Not all of the makers who use our shop have grand aspirations of starting a business, but for those that do, it helps to have a bit of inspiration in the form of a success story. One of the many fabulous startups with origins at Maker Works is Elderwood Academy, a business that began with nothing but a gift idea, access to our ShopBot and Epilog Lasers, and a little bit of traction on the internet. Today, they’re a major supplier of tabletop gaming accessories and have moved into their own production facility. Read on to learn how they got to where they are now!
Dan & Quentin where it all started—the Maker Works woodshop!
Quentin Weir, (he/him)
Dan Reiss, (he/him)
Ypsilanti, MI
Founder & Co-Founder of Elderwood Academy
What can you tell us about Elderwood Academy?
Some of the original Hex Chest dice boxes that went viral on Reddit.
Elderwood Academy is a group of artists and craftspeople who make wood and leather gaming accessories for tabletop games, like Dungeons and Dragons. My business partner, Dan, and I founded Elderwood in 2014 by launching a Kickstarter in response to demand for our Hex Chest dice boxes from some communities on Reddit.
Quentin using the router table in the Maker Works woodshop to round off the edges of a Hex Chest dice box. You can support access to awesome tools like this one by sponsoring a tool in our End of Year Giving Campaign!
What is your relationship to Maker Works and how did you get involved with the shop?
When Maker Works was first opened, they graciously provided access and training for the local FIRST Robotics (FRC) teams. As a mentor for Skyline High School’s Team 3322, I got connected to the Maker Works shop, staff, and community. Maker Works trained me on the tools and equipment to empower my work with the robotics team, but I eventually joined as a member to pursue personal projects.
At some point, I brought Dan to Maker Works to work on some projects that he was involved with at the medical school at UofM, and he fell in love. We started building some stuff together and one of those projects ended up being our Hex Chest dice boxes.
How has Maker Works, access to shared tools, and a shared community impacted you and helped you reach your goals?
Early model Hex chests—fresh off the ShopBot and ready to come to life!
Elderwood Academy would not exist without Maker Works. While I had a pretty extensive background in building and making before stepping foot into Maker Works, they offered key building blocks for the creation of Elderwood, including access to tools that I’d never used before (CNC router, lasers). Along with this, Dan and I regularly drew on the expertise and experience of other members of the community.
What would you say to others about your experiences with Maker Works and why is it a valuable part of the community?
A newer model of Hex Chest produced by Elderwood Academy next to another new product, the Spellbook dice box.
Maker works creates both short term and long term value for its community. As I’ve experienced it, I’ve had tons of short term blessings; finishing projects, learning new skills, meeting new people, and generally growing as an individual are just some of the values that Maker Works has imparted on my life. But Maker Works has also had a much more lasting impact on the community as an incubator for Elderwood.
As a key block for creating Elderwood Academy, there are many lenses that you could perceive the value that Maker Works has created. As told by our staff, Maker Works has created opportunities for everyone at Elderwood to make a living building nerdy accessories, learn new skills, and grow as individuals. There’s also a huge customer base that has benefited from opportunities to immerse themselves deeper into their games, creating more fun at their tabletops.
Quentin engraving the design on top of one of the original Hex Chests on our Epilog Laser is so satisfying to watch!
The codex dice tower, another innovative Elderwood product.
Our extensive network of support that we rely on, including lumber suppliers, leather suppliers, equipment builders, software vendors, shipping services and government services have all benefited unknowingly from Maker Works’s presence. Lastly, as founders, Elderwood has created a life-changing opportunity that will have a permanent impact on both Dan and I.
In a word, ‘opportunities’ is the value that Maker Works creates for anyone interested and willing to invest in themselves.
Want to ensure more awesome small businesses like Elderwood get a chance to launch and succeed? We’ll provide the space and tools, but we need your help.
Donate to Maker Works Community Workshops today!