What’s Coming up at the MakerSpace
Greetings Upper Valley Makers: We have an exciting list of upcoming classes at the Claremont MakerSpace that we think might interest you. For most classes and events, CMS MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED. That said, members receive a discount on registration and there are some classes/events that are for members only (this will be clearly noted in the event description). Class policies (liability waiver, withdrawal, cancellation, etc.) can be found here . All of our classes depend on minimum registrations to run so please don’t wait to sign up! If you are interested in being added to a waitlist for a certain class please email: classes@claremontmakerspace.org . Instructors: Interested in teaching a class at CMS? Please fill out our Class Proposal Form . Tours: Want to see what the Claremont MakerSpace is all about? Contact Us to schedule your tour where you can learn about all the awesome tools that the CMS offers access to, as well as how membership, classes, and studio spaces work. Upcoming Events Events that are currently open for registration. CMS Amateur Radio Club (W1CMS) Monthly Meetup July 19, 2026 1 p.m. — 3 p.m. The Claremont MakerSpace has an Amateur Radio club! Before makers, hackers, and DIY, there was Amateur Radio. Join us on July 19 at 1 p.m. for our monthly meeting (usually every third Sunday). You do not have to be a licensed ham to participate; just bring your curiosity and energy! Everyone is welcome! Each month, we feature a presenter (45 minutes to an hour), and after we adjourn to MakerSpace’s Digital Fabrication and Electronics Lab for open-time kit building, sharing, studying, and socializing. This Month’s Presentation: From DC to Daylight: A Career with the Electromagnetic Spectrum What do lightning strikes, radar systems, and high-power lasers have in common? Join retired physicist and engineer Keith Maxwell for an entertaining look back at a career spanning more than five decades across the electromagnetic spectrum. Through firsthand stories and demonstrations, Keith will share experiences working on Department of Defense programs involving lightning protection for aircraft, radar development, and laser systems—from building a CO2 laser just a few years after the technology was invented to leading engineering teams on projects thousands of times larger later in his career. Along the way, he’ll weave in humor, lessons learned, and unexpected turns that make for a fascinating engineering career. Rather than a deep technical lecture, this is a collection of real-world engineering stories with plenty of humor mixed in. Presented by: Keith J. Maxwell Keith J. Maxwell is a retired physicist and engineering leader with more than five decades of experience in defense and advanced technology. He earned his B.S. in Physics from Oklahoma State University. He has spent his career working on lightning protection, radar systems, and laser technologies, retiring as Senior Director of Systems Engineering at General Dynamics in 2019. Drawing on a lifetime of engineering experience, he enjoys sharing the stories, challenges, and lessons that shaped his career. Amateur Radio (often called ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics, and communication together. People use Amateur Radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It’s fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need. Register here! Novel Engineering FREE Training for Upper Valley Teachers July 22, 2026 9 a.m. — 3 p.m. With Novel Engineering, students use stories, novels, or expository texts as the basis for engineering design challenges that help children identify problems, design realistic solutions, and engage in the engineering design process while reinforcing their literacy skills. This professional development is being offered FREE to Upper Valley educators on how to implement the Novel Engineering process designed by Tufts University. After practicing with the students in your classroom, we will come together for more learning and sharing to support you in planning and hosting a STEM/STEAM and literacy-based family engagement event at your school. Designed by the Tufts University School of Engineering Education and Outreach, Novel Engineering is an innovative approach to integrate engineering and literacy in elementary and middle school. This training is presented and funded by our friends at the White Mountain Science, Inc . Please note that all our classes have a minimum number of registrants required so don’t wait to sign up! Register here! Intro to TIG Welding July 23, 2026 6 p.m. — July 30, 2026 8:30 p.m. We are thrilled to announce an introduction to TIG welding course at Claremont MakerSpace! In this course, students will be taught the practical basics of TIG welding. This is meant to be more hands on as opposed to theory. Topics include but are not limited to the following : Welding Safety Grinding Tungsten Setting up the Torch Welder Settings Hand Positioning Tac Welding Running Beads Tips for how to run consistent welds. Please note that all our classes have a minimum number of registrants required so don’t wait to sign up! *This class occurs