December 2011
4 posts
LEARN TO WORK WITH LOGIC
New workshop time!
Prompted by the shop’s collection of 7400-series integrated circuits, I’m going to be teaching a workshop on digital logic design on Saturday, January 14 2011. Digital logic is the sort of thing that makes up a computer at the deepest, darkest level — we’re talking trues and falses, ands, ors, and nots.
(Wikimedia Commons, K-map 6,8,9,10,11,12,13,14...
Inkscape Workshop Dec. 13th, 7-9:30
Did you miss November’s Inkscape for the Laser Cutter workshop? Well good news for you, the next one is happening tomorrow, December 13th, from 7-9:30!! You still have time to make all those amazing gifts and cards before the end of the month! Learn how to use Inkscape to cut a variety of materials- wood, acrylic, paper, leather & more!
Want to make the perfect gingerbread house? Cut...
Holiday Card Makeshop Dec. 10th, 2-4
Are you looking for an activity that distracts you (or your child) for a couple of hours, is fun and lets you get something AWESOME at the end that you’ve created? Look no further! I will be leading a Holiday Card makeshop this coming Saturday, December 10, from 2-4. Only $25!!!
Never been to a makeshop? The idea is simple. Metrix provides the materials and tools, you bring your computer...
Concept Art
This blog has seen a lot of interviews with people working on really neat electronics, coding, building, and DIY projects. It’s the sort of thing that Metrix was created and is now known for. But those aren’t the only things that happen here! I recently got the chance to talk with Ryan DeMita, a video game concept artist who sometimes uses Metrix as an office for working on his artwork. As someone...
November 2011
6 posts
Intro to Arduino Workshop: Make everyone green...
Feel that a regular holiday card this season just isn’t going to cut it? Make a re-programmable board that displays whatever holiday cheer message you give it. Bonus: Program it remotely to show the appropriate messages of well-wishing at all other special occasions.
Feel that all the time you have to spend with your family this holiday season is taking you away from your social media?...
Intro to Electronics: Make Awesome Gifts Edition
Diamonds are so last year. This holiday season give your loved ones real bling and impress them with your electronics know-how. You can make unique, fun, cost-effective gifts and the skills you need for that are just a workshop away.
Come to the Intro to Electronics Workshop this Tuesday, November 29. You will learn basic electronics theory through building circuits and experimenting with...
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Making your winter holiday gifts?
Looking for some inspiration? Ken Inoue has been making wonderful presents for his loved ones this year using Inkscape, the laser cutter and some aluminum stock from Online Metals in Ballard. He’s been nice enough to share the files to this smart and simple Tea Warmer on Thingiverse.
We love to see people make awesome things and share them with others. From the beginning at Metrix...
This Sunday: The College of Lockpicking!
You can pick your friends.
You can pick your beer. But can you pick… a Lock? Join us on Sunday, November 20th, from 2-4pm, as we embark on an ancient mechanical adventure to explore the inner workings of a modern lock, first developed by the Mesopotamians and Egyptians over 4000 years ago. Led by lockpickers Eric Michaud and Jamie Schwettmann, this workshop will cover - soup to nuts -...
Inkscape Workshop Nov. 15, 7-9:30
What does November mean to you? Remembering our Veterans? Celebrating (American) Thanksgiving? Viewing the autumn colors? For many, it’s all these things and also… shopping! Black Friday is of course the infamous day when many people buy all of their Christmas items at once, causing mass hysteria around the country. I want to let you know that it doesn’t have to be that way! While I won’t...
DARPA Cyber Fast Track: Saturday, Nov 19th - 2PM
Put Saturday, November 19th on your Calendar. At 2PM, Peter Zatko, AKA Mudge, a hacker and Program Manager at DARPA’s innovation program, will be going over their new funding program, Cyber Fast Track here at Metrix Create:Space.
If you saw the Blackhat Keynote (here’s the video @32:35), or read the Slashdot post about it, you may know that DARPA is looking to get lighter,...
