Located on Auahatanga | Creativity, Level 4, Tūranga the Production Studio is a space for making, creating and getting crafty.
There are open creative times across the week where you can use the studio and work on your creative projects. Classes also run throughout the year.
- Find Tūranga creative time sessions in the calendar
Ngā Kōrero Auaha – Creative Stories
We talk to creators who have made things happen in the Taupuni Waihanga / Production Studio in Ngā Kōrero Auaha – Creative Stories
Philipp
Rapid prototyping facilities available at Tūranga allowed Aerospace Engineer Philipp Sueltrop (from Christchurch’s Kea Aerospace) to manufacture aircraft parts for an Aerospace Design Challenge.
The ability to quickly adapt a design allowed him to trial new iterations, test and refine ideas in a short timeframe. Fast forward a couple of years and these unique, unmanned aircraft, which began as an idea, are performing high level earth observation from the stratosphere!
Visit the Kea Aerospace website
King Cass
Rapper King Cass uses the Taupuni Oro/Ataata Audio/Video Studio at Tūranga to record and produce his motivational hip-hop music and also printed some of his own t-shirts using the equipment in Taupuni Waihanga / Production Studio.
The Ferriers
The Ferriers needed support with launching their business Furniture | Le Ferrier design, they came to Tūranga. They prototyped some designs, trialled laser and vinyl cutting their branding onto wood and other materials, and also made some team tshirts at the Taupuni Waihanga / Production Studio.
Equipment available
We have a range of equipment available for use in and around the Production Studio.
Embroidery machine
An embroidery machine is a special type of sewing machine that can stitch designs and patterns onto fabric. Before using an embroidery machine you generally need to digitise a design on the computer to create a stitch file that the embroidery machine can follow. Our embroidery machine is a Janome Memory Craft 500E which uses Hatch embroidery software for the designs. Sewing machines and an overlocker are also available.
Use it for:
- lace bracelets
- patches/badges
- monograms
- logos
Laser cutter
A laser cutter provides a fast and accurate way of cutting a variety of materials, such as paper, card, acrylic, wood, laminate and fabric. It works by firing a high-powered carbon dioxide laser through a series of mirrors and a focusing lens to produce a beam that burns very precisely through the media. The laser is controlled by computer numerical control (CNC) which moves the laser head by following a vector design. Create designs using Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator or Lightburn software. Our laser cutter is not housed in the Production Studio.
Use it for:
- jewellery/keyrings
- engraving
- jigsaw puzzles
- robot parts
- cutting fabric pattern pieces
- just about anything...
Sewing machines
A motor driven machine that drives a needle for stitching fabric. Modern sewing machines have a number of different stitch patterns available as well as basic straight and zig-zag stitches. An overlocker is a sewing machine that sews over the edge of fabric for edging, hemming or seams. There are four sewing machines and an overlocker available in the Production Studio. An embroidery machine is also available.
Use it for:
- aprons
- bags
- clothing
- stuffed toys
- cosplay/costumes
- appliqué
Vacuum former
A vacuum former is a machine for creating simple moulds. It uses heat to stretch a sheet of plastic over an object, then uses a vacuum to suck the sheet closely to the object’s surface.
Use it for:
- radio-controlled car bodies
- chocolate, jelly, soap or ice cube moulds
- masks
- packaging
Vinyl/Craft cutters
A craft cutter contains a very sharp blade that is controlled by a computer. The blade can move precisely to cut shapes out of materials such as paper, card, adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, craft foam and fabric. Some cutters are integrated into inkjet printers, allowing many more options for printing and cutting designs. We have 2 Silhouette Cameo 3 craft cutters and a Roland VersaStudio BN-20 Vinyl/Printer cutter. Create designs using Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator or Silhouette Studio software.
Use it for:
- t-shirt transfers
- stickers
- stencils
- logos
- greeting cards
- scrapbooking
Other equipment
- t-shirt press
- 3D pens
- 3D Printers
- Miscellaneous makerspace hand tools such as soldering irons, clamps, screwdrivers, pliers, handsaws etc.
Related pages
- Find out what else is on Auahatanga | Creativity, Level 4
- 3D printing
