Once Piper Watson and John Shea moved to Station North in 2010, they began walking their dogs around the neighborhood and meeting fellow residents. Some, like themselves, were young artistic types, while others were longtime residents who had witnessed the neighborhood’s ups and downs. The resulting conversations made them want to add something to the neighborhood that would be self-sustaining, accessible, and useful.
So, in April 2013, the Station North Tool Library was born as Baltimore’s only tool library catering to individual DIYers. Boasting over 1,700 tools ranging from power drills to pickaxes, the library now has more than 900 members, who pay membership fees starting as low as $15 a year for lending access. Membership also grants usage of the 1,500-square-foot workshop where hobbyists—once they’ve completed a $25 safety orientation—can pursue projects from building planter boxes to brewing beer.
Last June, the library began offering classes in disciplines such as chef’s knife-making and woodworking. “It’s really evolved into something pretty special,” says Watson, 35. “It’s a really interesting mix of folks.” This includes absolute novices. “We had a woman build a miniature play kitchen set for her granddaughter, and she had never used a table saw in her life,” enthuses Watson. “It’s pretty amazing.”
The Station North Tool Library recently got a tool sponsorship from Black & Decker. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
The library’s most popular classes include its chef’s knife-making class and woodworking. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
Out of the tool library’s more than 900 members, at least 50 percent are women. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
Some of the other classes include skateboard making and rain-barrel building, and the library is adding more classes all the time. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
Member projects include everything from planter’s boxes to homemade beer to cutting boards for holiday gifts. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
The founders’ original idea was a mobile tool cart—kind of like a food truck—but now the library has more than 1,700 tools at its disposal. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
There are more than 50 tool libraries in the United States, including ones in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
The library is not to be confused with the Baltimore Community Tool Bank, which supplies much larger, commercial projects. But the two groups do work together often. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
The chef’s knife-making class has been taken by chefs from Golden West Cafe and Alewife. The class is referred to as the ‘gateway drug,’ as it’s often the first one members try. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
Member of all kinds are welcome, including the all-important shop dog, Super Dave. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
Members can pay monthly dues or use the pay-as-you-go model. The library is looking into getting scholarships funded. – Photography by Justin Tsucalas
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
