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February 23 2012
Open Shop Friday: Tool of the week: Vinyl Cutter
December 11 2011
Live The Dream. Learn Programming.
It’s not scary, it’s not difficult, and it doesn’t take years to learn. I think I can prove that to you though this crash course on computer programming. It’s not going to get you a job at Google, but it will let you figure out which words are used most frequently in the book “Alice in Wonderland”, or generate a list of anagrams for your friend’s names! Isn’t technology amazing?
Don’t know the first thing about programming? No problem! This is meant to apply to a huge audience. In fact, I think anyone who knows how to work a computer should be able to complete this class with a little amount of concentration and motivation. Programming has become ubiquitous in our lives and is ultra-useful for solving even simple problems that just might take took long to do with a calculator.
There are many different programming “languages” that can be used for writing programs. You’ve probably heard of a few of the more popular ones: C, Java, BASIC and the like. This class will focus on a newer language called “Python”. Python is a great language to start learning programming with because it doesn’t require much knowledge of the nitty-gritty of what your computer is doing behind the scenes, or how memory is managed. If you can describe to your friend how you would solve a problem in the real world, you can describe it to the computer in a similar fashion in Python.
This class will pretty closely follow the material Google has provided for their crash-course on python. This is a great class; Nick Parlante is a Stanford/Google instructor, is way more qualified than I am, and is very engaging. Access class materials (lectures, exercises, example code snippets) here:
http://code.google.com/edu/languages/google-python-class/
We will be watching the lecture videos in class, and will work on the exercises individually, in pairs, or small groups. We will also have a few python experts on hand to answer questions. A big advantage to following the lectures is if you can’t make it to one of our class days, you can watch the lecture you missed and work on the associated exercise at home to stay caught up.
The schedule is as follows:
Day1, Sunday, 1/1, 7pm-9pm:
What is programming? How does ‘code’ work? This day is optional for people who already know at least 1 other programming language at a beginner level. (variables, control statements, functions)
Day2, Friday, 1/6, 8pm-10pm:
Introduction to Python, running code. (Strings, lists, sorting – lectures 1.1, 1.2)
Day3, Sunday, 1/8, 2:30pm-5:00pm:
Working with text and files. (dictionaries, regular expressions, file access – lectures 1.3, 2.1)
Day4, Friday, 1/13, 8:00pm-10:00pm:
Using other people’s code (modules) and harnessing the internet (HTTP, URLS, parsing, scraping – lectures 2.2, 2.3, 2.4)
Day5, Sunday, 1/15, 2:30pm-5pm:
This will be an extra make-up or group project day for people who need some extra time to finish the last assignment, or just want to work on something together.
By the end of the class, you will have made a few fun example programs. Yep, we’re going to make these programs in class! WE’LL DO IT LIVE!
1) A program that will use social security administration data to tell you how popular any baby name was over time.
2) A program that will take all of the files in a folder that have a special name, and compress them into a zip file.
3) A program that searches through a text file and pulls out image url links, the program will then download these images from the internet, and piece them together like puzzle pieces to reveal a picture!
Register Here or click our “Classes/Events” Tab.
Limited seating. Free for i3detroiters, $6 Non-Members
November 16 2011
Wood Shop Safety Class Saturday 10am
You probably should have paid attention in highschool shop class, but you didn’t. As a result, your fingers are at risk. In an effort to remedy this, resident expert Dave Alvarez is teaching a wood shop safety class. If you feel lost and confused in the wood shop, take this class. If you don’t feel lost and confused, you should probably attend anyways because you developed a few bad habits over the years. We said so.
Come one, Come all!
Satuday, November 19th, 10:00am
October 09 2011
Two Classes, One day. Makerbot and PCB design
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!
Come get your Makerbotting on. We know what you’re thinking, and yes, it’s a verb now. We said so. Come on down to learn how to print magical pieces of plastic from our makerbot. It’s free, and nutritious as long as you don’t eat the actual magic. That will probably make you sick. Eat a vitamin pill and some baby carrots instead.
Also, printed circuit board (PCB) design 101. Resident expert Roger is stepping up to the plate to cram some knowledge in your eager little heads about how to churn out PCB designs with the best of em. This class won’t cover actually fabricating the boards themselves (that’s a whole ‘nother class), but should get you well-off enough to be able to submit the design to a fab-house online or etching it yourself using some fancy chemicals (again, that’s another class).
ALL SEATS JUST ZERO BUCKS!
SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!
