanders
Sewing Machines
Soldering Stations
3D Printers
Laser Cutters
Hawaii
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Hawaii is located at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printer,
PCB milling machine
Laser cutter/engraver,
Electroplating equipment
Soldering tools
Diagnostic and characterization instruments.
Materials include various plastics (PLA, ABS), plastic and wood sheets
Idaho
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Idaho is located at 200 12th Ave S, Nampa, ID 83651. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood, metal, and welding shops
Clay studio
Creative arts lab
Foundry/forge
Electronics lab
Jewelry equipment
Laser cutter
Illinois
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Illinois is located at 11 E Main St, St. Charles, IL 60174. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood and metal shop
Textile area
Media room
Various parts and hackable items
Technical library
Indiana
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Indiana is located at 6800 E 30th St, Indianapolis, IN 46219. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printer
Laser cutter
Wood shop
Welder and plasma cutter
Iowa
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Iowa is located at 108 Jefferson Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printers
Laser cutter
More
Kansas
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Kansas is located at 5920 E Mt Vernon St, Wichita, KS 67218. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Bike repair equipment
Ceramics equipment
Electronics
Fab lab
Jewelry workshop
Metal and wood shop
Printmaking
Kentucky
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Kentucky is located at 305 Codell Dr, Lexington, KY 40509. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
CNC router
Plasma table
Sewing equipment
3D printer
Metal lab
Wood lab
Pottery tools
Louisiana
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Louisiana is located at 1201 Mazant St. Bywater, New Orleans, LA. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
MIG Welder
Woodworking tools
Grinders
Router Table
Air compressor
Power and hand tools
Maine
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Maine is located at 115 St James St, Portland, ME 04102. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Electric vehicle lab
Jewelry lab
3D printer
Arduino lab
Wood shop
Metal shop
Maryland
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Maryland is located at 1400 Greenmount Ave, Baltimore, MD 21202. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Textiles
Electronics
3D Printing
Digital Media
Wood, Metal, and Digital Fabrication
Computer Lab
Massachusetts
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Massachusetts is located at 28 John H. Finley III Wy #107, Framingham, MA 01701. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood shop
Metal shop
Multi-purpose area
Michigan
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Michigan is located at 3765 Plaza Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood shop
Metal shop
Textiles lab
Plastic lab
Jewelry equipment
Electronics bench
Minnesota
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Minnesota is located at 217 S 7th St suite 18 & 19, Brainerd, MN 56401. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Laser Engraver
Wood shop
3D Printers
CNC Machine
CAD Software
Design Software
Mississippi
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Mississippi is located at 509 E Capitol St, Jackson, MS 3920.
Missouri
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Missouri is located at 5200 E 45th St, Kansas City, MO 64130. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood and metal working tools
Silver and black smithing equipment
Welding gear
Soldering tools
Electronics bench
Robotics lab
Montana
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Montana is located at 5350 Love Ln Unit 2, Bozeman, MT 59718. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Woodworking tools
Power tools
Electronics bench
Metal lab
Sewing tools
3D printer
Nebraska
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Nebraska is located at 1055 Industrial Way #20, Sparks, NV 89431. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printing lab
Electronics lab
Laser lab
Wood shop
Machine shop
Metal shop
Media room
Nevada
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Nevada is located at . This makerspace gives you access to access to:
New Hampshire
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in New Hampshire is located at 68 Morning St, Portsmouth, NH 03801. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Electronics lab
Machine shop
Metal shop
Wood shop
Crafts shop
New Jersey
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in New Jersey is located at 35 Berrue Cir, Piscataway, NJ 08854. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printers
Laser cutters/engravers
Woodshop
Textiles
New Mexico
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in New Mexico is located at 101 Broadway Blvd NE #3100, Albuquerque, NM 87102. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Woodworking equipment
Metal shop
Digital fabrication equipment
3D printing
Jewelry making equipment
New York
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in New York is located at Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th St building b unit 1c, Brooklyn, NY 11220. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Welding,
Blacksmithing
Woodworking
Ceramics
3D Printing
North Carolina
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in North Carolina is located at 900 Pressley Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Electronics lab
Computer lab
3D printers
Sewing equipment
Laser cutter
Woodwork shop
Machine shop
Metal shop
North Dakota
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in North Dakota is located at 1340 Administration Ave, Fargo, ND 58105. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Metal lab
Wood lab
Digital lab
Electronics lab
Textiles lab
Ohio
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Ohio is located at 540 S Main St #951, Akron, OH 44311. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Computer labs
Craft lab
Electronics lab
Metal lab
Ceramics lab
Weld lab
Wood lab
Oklahoma
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Oklahoma is located at 501 S Lewis Ave, Tulsa, OK 74104.
Oregon
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Oregon is located at 7608 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR 97217.
Pennsylvania
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Pennsylvania is located at 1821 E Hagert St #100c, Philadelphia, PA 19125. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Woodworking tools
Power tools
Electronic benches
Laser cutter
3D printer
Fab lab
Rhode Island
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Rhode Island is located at unit 318, 80 Fountain St, Pawtucket, RI 02860. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printer
Digital fabrication tools
Electronics bench
Fiber art supplies
South Carolina
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in South Carolina is located at . This makerspace gives you access to access to:
CNC router
Lathe
Woodworking tools
Power tools
3D printer
Laser cutters
South Dakota
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment is located at 517 W Jackson Blvd, Spearfish, SD 57783.
Tennessee
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Tennessee is located at 620 Davidson St, Nashville, TN 37213. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Electronics lab
3D print lab
Music and sound editing lab
Pottery workshop and kiln
Woodshop and carpentry lab
Sewing and knitting lab
Texas
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Texas is located at 1825 Monetary Ln #104, Carrollton, TX 75006. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printers
Welding gear
Woodworking gear
CNC router
Sewing equipment
Robotics gear
Blacksmithing equipment
Pottery Equipment
Utah
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Utah is located at 663 W 100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84115. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood, metal, and machine shops
Electronics bench
Laser cutter
3D printers
Textiles lab
Jewelry bench
Photography studio
Vermont
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Vermont is located at 112 Quality Ln, Rutland, VT 05701. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Laser Cutter
Jewelry Lab
Woodworking tools
Ironworker
Metal lathe
Welders
Plasma cutter
3D Printers
Electronics Lab
Letterpress Printing
CNC & CAD
Virginia
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Virginia is located at 237 W 24th St, Norfolk, VA 23517. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Wood and metal shop
Sewing
Jewelry
Pottery
Electronics
CNC machines
Laser cutters
3D printers
West Virginia
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in West Virginia is located at . This makerspace gives you access to access to:
Woodworking tools and workbenches
3D printers
Sprout
Gaming computers
Sewing tools
Multiple computers
Video recording tools and monochromatic screen
Wisconsin
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Wisconsin is located at 215 N Randall Ave, Madison, WI 53706. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printers and scanners
CNC routers
Drones
Electronics benches
Machine shop
Laser cutters
Wyoming
The best place to get access to professional grade engineering equipment in Wyoming is located at 1000 E University Ave Dept 3295, Laramie, WY 82071. This makerspace gives you access to access to:
3D printers
Laser cutters and engravers
Sewing machine
Work working tools
CNC machines
Electronics benches
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