Make: Live is Tonight! 9pm est. Episode 10: Hackerspace Roadshow

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Live Streaming by Ustream.TV
Make: Live airs tonight! Ep10 is our first ever Hackerspace Roadshow. Take a virtual road trip with Make to five hackerspaces in five cities across the US to see their communities and projects.

Watch the stream, join the chat at the link below
http://www.ustream.tv/makelive#

Meet the Members – Matthew Gary Switlik

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Matthew Gary Switlik ( a.k.a. SWiT)

When did you join i3 Detroit?
I’ve been a member since the planning stages in July 2009.  There were ten to fifteen of us showing up at a coffeeshop every week talking over details of what we wanted out of a hackerspace.  I really needed access to a electronics lab and more wood working for various projects I was working on at home but never could quite finish. I was always missing some knowledge or tool to bring things to 100% completion. 50% done project aren’t as cool, so I needed i3.
What have you built at i3 Detroit?
In chronological order.  Tiny bristle bots, a ridiculously large human ride-able bristle bot, a set of Arduino controller pop up targets for NERF guns, a cigarbox guitar, an Arduino powered skeeball machine, a beer growler organ, an EL Wire Vegas Vic costume, and an arduino crockpot sous-vide cooker.
What are you working on now?
Currently I am finishing work on a micro-helicopter race track with timer and landing pad, and an 8bit Audio Game. Surprise! Both use the Arduino as a platform.
Best i3 Detroit Memory?
I thrive off of the the various demo events days like the Detroit Maker Faire.  Last year as we were packing up the group’s rented truck at the end of the weekend I remember that wonderful feeling of pride, accomplishment, and lack of sleep.

Events at i3 Detroit this Week: 6/6/12

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6/7 @ 7p Boing Boing International Meet-Up Event – More Info

6/7 @ 7:30p Member Meeting (open to the public)

6/8 @ 7p Water Rocket Meet-Up – More Info

6/8 @ 9p Live Taping of Make: Live Segment

6/10 @ 7p Open Shop Friday

6/11 @ 12p Welding Class!! – More Info

Water Rocket Meet-Up – 6/8 @ 7p

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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

Welding – Putting it together with power, June 11th

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Coming soon to a welding table near you!
On Saturday June 11th noon – 4pm, we will be exploring once again the powers of welding metal together with current.

Due to limited equipment the workshop will only have a small bit of one-on-one.  There will be plenty of time afterwards to practice your skills.

Knowledge on torches, arc and stick will be covered, possibly some demonstration of our new TIG.

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 on unprotected skin.  You’ve been warned.

Reserve your seat
Costs:
$10 Material fee

As with most of our events, seating is limited, so you must make reservations on Eventbrite if you plan to attend. Thank you!