over two days: Thursday, July 23rd 6 – 8:30 pm AND Thursday, July 30th 6 – 8:30 pm About the Instructor(s): Dan Otranto is a 35 year resident of Vermont, has been running a small design and fabrication shop in the Upper Valley for the past 10 years and has been building and repairing instruments for 6. He has a BA in Photography from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Class Fees: $105 for members Materials Fee: $45 (included in the class fee) What Students Should Bring: Student are required to have non synthetic material clothing (It can melt to your skin). Full length pants, long sleeve shirt, closed toed shoes, and safety glasses. One thing to note, is that one tool students should invest in that will make welding much easier is a proper fitting pair of TIG welding gloves as dexterity is key. Age requirement: Adults only (18 years and older) Register here! Photography Club July 27, 2026 5:30 p.m. — 7 p.m. Agenda: To Be Announced! About the Club We are a new group of amateur and professional photographers meeting regularly to learn from each other, practice our craft, and develop the community of photographic artists, commercial photographers, and visual storytellers around Claremont and the Upper Valley. Meetings are free for CMS members, and open to the public with a fee to support operations at the MakerSpace. Each meeting is led by one of our members and focuses on a topic of interest chosen by the group: from technical workshops on shooting techniques, to photo critique sessions, gear show & tells, photo walks, and whatever else we come up with together. Class Fees: Free for members/$10 for non-members Register here! FREE Product Photography Class for Small Business Owners July 28, 2026 6 p.m. — July 28, 2026 8 p.m. Registration is required as space is limited! Learn how to show off your products with compelling (& consistent!) photos. This hands-on workshop for local business owners will teach introductory studio lighting techniques; how to use a lightbox for clean backgrounds and well-lit shots; and some general photography principles that will help show your products in their best light. No specialized lighting equipment needed: just bring your camera (or smartphone). We’ll have sample products to shoot but feel free to bring your own, too! We will demo lighting setups using: – natural light only – equipment available to members at the MakerSpace – monolight (constant, smartphone-compatible) and strobe (flash, camera-triggered) lighting setups Then, we’ll teach you the fundamentals of composition and editing, including compositing and color correction. Size affects a lot with product photography! If you’re, say, selling furniture, the principles are similar but the execution of large lighting setups can be pretty different. For this class, we’ll focus mainly on objects that can fit on a table: think cutting boards, jewelry, embroidery, laser-cut products, 3D printed objects, pottery, etc. If you want to photograph something larger, let us know beforehand what you’re thinking and we’ll work to accommodate. Registration is required as space is limited! Class Fees: FREE for small business owners Register here! Craft your very own Very Huggable Emotional Support Chicken July 31, 2026 5:30 p.m. — July 31, 2026 8:30 p.m. When you need a hug, here’s one that will always be available! Your chicken will be as unique as you are! Consider what colors make you happy or relaxed. Do you enjoy embroidery? add a few stitches. Maybe you want to give your chicken the wings of an eagle! Customize with your own fabrics if you like, maybe you have a color scheme in mind or something personal you would like to include. A selection of quilting weight cottons from the MakerSpace collection, will be available. I used six 2.5” x 42” strips, sewn lengthwise to make a 12.5” x 42” rectangle. That was enough to make the sides, bottom and the top of the wings. If you are bringing your own medium weight woven fabric, please bring enough to make a rectangle that is 12.5’x42” and a piece that is about 12”x12” for the underside of the wings. Please bring your own eyes if you would like something other than fabric eyes (safety eyes, for example). Please bring your own fiber fill. My chicken is filled with love, memories, and scraps of quilts I’ve made over the years and cotton batting so it is lumpy (my preference!) but it is not appropriate for children, pets, or washing. Here is a good overview of different battings: The Ultimate Guide to Toy Filling – Safe Stuffing for Knitted Toys – Knitting by Post If you don’t have the filling before class, that’s ok, you’ll be able to finish it at home. Class Fees: $10 for members/$20 non-members Register here! Mandala Dot Painting Aug. 3, 2026 6:30 p.m. — Aug. 10, 2026 7:30 p.m. Discover the meditative art of mandala dot painting in this relaxing and beginner-friendly workshop. You’ll learn basic techniques to create stunning, symmetrical designs using simple tools and vibrant colors. No prior experience needed—just bring your creativity and leave with a beautiful, hand-painted mandala of your own. All materials provided. Please note that this is a two-session class Monday, August 3rd AND