Start with the capability, not a shopping list. See what it lets you make, how often it appears in CAIBI projects, and whether you should own it, borrow it or pay somebody else to do that step.
10 tool or platform labels currently appear across 10 assessed projects.
Cases, brackets, mechanisms, fixtures and custom physical parts.
Wiring, sensors, controllers, repairs and custom embedded hardware.
Panels, enclosures, repeated flat parts, acrylic and marking.
Cameras, local services, dashboards and projects needing Linux.
Sensors, displays, small robots, automation and connected devices.
Checking voltage, fit, calibration, alignment and whether the finished object really works.
A £500 machine is not required just because one project uses it. CAIBI treats makerspaces, friends, libraries and fabrication services as first-class routes to the same result.
See substitute routes →Repeated prints, prototypes, repairs and small changes become far easier when the capability is beside you.
A borrowed tool can unlock the project without adding another machine to your workshop.
Laser cutting, CNC, PCB fabrication and high-quality printing can often be bought as a step rather than as equipment.