10/16/2011
4:00pm-5:00pm – Intro to Makerbot
5:00pm-7:00pm – Designing and Procuring PCBs
September 20 2011
Get your pickin’ on.
Lock pickin’ that is.
This is an open locksport meetup. An experienced member of the Toool group will be there to give a presentation to introduce beginners to lock picking!
If you show up late, we will lock you out and you will have to pick your way in.
Wednesday, Sept 21. 7:00 pm
(okay, just kidding about that last bit)
June 06 2011
Water Rocket Meet-Up – 6/8 @ 7p
i3 Detroit is never one to back down from a challenge and one has been issued. Our friends at Air Command Water Rockets released a series Four-Square-esque challenges for the art of building water rockets. WE ARE IN.
To take on these challenges, we are going to explore a weekly meet-up for brainstorming and testing the challenges over the summer.
The first one will be this Wednesday at 7p. It’s a bit short notice because we were also asked by a local magazine to write up a family friendly craft and we are going to do small water rockets for it. Photos due ASAP.
Come join us for the fun and lets get some of those challenges marked off. For other hackerspaces reading this, we would love to have some other challengers and make this really big for Air Command.
Full List of Challenges – http://www.aircommandrockets.com/10_Challenges.htm
May 24 2011
Coming up: Android, Needlecraft, Lockpicking…
- What: Needlecraft Meetup
- When: Tuesday, 5/24, 7:00pm (Same time as Android, different area.)
- Who: Open to the public, any skill level is welcome. Knit, crochet, and more.
- What: Android User Group Meetup
- When: Tuesday, 5/24, 7:00pm (Same time as needlecraft, different area.)
- Who: Open to the public, any skill level. Users, developers, iPhone refugees, anyone with an interest in Android is welcome!
- Bring: Phones, tablets, or toasters that run Android.
- What: Locksport / Lockpicking class
- When: Wednesday, 5/25, 7:00 doors, 7:30 class
- Who: Novice locksport enthusiasts who preregistered.
- Bring: Locks to pick, picks if you have ‘em, $20 if you don’t.
March 07 2011
Holy Upcoming Events, Batman!
Yesterday’s Bottle-cap Contact Microphone class was a success thanks to CMKT 4. Attendees had the privilege of seeing a pretty cool little concert as well. i3Detroit is going to keep rocking it in the upcoming week and here’s how!
MICHIGAN SCALE MODEL BOAT CLUB MEETUP
This Saturday, March 12th, at noon, there will be a meeting up of the Michigan Scale Model Boat Club. Feel free to stop by and check it out.
ICE CARVING CLASS
Quick, before it melts!
Sunday, March 13th, at noon, member Dustin will be pulling out the chain saw for his Ice Carving Class. Students will learn basic carving techniques, texturing, and will got a little hands on experience!
Signup Here
PI DAY PIE PARTY
Monday is 3/14…Pi Day!!!
Let them eat Pie!
Come join us for some mathy-good fun! Bring some pie, eat some pie and be prepared to share some good old fashioned math puns.
Party starts at 7pm. Don’t forget the Cool Whip.
METAL CASTING CLASS
Does molten metal interest you? How about the chance to see someone accidentally set themselves on fire?
Then be at i3Detoit Saturday, March 19th at 1pm to attend Alex Drummer’s Metal Casting Class. Kits will be available for purchase that will allow for 2 pewter castings.
Sign up Here
January 27 2011
Bob Ross Paint Along is Back!
Back by popular demand, we are bringing back one of our most successful classes in i3 Detroit histroy. We are bringing back the Bob Ross Paint-Along classes and in a big way.
Not only are we doing two 10-student classes but we are allowing the public to vote. There will be a vote on which epsiode will be viewed at each class. After the class, each painting will be uploaded online and the community will vote on the best one. The winner will win a free class at i3 Detroit. Don’t worry. If you are embarased, you can use a false name. Based on the ruckuss from last class, there will be many questionable paintings. We still question how dinosaurs, volcanos and UFOs ended up on the last class’s paintings.
Join us 2/26 at 5pm and 7pm for an amazing event where you will find out if you can keep up with the legend, Bob Ross. Only $20 gets you 1 hour of fun but the mockery you will get from hanging it in your living room will last a lifetime. All materials will be provided at the class. Voting for the pictures will be posted next week.
Please RSVP
Class 1 @ 5pm – http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1251700871
Class 2 @ 7pm – http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1251722937
January 02 2011
January 6th: Telescope Basics
Thursday, January 6th, at 7:00PM
Show up and learn about the basic types of telescopes, what you can see, and how maintain and collimate (align) the optics of your scope! Cost: Free!
