Pumping Station: One

There are loads of people who want to learn how to program, and thankfully there are loads of high quality free tutorials and classes from big names like MIT (the class a small group of us are currently using), Stanford, and Google, from start-up educational resources like Khan Academy or Udacity, and other free resources like Python-course.

All of the courses listed above teach the easy-to-learn Python programming language.

Starting Thursday, May 17th, every first and third Thursday of each month PS:One will hold Python Office Hours.  This is a chance for people learning to program in Python to get together for moral support, project assistance, and homework assistance.  We’ll have an experienced python developer or two on hand to help answer questions and explain difficult concepts, plus loads of students at all skill levels to provide assistance and community (there is no better way to learn than teaching!).

This is an “office hours” event with volunteer teaching assistants. The expectation is that students watch lectures, read tutorials and attempt homework on their own, then use this as a resource to aid in learning, not as a class, workshop, seminar, private tutor session, or other primary learning tool.

• Who: everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level!
• When: First and Third Thursdays of each month, 7pm, starting May 17
• Where: Pumping Station: One 3354 N. Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
• Cost: Free ($5 recommended donation to help us keep the lights on!)

image: flickr user dougwoods

PS: in lieu of apples, our TAs prefer adult beverages as thank-you presents.

PPS: interested in becoming a TA for this series? Contact the author of this post.

The second Wednesday of every month is Automation Night, dedicated to hobbyist and professional automated manufacturing tools like 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, cake frosters, and wire benders.

Are you interested in at-home automated manufacturing? Do you like the idea of owning your own 3D printer, laser cutter, automated mill, router table, or other astounding automatons? Then this is the night for you!

Please attend if you’re interested in learning more, already have an automated tool at home, want to show off your latest build, or just want to meet locals who are into this exciting technology!

• Who: Open to the public
• Where: Pumping Station: One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
• When: Wednesday, May 9th, 7pm
• Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation for non-members to help us pay the rent)

Planned Schedule:

• 7-7:10: people show up
• 7:10-7:25: introductions round-robin
• 7:25-’till everyone leaves: schmoozing, machine assembly and show off, discussion of tools and techniques

Image: Printable 3D Skill Badge by Thingiverse user TheNewHobbyist

The second Wednesday of the month is coming up which means that our monthly Automation Night (was DIY CNC night)  is upon us again!

Are you interested in at-home automated manufacturing? Do you like the idea of owning your own 3D printer, laser cutter, automated mill, router table, or other astounding automatons? Then this is the night for you!

Automation Night is an ever-growing group of enthusiastic amateurs and professionals in the field of do it yourself automated manufacturing (ie 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, cake frosters, etc) hardware and software.

Please come if you’re interested in learning more, already have an automated tool at home, want to show off your latest build, or just want to meet locals who are into this exciting technology!

• Who: Open to the public
• Where: Pumping Station: One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
• When: Wednesday, April 11th, 7pm
• Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation for non-members to help us pay the rent)

Planned Schedule:

• 7-7:10: people show up
• 7:10-7:25: introductions round-robin
• 7:25-’till everyone leaves: schmoozing, machine assembly and show off, discussion of tools and techniques

Image: 120 Cell by Thingiverse user George Hart

March’s DIY CNC night is upon us!

Are you interested in at-home automated manufacturing? Do you like the idea of owning your own 3D printer, laser cutter, automated mill, router table, or other astounding automatons? Then this is the night for you!

This month’s DIY CNC night will feature a live build of PS:One′s new and shiny MakerSlide ShapeOko.  Bart and Edward (of MakerSlide and ShapeOko, respectively) will be helping Jordan and Patrick (PS:One′s electronics area host and Vice President, respectively) take delivery of and assemble a MakerSlide ShapeOko.

DIY CNC night is an ever-growing group of enthusiastic amateurs and professionals in the field of do it yourself automated manufacturing (ie 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, cake frosters, etc) hardware and software.

Please come if you’re interested in learning more, already have a CNC tool at home, want to show off your latest build, or just want to meet locals who are into this exciting technology!

• Who: Open to the public
• Where: Pumping Station: One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
• When: Wednesday, March 14th, 7pm
• Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation for non-members to help us pay the rent)

Planned Schedule:

• 7-7:10: people show up
• 7:10-7:25: introductions round-robin
• 7:25-’till it’s done: Assembling a Makerslide ShapeOko CNC mill with Edward and Bart
• 7:25-’till everyone leaves: schmoozing, machine assembly and show off, discussion of tools and techniques

UPDATE: I previously copied 2/8 as 28.  Ooops. the event takes place on Wednesday, Feb 8!

