January Update
Volunteer opportunity
We’re looking for a newsletter composer! These monthly updates reach a wide audience of our members, supporters, and other subscribers. If you’re looking for a way to help out and this interests you, let us know!
What we’ve been up to
Network upgrade
The makerspace network has been upgraded! We replaced a couple of consumer-grade wifi routers with a commercial-grade MikroTik router and 3 access points. This has dramatically improved the reliability and speed. Our volunteers ran nearly 6,000 feet of cat5e cable and installed physical ethernet drops around the makerspace.
HUGE thanks to all of the volunteers and donors who helped make this possible!
We want from this router:
To this router (and 3 access points):
Plus, check out this patch panel I wired up and didn’t completely ruin!
We have few other site-wide projects like this that I’m pretty excited about – stay tuned for future updates!
Step stool workshop
Jerry’s DIY step stool workshops are great way to start learning woodworking and some of the equipment available at the MakeICT makerspace.
Check out this picture Jeremiah made during one of the workshops, then etched on the laser cutter, and finally stained for finish.
Jerry’s doing another DIY step stool workshop this month – see the events listed below to sign up!
Coffee roasting
A relatively small but committed group came out for Dean’s coffee roasting workshop. He covered the whole process, from green bean to coffee pot and more. According to lingering aroma, this workshop went pretty well!
Woodshop safety workshop
Thanks to Mike H’s woodshop safety workshops, the MakeICT woodshop has been buzzing with activity. We’ll keep these safety workshops going every month, so if you haven’t had yours yet, just keep an eye on the calendar!
Laser cutter certification workshops
The laser cutter has been very popular too! We’ve done a bunch of laser cutter certification workshops now, and people have been making some cool stuff. We’ll also be keeping these going every month.
3D Printing
In this workshop, we learned some modeling basics as well as how to change filament in the Ultimaker 2, how to level the bed, and how to create a 3D print from the model. The Ultimaker 2 is just one of the three 3D printers we have at MakeICT. They all use slightly different software, but the workflow is the same, so once you’ve learned how to use one it’s easy to learn the others.
What’s coming up
January 5: Woodshop Safety Class
Learn the basics to safely operate the major woodshop tools in this Safety class including understanding the limitations of each tool, the forces created when using the tool and how to maintain safe control for improved performance.
Tools covered: SawStop table saw, drill press, band saw, wood lathe, router table, jointer, planer, miter saw, oscillating spindle and belt / disk sanders and scroll saw.
Prerequisites: Please read the wood shop tool access policy and safety requirements on the wiki page prior to coming to class.
Safety Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- Mandatory: Closed-toed shoes, eye protection, short sleeves
- Advisable: Hearing protection
Once you take and successfully pass this class quiz, you can use this wood shop equipment for your projects whenever you work at MakeICT as a member! Additional woodworking classes will be offered, so watch the calendar for notification.
January 7: Code & Coffee
Join us for a pre-work meetup to have some coffee, get your day started, and hang out with some fellow developers. Show up whenever, leave whenever. Join us at The Labor Party to get your day started right!
January 9: Gamedev Build and Demo Day
Wichita’s first free game development and demo day! Hosted by devICT and The Labor Party and FREE OF CHARGE!
January 9: Wii Modding Workshop
MakeICT member Matthew Warren will explain the what, why, and how of modding the Wii video game console. Participants are invited to bring their own Wii’s to get assitance with setting them up to enjoy homebrew apps. The workshop outline is as follows:
- Brief history of Nintendo
- Wii game console specifications
- Benefits of modding on the Wii
- Installing homebrew channel (gateway to Wii modding)
- Using homebrew channel to launch apps
- Homebrew browser (download and install apps)
The instructor, Matthew Warren, is a regular at the makerspace and occasionally brings a Wii to Maker Monday’s to share. His interests are gaming technology and gaming trends, artistic geometry and symmetry, visual mathematics, 2D and 3D graphic arts, technology in all aspects of life, creating-making-modifying things, photography, sculpture, music:listening-playing-creating.
January 11 & 25: Maker Mondays
Bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring yourself! Come check out our makerspace, meet cool people, find help with a project, see who you can help, or just come hang out!
Maker Mondays are free and open to the public!
January 11: New member orientation
Are you a new member (or are you considering becoming one)? Join us during the Maker Monday on January 11th for new member orientation!
January 12: devICT Hangout
Our monthly hangout is an informal social gathering and open hack night. Bring a project, or don’t, and come hang out with fellow Wichita developers. This is open to anyone interested, the only rule is to get out of the house and show up!
January 12: Inkscape for laser cutting with Dominic
January 13: Inkscape for laser cutting with Dominic
Inkscape is a free, open-source application for creating vector graphics and designs. It has many uses, and designs created in Inkscape can be used for foam-cutting, laser cutting, 3D printing, and more!
In this workshop, Dominic will be sharing all of his tips, tricks, and techniques for creating designs specifically for the laser cutter at MakeICT.
If there is something specific you’d like to see, let Dominic know and he will try to work it into the lesson.
Laptops are available to borrow, or you can bring your own (mouse recommended). If you do bring your own, please be sure to have Inkscape installed before the workshop.
January 16: Laser Cutter Certification with Dominic (members only)
This certification course is available to active MakeICT members who want to learn how to use the laser cutter. Completion of this workshop grants the necessary certification to use the laser cutter.
January 18: Level Up!
Do you want to learn to code? Do you already code and want to sharpen your skills? Maybe learn a new language, framework or tool? Level Up is the event for you. Bring your laptop and start learning. We provide the space and the mentors to provide guidance and answer questions.
January 20: Build a Step Stool Workshop
The object of this workshop is to build a small pine wooden step stool, kids size, to use to get a drink or to stand on to brush teeth. The steps are listed below. Painting/Staining would be done off site. This is an entry level workshop that will demonstrate use of several tools in the woodshop. A follow on workshop will be hosted in the future to make a rustic step stool.
Tools used: table saw, planer, drill press, miter saw, lathe, drill motor with tenon cutter, , sanders.
MakeICT member Jerry Carpenter is our workshop host who is a woodworker extraordinaire specializing in hand made rustic items. He is also a member of the Sunflower Woodworker Guild.
January 23: Introduction to Wood Lathe
Learn from one of the best wood turners in Wichita, Royce Wallace, in the MakeICT woodshop!
Topics covered: work piece mounting, spindle turning, bowl turning, parting tools, spindle gouge, bowl gouge, scrapers, roughing gouge, etc.