December 27 2010
Starting February 4th: Airbrush Class Series at i3Detroit
At last! A series of airbrush courses will take place at i3Detroit, starting with the introductory class on February 4th. Class 1 is Intro to Airbrush; class 2 is Airbrush for Murals; class 3 is Airbrush for Props and Models. More information about classes 2 and 3 will be provided soon.
Class 1: INTRO TO AIRBRUSH
The instructor, Ross Smith (yours truly) will provide students with a thorough grounding in this awesome instrument. The types of airbrushes, maintenance, mixing paints, basic technique, and resources for more advanced material will all be provided.
Students must pay a materials cost in advance, which buys them all the basic materials needed to get started. Equipment will be provided for students to use during the class. (If you have an airbrush to share, please bring it! Don’t forget your hoses and quick connect couplers.) Please register online through EventBrite. If you do not want to pay through EventBrite via PayPal, please contact rsmith@i3detroit.com to arrange payment.
Register online now through EventBrite: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1152454021
- Date: Friday, February 4th, 7:00 – 10:00 PM
- Class limit: 15
- Materials cost: $10 / person
- Other restrictions: Students must pay by Friday, January 28th; Money collected will be used to purchase materials in advance of class
- What students will get:
- A brief presentation about the history, mechanics, and materials of the airbrush
- a walk-through of the equipment and its usage
- a hands-on portion demonstrating basic skills practice, a painting project with frisket, and equipment clean-up
- Materials such as papers, frisket, thinners, and paints they can take home or store at i3 for their next airbrush session
Questions? Contact rsmith@i3detroit.com
December 15 2010
Flame Effects for the Artist – Feb 5 & 6, 2011 @ i3 Detroit
Attention all artists who wish to incorporate fire aspects into their art! This class is for you…
The Detroit Fire Guild and the great folks at i3 Detroit are hosting an exciting two-day seminar and workshop teaching basic practices and principles for incorporating fuel based flame effects into your work. This class is great for the beginning fire artist and always has something new for the “expert”.
The first day will consist of a classroom session where we will discuss NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) guidelines including NFPA 54 and 58 the LP gas codes as well as NFPA 160 Flame Effects Before a Live Audience and other codes. We will examine the physical properties of LP gasses and get some hands on time with fittings and parts. The day will finish off by taking a look at some typical designs for Flame Effects including accumulators, free burning effects, pilot lights, etc. We will have plenty of demonstrations and hands on materials as well as the legendary clear propane cylinder.
The second day will be a shop day where we will put what we have learned into action and create a one of a kind flame effect from the materials on hand. The best part of the class is the assembly of the effect so please let us know if you have materials or elements you may like to see incorporated. This class will be fun for the artist who is thinking of incorporating a small flame element into their work, as well as the more experienced fire artist wanting to take their work to the next level.
Leading this weekend will be Dave X, Fire Safety Manager for Burning Man for more than 10 years, and Eric Smith, Chief Inspector for the State of Nevada Board for the Regulation of LP Gas.
Check out some pic’s of past classes
New York
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/1030/nyc_flame_effects_class/index.vhtml
Toronto
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/1030/toronto/index.vhtml
Reno
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/1030/reno_flame_effects_class/index.vhtml
San Francisco
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/1030/flame_effects_class_sf/index.vhtml
_______________________________________________________
There is a fabrication & material fee for the class of $120.
Both days’ classes will be from 10am – 5pm.
Printed materials and lunch will be provided each day.
Come and join us for this weekend to hang out with other fire artists and have a blast, no pun intended. We have room for 40 and will be taking walk up registration the day of the event, space permitting. Email your name to Fuelmaster@gmail.com to reserve your place.
December 08 2010
EL Wire Class – 12/10 @ 7pm
Do you know what EL Wire (Electroluminescent Wire) is? If so, have you ever used it in a project? If you answered no to any of these questions, you need to check out this class at i3 Detroit.
Matt Switlik will be teaching a class on how to use EL Wire in projects as well as walking everyone through a hands on demo of your very own light up hat.
The class will be taught on Friday December 10th, 2010 at 7pm. There will be a material fee of $35 dollars for the hat kit which includes everything you need to make the hat. If you would like to bring your own object to add EL Wire to the power supply will be $10 and the wire will be available in white (pictured on the left) and pink for $2 per foot.
