The Mooney Innovative Design Laboratory is a student project space within the College of Engineering at Bucknell University. The Mooney Lab is equipped with a range of tools useful for basic fabrication and assembly, as well as a laser cutter and several 3D printers.
Location: Dana Engineering Building
Technician Hours: Monday through Friday from 8am – 4pm, refer to the Mooney calendar for evening technician hours
Available to: all Bucknell students, faculty, and staff
Getting Started
- Read the Bucknell Makerspace User Agreement
- Complete the Bucknell Makerspaces Access Training Module by watching the short video and finishing the quiz with a score of 100%.
- Get trained on the equipment by reading and completing the online tutorials and talking to the student technicians during evening hours.
The quiz will be graded automatically, you will need to retake the quiz until you score 100%.
Once you pass, you will get 24/7 access to the Mooney Lab and Maker-E using your Bucknell ID card (takes about 1 business day to process). The 7th Street Studio & MakerSpace does not require card access to enter.
Equipment Training
Training on equipment is available from student technicians during the evening hours. You can be trained on or request assistance with any of the equipment in the Mooney Lab.
Here are some of the tools in the Mooney Lab:
- 75 W Epilog Fusion 40 Laser Cutter
- Three Makergear M2 3D printers
- A bench top drill press
- Table saw
- Scroll saw
- Sliding miter saw
- Assorted tools for basic fabrication including:
- Mechanic’s tools
- Soldering equipment
- Cordless drills
- Hand saws
- Dremel tools
Hardware-specific training is required for the laser cutter, 3D printers, and drill press.
To see your current certifications and which equipment is available, check the MakerPortal site.
Student schedule
Training on equipment is available from student technicians during the hours listen below. You can be trained on or request assistance with any of the equipment in the Mooney Lab.
The Nifty Idea Fund
The Nifty Idea Fund is intended to support student-developed projects by providing funding for purchasing supplies and equipment. You can request up to $500 to work on a project that you’d like to develop. The process is simple. First, find a faculty or staff member willing to serve as your advisor on the project. Their role is basically to help you out if you have design/development questions. Next, estimate your budget. Finally, fill out the proposal form. It’ll take five minutes. Once you’ve done this your proposal will be reviewed by the PDL Steering Committee, which will determine whether the project should be funded.