Hello folks! We are running the art project Steel, Exquisite corpse of, at Northern Spark this year on June 8th. When we start out the night, we need one drawing that will help inspire us for the first segment of the art piece. The first sculpture will have a theme of underground, above ground, and sky.
We want the first segment of the sculpture to be drawn by you! Submit your photos by tweeting to @HackFactoryMN with the hashtags of #nspk38 and #underground. First 20 people to tweet us before June 8th with photos of their drawings will receive two LED throwies on the night of the event. Please help support this project by donating to our Indiegogo campaign or sharing this with your friends!
Cali, Aaron, and I did a small test run of Steel, Exquisite corpse of last night, and it turned out really cool!
Over the next several weeks I will post photos of my rocking-chair project as it progresses. I welcome your feedback and hope that you will help me find a name for this chair.
My design is inspired by 2 sources: the Frank Lloyd Wright Origami Chair and the Converse All Star sneaker. I’ve always wanted to re-design the Origami Chair as an updated, cool lounger. The Converse reference came later, after hours of observation, when it struck me (and my friend Ann who stopped by the Hack Factory for a critique session), that my placement of masking tape around the rockers was reminiscent of a pair of red sneakers (more on this in a future post).
This probably looks like a simple chair to make but there are no right angles so it was tough!
A few years ago I made a large, black lacquered version of FLW’s Origami Chair and I kept one for my own home. Using the chair at my home, I started my new chair by tracing a pattern onto poster board. Then, I made another pattern about 2/3 the size of the large one, tweaked the proportions and used that pattern to cut the plywood.
Once I assembled the plywood pieces I carved an ergonomic seat and back out of spray foam. To create a smooth surface, I covered the carved foam in body filler and then did a lot of sanding.
Next week I will discuss the main design problem with FLW’s Origami Chair and whether or not I solved it.
Arduino 101 is back for one one more round, just in time for summer vacation monkeying about. This will more than likely be the last Arduino 101 class until September, so if you’ve been looking for the intro course you’ll want to sign up!
Ever wanted to make something blink or buzz, but don’t know where to start? This is the class that will teach you the basics of what an Arduino can do, and how microcontrollers are awesome!
Cost is $50, which includes a parts kit we’ll be using in class (it’s yours to keep!). Students will need to supply their own Arduino board and laptop.
The class focuses on the Arduino Uno model, but everything works with the Arduino Mega as well. The Arduino Leonardo is new and I haven’t had a chance to play with it, but I expect it’ll play nicely.
Arduino-compatible boards/Arduino clones might cause some issues — pin layouts may be different, and in some cases they’re not 100% code-compatible. If you already have one, feel free to bring it in, but if you’re just getting started I recommend buying an official Arduino board.
If you don’t have an Arduino, they’re available at most local Radio Shack stores, and also at Micro Center in St. Louis Park. Or you can check the Vend-A-Kit machine at the Hack Factory! (And of course you can mail-order one, but where’s the instant gratification in that?)
If you haven’t got a laptop, please get in touch. We can possibly work something out.
Following the most recent CNC Class, which I think was a great success on many levels, I was inspired to make a project that has been on the back burner for awhile. I want to use a CNC to make some furniture. I’ve been inspired by the work of Gregg Fleishman, and as a starting point I cutout a scale model of one of his designs.
David Bryan, Riley Harrison, Cali Mansty, and Aaron Prust are presenting multiple projects for Northern Spark 2013 on June 8th in Downtown Saint Paul! Northern Spark is an overnight interactive festival starting at 8:58pm and ending at sunrise! We are inviting everyone to come and hang out, and enjoy the festival! The Hack Factory will have three spaces setup for people to come and interact with the Art.
We are also in the process of fundraising for this project, currently we need about $3,800 to help cover the costs of materials, and $4,200 total to cover rewards. We receive all funds that are pledged.
So lets talk about one of the projects, Strange Attractors. You may remember me from such things as the Raspberry Pi powered cat feeder. While I’m at it again, and making stuff with the Raspberry Pi. I was asked create a few blog posts for MCM that talked about the Raspberry Pi Camera module that I’m going to use in my next project.
Image credit: Alex Weber, http://www.flickr.com/people/8123185@N02/
This is a reminder that in order to be a member in good standing and be able to vote you must have your dues paid by 11:59PM 6/1/2013. If you have questions about your dues status please email treasurer at tcmaker.org More info to follow…
Learn how to use a CNC router to cut 2D and 3D objects out of a variety of materials. TC Maker has 3 CNC routers available at the Hack Factory, come and learn how to use them and start making your own awesome stuff!
The class will have two parts (Machine Check-out, and CAM gcode creation) with the machine introduction and check-out scheduled for 1pm – 5pm Saturday and the CAM workshop from 10am – 2pm on Sunday.
