There’s a great article today in Wired Magazine on the trend of “Open Source Hardware” and DIY custom fabrication. It mentions the hackerspace concept in particular.
At HacDC, we have a RepRap available for use (and volunteered hacked improvements), and our members and friends own a good selection of the fabrication tools mentioned in the article. Some of them are perfectly willing to take orders with enough lead-time. If you are interested in learning more about this general trend and participating, feel free to stop by HacDC whenever we are open!