PREREQUISITE: woodshop safety class is required to have been completed prior to this class!
December update
News
Gift memberships
Gift memberships to MakeICT are now available!These are a great idea because anybody you give a membership to can use the MakeICT makerspace to make gifts to give back to you! It’s brilliant!
Lounge projector
The lounge space at MakeICT is now 65%* more lounge-y! Jeremiah saw an opportunity to make better use of the space in the lounge, and he nailed it. He also cleaned out the filter on a donated projector and connected some of the donated video game consoles. Nice work! Check out that sweet Tetris-action in the photo below.
(*this number is guaranteed to be made up)
What we’ve been up to
Electronics Lab Clean out
The Electronics Lab at MakeICT has been totally cleaned out, organized, and re-assembled! We had about 20 volunteers over one weekend who helped make this possible, and the lab looks great! Checkout the album on Facebook for some before and after shots!
Gel printing workshop with Skyler
November’s featured workshop was an introduction to Gel Printing. Skyler taught attendees how easy it is to make a simple gel mold and how to use them to transfer paint and ink. The gel is made with simple ingredients and can be cleaned/re-used. The only limits to the prints are your imagination!
Outreach at Irving Elementary
A group of 4th and 5th graders at Irving Elementary had a special treat when Tom and Dom came down to talk to them about inventing. We shared some of our personal projects, professional work, and things we’ve done at/with/for the makerspace – including Tom’s foam cutting machine! After sharing our story, the students received foam robot kits to punch-out and assemble, and everyone had a great time!
What’s coming up
December 5: Operation Connectivity
We’re upgrading our network! A small group of dedicated volunteers has mapped out a full plan to improve the reliability and robustness of the network and wifi throughout the MakeICT. This work will be instrumental in other projects/plans we have planned that will rely on a good network.
December 5: Build a step-stool workshop with Jerry
The object of this workshop is to build a small pine wooden step stool, kids size, to use to get a drink or to stand on to brush teeth. This is an entry level workshop that will demonstrate use of several tools in the woodshop, and a follow on workshop will be hosted in the future to make a rustic step stool.
MakeICT member Jerry Carpenter is our workshop host who is a woodworker extraordinaire specializing in hand made rustic items. He is also a member of the Sunflower Woodworker Guild.
Note: you must be certified in the woodshop to enroll in this course.
December 5: Laser cutter certification with Mike D (full)
This certification course is available to active MakeICT members who want to learn how to use the laser cutter. Completion of this workshop grants the necessary certification to use the laser cutter.
December 7: devICT LevelUp!
Do you want to learn to code? Or maybe you already code and want to sharpen your skills? Maybe learn a new language, framework, or tool? Level Up is the event for you, so bring your laptop and start learning!
This is a self-learning event with mentors available to help push you in the right direction, or even figure out where you want to go in the first place.
December 12: Coffee Roasting Workshop with Dean
Dean’s going to demonstrate the process of roasting and brewing your own coffee starting with green beans. Topics covered will include:
- History of Coffee
- Home Coffee Roasting
- What to Roast
- How to Roast
After his demonstration, Dean will help anyone who wants to roast their own coffee if they bring the necessary equipment. This includes:
- Hot air popcorn popper
- A single Chop Stick
- Green Coffee
- French Press
- Coffee Grinder
Our instructor Dean is a MakeICT member and retired from Boeing. He has been roasting coffee for about 5 years and is a self-described coffee crank. He’s also active in the local blacksmithing group.
Visit the MakeICT forum for any questions and discussion about this workshop.
December 12: Laser cutter certification with Mike D (full)
This will be a repeat of the December 5th Laser Cutter certification workshop
December 14: Laser Cutter certification with Dominic
This certification course is available to active MakeICT members who want to learn how to use the laser cutter. Completion of this workshop grants the necessary certification to use the laser cutter.
December 14: Maker Monday (+new member orientation)
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on! The first Maker Monday of each month is also new member orientation, which starts at 7:15.
December 15: Intro to 3D printing/modeling with Dominic
This is a gentle introduction to 3d printing and modeling for beginners. Topics include:
- What is 3D printing
- 3D printing workflow
- Finding and creating 3D models
- Slicing
- Printing
- How to use the Ultimaker 2
December 16: Laser Cutter certification with Dominic
This will be a repeat of the December 14th Laser Cutter certification workshop.
December 16: Woodshop safety with Mike H
Learn the basics to safely operate the major woodshop tools in this safety class, including understanding the limitations of each tool, the forces created when using the tool, and how to maintain safe control for improved performance. Tools covered include: SawStop table saw, drill press, band saw, wood lathe, router table, jointer, planer, miter saw, oscillating spindle and belt / disk sanders, and scroll saw.
Members who attend and successfully pass the class quiz, are authorized to use the woodshop equipment whenever you work at MakeICT!
Space is limited, so register now!
December 17: Build a step stool workshop with Jerry
This will be a repeat of the December 5th step stool workshop.
December 17: Intro to 3D printing/modeling with Dominic
This will be a repeat of the December 15th 3D printing and modeling workshop.
December 18: Laser Cutter certification with Dominic
This will be a repeat of the December 14th Laser Cutter certification workshop.
December 19: Intro to 3D printing/modeling with Dominic
This will be a repeat of the December 15th 3D printing and modeling workshop.
December 20: Laser Cutter certification with Dominic
This will be a repeat of the December 14th Laser Cutter certification workshop.
December 28: Maker Monday
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
November update
News
Local plumber donates labor and expertise to help push progress
Local plumber and new MakeICT member, Kelsey Leidy of Leidy Plumbing & Heating, has generously donated his time and skills to help us install gas lines in the back warehouse area to the woodshop/ceramics furnace, the metal shop radiant heaters, and the forge. With Logan’s loaned scissor lift and a handful of volunteers, we were able to make pretty quick work of the whole process! Now that we have this work out of the way, we can continue our build out of the ceramics studio and metal shop! Interested in helping with that? Checkout the volunteer opportunities below!
Makerspace metal shop receives more donated equipment/tools
Barb Davis, one of our esteemed board members and leader of our outreach activities, has made a substantial equipment donation to help us build out our metal shop even further. We sent a handful of members and volunteers to raid her basement, and we’re very happy to provide a new life and purpose to this equipment!
