Why carve pumpkins when you can use power tools?

Juneau Makerspace members and pumpkin carvers practiced cutting October gourds Monday night into Halloween jack-o’-lanterns and other festive scenes.

Grace Amundsen was elbow-deep, scraping gourd guts out from her own personal pumpkin.

The group’s events coordinator was one of seven people using the Lemon Creek workshop dedicated to inventing, making and crafting.

Some people were drawing with permanent marker.

Others cut into their would-be jack-o’-lanterns with knives.

Sam Bornstein drew a flaming skull on paper and cut out the pieces as he chatted with the other participants.

“I just go for the biggest pumpkin I can find,” he said, sitting in front of a 12-pound-plus pumpkin.

Pumpkins covered the table — large orange ones, pale ones, even a small green and yellow gourd.

A bucket was brimming with pumpkin guts in easy reach of the carvers.

Bornstein, the Makerspace president, pinned the paper to the outer layer of a pale white pumpkin, creating a stencil for carving.

“If you need to use a tool or want to have a little bit of access, limited access to the tools, you can come in and we usually have some sort of event starting at 6:30.”

Juneau Makerspace opens its studio to the public on Monday nights except for holidays.

Members have access to the many hand tools and power tools hang from racks on the wall.

The group of engineers and recreational crafters use them — markers, pens, knives — even a power drill.

Amy Karpstein used the drill to cut coin-sized holes into her pumpkin, creating a series of spots for the light to shine out.

Bornstein said the venue is an opportunity for people to learn a variety of skills and crafts.

“I’ve been teaching others how to use a 3-D printer, so, you know, you get people here with all sorts of different skills and all teaching each other new things,” he said.

The Makerspace’s newest cool gadget is a pumpkin guts-free laser cutter.

See an upcoming events calendar at juneaumakerspace.org. Family memberships are $50 a month. Members get 24-hour access.

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