Member Meeting Minutes for December 18, 2013

Minutes by Agenda Topic

• Attendees:
  • Eli
  • Chad
  • Tom
  • Anthony
  • Scott
  • Jeff
  • Bethany
  • Geno
  • Dan
  • Gene

• Called to order at:
  • 7:48pm

Recent Events

• Thursday Dec 12: Miracle Berries
• Saturday Dec 14: Into to Arduino Programming

Upcoming Events

• Thursday Dec 19: Shop Show and Tell
• Saturday Dec 21: Open PCR/DNA GMO Testing (Members Only)
• Thursday Dec 26: Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah! - No Event
• Tuesday Dec 31: HackPGH at First Night!
• Thursday Jan 2: Lock Pick Club
• Thursday Jan 9: Analog Games
• Thursday Jan 16: Rube Goldberg Challenge
• Saturday Jan 18: Diode Shield (Jan 18th)
• Thursday Jan 23: Public event - TBD
• Saturday Jan 25 (tentative): Intro to Processing
• Thursday Jan 30: Public event - TBD

Potential Thursday Night talks/events

• Shop Show-and-Tell (Quarterly)
• Finite State Machines
• Game nights (Artemis or otherwise?)
• Rube Goldberg Machine
• Build your own h-bridge
• Object oriented software development
• Sketchup
• Reverse engineering
• Stepper motor hack challenge
• Anyone?

Unscheduled Classes

• Welding class for members
  • We need to talk to Gabe for scheduling.
  • Waiting on Gabe. Can handle 7-8 students. A few bucks for class materials and pizza.
• Ham radio test (Feb)
  • Gene
• Learn to use the 3D Printer!

Learning Tracks

• Arduino Track:
  • Learn to Solder (done)
  • Intro Programming (done)
  • Diode Shield (Jan 18th)
  • Sensors, sensors, sensors!
  • Intro to Motor Control
  • Advanced Motor Control

Shop Projects

• Window Lights project - lights in the windows!
  • Gene is working on syncing the prototyping board with the outside display
  • Need to add switch to toggle between board and lights

• Power wheels
  • What do we need to be ready for new years?
    • 006 needs new throttle
      • Came in and tested!
    • Jeep needs controller installed (needs diode for controller protection)
  • Next year car will be the Back to the Future Delorean!

• CNC Router
  • Need to make an enclosure for the router.
  • Need a computer with a parallel port, Pentium 3 or earlier.
    • Chad Saw Zhen… she said she may have a laptop that may work.

• Setup e-stop for tools
  • Gabe has parts, Chad will pick a day to set this up.
    • Started working on it. Looking for a good enclosure for parts.
  • Gabe and Chad to work on RFID control for tool area.

• Geno is making signal generator for shop. Successfully generated a sinusoidal signal.

• Eli will implement some "random stuff" dispositioning systems... eventually

Shop Updates

• WiiMote Whiteboard
  • See Greg or Chad to show you how to hook it up!

• 3D Printer
  • Bed has been aligned
  • Will order Filament soon
  • Workstation Added for 3-D Printer
  • Soon we will be doing training on the 3-D Printer.
    • TRAINING!!! Talk to Chad, Anthony or Eli!
    • Choose a another date.

• • Pay System
    • We will be using a Gram Scale for now. (Honor System)
    • Pricing @ 5 cents a gram!.

• Server Rack / Network
  • Nothing has changed.

• Security cameras.
  • They work!
  • Need to ship old system back

• Mugs - Gabe is the point of contact
  • $15 each, $20 for mug personalized with text at bottom

• Misc Unused Tools In Shop
  • Gabe selling mini-band saw, Punch tool and other misc.
  • Other Options
    • Garage sale in... (Wait till the weather breaks).
      • Choose a date. Need to get advanced word out... (Wait till the weather breaks).
    • Donate it to other places (Pass off the junk… I mean share the wealth).
    • Craigslist
  • Items:
    • Mini Band Saw
    • Welder
    • Metal punch (Junior)
    • DVD duplicator (On Craigslist)

New Shop Projects

• DrawBot
• Window web interface
• Fix twitter sign
  • Software Round table working on this!
• Old video payphone
• Ideas?

Old Business

• First Night Dahntahn
  • Cars in parade
  • HackPGH booth!
    • Need volunteers
    • EggBott
    • Window Lights
    • Buttons
    • Ideas?
  • Chad created a Google Doc to coordinate.
  • What do we need as far as tables and chairs/power/etc...

• Project Parking Passes/Tickets
  • Passes will be approved by Council members, allows project to take floor space for limited time
  • Tickets will be issued to abandoned property, will be removed after period of time.

• Mini-MakerFaire Planning
  • Chad to take over.
  • Still working on a date.

• Laser Cutter (AKA Frickin Lasers!)
  • Talking to other People/Hackerspaces to go in on a group buy.
  • Chad expects buy to be ~April

• Gene suggests participating at FIRST event at CalU, need to register by ~first week of march for volunteers

• WPI Sample return challenge
  • Will probably not enter for this year, but should start developing
  • Talk to Eli if interested
• Geno bought Musical Tesla coil kit, wants to start "Tesla club"
  • Will be dedicated to high power electronics etc.
  • First meeting ~Mid January
• Geno is interested in learning / doing talk on FPGA
• Chad will create opt-in contact list on Google docs

New Business

• Scott^2 wants to get HackPittsburgh presence in "new economy working group"
• Jeff Asked to have a meeting of Ham type people, Tentatively Dec 22, Shop will remain open to general members
  • No objections

Move to Adjourn:

9:03 pm