Meeting space made available to members
Good news for our members! We recently passed a new policy which allows members to reserve meeting space and other resources at the makerspace for free! If you’re a member and make a reservation (>14 days prior, please), aren’t charging your guests a fee, and follow the guest policies/rules, then you can bring in a whole crowd of people into the space! You can host your meeting in our co-working space, lounge, or classroom, which is equipped with a digital projector, sound system, laptop computers, and configurable seating for up to 25 people. Of course, there’s free wifi across the entire makerspace as well.
Space can be reserved by emailing dom@makeict.org.
WSU announces name for their future makerspace
Congratulations to Wichita State on their announcement of a name for their future makerspace: “GoCreate, a Koch Collaborative”. We know first-hand what a makerspace can do for a community, and we’re sure this will be good for WSU. If anyone is eager to see what a makerspace is like and don’t want to wait another year or two to see the one on campus, please join us for one of our Maker Monday events, which are always free and open to the public. When you’re ready to join, we offer low-cost, no-commitment memberships, and all donations are tax-deductible.
Volunteer Opportunities
Our makerspace is built by members of the maker community for the maker community. DIY is at the very core of many of us, and we’re proud of what we’ve managed to create so far with the help of our volunteers and donors. There are many things that keep us busy as we continue moving forward, and here are some opportunities where you can help! In fact, anyone can volunteer with us – no membership required!
Ceramics studio build-out day
Here’s your chance to say “I helped make that” about a great community resource. We’re ready to finish the build out of our ceramics studio, which includes installing the drop ceiling, hanging lights, installing windows, building a partition, and constructing shelves. Burt Unruh and some of the other same volunteers who made quick work of the woodshop build will be leading this work. No experience is needed, just a willingness to work and a desire to be a part of something important!
- Date: Saturday, November 7th
- Time: 9am ’til whenever – come when you can!
- Location: The MakeICT Makerspace at 1500 E Douglas (come around to the back)
- Questions/more info: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/makeict/7NR2IKgTZck/UCLI2HjpEAAJ
Electronics lab clean-out day
Our electronics lab is pretty well-equipped, but maybe not super well-organized. Later this month we’re going to clear everything out and then clean up and paint. We’ll be sorting through and organizing the hackables, only keeping worthy pieces before re-organizing the room and putting things back in.
James S, our fearless BD, has put together a new floor layout for how the room should be organized, and he has a battle plan for making this process quick and painless. If you’re free, come join us when you can! You can probably even take home some treasures!
- Date: Saturday, November 14th
- Time: 10am ’til whenever – come when you can!
- Location: The MakeICT Makerspace at 1500 E Douglas (come around to the back)
- Questions/more info: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/makeict/hCHlBLJmMy0/ggBg12OeEQAJ
Outreach booth assistant at Emerald City Steampunk Expo
We’re setting up an information/demo table at the 2015 Emerald City Steampunk Expo! One of the most valuable ways for us to advertise is to be out in the community, and this type of exposure helps us attract more members and donors.
You can help! We need smiling faces at our table to hand out flyers and tell attendees about the makerspace. Let them know how awesome our makers are and what you’ve experienced through our makerspace and community. We also plan to have some demos running (like the 3D printer, foam cutter, etc), but if you don’t know how to use those we will teach you!
- Date: November 20-22
- Time: sign up for a slot!
- Location: Broadview Hotel, 400 W Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS
- Questions/more info: https://groups.google.com/d/msg/makeict/UNWdWYJsZRI/dMra76ieEQAJ
What we’ve been up to
Halloween Wreath Workshop
These deco-mesh wreaths speak for themselves. I mean just look at this thing; what else can I say? Oh! How about “thanks, Jess, for teaching a workshop!” If you’d like to teach a workshop too, let us know!
Woodshop safety courses
Our woodshop continues to draw in new members, and more and more have been certified to access it by taking one of the woodshop safety courses. Don’t miss your chance! Check our calendar below and sign up today!
Avenue Art Days and mural painting
The Douglas Design District has started “Avenue Art Days” in an effort to bring more color to our city. This project has so far resulted in several new murals so far, as well as painting light poles on Douglas between Washington and Hydraulic. Jess Bechtelheimer, our Studio Arts Benevolent Dictator organized a team of MakeICT supporters to paint a mural designed by Valerie Lillich, who has done workshops at MakeICT. For progress pics, checkout our photo gallery on Facebook, and to see the rest of the Avenue Art Days works, check out the Douglas Design District’s photos – or just go and see them in person!
Our mural celebrates this project’s effort to beautify our city as well as the city’s efforts to accommodate transportation modes for more livable communities. It’s located a quarter-mile west of the makerspace, on the side of the Canyon Granite building across from The Anchor.
Special thanks to the Douglas Design District, Janelle King at The Workroom, the City of Wichita, Jess, Val, and all of our awesome volunteers!
devICT Talk: Lightning talks!
devICT hosted another session of Lightning Talks in October. Unfortunately, it looks like the video is unavailable – so if you missed out, you missed out. Be sure to attend our new devICT event, “Level Up!”, detailed below.
What’s coming up
November 6-8: Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faire
Haven’t had enough Maker Faire yet? Good news, everybody! Barnes & Noble is hosting Mini Maker Faires in stores across the nation – including right here in Wichita! Hooray for makers!
I’ll be speaking at 7pm on the Friday the 6th about my experience with MakeICT, embracing the maker culture, and integrating with the Wichita community.
November 7: Ceramics build-out day – volunteers needed!
Come join our wonderful volunteer crew to help build out our ceramics studio! We’ll be starting at 9am, but you can join us whenever you’re available!
More info is available on the forum.
November 8: Exploration Place free admission day
Our friends over at Exploration Place are opening their exhibits FOR FREE, including the new permanent preschool exhibit Kansas Kids Connect and the current traveling exhibit Design Zone. They’ll also have live Science Shows and demo activities throughout the museum.
November 9: devICT Level Up!
Do you want to learn to code? Or maybe you already code and want to sharpen your skills? Maybe learn a new language, framework, or tool? Level Up is the event for you, so bring your laptop and start learning!
This is a self-learning event with mentors available to help push you in the right direction, or even figure out where you want to go in the first place.
For more information or to be a mentor, visit the Meetup event page.
November 11: Laser Cutter Certification
Attendees will create designs using CAD design software. DXF files will be exported and used in LaserCut v5.3 to interface with the laser cutter. Attendees will have an opportunity to work with cardboard.
