Members

Oct 16 2024

“I always wanted to be an architect, so finally I designed a chair.”

Grant Letz is a FUSE member and a retired graphic designer from Microsoft. He has a passion for sketching designs on a tablet gifted to him by his brother. Initially, his project started off as a sketch of a bench, but after some redesigning, it evolved into a functional and artistic-looking chair. Grant’s ultimate goal was to make this chair easily reproducible. In his pursuit to manufacture the chair, he came across FUSE, which, in his opinion, is a unique place that he believes is unmatched elsewhere for a place to create. He enrolled in Intro to CNC Router and Intro to Woodshop to to acquire the necessary skills and began working on his project. The prototypes are crafted from 3 1/8” plywood and incorporate small wedges, allowing for easy disassembly and reassembly. The chair is lightweight and portable, making it convenient for transportation. Grant aspires to sell these chairs more seriously in the future and appreciates the relaxed atmosphere that FUSE provides, allowing him to fully immerse himself in his creative process. Grant is currently working on a collaboration with local artists through OffCenter Community Arts Project.”

Visit gletzdesign.bigcartel.com to learn more about Grant and his chair.

Jul 09 2024

Meet Blanca Caro, One of FUSE’s Newest Instructors

Blanca joined FUSE’s instructor team last year, teaching vinyl, laser, and Adobe Illustrator workshops. Prior to that, she was a FUSE member for two years. She started LatinxSwag, a small arts-based business printing, cutting, and selling stickers from her home. When she started having trouble keeping up with increasing demand, she took FUSE’s vinyl printing workshop. This not only helped her keep up with demand, it also enable her to expand to create more designs and offer additional options, such as bumper stickers.

Next, she took FUSE’s screenprinting workshop and learned to silkscreen, design, sew, and screenprint tote bags. She also took FUSE’s woodshop class and used the space to build her own store displays.

You can find Blanca and her work around Albuquerque by following her on Instagram or purchase it online through Etsy.

Jun 10 2024

Member Feature: Fidel González

My name is Fidel González, I am a local farmer and musician, I want to tell you that last year I started as a member of this great place called FUSE Makerspace. The reason I came here is because I have always wanted to produce leather bags and learn how to use laser machines. As part of the concept of sustainability, the diversification of economic income based on my own creativity is fundamental to this process. Thanks to FUSE Makerspace that possibility is being carried out. When I arrived here, last year 2023 I started by learning how to use laser machines, now my next project is to learn how to use the CNC router and continue expressing my creativity thanks to these machines. As a therapy, as a business, and as a form of expression, FUSE Makerspace is a place that provides us with the possibility of developing our creative abilities and transforming them into reality.

Sep 04 2020

Member Feature: Tanda Headrick

Tanda Headrick heard about FUSE before almost anyone else. She was consulted during the inception of the Makerspace on what collection of equipment would make a successful makerspace. Tanda was an obvious choice for this as she had been running Vanguard Technology Corporation here in Albuquerque since 1992. Vanguard has done work for many different industries over the years, including electromechanical design, firmware design, and other contract design services. One of her earliest products was the Select Four Custom Ring Decoder. The device routed different ringtones to different devices, effectively making a single phone line into four.

Tanda has made things most of her life and has tried to pass that interest onto younger generations. She has partnered with the National Tooling and Machining Association in the past to get kids into machining through STEM activities.

Tanda has also been involved with the worldwide making community over the past few years, traveling to conventions and meetups in the United States and London. She has also been active on many social media platforms. You can follow her and the projects she’s working on @tandamadison on Instagram. She also curates a blog, www.vanguard-tech.com/blog, where you can learn about her shop automation as well as her building a chicken coop and becoming a self-proclaimed “crazy chicken lady.”

At the beginning of the current pandemic, she helped by re-designing the popular Verkstan face shield headband, which is usually 3D printed, to be cut out using a water jet, allowing for faster production. The FUSE team then sanitized and packed them to be distributed to those in our local community that need them.
We asked Tanda why she comes to FUSE; she has her own shop in town, which FUSE was partially based on. In addition to access to equipment she did not have at her shop, she came to FUSE to connect with other makers. She said she always had an affinity for people who make and work with their hands.

Tanda is a huge part of the FUSE Makerspace community. She has been an instructor and taught many members how to use both the mill and the lathe. Tanda has proven to be an invaluable resource to members who were ambitious with projects and became stumped, and she is also always ready with a pertinent story or joke for whatever our members are working on. If you happen to be in the space at the same as Tanda says hello, you’ll be better for it.

Aug 04 2020

Member Feature: Arnold Risvik

Arnold Risvik heard about FUSE from a friend who worked at CNM before we moved into our current space. He joined once the HAAS (CNC Mill) was up and running to help supplement his machining business, Snap Precision. Snap precision currently specialized in making high-security locks but fabricates a wide variety of items. You can find him frequently running parts on the HAAS or working in the metal shop. He is looking to expand this business by buying his own CNC mill and hiring a student from the CNM machining program to help cut parts. Arnold also teaches at and helps run Ninja Force Gym. They are an obstacle gym that has obstacles similar to those on American Ninja Warrior where Arnold has competed five times. In addition to appearing on American Ninja Warrior he also testes the obstacles they use to ensure they are passable by competitors. He has also tested obstacle for shows like Titan Games and Million Dollar Mile. Arnold has also competed in many regional competitions involving obstacle courses. He also has a business designing, building obstacles, and setting up other obstacle gyms called My Ninja Source. During the pandemic, he has been making many backyard obstacles and shipping them all over the world. He is currently working with the Make-a-Wish foundation. A friend had suggested him to the foundation to help fulfill a wish. A six-year-old girl in the pacific northwest wanted her backyard in a ninja-style obstacle course. Arnold was able to design and build obstacles to convert her back yard. Now that gyms are back open if you have ever had the urge to give an obstacle gym a try check out Arnold at Ninja Force Gym. They have classes for kids as young as five.

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