Smelting Aluminium in the alley – What’s next !?

We have had such awesome and amazing makers at open house (every Thursday) recently. One of our newest members; Lauren, and Paul, had put together a forge driven by a hairdryer bellows to smelt some aluminium. Incredibly fun and many great ideas for more, thanks Lauren!

Seth kindly posted the video on the FB group

What’s Next? More events and classes!

The Mad Engineer’s Ball was such a ripping success we’d like you all to come back for DECEMBERWEEN!

Inspired by Santarchy & Halloween, conveniently around two founding members birthdays; Seth and Laura.. there couldn’t be more reasons to put on your Decemberween costume* and celebrate!

* We’re looking for creative modifications of Santa suits, Rudolph costumes where the nose is on fire, that sort of thing. The more ridiculous the better.

And now back to the business of why we all get together at Site 3 – learning and making things:

Upcoming classes at Site 3

• Designing Printed Circuit Boards with KiCad, Seth Hardy, Tuesday Nov 8th (four weeks)
• Site 3 Laser Training is generally the last Saturday of the month (check the calendar below)
• Wheel-Truing with Jordan Tam – Getting your bike into shape! Sunday, 20th November
• DIY Holiday Cards with Sabrina Scott – our book-binding superstar is back – on Saturday November 26th
• Prototyping circuits: intro to electronics – beginner’s welcome! Wednesday, 30th November
• There are rumors of a flame effects class coming soon! Watch facebook, twitter or the announce list for more!

The Mad Engineer’s Ball: Site 3′s first Halloween party

We’re having a Halloween party at Site 3! Mad Engineers Ball! Friday, October 28th.

Prizes for the best costumes complete with oversized category. Take home a handmade Site 3 trophy for your efforts.

Jello shooters, drinks in test tubes, Einstein hair, accidental lab explosions, .. make your mad engineer dreams come to life.

$5 cover at the door, food and drinks upstairs. This is the place you want to be for halloween.

Toronto Wearables Meetup 8

Heads up for the lovely wearables group; With guest speakers: Jessica Thompson, and the H2.0 Collective

Wednesday October 12, 2011
205 Richmond, room 7602

The Toronto Wearables Meetup is a gathering of people interested in wearable technology, fashion, wearable electronics, soft circuits, electronic textiles, emerging materials, and other creative and innovative approaches to things that live on the body. This Meetup is intended for artists, fashion designers, industrial designers, textile enthusiasts, engineers, researchers, students, and anyone interested in these emerging and intersecting fields.

Jessica Thompson is a media artist whose projects facilitate social situations in public space through sound, performance and wearable technologies. Her studio practice involves the creation of interactive sound pieces that audience members are invited to borrow and use within urban environments, and large-scale collaborative performances.

Her work has been shown in numerous national and international exhibitions and festivals such as ISEA 2006 (San Jose, CA), FINE/LINE (Denmark), the Conflux Festival (New York), the Deep Wireless Festival of Radio and Transmission Art, (Toronto) and most recently at the Norsk Teknisk Museum (Oslo). Her projects have appeared in publications such as Canadian Art, c Magazine, Acoustic Territories, and numerous art and technology blogs. She holds a BFA in Visual Art from York University in Toronto and an MFA in Emerging Practices from SUNY at Buffalo.

Jessica Thompson: http://www.jessicathompson.ca

The H2.0 Collective consists of OCAD art and design students Loretta Faveri, Joanne Jin, Michael Vaughn and Chris Holborn. The Collective launched their first exhibition at Nuit Blanche 2011, for which they designed a series of anthropomorphic dresses that interact with viewer’s movement, speech, and proximity. Through this work the H2.0 Collective raises the issue of modern society’s reliance on technologies to represent one’s sentiments, while at the same time humouring and impressing the viewer with the capabilities of wearable soft circuits encased in their clever designs.

http://torontowearables8.eventbrite.com/

SoONCon Lightning Talks Recap

Well, another SoONCon has come and gone, and as usual, it was great! On the eve the conference, we held another series of Lightning Talks at Site 3, where attendees could mingle and show off their projects. Hosted by the inimitable Alex Leitch, the night featured talks from:

Derek Quenneville - 3D Printing Adventures
Xavier Snelgrove – New Camera Designs
Doug Pengelly – LOLBadge
Loretta Faveri – Chance Operations of the Body: Beyond Cage and Cunningham
Christine Irving – The Heart Machine
Randy Glenn – Project Vending Machine
Nola McConnan – ABC Muskoka
Marie-Eve Belanger – Introducing the Ontario Hackerspace Passport
Tom Hobson – Musical Shoes
Trevyn Watson – Quadcopters: quadruple whirling blades of death and dismemberment

Alex and her 3D-printed facial hair of authority.

Trevyn Watson menaces the audience with his deadly quadcopter of lethal death.

Marie-Eve Belanger talks about the new Ontario Hackerspace Passport. Get your papers in order, nerds.

Doug Pengelly (who also makes BEER) shows us how to control lots of LEDs with Charlieplexing.

Nola McConnan shares a laugh with her daughter, who happens to be Alex.

Want to experience the magic of sharing knowledge and enthusiasm? Stay tuned for more lightning talk events at Site 3!

SoOnCon is soon!

Void That Warrantee

SoOnCon 2011: Southern Ontario Hackerspaces & Makers Conference

A new generation of hackers and makers is out to to it themselves, and teach you to do it, too. We’re tired of pitching it rather than fixing it and buying it rather than making it. SoOnCon is where hackers meet makers and crafters meet technology.

Inspired by cheap electronics, open source software, futuristic equipment, and a renaissance in home engineering, “hackerspaces” have appeared all over the world. Here in Southern Ontario we have six major spaces. This is our party.

Please join us at TIFF Bell Lightbox on October 1, 2011, as Site 3 coLaboratoy hosts SoOnCon 2011: Southern Ontario Hackerspaces Conference. The entry badge is a functioning microcontroller board to be assembled by participants at a soldering skill-sharing station: everyone from children to adults can learn to solder in about 15 minutes! SoOnCon has two tracks, one for talks, one in our working space for demonstration and collaboration. (more…)

Silent Auction – what’s on the block?

Steampunk awesomeness! Edward Williamson: Will be donating at least one pair of custom goggles, and one brass pocket watch with custom helm chain; a splendid accessory set for any budding Steampunk costumer. MrTallGear.etsy.com to see samples of our fine Steampunk Goggles.

The legendary Eric Boyd of sensebridge.com will have a heart spark (I will personally be bidding on this one – watch out!)

And below, from besmithian.com: Jewellery design combining classic comfort with bold style.

Adam Smith runs the leather classes at Site 3 – his work can be seen at http://swordinthestone.ca/

Below, Math-themed art from Alana Boltwood

Kyle Clements auctioneer for the evening – and incredible artist will have a couple of paintings – invisible and otherwise!

Honestly there are 20 exhibitors – I haven’t even scratched the surface – please come to the Site 3 silent auction and see for yourself!

Doors are open to the public 2pm Saturday for viewing, and the auction begins at 7pm – closes 10pm. Minimum bid increment: $1. Collecting payment on the night, cash or paypal. Participate in the auction, or just come for the party =)

For more details and to RSVP, head on over to theFacebook event page.