Note: This is a members-only certification class, so only active members may attend. This certification is required to use the laser cutter at MakeICT.
Space is limited. Register at http://members.makeict.org/event-2082606/
November 12: WSU Entrepreneurship Forum Series – The MakerSpace Revolution
Wichita State hosts these free forums for the public on various topics related to entrepreneurship. This one is all about makerspaces. Yours truly will be on the panel as well as Dr. Paul Adams from Fort Hays State and Nathan Towle from ESSDACK Makerspace in Hutchinson.
November 14: Electronics lab clean-out day – volunteers needed!
Come join our wonderful volunteer crew to clean out and organize our electronics lab! We’ll be starting at 10am, but you can join us whenever you’re available!
More info is available on the forum.
November 16: Maker Monday
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
November 17: Woodshop safety class
Learn the basics to safely operate the major woodshop tools in this safety class, including understanding the limitations of each tool, the forces created when using the tool, and how to maintain safe control for improved performance. Tools covered include: SawStop table saw, drill press, band saw, wood lathe, router table, jointer, planer, miter saw, oscillating spindle and belt / disk sanders and scroll saw.
Members who attend and successfully pass the class quiz, are authorized to use the woodshop equipment whenever you work at MakeICT!
Space is limited. Register at http://members.makeict.org/event-2085815/
November 20-22: Emerald City Steampunk Expo – volunteers needed!
Emerald City Steampunk Expo is a three-day celebration of steampunk culture. Enjoy three days of concerts, gaming, demonstrations, comedy, oddities, cosplay, LARPing, stage shows and more. (Click here to view the entire weekend schedule at a glance.) The Expo takes place November 20-22, 2015, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview in Wichita, Kansas.
More info is available on the forum.
November 21: Laser Cutter Certification
Attendees will create designs using CAD design software. DXF files will be exported and used in LaserCut v5.3 to interface with the laser cutter. Attendees will have an opportunity to work with cardboard.
Note: This is a members-only certification class, so only active members may attend. This certification is required to use the laser cutter at MakeICT.
Space is limited. Register at http://members.makeict.org/event-2082630/
November 21: Explore Gel Printing
Learn how to make monotypes using a homemade gel plate. You’ll create lots of pages loaded with color and design. In this 1.5 hour class you’ll learn how to
- Get layers of color in just one single pull from the gel plate
- Use homemade and purchased stencils
- Make textures using found objects
- Avoid color “mud” with a little color theory savvy
- Build beautiful compositions using layers on the gel plate
These basic supplies will be provided: Acrylic paints, papers, brayers, water containers, gel plates, stencils, and paper towels. If you wish to bring additional supplies, you may. For example, consider bringing your favorite stencils, papers and your favorite colors of acrylics in any brand. Bring an apron or wear grunge clothes. Gel printing can be messy, but it’s always fun.
Space is limited. Register at http://members.makeict.org/event-2084522/
December 14: Maker Monday (+new member orientation)
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on! The first Maker Monday of each month is also new member orientation, which starts at 7:15.
October Update
News
New 3D Printer
Say hello to our newest addition to the FabLab – a Rostock Max v2 delta printer from SeeMeCNC! This is a great compliment to our 3D printing offerings. The X/Y bed has a 280mm diameter and a maximum build height of 375mm (that’s 11″x14.75″)!
Tool/equipment/shop certification
I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that our woodshop and laser cutter are both fully operational now. I’ve been hearing people ask for these two specific solutions since we started, and we’re now training and approving members to make use of this equipment.
Thanks, of course, to the Wichita Community Foundation for their support, but also to our awesome volunteers who have been doing the training, Mike Hutton, Mike Doolittle, and Bryan Barr. Thanks also to all of the volunteers who have put in countless hours to help make all of this possible!
Featured Instructables
Following up on our Instructables/ShapeCrete build-weekend, I’m very proud to say that our very own James Seymour (yes, the Electronics Benevolent Dictator) had his ShapeCrete Instructables post featured on the Instructables front page! Great work, James!
In case you didn’t know, we’re kind of a big deal on Instructables. Check out all of these posts by MakeICT people which have been featured on the Instructables home page! Combined, these have been viewed over 1.2 million times and favorited by over 2,500 Instructables users!
- Tom’s Easy to build desktop 3-axis CNC milling machine
- Tom’s Easy to build CNC mill stepper motor and driver circuits
- John’s Networked RGB Wi-Fi decorative touch lights
- Our Animated EL wire sign
- James’s Shapecrete casting with silicone molds
And here are some other MakeICT Instructables. These haven’t been featured like the others, but they’re still awesome!
- Dremel build night
- Dremel-powered pantograph
- DIY Multimemeter tweezer probes with Sugru
- Eyeglass repair with Sugru
- Valentine’s Day heartbeat card
- Spark Core/Photon part 1 and part 2
- Illuminated badge
Halloween Challenge
It’s that time again for the annual MakeICT Halloween Challenge!
To participate, all you need to do is make something Halloween-themed (you were already planning that, right?), document some basic info about how you made it, and then post or email a picture and description of your project to us. That’s it! Submissions will be accepted until midnight on November 2nd. After that, the community will be asked to vote for their favorite project online via Facebook “likes”. After 2 weeks, during the Maker Monday on November 16 at 7 pm, the MakeICT judges will determine the final winners and award prizes!
Categories:
- Costume
- Food (bonus points for bringing samples to a Maker Monday)
- Decoration (includes Jack ‘O Lanterns)
- Prop/other
Prizes:
- Top overall – 2 tickets to see the Mythbusters in Wichita on Dec 1!
- Top in category – $25 gift card
- Honorary mention – hug from Dom
Entries can be emailed or posted to the Facebook event page. Be sure to check out last year’s submissions if you need some inspiration!
#FocusForwardICT
The buzz around Wichita lately has been around a report assembled by James Chung of Reach Advisors. The Wichita Eagle has a good summary if you missed his presentation.
A lot of people are disheartened at the data and what the implications are. Personally, I think it’s really encouraging. Many of you probably already know that I love our city, and I find myself constantly surrounded by people who want nothing more than to see Wichita thrive. By embedding myself into the culture of our city, there’s never a moment for me to be bored.
When I consider the data that James presented, I actually feel excited by it. I already love Wichita, and now that we have an idea of exactly how much room for improvement there is, I can only imagine how much potential we have to make others love this city as much as my friends and I do.