Please RSVP at the link below – http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1110943863
November 22 2010
Tool Discs: The Ninjas of Linux (SEMCO Linux SIG)
Tuesday night at 6:45pm, join Mike and Michael and the rest of the SEMCO Linux SIG for a discussion of live Linux-based tool discs for a variety of purposes, including backup, system recovery, password management, forensics, anti-virus, and more. Most of these discs are intended for use on both Linux and Windows systems. As Michael says, trying to fix Windows from within Windows is often like trying to do a valve job on an engine while it’s running–these discs allow users to “step outside” Windows to get under the hood. Specific CDs will be discussed and demonstrated.
The talk is open to all — SEMCO members, i3Detroit members, and neither!
November 17 2010
Papercraft Party Thursday 6:30pm
Image by miahalf0 on Flickr
Join us for our monthly-ish Papercraft Party this Thursday: an informal gathering of people who like paper crafts. If you’re a scrapbooker, you can bring your latest project. Learn to use the Cricut to cut intricate shapes, and even your own digital drawings in SVG format! Or, get ready for the holidays by making gift wrap or garland or Christmas cards.
Not sure what to make? Come browse our new, complete collection of CRAFT: Magazines! Here’s some inspiration from the CRAFT: website:
Furniture caster stamp carving
Bring your own supplies for your intended project, but there will certainly be some sharing if you want to try something new!
November 01 2010
Intro to Metal Mill, Lathe & Precision Drill Press (11/7)
Curious about the big scary equipment in the back of the machine shop? Curio no more!
Join Nick, at 4p on 11/7, as he walks the class through the very basics of how to operate each of these machines. He will cover safety, tooling, measurement, set-up & operation of the mill, lathe & precision drill press.
Nick is a self-trained machinist so he won’t have all the answers. But you will get a good overview on how to safely use the equipment for simple projects. You will also be equipped with the fundamentals to seek out further training on your own.
The class will be $5 to go toward the tooling repair fund. Please register on eventbrite.
This is a demonstation class but feel free to bring some aluminum stock to practice with after the class.
Local Supply Houses
- http://www.factorysteel.com/ (favorite!)
- http://www.metalsupermarkets.com/
- http://frentzandsons.com/ (small stuff)
October 20 2010
Puppet-Making Workshop
Come one and all, Muppet fans and Makers! i3Detroit will be hosting a puppet-making worskshop for members and guests on Thursday, October 21st from 7 to 9 PM.
The workshop will show you how to use a pattern, basic sewing machine use, some sewing techniques to hide stitches, and how to create a puppet’s structure and features. The puppet design is a hand-and-rod style similar to a Muppet. Bring fabric if you have an idea you want to try, but lots of material will be on hand to get you started. There is no cost for this workshop, but we are suggesting a $10 donation to i3Detroit.
Come on down and join the fun!
October 02 2010
Welding Techniques 101 – OCT 9
By Photo Dudes (Flickr)
Sparks, Fire, and Current! The class everyone has been waiting for: Welding. Bring out the torches, slap down some hot metal, spark it up and let’s weld!
On October 9th at 2pm we will be hosting our first hands-on welding workshop.
Our host has over 20 years of experience in fabrication, working on everything from automobile conveyors, to platforms, to tanks.
Class Safety
Welders should wear work or shop clothes without openings or gaps, to prevent arc light from reaching the skin. In fact, those even working close to arc welding should also wear protective clothing. Clothing should always be kept dry, including gloves. The clothing should also be 100% cotton. Some of the welding will produce strong IR/UV rays which will cause a nasty sunburn. You’ve been warned.
Reservations required
Seats are limited as we only have 6 helmets available to use, if you bring your own helmet we can make room for more. This will fill up fast, so go reserve your seat right now!
We have helmets but only a few. You cannot attend without a helmet!
Price
This class is free to the public, though a small donation to help cover our costs is always appreciated.
September 30 2010
Antenna-building class, 6pm!
The antenna-building class is almost upon us! And I’m sure about the time on this one, it’s 6:00pm. If I get there on time. (fingers crossed!)
Students who pre-registered: Bring $15 (or $20 if you want to help pay it forward) cash for the materials. I can also take Paypal but that sucks. Also, if you have any of the old double-thick CD jewel cases (the obnoxious ones that didn’t fit in most organizers) that you want to chop up, bring those too — you’ll see why.
Anyone who missed the registration deadline is welcome to observe, and there may be a limited number of extra kits available, but… As soon as I get my work schedule for the next few weeks, I’ll announce another round of classes. Sign up for one of those. 
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