August 10th Class fee $80 for members/$100 non-members Register here! Claremont MakerSpace Creatives Meet-up Aug. 9, 2026 1 p.m. — 4 p.m. All of our classes and events require a minimum registration so please don’t wait to register (registration is REQUIRED). Looking for dedicated time to make art, share ideas, and be around other creative people who get it? CMS Creatives Meetup is a relaxed, open studio-style gathering for artists, designers, writers, and makers of all kinds to work alongside one another in a supportive, inspiring space. Bring whatever you’re currently working on: Sketchbooks, digital art, painting, writing, fiber arts, prototypes, or passion projects, and settle in for an afternoon of creativity and conversation. This is a space to focus, experiment, and making progress together. Expect good energy, thoughtful conversation, and the kind of motivation that comes from creating in community. Coffee and snacks will be flowing to help keep the ideas moving. Come make things, meet fellow creatives, and leave inspired. The leaders for this session are long time members and creatives Michelle Goldsmith and Tiffany Vincent. Class Fees: FREE for all Age requirement: Must be 16 or older Register here! August Open Electronics Meetup Aug. 11, 2026 6 p.m. — Aug. 11, 2026 9 p.m. Bring your electronics projects and supplies and have fun visiting with other Electronics Enthusiasts. Work on your projects in our stocked Electronics and Digital Fabrication Lab. In addition to the MakerSpace’s soldering irons, diagnostic tools, and parts library, there will be some LED soldering kits and soldering irons available for purchase as well. Hang out, finish your projects, think about future projects, and just enjoy being around other electronics enthusiasts. Paul Davis, the Electronics Shop Lead, is here to help folks get started, locate tools and parts, and support a fun, collaborative environment. Attendees are encouraged to share knowledge, but please note this isn’t a repair service, and there may not be anyone available for one-on-one troubleshooting. Class Fees: Free for members and $10 for non-members. Materials Fee: None (LED soldering kits and personal soldering irons are available onsite for purchase) Prerequisite(s): None Skill Level: Any Age requirement: Youth and adult (15 years and older). Under 15 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian partner. Register here! Make a Colorplay Scarf Aug. 15, 2026 9:30 a.m. — 5 p.m. Like coloring outside the lines? This woven scarf lets you design as you go. You will have several color combinations to choose from – one solid, one variegated. Start with an empty loom (provided) and use your creative imagination to warp the loom. Step by step instruction will get you from beginning to end. Spend the rest of the day in spontaneous creative play. The sample will give you some starter ideas and you can take off from there. No experience needed. Bring scissors, lunch, beverage, snack and a happy attitude. Materials provided by instructor. $20 due the day of class. Saturday, August 15, 9:30 – 5:00 Class Fees: $100 for members/$120 non-members Materials Fee: $20 NOT included in the class fee, please bring cash Register here! Foundations of Communication and Productivity in the Workplace Aug. 17, 2026 2 p.m. — Aug. 19, 2026 5 p.m. Foundations of Communication and Productivity in the Workplace Designed and Presented by: Ki Ferland Ideal for new and incumbent workers, this interactive 6-hour training is designed for adult learners in the manufacturing and facilities maintenance sectors. Participants will build practical skills to improve professional communication, manage their time effectively, resolve workplace conflict, and solve problems with confidence. Key Topics – Introduction to Communication – Workplace Communication – Time Management Strategies – Conflict Resolution Skills – Structured Problem Solving Techniques Free training, PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED This is a TWO session training, Monday, August 17th and 19th from 2 – 5 pm Register here! Open Sew-In Aug. 18, 2026 4:30 p.m. — 7 p.m. Bring your sewing projects and supplies and have fun visiting with other fiber artists and enthusiasts. Work on your projects in our roomy and comfortable sewing department. We have plenty of table space and 5 Singer heavy duty sewing machines, irons, ironing board, and a variety of sewing notions to use in the Fiber Arts Studio. All Levels are welcome. While assistance is available, participants interested in using the MakerSpace equipment should have a basic working knowledge. Allison and Tammie our shop leads will be available to help with any questions you may have. Registration is required. Class Fees: Free for members and $10 for non-members Register here! CMS Community Quilts Aug. 20, 2026 1 p.m. — 6 p.m. Helping hands needed to make warm, comforting quilts for Baby Steps in Claremont! Only basic skills needed. Do you know how to use a sewing machine, iron, or rotary cutter? This is not a quilting class, but we will guide you along through the whole process of making twin and crib size quilts for those in need in our area. Please come when it is