Solder of Fortune

Tuesday saw the first step in our plan to revive our class schedule now that our space and sleep schedules have recovered from Maker Faire, and what better way to get started than to have two illustrious makers as our guest lecturers? These two giants were none other than Mitch Altman of Noisebridge and TV-B-Gone fame and Jimmie P. Rodgers of LOLshield fame both of whom are currently on a road trip to promote their clever kits and educate young and old about how easy and fun soldering can be.

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Intro to Lock Picking – 6/12 @ 6p

With i3 Detroit moved to our brand new location and some build out completed, it’s time to start offering our world famous classes. 

So we are bringing back our most popular class of all time, Intro to Lock Picking.  Come join globe trotting security specialist Eric Michaud for a night of learning and fun.

The class will start with a hands-on lesson with the master.  Sets of lock picks will be available for purchase but it’s first come first serve.  You can also buy sets online or at a local spy shop (Southfield, MI).  We also ask that everyone bring a standard key opening master lock or similar. 

Following the class, we will have a speed tournament for both our experienced pickers and our newly trained amateurs.  Prizes will be awarded.   

Hope you can make it out.  Please reserve your seat today.   Eventbrite Link

Pricing:
Public – Purchase Lock Picks w/ Class: $20
Public – Just Class: $10
i3 Member – Purchase Lock Picks w/ Class: $10
i3 Member – Just Class: Free!!

Bob Ross Paint-Along Rescheduled

Unfortunately, we have to cancel the Bob Ross Paint-Along classes scheduled for this Saturday.  We have a conflicting event during the same time that requires the full attention of the group (stay tuned for an amazing post on that).  Look out for a rescheduled class in early May.  Thanks to everyone who RSVPed.  You should be receiving cancellation emails today.

The week ahead: Soldering, Maker Faire, Machining, Jam Session

Just a quick glance at the schedule:

Monday: Nothing scheduled yet. Come hang out if the space is open!

Tuesday: Electronics meetup, no RSVP required. Theme: Soldering iron clinic — tip tinning, cleaners and holders, the role of flux in the soldering process. May also get into the other gear on the bench. I’ll try really hard to have the doors open by 7; somewhat earlier is likely. BYOSI if you want specific advice!

Wednesday: Maker Faire Detroit planning meeting at the Detroit Main Library. Expect i3 to be pretty quiet…

Thursday: Metal Machining class part 2.

Friday: The monthly Unusual Musical Instrument Jam Session, same time as PS:One does theirs. Bring noisy stuff! Also, FIRST competition begins in Ann Arbor. Also, new-member orientation — if you’ve been wanting to join, get here!

Saturday: Go cheer on team 1216 Oak Park Knights and team 3302 Clawson Turbo Trojans at the FIRST regional!

Sunday: Electronics class, piezo noisemakers. 2-4pm.

Weekend electronics classes: When is good?

It’s time to schedule some more electronics classes! The last one was a great success, and Phil, who taught it, is available mostly on the weekends. But what time during the weekend works for you? So that we can get a better sense of when to schedule such things, please head over to WhenIsGood and indicate your availability right now — it’s really easy!

Note that this doesn’t sign you up for anything, it’s just a way for us to “feel the breeze” and figure out what’s too early (Nate2 won’t be coloring in any blocks before about noon, if history is any indication) or too late. Whatever time works for the most people will become the new regular electronics class time! Future classes will be roughly 2 hours long, we hope.

Whether or not you’re itching for another electronics class, you can help i3 by telling your friends about us and about our Kickstarter page. We can do more — will you help?

Intro to Metal Machining: Mill and Lathe, 7pm

Okay, so our lathe isn’t quite as big as the one in the photo there. (Actually, it’s closer to the size of one of their tool holders.) But it’s also not in Pensylvania, it’s in Royal Oak, and you can come learn how to use it! Tonight’s class will cover the basic operations on both the mill and lathe. The fun gets under way at 7pm, and you can reserve your seat right now!

As always, non-members are welcome! We’re at 322 e. 4th st, 48067.

Bob Ross Paint-Along 2 – March 20th, 2010

Bob Ross - Happy Little Trees

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 three (3) 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 3/20 at 2pm, 4pm and 6pm 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
2:00pm – http://bobrosspaintalong.eventbrite.com/
4:00pm – http://bobrosspaintalong4p.eventbrite.com/
6:00pm – http://bobrosspaintalong6p.eventbrite.com/

Electronics: Success. Up next: Machining!

From a webpage to a completed board, in something like six hours. Seven students built LED blinker circuits tonight, first on breadboards, then etching their own PCBs and soldering everything together. I’d call that a success! Watch this space for further electronics classes, of course.

Join us for our next class, basics of metal machining! Simon isn’t even a member, but as a regular guest he’s volunteered his years of machine-shop experience to teach us how to use a lathe and mill. That class will take place Thursday at 7pm, reserve your spot now!

Busy weekend: Open Shop, Member Orientation, Open Source Class, Circuit Board Class [updated!]

Non-members and members alike have three great excuses to swing by the shop some time this weekend. Bring a friend!

Friday night is a party to celebrate the new membership structure. In addition to new dues options ($39 and $89, with special options for students, crafters and coders), we’ve improved the process so you can do the paperwork, get your orientation, and receive your key in one shot.  Plus, Friday means it’s Open Shop so we’ll be teaching tools, hanging out, and working on whatever project you want to bring along! Oh, did I mention the beer, wine, pizza, and snacks? Doors will be open by 7pm…

Saturday evening, we’re hosting an open source software workshop to introduce screen and ssh, two supremely handy tools in the linux admin’s arsenal, which the rest of us can find uses for too. Briefly: SSH is the secure replacement for Telnet plus some sneaky features that’ll help you circumvent restrictive work firewalls and stuff, Screen takes your SSH experience to the next level by adding persistence and multiple windows to name just a couple features. They’re both free, and Saturday’s intro won’t require advanced sysadmin knowledge. Bring a laptop! Talk starts at 7, but doors will be open by 6 or earlier, so come hang out!

Sunday will be an electronics design day, starting with a PCB class at 3pm.   You’ll learn how to lay out a circuit board in electronic design software, then how to transfer that layout and chemically etch a board with it. Materials permitting, each student may get their own board to play with, and when the etching is complete, we’ll stuff components into the boards and solder ‘em up, leaving you with a completed LED flasher circuit to take home! This is a really simple circuit and no electronics experience is required to attend.  If you wish to get in on the hands-on fun, please reserve your seat.  This will just be part of a new, regularly scheduled series of electronics classes we will be offering.  Keep checking our site for updates on more classes!

Tuesday electronics night: the bench?

Anything with wires, solder, or batteries is welcome at Tuesday’s electronics gathering. This is a “birds of a feather” session, with no specific lessons planned. Non-members, just to be clear, are welcome as always!

If there’s interest, it might be fun to go along the electronics workbench and play with the various equipment: Power supplies, signal generators, oscilloscopes and meters.  We’ve got a decent setup here, and this would be a good chance to get some hands-on fiddling time.

Tuesday February 9th, 7pm, 322 e. 4th st, 48067. See you then!