Pumping Station: One

The first Wednesday of the month is rapidly approaching, so that means it’s time for: Automation Night (formerly DIY CNC night)!

Join us and be part of the automated manufacturing and design revolution! Get together to discuss, fix, repair, upgrade, and show off 3D printers, routers, laser cutters, and other tools made awesome by computers.

• WHEN: Wednesday October 10th 7pm (show up early if you want a tour)
• WHERE: 3519 N Elston Ave, PS:One electronics lab (2nd Floor)

Typical schedule:

• 6:45 tour for new people
• 7:00 introduction round-robin
• 7:20 guest speaker
• 7:30 schmoozing, machine repair, demos, etc

Image from Thingiverse user ArtInstituteChicago

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

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

Have you ever lost your keys on the train or the street and had to give them up for lost? Some stores have keyfobs with a barcode connected to your store account, so the keys can be turned in at any of those chain stores, and the store will contact you or even send you the keys!

But what if that chain is no longer around, or you’re on vacation in another state and they don’t have the chain store there? Then what? This QR code keychain design will allow someone with a smartphone to take a picture of the fob and automatically send you a text that they found your keys, with their phone number so you can call them and arrange to get your keys back!

QR Code Keychain. Photo has been altered to protect the phone number encoded on the fob.

The code can be generated any number of places or you can have fun with URI schemes yourself. Much like the mailto protocol, sms format is

sms:5555555555?body=I%20found%20your%20keys!

Once the code was generated, I etched the acrylic on our laser cutter, going over the etching twice for extra depth, and filled the recessed areas with polymer clay [you can use fimo, sculpey, etc.], put it in the oven to set and covered with a clear layer of nail polish for added protection.

I’m starting a company that makes campfire scented cologne, and to solve a problem in my production process, I built a transmissometer.  Here is the video Aaron Kowalski and I made with Element 14‘s support:

Transmissometer from Pumping Station: One on Vimeo.

Here are more details on the device, including photos, schematics, and source code.

Thanks to everyone who helped out with the build and filming!