convenient for you, even if you can only spare an hour. Sponsorship: All materials are provided thanks to a generous donation from a local quilter. Many thanks to Mascoma Bank for sponsoring the program to provide studio space and additional supplies. The Home Depot is supporting this program by providing storage containers to manage the quilting materials. Class Fees: Free! Please volunteer your time to help Baby Steps, a very worthy cause. Register here! Make a Japanese Rice Style Bag Aug. 21, 2026 5:30 p.m. — Aug. 28, 2026 7:30 p.m. Whether you use this as a project bag or a gift bag, you will leave with a beautiful work of textile art that you created. This version is fully lined, flat bottom, has drawstring closure AND the added feature of having strap with a button, so you can hook it around a bag strap, or, if you use it as a yarn sack, your belt loop if you like to knit or crochet on the go! We will begin by selecting fabrics (use your own or ours) to piece the panels, then add some embellishments, like hand embroidery or decorative patches, to give it your personal touch. After assembling the bag, we will add cording, either purchased or made by you, to cinch it closed. This bag uses basic sewing techniques, including piecing, top-stitching, sewing a (the machine will do all the work for this!) button hole and sewing on a button (the machine can do this, too!) At the first class we will pick fabrics, helping each other with color and placement, and piece the panels. We will discuss embellishments and, if time permits, start on those. Homework between classes is to finish the embellishing. Then at the final class, assembling the bag and adding the cording, either purchased or made by you. Everyone should leave the second class with a completed bag and be more comfortable using some of the features of our new Bernette B38 sewing machines. (If you can’t get there by 5:30, just let us know and come as late as 6:30) Class Fees: $60 for members/$80 non-members Register here! CMS Amateur Radio Club (W1CMS) Monthly Meetup Aug. 23, 2026 1 p.m. — 3 p.m. The Claremont MakerSpace has an Amateur Radio club! Before makers, hackers, and DIY, there was Amateur Radio. Join us on August 23 at 1 p.m. for our monthly meeting (usually every third Sunday). You do not have to be a licensed ham to participate; just bring your curiosity and energy! Everyone is welcome! Each month, we feature a presenter (45 minutes to an hour), and after we adjourn to MakerSpace’s Digital Fabrication and Electronics Lab for open-time kit building, sharing, studying, and socializing. This Month’s Presentation: RandTel: Bringing the Payphone Back Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a payphone work in 2026? Patrick Schlott (KC1DPM) will share the story behind RandTel ( https://randtel.co/ ), from finding and restoring old payphones to connecting them to today’s telephone networks. He’ll talk about the technology, the challenges, and why these classic phones still have a place in communities where reliable communication matters. Presented by: Patrick Schlott (KC1DPM) Patrick is a Vermont electrical engineer and amateur radio operator with a lifelong interest in communications technology. He is the founder of RandTel (Randolph Public Telephone Operating Company) , a volunteer project that restores vintage payphones and puts them back into service using modern VoIP technology. His work has been featured by IEEE Spectrum, NBC Nightly News, and other national media. Register here! Photography Club Aug. 24, 2026 5:30 p.m. — 7 p.m. Agenda: To Be Announced! About the Club We are a new group of amateur and professional photographers meeting regularly to learn from each other, practice our craft, and develop the community of photographic artists, commercial photographers, and visual storytellers around Claremont and the Upper Valley. Meetings are free for CMS members, and open to the public with a fee to support operations at the MakerSpace. Each meeting is led by one of our members and focuses on a topic of interest chosen by the group: from technical workshops on shooting techniques, to photo critique sessions, gear show & tells, photo walks, and whatever else we come up with together. Class Fees: Free for members/$10 for non-members Register here! Intro to Mixed Media Collage Sept. 19, 2026 1 p.m. — 3:30 p.m. A mixed media collage is a visual art form that combines various materials—such as paper, fabric, photographs, stamps, cardboard, and found objects—onto a single surface to create a layered, textured composition. Students will leave class with at least on completed college and an understanding of the process. There will probably be time to complete more than one collage. Please note that all our classes have a minimum number of registrants required so don’t wait to sign up! Class Fees: $65 for members/$75 non-members What Students Should Bring With Them to Class: Scissors, old magazines, photos or sayings you’d like to incorporate. Register here! Happy Makin’! We are grateful for all of the public support that our 501(c)(3), non-profit organization receives. If you’d like to make a donation, please visit the Support Us page of our website.