Lets put some clothes on Red

On this bright Sunday morning we will knock out stage two of the “Lets put some clothes on our GIANT Red Green monument”.
So far pants, shoes, undies, and a belt have been dressed on our GIANT.

Starting early at 9am members leading the build will be at the space to help with the dressing of the Red Green Giant.  Using seven foot sheets of Tyvek, duct tape will be layered to make up the tartan pattern that is seen on the common flannel shirt Red is seen wearing.

So if you’re just waking up checking your RSS feeds, head on over to the space and lend a hand.   We’ll be here most of the day.

Maker Faire Project & Build Out Party

With Maker Faire just over a month away, it’s time to get cracking on your projects.  Join us at i3 Detroit this Saturday (6/19) starting at 10a and going all day to work on your submissions for Maker Faire.  Did you know you can still submit projects for the 2010 Detroit Maker Faire?  Go to MakerFaire.com today to submit your project.  If you need help, come on down to i3 Detroit this Saturday.

Also, we will be working on cleaning up the space and working on some more build-out for our Maker Faire After Party on 7/31 after the faire.  Please come and help out with your building, painting or cleaning skills.  No skills necessary – we can train you on any of the desired tasks.

Hope to see everyone there.  Contact us with any questions.  contact@i3detroit.com

i3Detroit v2.0 Updates

Boxes boxes boxes!

Boxes Boxes  boxes!  This Saturday i3 will be packing the space into many boxes, if you have boxes bring them.  We need boxes to prepare to relocate i3 Detroit in the upcoming weeks.

We will start taking down the decorations and equipment to pack everything into easy movable boxes.  Then, within the next couple weeks, transport to the new 8,000 sq/ft facility located in Ferndale.

The new facility will be a place where robots roam free. Grazing among the vast plains of creativity, co-existing in relative dimension and space, while engineers modify and perfect their power wheels racers.

If you don’t have any boxes, pledging to our kickstarter will help us cover our deposit and bring you the tools and community to your backyard.

Look out for a massive open house and party in May but feel free to stop by at anytime to see the progress and potential of this new space.

An overview of membership changes…

i3Detroit has been adding members like crazy since the new rates went live! We’ve also had a lot of questions, so this post is to clarify some things. If anything is unclear, please post a comment.

New dues structure: The old one-size-fits-some $100/mo plan is gone, replaced with four new options:

• Starving Hacker: Intended for students or the un[der]employed, this plan is for members in tight financial situations. $39/mo helps us keep the lights on, and gets you 24/7 keycard access to the space, full use of all tools, and free classes. This is a limited-access plan, available only to those who qualify.
• Crafter/Coder: Inspired by feedback from programmers, artists, and a certain cross-stitch nut… If you want to be part of i3 but don’t think you’ll spend much time in the workshop, this plan is for you! Also $39/mo, this gets you 24/7 keycard access, and free classes, but not unlimited use of the big tools. You’re still encouraged to learn and use them a little, because once you get comfy in the shop, we bet you’ll step up to…
• Core Member: Anyone who’s seen the rent and utility bills understands why dues were initially $100/mo, and why $89/mo is still the support we ask for, if you’re able. Gets you unlimited access to the space, plus a warm fuzzy feeling. Core members get voting rights at meetings, too.
• Supporting Member: If you don’t need a keycard but want to support i3, name your own price! We’ll happily reserve you a seat in classes, if you’d like. Consider contributing to our Kickstarter! It’s an ambitious goal, and your enthusiastic support is what will help us reach it.

As you might have guessed, Crafter/Coder represents most of the recent influx. It’s a great way to get started as a member, and if you never feel the urge to upgrade, that’s fine! It still takes money to run a place like this, of course, but it’s fine (and better in the long run) if that support comes from a larger, more diverse group. Lower dues and a broader member base will help i3Detroit thrive as a vibrant, active part of the DIY community. Spread the word!

Easier membership: You no longer need to show up for a meeting or be voted in as a member. Tuesdays are still a great time to meet the group, but it’s now possible to do the paperwork, do the orientation, pay your first dues, and get your keycard in a single evening, any evening! Get in touch with any member to get started — or just drop in when we’re open.

Also, look forward to…

More Classes: As you may already know, we try to run a lot of events and classes. None of us (yet) are professional teachers, so this is a learning experience for everyone! With your help, we’re getting better at it, and we’re always adding tools and supplies to make more stuff possible. Look for our machining and electronics classes to continue, along with more craft make-and-takes, software workshops, et cetera. Non-members are welcome to teach classes too, so please get in touch if you have knowledge to share with the community!

New Space: The details aren’t finalized, but we’re moving. Moving into a much larger space. A much larger space with room for bigger tools. Bigger tools like a full-size Bridgeport mill. Also, a networking lab (think CCNA prep lab, but multi-vendor), expanded crafting space, probably a vehicle hoist…  This is big, look for the official announcement in a few days!

i3 Detroit on Kickstarter.com

We are really excited to announce that we are live on Kickstarter.com.  Kickstarter is a really cool website where projects and groups like us can obtain outside funding.  We have a determined goal of raising $5,000 in the next 31 days to expand and develop our new space.  We are growing and it is time to expand.  But we really need your help for the initial up front costs of this task.  Your money will go towards paint, lumber, flooring, drywall, and even nails and screws. It will help us build mobile tables and electronics benches. It will help us expand our craft area and create more classrooms. It will give us the raw materials to physically build our vision of a better community for all.

Kickstarter is a pledge based system which means you don’t get charged until we have actually met our funding goal.  So when we meet our funding goal on April 4th that is when your donation goes through.  You have time to save up!

One great part about Kickstarter is that we can give back to you when you donate.  For example, a $50 donation means an i3 Detroit Tshirt, button, sticker, card and a Free class.  How awesome is that?!  The community has been such a great supporter of i3 and we want you to know just how much it means to have your continued support.

The best part about all of this is that you can watch where your donation goes.  In fact, you can even come pick up a hammer and build with those supplies that you helped us buy.  We are ready for i3 Detroit v2.0.  Are you?

Help us by sharing what you want in a shared space

We have launched a new survey page to our website. We put together a small survey to find out what you would like to see in a shared space. As we continue to grow and increase our membership it is important to us to make sure we are on the correct path. We appreciate you taking the time to help us compile this data.

You can find the survey Here

Thanks

The i3 Detroit Team