What will you see – Nerdy Derby!
Source: Eric Schneeweis
The quickest way to describe Nerdy Derby is a “Pinewood Derby on Steroids!” Pinewood Derby is an event where the Cub Scouts build and race cars made of wood, plastic, and metal down a wooden ramp. Nerdy Derby takes that a step further by introducing an undulating track instead of the usual gentle slope and then they eliminate all the rules!
The following describes the experience of a volunteer from last year’s event:
Meet the Makers – Shane Thelen
Tell us about yourself?
I’ve always loved designing “things”. Sometimes practical, sometimes fanciful, I have always enjoyed putting pencil to paper and coming up with ideas, solutions, and dreams.
What are you showing at the Maker Faire?
For the Maker Faire, I’ll be showing my Gothic Arch Triptych, designed for Silversark’s Sanctuary Fashion Show and I’ll be vending my Art Boxes, Victorian and Art-Deco style periodic tables, as well as some simple LED lamp kits with distinctly geeky themes and, hopefully, some new (and old) laser-cut pins.
Meet the Makers – Christopher Edwin Johnson
I play hard at exploring whatever fascinations cross my path, which are many. I’m a lifelong Milwaukeean; a husband and father of three boys; a mechanical engineer, who works as a technologist at a civil engineering firm; and an artist and inventor. Some of my favorite materials are copper, black walnut, and leather; and I’ve become addicted to things that have “story.”
Milwaukee “Geek” Map
Milwaukee has plenty to offer the geek in you! If you’re in town for Maker Faire Milwaukee or otherwise, we suggest you visit some of these places to up your geek credibility. If we missed something, and we probably did, please reach us through facebook or twitter.
Sand Blasting Glass
One of the many hobbies I have acquired in the last two years since becoming a member of Milwaukee Maker Space is the craft of taking a simple piece of glass and creating an etched piece of art with the application of garnet and sand mixture.
Sounds complicated, and it can be, but amazingly not for the reasons most people think.
First: I need to select the glass I want to sand blast. Normally I make these items as gifts, so I have to keep the person in mind. The images of the glasses in this blog are going to a charity event and will be silent auctioned off to raise money for a good cause. Because this event is a wine tasting and silent auction, the glasses I selected and the theme of the sand blasting was all about wine.
plain glasses – pre-sand blasting
Meet the Makers – Robin and Marty Lawson
Tell us about yourself?
Lumen Electronic Jewelry is the mad scientist project of siblings and fourth-generation engineers Robin and Marty Lawson. We custom design twinkling LED circuit board jewelry powered by light. Tiny solar cells are incorporated into the designs, meaning no batteries to worry about. Ever. To learn more about our maker journey check out our Ignite Madison talk.
What are you showing at the Maker Faire?
We will be showing both our finished jewelry and kits. A picture of our dragonfly necklace is shown below. Check out our Website and Etsy Store.
Meet the Makers – Adam Cohen
Tell us about yourself?
I am a physicist and maker, one of the very first members of Milwaukee Makerspace. I think microcontrollers are the coolest thing ever, I can’t believe that they can fit an entire system on such a small piece of silicon for only a few bucks! I prefer to make and fix things than buy them and throw them away. The challenge of making is its own reward.
What are you showing at the Maker Faire?
I have invented a brand new gaming system that uses magnets as an alternative to laser tag. I call it MagneTag. Players wear magnetic field sensors, and then battle your friends with foam swords/darts embedded with strong rare earth magnets. Its a blast! www.MagneTag.com (more…)
Intro to being a “skill collector”
New to making? Rest assured, everyone can be a maker. Check it: this flow chart breaks it down to a few simple steps, thanks to Brant Holeman, president of Milwaukee Makerspace in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee.
Makerspaces – also known as hackerspaces – are popping up all over the country. They’re community centers where people come together to share their skills, knowledge, tools and passion for learning and making in a social and collaborative setting. Makerspace members often describe themselves as “skill collectors” – people who to love to “collect” new techniques for making, hacking and fixing.
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MKE Makerspace medals in Maker Faire Kansas City races
Maker Faire Milwaukee!Be a Maker @ camp iGirl
Thanks to Girl Scouts of Southeast Wisconsin and Girls in Tech for helping the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum and the Milwaukee Makerspace test out some concepts for Maker Faire Milwaukee at the Girls in Tech event at Alverno College on June 23. Over 90 Scouts helped us build a trebuchet (gravity catapult), and they got some first-hand experience with our 3D printer, too.