[EricH]

Talk to local businesses and colleges. Businesses may have an empty area (or might have a machine shop). Community colleges can help whith fabrication if they have a shop. Look at local malls to see if they have any empty spaces that they would be willing to allow you to use. My team worked in an empty power plant machine shop from 2002-2006 (and still has the space, though we chose to work elsewhere for a year or two). Renting a space should be a last resort (unless you can get the space donated, in which case it whould be high on your list).