Update and promo video for our school reprap build

[Alex Franke]

Hi everyone,

We've been busy getting everyone onboard with our 3D printer club this
year, and it looks like we're getting off to a good start. We're
starting with a sort-of open house after school where we'll be talking
about the goals of the club and demonstrating a 3D printer. We're
shooting for eight kids across four grade levels. Teachers were given
a heads-up so they can start talking to some of their kids about it --
we're relying on them to help identify students with the right
aptitude.

Here's a video we made to help promote the club: http://youtu.be/d0qPZm0sWVU
. Turn on closed captions ("CC" button) -- we filmed it with an iPad
and I didn't have a lot of control over the mix.

Though fundraising and self-sourcing is a component of the club
curriculum, we have a safety net set up just in case -- so that we're
able to proceed even without raising all the funds we need. If anyone
is interested in donating time, talents, parts, money, or whatever
else, please let me know, and we can talk about ways you can help.
(Donations are tax deductible.) After we get the roles doled out
(build master, accountant, BOM manager, etc), we're going to turn to
the community again and ask for spare parts. :) I should point out
that there's also a "pay it forward" component to the club, but
obviously that comes a bit later.

Jacob (in the video) will be presenting the project at our local
hackerspace tonight, and hopefully we'll be able to generate some more
interest there.

On a related note, I've had several more people ask for the free
Sanguinololu PCBs for different educational projects, but I'm afraid
I'm all out of those -- there's just one left over for our build. I'm
planning on placing another order for those at some point.

I'll post more details as we move along...
-Alex

[Neil Underwood]

So what iteration of RepRap are you using, do you need any help from the group?

[Alex Franke]

Hi Neil, 

Part of the project actually involves researching the options available, and then we'll decide as a group which machine to try to build. They'll have a Prusa (iteration 1) to look at, and so there will probably be a motivation to go that route, but I'd also like them to consider some of the newer designs, provided we think we can keep it within the budget. Unfortunately we don't have a newer model to look at. If you know of one in the area, maybe we could arrange a demo?

We'll be doing a sort-of open house and demo for all interested students and teachers on November 2. In the following weeks, we'll settle on the teams and do some research, and then on the 16th, we'll choose the design and start developing the BOM (at least according to the plan). 

-Alex

--
Alex Franke
www.theFrankes.com
www.RackCreations.com
www.CodeCreations.com

[Neil Underwood]

What area are you in?

[Alex Franke]

I'm in Chapel Hill. The school is in Durham. 

[Neil Underwood]

If you can't get anyone else to show up I can show up with 3 Mendelmax
and a Prusa.

Also 3d Printer related I have a Polargraph, an eggbot, and a few
other things I let the kids play with at demos.

But Chapel Hill is a 4 hour round trip for me, so I would like to
limit my driving out there. :)