It’s spring! I know, it’s hard to believe what with all the snow we’ve seen over the past two weeks, but it really is time to think about building cool stuff for your garden. Mike Smieja from We Can Grow is running four classes this weekend, just in time for the warm weather to arrive. Hop over to our Eventbrite page and sign up for a class!
After this class you will go home with raised bed garden built by your very own hands and the knowledge to use it. We use all natural cedar because it has such a resilience to the elements, lasts for years to come, and it smells great. Along with building your garden the instructor will present a basic small space gardening class. This class is for all skill levels.
Wanna grow your own potatoes for the year, but don’t have a lot of space? This class will provide the simple solution of a potato tower. In a space as small as 3′x3′ you can grow up to 60 pounds of potatoes.
Nothing aids in success in your gardening efforts more that great soil. We have a growing need to reduce the waste that is put into our landfills. We all moan and groan about bagging out leaves every fall. We have a solution that addresses all those problems, it’s simple, backyard composting.
Nothing is quite as rewarding as growing and using your very own herbs. In this class we use a simple, attractive design that is very low maintenance. We will be using cedar because it is attractive and lasts for a long time.
The MinneFaire was a great success this weekend! 42 exhibitors, 690 attendees, and whole lot of awesome volunteers! From this we were able to raise over one thousand dollars for The Hack Factory. We want especially thank all of our awesome Volunteers and Exhibitors for making this event such a big success.
Satruday’s weather was not bad- chilly, but bearable if you were wearing warm clothing. Sunday we saw that the temperature plummet, and the wind kicked up- so it would have been impossible to keep the tent warm enough for exhibitors. So we made the executive decision to move all the tables inside, and squished everyone together, and it worked out great!
If you have photos of the event make sure to tag them with MinneFaire. Thanks to everyone involved! We hope to do it again sometime!
Several of you have asked if there will be a table dedicated for our members to exhibit their completed projects/hacked hardware. Yes, there will be!
We still need you to sign up using our exhibitor sign up form — just make a note that you want to display on the TC Maker/Hack Factory table and be sure to include the size of the space it will consume. Space is limited and will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. Please do so by April 7th, as this helps us to plan our space appropriately. By signing up, you also get the advantage of exhibitor pricing ($5 for 2 admissions, which is a steal!).
Please note: you must pre-register or contact us prior to the fair to exhibit.
UPDATE (4/8/2013): We have closed the registration form, but we still have space for member projects. Please email fair at tcmaker dot org to reserve your space.
If you have any problems filling out the form, Laura, Riley or David would be happy to help you!
If you haven’t seen the news already, The Mill will be closing it’s doors April, 20, 2013. We are very sad to hear that this space is closing. It’s super important to have a space like The Mill in our metro area, as it provides growth to inventors and innovators.
The Hack Factory is a space for people to prototype, invent, share, learn, teach, and improve upon our community by empowering people. Once a prototype has been developed in our space, and a production line is needed, The Mill would be any professional makers next step, and it will leave a void in our community. However, we will be in talks with Brian to identify what works for our group, and how we can best support the community.
That said, we do welcome anyone to stop by The Hack Factory, and check the space out to see if it’s right for you. Our Minne Faire is April 13th & 14th, and we have open houses every Wednesday from 7-9pm.
Ok, way too many “C’s” I know. But I am trying to gauge interest in creating a workshop/class that goes over creating “your” costume for this years Convergence convention in July. I know, I like to work with like minded artists while creating costume designs. Thinking this could be an interesting group to put together and at the end show off our collective maker-foo at this years event.
We could go over topics like:
Sewing (yes sewing is fun and guys can be good at it)
Pattern making
Making molds and copies
Fabricating appliances
Latex mask creation
Leather masks
Airbrushing
How to not pass out from heat exhaustion.
I’d like to put this together more like a camp. Where there is a topic and it starts with information, but the rest of the day is spent with as much or as little time “making” as you need. A lot of the time a person just needs direction to get from one place to another.
To give an example: You want to make a Mystique from X-Men costume. How would you make her signature skull belt? Well with silicone/latex molding of course. But were do you get molding supplies, and how does it work. Then how do you make copies? These were question I had and I am guessing there are a lot of people interested in coplay but do not know how to get the idea into reality.
Hey, if you are interested, leave a comment. Its never too early to start making a costume, but its often too late…
Image is of the Maker (going by the name of No 96). photo taken by Tokyo Fashion
Back in February I started teaching my Raspberry Pi 101 class at The Hack Factory. After the first class I think I had Pi on the brain, I was scheduled for a quick weekend trip out of town with my girlfriend, and she was due to leave her two cats behind. She said that she was going to leave a large bowl of cat food out, and with that I suggested that I build an automated cat feeder for them.