October 2011
6 posts
Intro to Arduino is here again!
Want to make a pocket digital translator? Wondering what makes robots do useful or entertaining things?
The answer to all your [technical] curiosities is Arduino!
We are teaching our monthly Intro to Arduino class at Metrix Create: Space
on Broadway, tomorrow
Tuesday, October 25 at 7 PM
We’ll be going over the basics of the hardware of the Arduino board as well as getting into some of...
Thank you for helping us celebrate!
Many thanks to all of you who came out to celebrate the Metrix Create:Space 2-Year Anniversary! And those of you who couldn’t make it: Shame on you! You missed out on a seriously fun night of drinking and making.
We know you are all dying to find out who the winners are of the very first
Metrix Create:Contest/Tangram Edition
It was rough out here for a Tangram...
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2nd Year Interviews
Metrix’s second year anniversary party is coming up tomorrow (be there at 7)! I thought I would take the opportunity to interview a couple of people close to the shop and get their takes on how Metrix has grown and changed, and a little of where the shop is headed in the future. The first person I interviewed was Matthew “Wilson” Wilson. A longtime friend of the owner, Matt, Wilson has “been at...
Metrix 2-Year Anniversary - Create:Contest
Besides commemorating our 2-Year Anniversary with a range of apple beverages, we will be holding the very first
Metrix Create:Contest / 3D Tangram Edition
Contest Rules:
each entry must use at least one 3D Tangram kit; no maximum limit
unlimited number of entries per person
each entry can win only in one category
$4 per kit
winners do not have to be present at time...
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Two Years of Making
Metrix Create:Space opened up two years ago this Saturday. To commemorate the event, we are throwing a party. Just like last year, we are shutting off the laser, cutting power to the kiln and breaking out the booze. Safety is important.
Show up at 7 to get first crack at the cider and join the Create:Contest. There will be prizes…
10/15 Saturday night. 7pm through Midnight.
Metrix...
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Getting our Ducks in a Row
Many of you who have come into Metrix over the last few months have wondered about the ducks. As this post unfolds, it will uncover the story of the Metrix ducks, so read on…
The concept behind our army of ducks is to have a single object as a sample of the various production and fabrication methods we offer at Metrix Create: Space. Using the same object allows for easy comparisons of...
September 2011
6 posts
Mod Your Plush Makeshop POSTPONED
Unfortunately due to a number of factors beyond our control (apartment upheaval; extended family funeral) this Makeshop is POSTPONED. Watch for it closer to the Winter Solstice holidays, and keep thinking of new and different things to do to improve on your stuffies!
Mod Your Plush Makeshop
Thursday October 6th 7pm to 9pm
Metrix 623A Broadway East Seattle WA 98102
$25 with all materials,...
Everybody loves robots part 2
Awesome things you can do with your Arduino driven robot:
1. Connect it to the internet, get visual feedback from it, and control it through your computer or phone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsvqQ5h7QMY&feature=player_embedded
2. Attach a Wii nunchuck to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlukl5fLi7s&feature=player_embedded
3. Or make it remote controlled.
4. Make your robot...
Everybody loves robots!
Making your very own servo robot is only a workshop away. Did you always want to make awesome things with microcontrollers but thought it might be too complicated or didn’t know where to start? No idea what a microcontroller does but like the shiny robot in the picture?
Come to the Intro to Arduino workshop, Tuesday, September 27th, 7-9 PM.
You’ll get your very own Arduino board...
Resistors, Capacitors, Integrated Circuits, oh my!
Want to know how to turn this:
into your very own cool light fixture…
or a super sneaky spy robot?
Come to the Basic Electronics workshop, Tuesday, September 20th, 7-9 PM.
You’ll get the foundation in electronics that will get you started on your path to all kinds of awesome projects. With a few basic, cheap components you can create the beautiful light fixture above or...