Not only that, but with all of this room for growth, anybody who wants to make a difference has quite an opportunity to do so! MakeICT’s mission is a commitment to this community, so if you’re looking for a way to be involved, please reach out to us!
Donation request
We need a good upright vacuum! Our makerspace has grown significantly in recent months by every measure: physical size, membership, activity, etc. We have more floor to keep clean, and it takes no time to become dirty again. We rely on our members to keep the facility clean, but even the simplest tasks become a challenge when you don’t have the right tools.
If you can help us out with this, please email me at dom@makeict.org. Thank you!
What we’ve been up to
2nd Saturday Workshop: Space painting workshop
This was one of our best-rated workshops to date! Tommy brought TONS of examples with him and share all of his super-secret techniques for creating works that are out of this world! C’mon, you knew that was coming!
Tommy is currently selling some of his works in the front area of the makerspace. $5 from each sale go back to MakeICT to help fund our mission. Come pick out your favorite before someone else snags it!
Inkscape wizardry for makers workshop
This was a 90-minute crash course in vector image creation using the Free and open source editor, Inkscape. We covered a variety of tools and techniques, with some specific tips on creating media for making (laser cutting, milling, 3d printing, etc).
Laser cutter certification workshops
The laser cutter has been quite popular since finding its home in the makerspace. Mike Doolittle has been putting in some serious volunteer hours to learn what he can and share with others. More laser cutter certification workshops are being planned now!
Woodshop saftey and certification workshops
The woodshop is one of our most impressive offerings. We have an incredible selection of woodworking tools, providing members with the potential for some serious making… and serious injury. Thankfully, Mike Hutton (our woodshop Benevolent Dictator), has created a pretty comprehensive safety and certification workshop. He’s held a few of these already, and more are being planned now!
Make-o-rama
The Maker Culture is alive and thriving in Wichita! In September, the community at and around Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church put together a celebration of the maker culture. There was art, food, live music, dancing, wood turning, gardening, electronics, ceramics, and so much more! I love being surrounded by people who love sharing their passions, so obviously I loved this event!
devICT Talk: Lightning talks!
devICT hosted their first Lightning Talks event. Instead of one talk covering a topic more in depth over 45 minutes there were several 5 minute talks giving quick exposure to a variety of topics. Initially six talks were scheduled, and a few more people jumped to the occasion on the spot. Talks and discussion included wearables, design for developers, open source console emulators, and more.
The video is availabe on Youtube.
What’s coming up
October 5: Maker Monday (+new member orientation)
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on! The first Maker Monday of each month is also new member orientation, which starts at 7:30.
October 8: Open Wichita Meetup
Keep the momentum going! Let’s hang out and work on our Open Wichita projects together. Collaboration encouraged, show up whenever, stay until whenever. Just come get involved in some civic hacking!
October 10: 2nd Saturday Workshop: Halloweeen wreath-making workshop
Come create your own Halloween-themed deco-mesh wreath! Jessica will walk you through the entire process – check out one of her creations!
You will be provided with all of the materials needed to make your own wreath using deco mesh and various other materials to take home and hang on your door. Each registrant will receive supplies for one wreath, and you may bring a friend to share the materials if you wish.
These things sell for over $80! Why pay that much when you can make one yourself for a fraction of the cost?! Here are a few from Amazon for reference:
October 18: EcoFest
Some of our makers have been hard at work re-creating bicycle-powered electric generators for the 2015 Off the Grid Concert and EcoFest at the Bartlett Arboretum on October 18th. It’s been fun to see these come together at the makerspace. Check them out!
Gates open at noon to kick off an afternoon of speakers, musicians, and artists performing and exhibiting in consort with the Arb’s stewardship mission. Alternative energies will be on display, including a bicycle-powered audio system and a wind-energized kinetic art installation by Mike and Meghan Miller. A kid’s tent will offer eco-crafts.
October 19: Maker Monday
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
October 29: devICT Lightning Talks
Join us again this month for more Lightning Talks! This event is composed of several talks from several people, each talk averaging around 5 minutes long. We will be covering a variety of topics, so this is a great way to get some exposure to all kinds of development related goodness all in one event! If you’re interested in giving a lightning talk for this event, or even at another future event, please get in touch!
November 2: Maker Monday (+new member orientation)
Every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public at 7pm and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on! The first Maker Monday of each month is also new member orientation, which starts at 7:30.
November 6-8: Barnes & Noble Mini Maker Faire
Haven’t had enough Maker Faire yet? Good news, everybody! Barnes & Noble is hosting Mini Maker Faires in stores across the nation – including right here in Wichita! Hooray for makers!
September Update
News
It’s big, it’s shiny, it’s new…
It’s our laser cutter! With the help of the Wichita Community Foundation and the Knight Foundation fund, our members now have acces to this 80 watt cutter from Rabbit Laser which features a 3ft x 4ft feed-through bed. It came highly recommended from other makerspaces and some locals, and we’ve been very happy with it so far! See our events list below for information about certification.
Introducing Maker Mondays!
Actually, it’s not anything new, but we are changing the name of “Open Hack Nights” to “Maker Mondays”. The old name came with incorrect assumptions about what happens at the makerspace on those nights, so hopefully the new name will be more inviting. Maker Mondays are still free and open to the public at 7pm – and yes, we will hold one on Labor Day! See you there!
What you missed
2nd Saturday Workshop: Wearable Electronics
We love it when makers collaborate. Tom and Barb teamed up to create this wearable electronics workshop for our August 2nd Saturday event. Participants learned about basic electricity and applied that knowledge to create fun, light-up garments.
devICT Talk: Fanning the Embers of your Web App
If you’re like me, you like to learn anything and everything you can. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend Gregg B‘s talk on Ember.js. Thankfully, for me and anyone else who missed it, devICT talks are recorded and available for later viewing!
Instructables build weekend with ShapeCrete
Instructables and Cheng Concrete partnered with us to bring ShapeCrete to the makerspace. ShapeCrete is concrete that can be worked and molded like clay. Several people came to play, learn, and create in this workshop lead by Mike D. Several different techniques were used, including molds, sculpting, dyeing, and more. I’m looking forward to seeing the Instructables post from these!
What’s coming up
September 10 – Open Wichita Meetup
The Open Wichita developers continue to make progress – let’s keep the momentum going! Come hang out and work on Open Wichita projects together. Collaboration is encouraged. Show up whenever, stay until whenever – just come get involved in some civic hacking!