Ya know, so the cats don’t over eat, and maybe have a mixture of food, and it’s super cool! (Did I mention that it’s cool!?) So… five days before leaving town, I purchased the food hopper, and very quickly ran out of time to complete the project before leaving on vacation. So plan B it was, a large bowl of cat food , and water.
However, I did stick with my original plan, and saw the build to completion well before my next trip out of town. In this blog post, I’ll list out the step-by-step (for the most part) process to building your very own Wifi Enabled Raspberry Pi Powered Cat/Human Feeder.
So you want to play with a Raspberry Pi? But maybe you haven’t been able to get one yet. Well you’re in luck! This class includes a Raspberry Pi, Wifi, Power, Cables, LEDs, SD Card! This is everything you need to get the Pi going. Don’t know what a Raspberry Pi is? Check out this article from the NYTimes. The ticket includes $120 worth of hardware for you and the class tutorials.
The table saw probably is the most-often used power tool at the Hack Factory, in part because its operation is relatively straightforward. As a result of the heavy use ours sees, the staff has to work diligently to make sure it’s running well and ready to go. There are a number of things that every member can do to help.
This Saturday, Twin Cities Maker is proud to host the Hennpin County Fix-It Clinic!
Remember that broken toaster you’ve had sitting in the basement for a year, waiting for you to figure out how to fix it? Well, now is your chance! Bring your broken household goods and clothing in need of repair to Hennepin County’s Fix-It Clinic.
Fix-It Clinics reduce the amount of stuff that gets thrown in the trash, teach valuable troubleshooting and basic repair skills, and build community connections. These are family-friendly events.
Volunteer fixers are needed to make this initiative a success. Volunteers have skills in soldering, electronics and electrical repair, computer repair, sewing and general tinkering.
Interested in amateur radio? Whether you’re a licensed ham, or just curious what amateur radio is all about, come on down to the Hack Factory on Monday, March 11th at 7PM. We will be having an open discussion about ham radio, and likely some demonstrations using the amateur radio station set up in the front lounge. This event is free and open to the general public.
Mark your calendars! Our fourth annual Minne-Faire will be held at The Hack Factory, April 13th and 14th, 2013. This year is going to bigger than last years show!
Participate, meet and get inspired by other makers and DIY artists that are interested in electronics, 3-D printing, metalworking, woodworking and textiles. This year’s Minne-Faire will include exhibits, demonstrations, power wheels racing, vendors, music, and food.
Schedule:
Saturday April 13th:
11am – 5pm Exhibits, demos, vendors, and booths
7pm – 11pm Minne-Faire after hours which includes music, drinks.
Join Women Host at The Hack Factory for an introduction and demonstration to mosaic art on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, starting at 7pm.
This month we will be learning about the art of mosaics and how to get started in making your own. The evening will start with a discussion of the history and process for creating mosaics. Followed by a demonstration of the basic tools and techniques, as well as examples of finished mosaic pieces. Feel free to come with questions or your own mosaics to share.
Feel free to bring a beverage (BYOB) to enjoy while we sit and chat about our current and future projects. We hope to see you there!
Women Host at The Hack Factory is the last Tuesday of every month. It is a night that is open to all women in our community to demonstrate, share and connect. We believe everyone should have access to our resources and open exchange of information. Future events will continue to be posted here or on the Women Host at The Hack Factory Facebook page – please like us! This event is free of charge and open to the public.
Ever wanted to make something blink or buzz, but don’t know where to start? This is the class that will teach you the basics of what an Arduino can do, and how microcontrollers are awesome!
Cost is $50, which includes a parts kit we’ll be using in class (it’s yours to keep!). Students will need to supply their own Arduino board and laptop.
The class focuses on the Arduino Uno model, but everything works with the Arduino Mega as well. The Arduino Leonardo is new and I haven’t had a chance to play with it, but I expect it’ll play nicely.
Arduino-compatible boards/Arduino clones might cause some issues — pin layouts may be different, and in some cases they’re not 100% code-compatible. If you already have one, feel free to bring it in, but if you’re just getting started I recommend buying an official Arduino board.
If you don’t have an Arduino, they’re available at most local Radio Shack stores, and also at Micro Center in St. Louis Park. Or you can check the Vend-A-Kit machine at the Hack Factory! (And of course you can mail-order one, but where’s the instant gratification in that?)
If you haven’t got a laptop, please get in touch. We can possibly work something out.
Twin Cities Maker (TC Maker) is a community group based in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Our mission is to make, share, and learn.
We have opened a maker space/hackerspace for members to build projects using various media and technologies, from wood and metal working to electronics to fabrics and beyond.
Hello folks! We are running the art project Steel, Exquisite corpse of, at Northern Spark this year on June 8th. When we start out the night, we need one drawing that will help inspire us for the first segment of the art piece. The first sculpture will have a theme of underground, above ground, and sky.
