Intro to Metal Mill, Lathe & Precision Drill Press (11/7)

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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)

Open Shop Tonight – 7p (10/29)

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Need to do some last minute work on your Halloween costume?  Have some projects that you need help on? 

Attend openshop tonight at 7pm.  The machine shop will be running, the Swit gaming corner will be bumping and the festive drinks will be flowing.

Bring your projects/costumes, help with one of ours or just hang out.  All are welcome.

Puppet-Making Workshop

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Flint the Hand-and-Rod PuppetCome 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!

Open Shop: Tonight (10/15)

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Are you curious what the crazy people at i3 Detroit do all day?  Ever seen one of our crazy contraptions at a faire or event and wonder what this group is all about? 

Then come check out the place tonight.  We will be hosting open shop from 7p to 10p at our Ferndale, Mich. shop. 

There should be a few members milling around and some actually using the mill. 

All are welcome.  Bring a project to work on, help with one of ours or we can find something for you to make. 

See you tonight!!

Welding Techniques 101 – OCT 9

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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.