September 12 – Space Painting with Tommy Engdahl
Tommy will instruct us in using spray paint to make awesome space paintings! You may have seen some of his paintings around the makerspace. Be sure you wear clothing appropriate for painting! Supplies will be provided and you will be able to make your own painting to take home.
September 18 – Inkscape wizardry for makers with Dominic Canare
Inkscape is a free, open-source application for creating vector graphics and designs. It has many uses, and designs created in Inkscape can be used for foam-cutting, laser cutting, 3D printing, and more!
This is an introductory-level workshop. Attendees will learn the Inkscape shape/drawing tools, layout tools, operators, and more. We’ll also be sharing some tips-and-tricks specific to taking your design from the computer into the tangible world.
September 19 – Laser Cutter Certification with Mike Doolittle
Attendees will create designs using Inkscape and/or Draftsight. .DXF files will be exported and used in LaserCut to interface with the laser cutter. Attendees will have an opportunity to work with cardboard, wood, and plastic materials.
Note: This is a members-only certification class, so only active members may attend. This certification is required to use the laser cutter at MakeICT. There are two sessions, but you only need to attend one. Space is limited.
September 19 – Make-o-Rama
Looks like we weren’t the only ones who had a blast at Maker Faire! Come join us and many others as we celebrate the growing maker movement in Wichita!
September 24 – devICT Lightning Talks
A lightning talk is a very brief, typically informal presentation. The idea is to give people a taste of something new or interesting without boring the uninterested with details. Come share a topic with us, or just soak in all the interesting ideas!
Maker Mondays
Don’t forget, every other Monday is a Maker Monday! We open our doors to the public and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
- September 7 (+new member orientation)
- September 21
August Update
News
Thanks for a great Maker Faire!
Thanks to the fine folks at Exploration Place, our exhibitors, our volunteers, and everyone who came to Wichita’s first Maker Faire for making it a HUGE success! We’ve been receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback, and we’re already working with Exploration Place to plan next year’s Maker Faire! Some of our members are collaborating on a project to commemorate this event – if you’d like to be involved, join the conversation on our forum!
Thank You!
What you missed
Lockpicking Workshop
Our workshops give everybody an opportunity to share their knowledge with others. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert in your field, you have knowledge that others don’t have but want.
Gordon Murray saw this opportunity, and while he may consider himself a relative beginner in his lockpicking hobby, he offered to do this workshop and people quickly signed up. Participants in this workshop learned about different types of locks and the inner mechanics of popular tumbler locks. During the workshop, Scott Elpers from the Derby Informer stopped by to take this great pic of Gordon for an article about MakeICT he was working on.
The workshop was also visited by John Cody, who happened to be at the makerspace to volunteer with painting the ceramics studio. He joined the workshop to offer some of his 20-years of locksmith experience for some of the more advanced questions that arose. You really never know who you’re going to run into at the MakeICT makerspace, or what knowledge they have to share!
It’s always great to see people happy to share their knowledge like Gordon and John. If you’re interested in running a workshop at MakeICT, please let us know!
Maker Faire
They say a picture is worth a thousand words… so here’s a video that Aaron Wirtz/Curvebreak put together from the Maker Faire. It’s 2 minutes and 36 seconds at 24fps, so that’s worth at least 3,744,000 words (assuming no duplicate frames). Anyway, just trust the math and watch the video!
devICT Talks
This was a busy month for devICT: we had two separate talks this month. First, Jacob Walker hosted an introductory talk on the Go programming language and his experience adopting it (video). Then we had a visiting speaker, Jesse Harlin (from OKC.js, ThunderPlains, and the Techlahoma Foundation), share some insight and knowledge on Phaser, an open source game framework (video). Just in time for GameJam!
What you shouldn’t miss
August 8 – Wearable Electronics
Join us for the August second Saturday workshop as we explore wearable electronics! Supplies and instruction will be provided to create a bracelet or other small item using felt, conductive thread, and LED’s. This workshop will be led by MakeICT’s own Barb and Tom. Open to all ages, but you must register!
August 27 – devICT talk: Fanning the Embers of your Web App
EmberJS is an opinionated MVC / MVVM front-end Javascript framework for building ambitious web applications. In this presentation, Gregg will introduce the main concepts of EmberJS using a simple demo application he developed.
Your presenter is Gregg Bolinger (@gdbolinger).
August 29-30 – Instructables build weekend: Cheng Shapecrete
It’s concrete that you can shape like clay! Event details are pending – for now, join the discussion on the MakeICT forum!
Open Hack Nights
Don’t forget, every other Monday is Open Hack Night! We open our doors to the public and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
July Update
News
Maker Faire is coming to Wichita!
MakeICT and Exploration Place are bringing Maker Faire to Wichita! Never heard of Maker Faire? It’s the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth! This is a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. It’s a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning. We’re looking for exhibitors and need people like YOU to show us what you make! You can learn more about Wichita’s Inaugural Maker Faire and apply to be an exhibitor at makerfairewichita.com.
What you missed
RiverFest
Mark another RiverFest of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) activities in the books! Barb and James organized several different activities, and with the help of many volunteers, had fun with kids and adults while learning about catapults, composites, circuits, laminar flow, Bernoulli’s principle, and a bunch more. What a great way to inspire young makers!
Paper Bead Basics
In our June 2nd Saturday workshop, Gina showed us how to create beads with just a little paper, a little glue, and a little creativity. Upcycling activities like this are a fun way to reduce the waste we create. Thanks, Gina!
Screen Printing
In this two-part screen printing workshop, Keegan and crew taught people how to make their own screens to keep, and gave an introduction to different screen printing methods. They will return later this summer to help build an exposure unit for the makerspace and host other screen-printing workshops.
Annual Meeting and Potluck
This year’s annual meeting and potluck was a lot of fun! We reflected on all of our growth and activities, welcomed Dustin, Kip, and Seth as new board members, discussed our past and future budget, and shared a lot of good food. Cooking (and sharing) might just be my favorite type of making!
What you shouldn’t miss
July 11 – Lockpicking
Come learn how the keys in your pocket unlock a door, cabinet, or padlock! Most of the locks we find in our day-to-day life work on a system called the pin tumbler lock. See how they work and how a locksmith would fix or, if necessary, bypass this mechanism.
This workshop is best suited to adults, but no prior knowledge is needed.
July 18 – Maker Faire
Come see the best of what Wichita-area makers are creating! Makers, artists, performers, and crafters are invited to be a part of the first ever Maker Faire in Wichita!
