Potential Workshop Plan for the Summer

[Nick Wertzberger]

Hey guys,

IWCC has graciously offered some of us some class space to hold a conference or something this summer, and we were thinking of doing something more in-depth than most conferences.  We wanted to do "workshops" where you get to leave knowing how to do something.

If any of you have anything you would like to teach for 3 hours / anything that you would like to learn, let me know. This is more of an email to test the waters to see how much support there is for something like this.

I figured the maker group would potentially have someone interested in teaching lockpicking, soldering (we'd have to make sure that we can bring in soldering equipment), or basic digital circuit layouts (how to read a datasheet).

Currently we have a lot of software folks interested in teaching things like TDD, Developer Tool Chains, or a language workshop (Perl / Groovy / Javascript). But there are a lot more I'm leaving off.

Anyways, vocalize support! Suggest some stuff! I'll keep everyone informed!

[Jason Webb]

I would be very happy to offer to teach a workshop at this thing :) I do a lot of different things, including PCB design, 3D printing, mold-making and casting, 3D scanning, and interactive and generative art (software and hardware). I've recently started working on some open-source assistive technology and planning to build an aquaponics system on my porch :P Shameless plug so you can find out more: http://jason-webb.info/

But what is "NWCC"? I live in Kearney, but I'd be willing to make a trip to Omaha during the summer for this event. Just let me know!

[Nick Wertzberger]

It's "Iowa Western Community College". It's in Council Bluffs.

All of those topics sound awesome! A PCB design course sounds especially doable. What's your toolchain?

Mine was gEDA, but I've been out of the hardware biz for like two years now.

I am starting to think about logistics, and I'm thinking a portable OS having all this stuff loaded might be the best call, depending on how hard it is to get the software for what you'd plan.

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[Jason Webb]

I do some PCB design on my own time as a hobby, but I have no formal training. I know just enough to create small prototypes and Arduino-based devices. I'd be happy to show what I do know, but I do not have a professional EE-level knowledge. I prefer Eagle, since it seems to have the most community support and is more of an "industry standard" than the others right now. What skill level do the participants have in electronics? PCB design can be pretty daunting topic on its own, and it kind of requires that you know a bit about electronics before trying it.

Is this conference meant for engineers / programmers only? You mentioned a few heavy programming topics and electronics topics, but are you hoping to have a wider audience? If so, you may want to consider topics in other skillsets, like mold-making, printmaking and 3D printing. 

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Jason Webb

Graduate student, creative technologist, OSHW engineer

http://jason-webb.info

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Jason Webb

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http://jason-webb.info

[Jay Bendon]

I use expressPCB and its partner schematic tool... it does what i need with my limited skill set and it allows me to get 3 cheap prototype boards, and it runs flawlessly under wine.  The OS linux pcb tools are extremely powerful and IMO just as difficult to use especially for somebody like me who doesn't really know what they're doing.

--Jay

[Nick Wertzberger]

I think the intent of the conference will be to take intelligent tech-heads through something they've never done before, so an intro class aiming at someone who knows ABOUT the topic at hand, but has never gone deep into it would be appropriate.

I could see just a schematics workshop working out if there isn't enough time to take it all the way through.  That's how they did it in school, anyways. Also, if you have two people double team a topic, it could be a noobly morning of paper drawings of schematics followed by a toolchain heavy afternoon but some other person.

But that's just me, and I think a goal of this workshop is to only set the bar in the level of preparation done for a topic / order the topics if there is one that makes sense to go after another one / make things into "tracks" if there is some common thread.  I only want to make sure that at the end of 3 hours, you feel like you can go home and DO whatever was covered. It's not a 3 hour presentation, it's a 3 hour workshop.

AND I JUST REALIZED how awesome a 3D printing workshop would be if it ended with me printing out a little 3d printed thing that I designed (based on how fast these usually print, this probably is a tall order), if there were such printers that were portable enough and rugged enough to be taken somewhere and set up.

[Travis Smith]

Can I just say, as an outside observer, kudos?

 

In my mind, this is what a true 'Maker Faire' should look like.  Real skills being passed along.

Travis

[Jason Webb]

What he said ^. But I'd add the caveat that a true "Maker Faire" would also include much, much more than just electronics and programming. Maker Faires include makers of food, furniture, weird bikes, beer-brewing robots and so on. 

Without knowing any more about the audience, I'd recommend staying away from PCB design. To really make any sense of PCBs, one has to know a pretty non-trivial amount about electronics in general (what is a resistor, a transistor, etc) as well as have at least some experience with circuits (breadboarding, troubleshooting, etc). I think that within only 3 hours, there is only so much that can be taught. And bear in mind that what they would actually take home would be a tiny little file that they would have to spend even more time tweaking before producing it.

3D printing is always a crowd pleaser, and opens up a lot of different topics for teaching. I am trying to build a Prusa Mendel here, but have access to a Makerbot Replicator, which is extremely easy to transport (just a power cable and a box). I'm sure at least one member of OMG has a 3D printer as well, maybe they'd be willing to help out.

Here are some suggestions for topics that would give very tangible, satisfying "take home" results, and also require very little knowledge before the session:

1. 3D scanning - very easy to produce 3D models from photographs, then learn how to tweak and prepare for 3D printing
   
2. Making molds using 3D printing - teach them how to take a random object from Thingiverse and create a 3D printable mold of that object. They can then be given some pre-printed molds and guided through a simple cast using cheap material like plaster, chocolate or resin. Their personalized molds can be printed later and mailed to them.
   
3. Use Processing to create a simple generative art program. With undergrad students I've had good success with teaching them how to modify existing examples to add fun glitches, then letting them generate weird output. We could save their output and print nice glossy copies on paper for them.
   
4. Teach them how to use an Arduino to read switches and control motors or LEDs. Could even whip up a batch of conductive play-doh to make physical circuits (http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/SquishyCircuits/)
   
5. Use OpenSCAD to teach the basics of solid modelling for 3D printing. Again, they could design pieces to be printed and mailed to them after the event.
   

Seriously, there are TONS of topics that would be fun for novices, I could go on and on :P Just really depends on the audience and their skill levels. I would recommend learning more about who will be attending the event, then tailoring the topics to suit them.

[Nick Wertzberger]

Talks are picking up steam on github: https://github.com/mattdsteele/unconf

Feel free to add those presentation ideas / talk on "issues"!