Yukon builders win $30,000 in new gear
Prize includes new laser cutter, 'robot parts' and 3D printing supplies
The YuKonstruct makerspace in Whitehorse just won first place in a contest run by the website Instructables.com
Seventy-five teams from around the world competed to write the most 'instructables,' or short how-to guides.
Yukon's team covered everything from making mukluks to fixing a car bumper: more than 200 entries in all. A main team of about 10 people had been writing website entries since June, with occasional help from outside volunteers.
"The final day of the competition, we stayed up until midnight to assure the lead," said YuKonstruct program manager Adria Collins.
YuKonstruct is expecting about $30,000 worth of new gear to be delivered.
That includes a new laser cutter, as well as a CNC machine, 3d printing supplies and 'robot parts.'
"This is a really great prize for us to win because the laser cutter we have now is one of our most popular pieces of equipment," Collins says.
Instructables is a Wikipedia-like website where people share knowledge about making things. It covers everything from braiding hair to baking to automotive repair.
Last year, YuKonstruct was part of the competition, finishing in third place.
"We were so close! We lost by two or three entries. This year when we entered the competition we made it our mission to come out on top," said Collins.
The Yukonstruct space in Whitehorse is subscription-based. Members have access to a common space with tools, computers and work benches as well as access to workshops. It has now been open for two years.