July 31 – ICT Game Jam
The conditions have never been better to throw a gamejam in Wichita! There have never been so many freely available tools for building video games as there are now. And our region is teeming with motivated and resourceful programmers, designers and artists. We truly have no choice but to spend a weekend creating video games!
Open Hack Nights
Don’t forget, every other Monday is Open Hack Night! We open our doors to the public and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
June update
News
Hearts and thoughts
In April we prepared for our Grand Open House event, and it required a lot of labor. We spent hours and hours prepping and painting walls to prepare for a flood of visitors, and we had lots of help from generous volunteers. One of those volunteers was Jaleel Alarbash. He was a student at Wichita State, and he had never heard of MakeICT before he came to volunteer. He and his friends had only heard that it was a worthy cause and that help was needed. Sadly, he was killed recently while helping to prevent the death of many others in a terrorist attack. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family and friends in these times. His friendliness and eagerness to build a better community will not be forgotten here.
Congratulations
Congratulations go out to John Harrison (our very own vice-president) and the Filimin team on their successful Kickstarter campaign! Filimin is a wifi-enabled touch lamp, which helps keep people connected from anywhere in the world. If you’d like to learn more about it, visit http://www.filimin.com/.
Floor plan
Work continues on both high and low levels. Much of the floor plan has now been finalized, including spaces for the woodshop, metal shop + bike stuff, ceramics, electronics, textiles, the fab lab (3d printing, laser cutting, etc), shared workspace, the lounge, the gallery, retail/consignment space, studio space, and project storage space. Oh my!
Speaking of progress, check out the work that’s been done in the woodshop already! The walls are up, the ceiling is installed, power is ran, and equipment has been moved in. Mike Hutton and other member-volunteers have been working incredibly hard, and it shows! This is just a taste
As a reminder, all of this work is the thoughtful contribution of volunteers. People who want an awesome makerspace are creating an awesome makerspace. Want to be involved? We’ll be building walls around the ceramics studio this Saturday (June 6) at 9am. You can also find more volunteer opportunities on our website.
Past Events
Workshops
Basic Electricity Workshop
James Seymour and Tom McGuire were at it again! Combining their knowledge, experience, and humor, this duo brought the crowd up to speed on some fundamental electricity basics. This workshop included a kit with a bread board and basic components, so attendees could continue their tinkering and learning at home!
devICT – Unity3D – Make a game in 30 minutes
In one of the best-attended devICT Monthly Talks to date, Brian Foster demonstrated just how easy it can be to throw together a 3D game using Unity. Having the right tool for the right job can make a big difference, and watching Brian throw together a game from nothing was an impressive sight!
If this is exciting to you, then you may be interested to hear that we’re holding the first ever ICT Game Jam. No experience is needed, and cash prizes are available. For more information, please visit the registration page. Early-bird pricing is available through June 12th.
Upcoming Events
June 20 – Screen printing basics workshop
This workshop will be in 2 parts. In Part 1 (9am-noon), we’ll be demonstrating how to build your own screen. Materials will be available for purchase for anyone who wants to build a screen during this session.
In Part 2 (noon-2pm), we’ll show you how to actually use the screens to make prints!
June 20 – Annual meeting and potluck
That’s right – it’s that time of the year again! We’ll start our members-only annual meeting at 4:30pm, where we’ll review our activity of the past year, elect a new board of directors, approve the budget, and vote on other matters. The tentative agenda is available on the wiki.
Following the members-only meeting will be a public potluck. Everyone is invited, so please feel free to bring a friend, some food to share, and a project to show off. This year, we’re also planning on doing Lightning Talks! These are brief, informal presentations for people to share thoughts, ideas, projects, or anything else with a group of people.
June 25 – devICT – Robots – Bringing your code into the real world
Find out what it takes to build and code for a large robot. Chris Lofland will share his motivation for building a robot and explain the tools and platforms he uses to make his robot operate.
Open Hack Nights
Don’t forget, every other Monday is Open Hack Night! We open our doors to the public and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
May update
News
It’s official – we’re finally done moving into our new home! The move went very smoothly, with Barb coordinating the packing and loading at the old space and Tom coordinating the unloading at the new space. Members and volunteers contributed a lot of help through the whole process, and we were especially thankful for the trucks and Jeff’s trailer.
The new makerspace is beginning to take shape. In this short time, the woodshop has been framed and sheet rock has been hung. New tools and equipment are arriving, and the floor plan is being finalized. It feels good, especially now that we have officially hit over 100 members!
Past Events
Workshops
Woodcarving with Roy
Roy Hosie has been warmly received by the MakeICT community. In April, Roy brought his passion for woodcarving to the makerspace. He taught attendees basic tools and techniques, and they had an opportunity to carve their own wooden owls. Thanks, Roy! Here’s a photo of Rodney’s owl:
devICT – Hacking the real world with node.js
Wanna turn on a light by pressing a button on a webpage? Well you can do that! Seth put together a live coding demonstration of exactly this for this month’s devICT talk. The Johnny-Five module for node combined with Firmata for the Arduino makes this an extremely easy task. See for yourself by watching the recorded screencast!
Other events
Painting the makerspace
I have to admit that I was apprehensive about painting the walls gray when Jess first pitched the idea, but I have to say, it really worked out quite nicely. There is still much more wall space to paint, but we had a slew of volunteers help us patch holes, sand, and paint the front half of the building. Now that the paint has dried, I can see that it really is a good fit.
STEM Night at McLean Elementary
We try our best not to miss an opportunity to help promote creativity and STEM in our community. McLean Elementary invited us back for their annual STEM night, and like before, it was a lot of fun! Barb and James S. always come prepared with hands-on activities, and they’re always well-received! See you next year, McLean!
