Gender in the making: An empirical approach to understand gender relations in the maker movement

•Between 55% and 70% of makers are male.•Maker spaces put much effort in attracting a diverse clientele by offering free trainings to all, having no or low membership fees or by reducing the complexity of machines through practical and simple procedures.•Quantitative data regarding use times by gender reflect these findings relating to gendered objects.•A division between ‘crafting’ and ‘making’ becomes visible between female and male makers: While men tend to have an engineering background, female makers often work in design, communication and social relations area.•Our study reveals a lack of female role models as maker space managers.