Weekend electronics classes: When is good?

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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

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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.

i3 Detroit on Kickstarter.com

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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?

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

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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!

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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!