FREE March Tool Trainings

[Bissrat Melakeberhan]

FREE workshops with Parts and Crafts in CNC routing,  and Data collection and visualization with the Particle Photon and P5.js!

We are running a series of FREE workshops --  covering design, tool setup, and hands-on practice -- to introduce people to our basic toolset.  Drop in or take all three sessions to get your tool certification. 

Intro to ShopBot:  3 sessions

The ShopBot is a CNC router that can be used for larger-scale woodworking projects such as sign-making and furniture design.  CNC routers can be used for a variety of carpentry work.  This is a three-session tool training designed to give people an introduction to use this tool safely for your own projects. 

• Design with VCarve Pro:  Wednesday March 13th, 6:30-8 pm.  Learn how to design and set up a 2D file to cut with the ShopBot.  This workshop will focus on drawing and layout in VCarve Pro, including tool demos and workflow, with the goal of getting people set up with a file that they can cut.  REGISTER HERE
• Setting up the Tool:  Wednesday  March 20th 6:30-8 pm.   Overview of toolpaths, router bit selection, and basic safety procedures for setting up the ShopBot to cut a file.  Import your file from VCarve to ShopBot control software and learn how to safely set up your workspace.   REGISTER HERE
• Fun Stuff:  Design a Sign:  Wednesday March 27th, 6:30-8 pm.   Use the ShopBot to make something practical or creative! Make a sign, cut it on the Shopbot, hang it up! Participants with independent projects will have an opportunity to design and cut their work.  Build something and take it home with you!  REGISTER HERE

Collecting and Visualizing Data with the Particle Photon and P5.js: 5 sessions

The Particle Photon is a simple, powerful, WiFi connected microcontroller board and prototyping platform for building DIY electronics devices that talk to the web. P5.js is a set of javascript tools and libraries designed to make coding accessible for artists, designers, educators, and beginners. The Particle Photon makes it possible for us to build devices that collect data from sensors and publish this data to the web. P5.js makes it easy for us to read, interpret, and visualize this data. Over the five sessions of this class we will build a device to monitor basic environmental data using low-cost sensors (temperature, humidity, light, sound) and write code to visualize and animate this data. Because we will be building a device and writing software to interface with it, each session of this class will depend on the work done in the previous sessions -- while missing classes is sometimes unavoidable, students are strongly encouraged to attend every session of the class so they understand the whole project.  

• Part 1:  Thursday March 7, 7-8:30 pm.   REGISTER HERE
• Part 2:  Thursday March 14, 7-8:30 pm.   REGISTER HERE
• Part 3:  Thursday March 21, 7-8:30 pm.   REGISTER HERE
• Part 4:  Thursday March 28, 7-8:30 pm.   REGISTER HERE
• Part 5:  Thursday April 4 7-8:30 pm.   REGISTER HERE

Fabville Open Shop!

Monday - Thursday 

83 Highland Ave

www.fabville.net

The Fab Lab is open to the public Monday through Thursday.  It is FREE and anyone is allowed to come!   You do not have to be a Somerville Public School student or even live in Somerville.  Open shop hours are as follows:

• Monday: 3-5:30
  
• Tuesday:  3-8pm EXTENDED HOURS
  
• Wednesday:  3-8 pm
  
• Thursday:  3-8 pm

Where are you located?   FabVille is located on the far east side of the Somerville High school campus  (library side).  To get to the Fab Lab, enter near the gym and go down the stairs to your right, turn left and head to the end of the hallway.  We're at the very end of the Voc Ed department, last door on the right.

Who can come?  Anyone is welcome, but the Fab Lab is primarily geared toward late middle schoolers, high schoolers, and adults.  It's a professional toolset, and there's less of the "pull something out and build it!" that we have at Parts and Crafts.  Kids 13 and under should plan to come with a grown-up.  

Does it cost anything?  All classes and workshops are offered free of charge.  This includes advanced classes like Arduino robotics, lasercutting and 3D printing, and materials for small-scale manufacturing. 

Who runs the Fab Lab?  The Fab Lab is run by the City of Somerville in partnership with Parts and Crafts, a kid workshop and community  makerspace located at 577 Somerville Ave.   To find out more about our programs, visit www.partsandcrafts.org. 

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Experience Curator

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