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Tinkering and Chain Reaction Construction Workshop (4h workshop)

May 22, 2009 - 15:10 — Michael Shiloh

Tinkering is the art of learning by chance discovery while building or experimenting, delighting as much in the journey and the diversions along the way as the goal itself.

In this workshop you will learn simple and rapid construction techniques while building mechanism and electromechanical contraptions, culminating in a group chain-reaction project which will remain on display for the duration of the conference for all to see.

Skills required: none! We will teach you everything you need to know. Be prepared to turn off your laptop, roll up your sleeves, and get your hands dirty.

We will provide soldering irons, hot melt glue guns, hand and power tools, motors, batteries, LEDs, wood, plastic, wire, rubber bands, switches, broken toys and other random assorted miscellaneous items that we are able to locate. You are encouraged to bring items to add to the supplies

Teach Me To Make uses tinkering as a hands-on method for teaching art and technology to children and adults. Our workshops are designed to teach basic principles while developing the curious and creative spark present in all of us. We believe everyone is capable of this work. To paraphrase the Zimbabwean proverb, "If you can walk you can dance; if you can talk you can sing; if you can Twitter you can build"


Preferred time: 
14:00
Room: 
St Jean

Comments

June 4, 2009 - 17:08 — Michael Shiloh

We'll need some help gathering supplies and tools for this workshop. We plan to bring or buy as much as we can, but if you can help with any of these please let us know. If we know that we don't have to bring basic materials, we have room for more fun and advanced gadgets.

To give you some idea, here are some pictures from a similar workshop we did at the Maker Faire on May 30 and 31.

Supplies:
(Used, broken, or otherwise salvaged is fine)
Foam Board
Craft sticks (standard and wide)
Wooden dowels (any diameter or length)
Bottle caps
Wine corks
Pencils and pens (non-functional is fine)
Drinking straws
Coffee stirrers
Cardboard (both thin like breakfast cereal boxes and thicker like corrugated)
Clean paper or plastic cups
Broken toys, board game pieces, charms and trinkets from trade shows or amusement parks
Assorted screws, nails, nuts, and bolts (sweep up the floor of your garage and bring to the workshop)
Interesting small miscellaneous odds and ends (yes, that's vague. You decide. If in doubt, bring it)
Scraps of metal, plastic, wood, and fabric
Wire, various electronic sizes although some larger and smaller is nice as well
Broken electronic and mechanical items to take apart and from which to salvage
Office supplies: push pins, paper clips, tape, glue
Anything with magnets
Anything with LEDs
Anything with motors
Battery holders (AA, 9V)
Batteries (AA, 9V)
Battery clips (those things that clip on to the top of 9V batteries)
Power supplies (cellphone chargers, laptop supplies, etc.)
Motors

Tools
Soldering irons
Solder
Hot melt glue guns
Hot melt glue
Scissors
Pliers
Hand drill
Drill bits
Utility knife to cut foam board and other material
Extra knife blades (we need them very sharp so we change them often)

Please email us at teachers AT techmetomake DOT com with your offers, and we will edit this comment to remove items promised


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