Open House / ICT ArtDOG
We hosted an Open House in conjunction with the ICT ArtDOG campaign, which is a 24-hour fundraiser for local arts-based nonprofits. In total, $1,178,100.00 was raised for Wichita-area, art-based nonprofits. Of that, $1,830.91 is just for MakeICT. This was such a fun event, and we had a packed house for the entire evening. It only worked because of EVERYBODY who helped out. The culture we’re fostering is all about collaboration, and this event is a great model of what that means. Special thanks need to go to:
- April for planning the event, herding the cats, and making sure it was a classy event
- Dustin for the countless hours and all the effort he’s put into the makerspace leading up to this event
- Jess and her volunteers for the paint job and the future gallery space
- Matt Pogue for supplying the paint, Scott Cooper for helping Jess with the gallery wall
- Burt and Mike for the incredible progress they are making in the woodshop
- Gina and Gordon for their marketing efforts
- Jeff for helping out with a million different things around the place (and Sarah for loaning him to us)
- Matt for printing up t-shirts
- The Sound Scientist (Chris Cenatiempo and his drummer, Nathan) for the music
- Il Vicino, The Spice Merchant, Monica’s Bundt Cake, Cero’s, The Donut Whole, and Wal-Mart for the refreshments
- All of our volunteer demonstrators and regulars hanging out, chatting people up, keeping up refreshments, and just generally being awesome people (Michelle, Kim, Seth, Sean, James, Tom, Kip, Anna, Mike, Roy,
- Clark, Dustin, Matt, Kayla, Karl, April, Gina, Savannah, Scott, Bryan, Gavin, Dean)
- Jens for giving awesome tours
- Jens and Evan for finding the building and negotiating the lease
- ALL of our supporters, whether our Open House / ArtDOG was your first time supporting, you’re a long time member, or you’re helping by spreading the word about our nonprofit makerspace
- The WCF for the ArtDOG campaign and their financial support
- I know I’m leaving people off, and I’m sorry if I missed you.
And of course, thanks to everyone who came out to see us and continue to spread the word!
Upcoming Events
May 9 – 2nd Saturday Workshop: Basic Electronics
This is a no math approach to basic electronics. Attendees will leave with a touch light the made themselves. This class is rated for absolute beginners (teens or older), and topics will include:
- Voltage vs current
- Resistors
- Capacitors
- Inductors
- Diodes and LEDs
- Transistors
May 29 – June 6 – Riverfest
Going to Riverfest this year? Be sure to look for the MakeICT booth for fun, hands-on activities!
June events
- Wearable electronics
- KC Maker Faire
Open Hack Nights
Don’t forget, every other Monday is Open Hack Night! We open our doors to the public and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!
Photo credits: Charlie Fair, Rodney Groshans, MakeICT
April update
News
Everybody probably knows by now, but just in case you don’t… WE’RE MOVING! We’ll be transferring all of our worldly possessions on Saturday, April 4th – come lend a hand (or some boxes, or a pickup, or some friends)! Also, we’re planning a big Open House event on April 24th as part of the ICT ArtDOG campaign. This is your best chance to come see what we’re all about!
In March, we created an official guest policy (be sure to check the standing rules for details), we’re working on a re-designed website, and we’re creating an official orientation process for new members. Always busy!
Past Events
Workshops
Learn to solder
What new skills have you learned recently? It’s been a while since we’ve done a Learn to Solder workshop, but they’re always a lot of fun. This time around, we had 3 projects that people could choose from: a light-reactive LED tree; a knob-controlled, robotic claw; and a custom-programmed light-and-sound greeting card circuit. People who attended had fun learning how to solder and assemble their creations, and I had a lot of fun programming songs for people! We ended up with some Super Mario Brothers, The Beatles, Ed Sheeran, Awolnation, and one or two more. Fun times!
Pi Day
While this year’s Pi day (3.14) wasn’t our most popular event ever, we did have several people come to share a few different pies with each other! What ideas do you have for celebrating Pi Day 2016?
Crochet Basics
I have to admit, learning the basics of how to crochet was easier than I thought it would be, thanks to Michelle Armbrister and her workshop assistant. We started with a video, but to be perfectly honest, it went too fast for me and wasn’t much value. After the video, we went hands on. I’m not sure I would’ve made it through if I didn’t have someone there to show me what’s what!
Besides just learning something completely new to me, I think my favorite part of this workshop was seeing some of the crochet work which has been passed down Michelle’s family. Some of these were insanely intricate pieces made with simple motions. This is going to sound super-nerdy, but it was fun to think about the algorithms involved in successfully executing a pattern.
Arduino Day
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we last celebrated International Arduino Day by creating a fully-functional, larger-than-life Arduino. We didn’t have a lot planned this year, but I did take the opportunity to share a little bit about what an Arduino is, what it can do, and what the impact has been on the maker-community. We spent the rest of the time following an Instructable (with good instructions but bad diagrams) for creating a floppy drive organ. By the time we finished, we had 3 working floppy-drive-instruments and were able to play a couple of MIDI tunes!
We also had Kip Landwehr there to show off his Arduino-powered Legend of Zelda treasure chest. Neat!
devICT Editor Throwdown! Vim vs Emacs
Despite having “throwdown” in the title (and an exclamation mark!), devICT’s monthly talk was friendly and good-natured. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here’s this:
Jacob Walker and Matthew Keeler indulged us with keyboard magic tricks while demonstrating their favorite editors. Watching them work is like watching a painter create on canvas, or a sculptor with marble slab, or a Subway employee with vegetables – BUT BETTER! If you didn’t have chance to see it in person or watch it live, you can watch Jacob’s Vim presentation and Keeler’s Emacs presentation online!
Upcoming Events
April 4th – Moving day
We’re moving! Help us move all of our stuff from Delano to the Douglas Design District!
We’ll be starting in Delano at 9am. We’ll have one leader present at both locations to coordinate moving out and moving in.
We could use any boxes to help pack, pickup trucks, and trailers if you have them!
April 11 – Second Saturday Featured Workshop: Woodcarving with Roy Hosie
Join us to learn about the craft of woodcarving!
- Hear about various tools and how they’re used, including their care.
- Take a look at several carvings examples
- Learn about different types of wood and the importance of grain direction
- Practice carving a 2-minute owl (That’s an owl that can be carved in 2 minutes!)
April 24th – Grand Open House
YOU are invited to come check out our new home at a city-wide Open House, as part of the Art Day of Giving.
Ever wonder what a “Maker” is? Want to create a special project, but don’t know where to start? Want to see a 3D printer in action?
Come meet some of our members, get a tour of the building, and try your hand at a few “Maker” projects. Makers of all ages are welcome!
Art Day of Giving (ArtDOG) is a 24-hour charitable giving campaign designed to support area nonprofits related to the arts. On the 24th our page on the Wichita Art Day of Giving site will be open for donations.
May events
- Basic Electronics
- Bike month
Open Hack Nights
Don’t forget, every other Monday is Open Hack Night! We open our doors to the public and invite people to bring a project, bring a friend, or just bring themselves. There’s always something interesting going on!