Goal:

Find a way to easily pay folks who frequent the MAKE spaces (globally) to make a thing for me.

Obstacle:

An off-the-charts absurd amount of regulatory bonerkill that "legally" prevents you from really doing much more than wishing.

Solution (maybe):

Pay folks who like to hang out and MAKE (whether at an organized "space" or not) on the D/L, coordinating also on the D/L.

As far as the MAKER space is concerned, this guy is just showing up, doing some welding, and making steady progress on the Foo that he is building.

The fact that he is being paid with money is unknown to everyone but him (and me).

Again, I have no useful detail. Poo-on-wall.

Would people (potential workers) frown on this because of 'ethics'? Would they be too worried about 'getting caught'? What would the concequences be.

Why would the MAKER space just not be transparently onboard with this and obviate the whole sneaking around bit? Well, many reasons. See if you can think of three:

A MAKER space would not let you pay someone to make a thing for you because...

1. Hur Dur Liability