Thursday last: first Fab Lab visit; next: advanced design.
Thursday of last week, I visited Fab Lab for the first time.
Chris Connors, an expert user, was my mentor. Chris took me quickly from the "What is Fab Lab?" stage to being able to design Mathport logos, name tags and badges, in only one session. Chris is the archetypal High School teacher, armed with patience and a measure of enthusiasm that does not overwhelm you.
The process is very simple: you design something using Open Office Draw (for all of you who have fallen inextricable prey to Microsoft, think "Paint"). Once your design is finished, you do prin ...sorry, make that "fabricate". A screen appears where you set the speed and power of the Laser beam that will trace your design. Remember that James Bond movie where the beam was advancing towards 007?... I even forget how he gets out of it. Well, in this case the material you place under the beam will not get out.
Your design will be etched on or cut out of the plank of wood or plastic that you place under the beam. Give the beam less power or greater speed and your design will be burnt in gently. Give it more power or less speed and the beam will cut your design right out of the board.
DO NOT forget to turn on the fan before you press run, and DO NOT leave the area marked off around the machine while the beam is operating. The guys at the Fab Lab are very nice, but they are also safety minded and after a couple of wrist slaps for forgetfulness you could get more serious sanctions including a Lab ban. I am telling you now.
Here is a (cell-phone, sorry...) picture of my creations:
True, no calls from Paris designers yet to mass-produce any of this, but I am still proud.
Anybody wishing to get initiated in Fab Labbing only needs to come to the South End Technology Center on 359 Columbus Avenue (and Yarmouth, see map) on Thursdays from 5:30 to 8pm to get their initiation. I highly recommend it.
If you are more of a hands-off kind of person, here is a Globe story for you.
I am pondering various ideas around BFIT and what seems to be an extraordinary opportunity to develop creativity and industriousness. I will be happy to share them with any interested soul, perhaps at the Berkeley Perk?, over some coffee?... What would Benjamin do with this?...
Chris Connors, an expert user, was my mentor. Chris took me quickly from the "What is Fab Lab?" stage to being able to design Mathport logos, name tags and badges, in only one session. Chris is the archetypal High School teacher, armed with patience and a measure of enthusiasm that does not overwhelm you.
The process is very simple: you design something using Open Office Draw (for all of you who have fallen inextricable prey to Microsoft, think "Paint"). Once your design is finished, you do prin ...sorry, make that "fabricate". A screen appears where you set the speed and power of the Laser beam that will trace your design. Remember that James Bond movie where the beam was advancing towards 007?... I even forget how he gets out of it. Well, in this case the material you place under the beam will not get out.
Your design will be etched on or cut out of the plank of wood or plastic that you place under the beam. Give the beam less power or greater speed and your design will be burnt in gently. Give it more power or less speed and the beam will cut your design right out of the board.
DO NOT forget to turn on the fan before you press run, and DO NOT leave the area marked off around the machine while the beam is operating. The guys at the Fab Lab are very nice, but they are also safety minded and after a couple of wrist slaps for forgetfulness you could get more serious sanctions including a Lab ban. I am telling you now.
Here is a (cell-phone, sorry...) picture of my creations:
True, no calls from Paris designers yet to mass-produce any of this, but I am still proud.Anybody wishing to get initiated in Fab Labbing only needs to come to the South End Technology Center on 359 Columbus Avenue (and Yarmouth, see map) on Thursdays from 5:30 to 8pm to get their initiation. I highly recommend it.
If you are more of a hands-off kind of person, here is a Globe story for you.
I am pondering various ideas around BFIT and what seems to be an extraordinary opportunity to develop creativity and industriousness. I will be happy to share them with any interested soul, perhaps at the Berkeley Perk?, over some coffee?... What would Benjamin do with this?...
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