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Ottawa Maker Faire

This topic has 5 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 2 September 2013 at 17:03 by Michael Gilligan.

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2 September 2013 at 02:13 #4433
Another JohnS
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@anotherjohns
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2 September 2013 at 02:13 #128391
Another JohnS
Participant
@anotherjohns
I decided a while ago to create an entry for "CNC and Model Engineering" at the Ottawa (Canada) Maker Faire. Fortunately, lots of people from the local Live Steam club stepped up to the plate and came along to help.

Reason for doing this? Trying to get Model Engineering out to different crowds, who knows who may take up an interest in the hobby?

Certainly, putting on a booth at the local model railway show is like preaching to the same people all the time; they'll either join or they won't, and they are all getting older, just like me.

Also, maybe we can get more variety back into our club – we've dropped many of the non-railway members over the years for various reasons.

It will take a little while to determine if it was a success or not – we'll see.

Anyway, here's a writeup of what *I* had on display, plus a mention of other Ottawa Model Engineers participation:

http://cnc-for-model-engineers.blogspot.ca/2013/09/ottawa-maker-faire-2013.html

When we do this next year, we'll have to re-think how we present the Model Engineering hobby to the public.

Any thoughts or comments?

Another JohnS.
2 September 2013 at 09:36 #128398
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
John,

Nice blog … and it sounds like your ambitions were met !!

For the convenience of other readers, here is direct link.

I do like the concept of a "Maker Faire" … it seems better-tuned to the spirit of inventiveness than "Model Engineering Show".

MichaelG.
2 September 2013 at 10:07 #128401
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Comments, as requested:

1. Your observation [in the blog] that "… some of the attendees knew it as a lathe, and thought taking a 50's lathe into 2013 by CNCing it was interesting; others did not know what a lathe was, but were interested in the CNC setup." is significant.

There are some very clever kids around; who are comfortable with the programming side, but are "mechanically innocent". They are re-inventing the Lathe, the Mill, etc. by building contraptions from discarded Printers, CD mehanisms, Plotters and the like.

Exhibits like yours should bring this talent into our more traditional workshops, to the benefit of both.

2. You may want to reconsider the Mission Statement: "… to increase the throughput of the Model Engineers' activities."

Arguably, this a perfectly valid description; but I think it misses the "Magic" that many people find in CNC … I'm sure that many of the youngsters are motivated by their ability to instruct a machine to do what they want it to do … Maybe it's more about Control than "throughput".

.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/09/2013 10:24:06
2 September 2013 at 15:08 #128433
Another JohnS
Participant
@anotherjohns
Arguably, this a perfectly valid description; but I think it misses the "Magic" that many people find in CNC … I'm sure that many of the youngsters are motivated by their ability to instruct a machine to do what they want it to do … Maybe it's more about Control than "throughput"

Hi Michael; Thanks for the comments.

I'm not sure what my mission statement is, but like you, I *do* know that lots of younger people want to work with wood and metal and plastic, they know computers inside and out; generally we are the opposite.

I think the computer revolution has created a break in the continium of Model Engineering; lack of machine shops in schools, and the pushing of computers has created some barriers.

More than one attendee asked if we held workshops, and we don't!

Our projects also take too long to make – impressive, but people want things done now, not in 12 years.

I'm lucky in that I understand the underlying concepts of 3D graphics *very* well, 3D graphics formats, micro controllers, etc, so I can talk to and interact with kids, young adults, but I know that others in our club have a harder time doing this. (I'm 53, and have a very interesting career in IT that fits well with what's happening with the directions of these Maker Faires)
2 September 2013 at 17:03 #128445
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
John,

I interpreted the subheading on your blog as a "Mission Statement" …

Using CNC and 3D printing, and Digital Readouts and other "modern" tools to increase the throughput of the Model Engineers' activities.

… sorry if that wasn't your intention.

MichaelG.
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