Monthly DIY CNC night is upon us again!

Are you interested in automated manufacturing? Do you like 3D printers, laser cutters, automated mills, router tables, and other awesome automatons? Then this is the night for you!

DIY CNC night is an ever-growing group of enthusiastic amateurs and professionals in the field of do it yourself automated manufacturing (ie 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, cake frosters, etc) hardware and software.

Please come if you’re interested in learning more, already have a CNC tool at home, want to show off your latest build, or just want to meet locals who are into this exciting technology!

• Who: Open to the public
• Where: Pumping Station: One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
• When: Wednesday, February 8th, 7pm
• Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation for non-members to help us pay the rent)

Typical Schedule:

• 7-7:10: people show up
• 7:10-7:25: introductions round-robin
• 7:25-9pm or so: schmoozing, machine assembly and show off, discussion of tools and techniques

Image: Quantum ORD Bot by Thingiverse user (and friend of PS:One) bdring

streetlamp by prettysmallthings

Welcome back from the holidays!  Didn’t get the 3D printer you wanted under the tree? Come to DIY CNC night to learn how to make your own!

Our monthly DIY CNC (do it yourself computer numerically controlled tools) night is happening this week on Wednesday night at 7pm!

DIY CNC night is an ever-growing group of enthusiastic amateurs and professionals in the field of do it yourself automated manufacturing (ie 3D printers, CNC mills, laser cutters, cake frosters, etc) hardware and software.

Please come if you’re interested in learning more, already have a CNC tool at home, want to show off your latest build, or just want to meet locals who are into this exciting technology!

• Who: Open to the public
• Where: Pumping Station: One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL
• When: Wednesday, January 11, 7pm
• Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation for non-members to help pay the rent)

Typical Schedule:

• 7-7:10: people show up
• 7:10-7:25: introduction round-robin
• 7:25-9pm or so: schmoozing, machine assembly and show off, discussion of tools and techniques

UPDATE: I can’t read a calendar – this event takes place on December 14, not december 7 as this post originally stated.

It’s almost time for December’s DIY CNC Night, a growing group of enthusiasts of automated manufacturing: 3D printers, laser cutters, automated mills and routers, plus all the software and hardware tools that enable automated manufacturing technology!

Please come if you’re interested in learning more, already have a CNC tool at home, want to show off your latest build, or just want to meet locals who are into this exciting technology!

Who: Open to the public

Where: Pumping Station: One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL

When: December 14, 7pm

Cost: Free ($5 suggested donation for non-members to help pay the rent)

Typical Schedule:

• 7-7:10: people show up
• 7:10-7:25: introduction round-robin
• 7:25-9pm or so: schmoozing, machine assembly and show off, discussion of tools and techniques

Image: Sneaker Spurs! by Thingiverse user MikeBattaglia

Interested in automated manufacturing, laser cutters, 3D printers, or automated routers and mills?

Come join us for DIY CNC night #5 on Wednesday November 9 at 7pm!

The general schedule:

• 7-7:20pm: introductions
• 7:20-7:45pm: discussion: tuning and calibrating a RepRap printer (we’ll be tuning PS:One′s own 3D printer, and certifying members to use it)
• 7:45-9pm: machine demos, schmoozing, repair work, machine assembly, discussion, what have you

Who: This event is open to everyone

When: 7-9pm

Where: Pumping Station One, 3354 N Elston Ave, Chicago

Cost: Free, but donations encouraged

DIY CNC nights are evenings for Chicago area automated manufacturing enthusiasts, hobbyists, professionals, and the merely curious to meet and discuss the state of the art in both open source and proprietary technologies.  They occur the second Wednesday of each month at Pumping Station One, and are open to the public.

Image: PS:One′s 3D printer, a RepRap Mendel Prusa, printing a calibration object.

Interested in 3D printing? Lasercutting? Wish you had an automated mill to play with?

Come join us for our monthly DIY CNC Night #4 on October 12 at 7pm.

Our typical schedule:

• 7-7:20pm: introductions
• 7:20-7:45pm: brief talk (TBD)
• 7:45-9pm: machine demos, schmoozing, repair work, machine assembly, discussions, etc

Who: open to the public

Where: Pumping Station: One 3354 N. Elston Ave, Chicago 60618

When: 7pm on Wednesday, October 12

Cost: Free

Gear O’Clock designed by thingiverse user PrintTo3D