Ross Creek Centre for the Arts
“Stay at Home” Maker Workshop
Links & Resources based on our meetings
I’ll be adding links here as a follow up to ideas and interests mentioned in our meetings. I hope they help.
The Incredible, Gravity Defying “Tensegrity Man” from Rob Ives.
- Great example of a Dancing Robot Automata
- Amazing Cardboard Marble Run project with option to add electronics
- Virtual Arduino. Breadboard, electronics and coding
- This online simulator will let you play with Arduinos, and other simple electronics, even if you don’t have one at home.
- You can also try coding with the SCRATCH like mBlock IDE.
- Elmwood Electronics
- My favourite Canadian supplier of electronics, including all the Adafruit line of products.
- How things Move. A Great collection of animations showing how to connect things to other things to make them move.
- A Haida weaver workshop on how to create traditional Bark Woven Bracelets.
- I’ll also be adding videos to the group playlist below.
My Favourite Arduino Contraptions.
INTRO
- How to think like a Make
- Obtainium is EVERYWHERE….but ask first :
- Tools
- Materials
- A place for your stuff
- Think with your hands & Make what makes YOU smile 🙂
- Let’s Get Making!
VIDEO WATCHLIST
I have included a selection of YouTube videos to help you get started. Some of them give you tips and tricks for working with materials like cardboard. Watch at your leisure should you wish to. There are several about creating “mechanical art” called “Automata” using very basic materials as well as some examples to provide inspiration.
The menu button in the top right corner shows you all the videos in the list.
There is no need to watch them in order.
Projects, Possibilities and Problems
These are possible starting points if you need a little help getting started.
Remember, creating a prototype, playing with materials and thinking with your hands is not wasted time. It often leads to important answers to questions you might not even know to ask 🙂
- Create a toy, play area or shelter for your pet(s)
- Make yourself a toolbox. You can even try to make a super strong one out of cardboard using the tips and tricks found in the workshop playlist. Making a “Tool Bucket” is another great place to start.
- Build a “robot” out of parts you scavenge from taking apart an old VCR or other APPROVED Obtainium. What is their name? Job? Where do they live? Do they have a pet?
- Watch a video about something you’d like to build that DOESN’T have instructions and work out how you would make the same thing or something similar.
A bucket, cardboard and duct tape might let you build a working prototype….
MATERIALS & TOOLS
- Cardboard
- Lids/caps of All Kinds
- plastic soda bottles
- Bamboo Skewers
- Coffee Stir Sticks
- Straws
- Rubber Bands
- “Altoids” type tins
- Zipties
- Pencils/Old Pens & Markers
- LEGO
- Wood
- Natural Materials
- hot glue sticks
- And much more…
- Scissors
- Hammer(s)
- Screwdriver(s)
- Saws
- Pliers
- Ruler and Measuring Tape
- Hacksaw
- Japanese cardboard saw
- Drills
- Needle and Thread
- clothes pins
- paper clips
Connectors & Hackable Obtainium
- GLUE
- Hot Glue Gun
- White Glue
- Wood Glue
- Wheat Paste Glue
- TAPE
- Masking
(does not work well with cardboard) - Scotch
- Packing
- Duct
- Cardboard tape
- Masking
- Zipties
- Wire
- Screws
- Nuts and Bolts
- Nails
- Electric Toothbrushes
- “Talking” greeting cards
- Old VCR
- Old game controllers
- Old Tower Computer
- Old Printers
- Old Rotary Phone
- Old Remote Control Toys
- Most Battery Operated “gadgets” are useful
- NEVER Take apart!
- TVs
- Computer Monitors
- Batteries
Other Resources & Links
- Instructables
- MAKE: Magazine and website
- My FAVOURITE Magazine 🙂
- 44 Engineering and Science Challenges from Dyson
- Brilliant Labs Daily Challenges
Like Hammering? Try String art 🙂
Like Pokemon? Make Pokemon string art! This tutorial shows you a different way yo make string art, or you can modify it and do it with hammering and nails 🙂
