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EVENT: Sept 15th. Surface Mount Soldering, 7 – 10 pm, $10

Posted on by Derp

 

VHS is offering another surface-mount soldering workshop on September 15th, 7 – 10 pm at VHS. Surface-mount components are the small components on top of circuit boards (like your computer motherboard, phone, etc.).

Imagine being able to build your own surface-mount boards or fix your own electronics? SMD gives you that skill.  It’s recommended that you already know how to through-hole solder. Open to everyone, non-members welcome!

Get your ticket now!

What You’ll Make:


You’ll learn how to:

  • solder surface-mount components
  • use a stencil to apply solder paste
  • make circuit boards in the VHS reflow toaster oven
  • be the coolest kid on the block

SIGN UP HERE (only 6 spots available so sign up now)

VHS has always been supportive of folks with limited funds. If this is you, please contact us.

Posted in Events

Soldering at Makerfaire and beyond!

Posted on by Jarrett

What a great turnout at Maker Faire 2017 last weekend! A big shout out to all the awesome organisers, this is one of the best events of the year in Vancouver, hands down!

We taught kids of all ages to solder, as young as 4, and as old as 80! For those following along at home (we have take-home kits!), here’s the how to solder comic we use, as well as the guide to our VHS Blinky Badge kit. There are usually a few kits at VHS in the vending machine if you’d like to give this project a try.

Want to know how the circuit works?
Check out the Falstad simulator version for a pretty visual representation, or read some words about it here!

Not a member or keyholder? Feel free to swing by on any of our open nights. You can use our soldering stations and teach yourself how to solder. We’ll give you a hand if you need one. See you at the space!

Posted in Events, Media Release

Visit us at Vancouver Mini Maker Faire this weekend!

Posted on by Bruce

We’re getting excited to see everyone at VMMF 2017 this weekend, June 10-11!

VHS will be there with our traditional learn-to-solder booth, as well as showcasing a selection of projects built by VHS members. Get your tickets today, and drop by and say hello!

By Jake McIvor

Posted in Events, VMMF

Super Happy Hacker House (SHHH) 39 – April 22nd

Posted on by tycho

What
Open House (Noon – 5pm)
Never been to a hack space before? Dying to see the VHS space? This is the perfect time to visit! VHS members will give you a tour around the space, show off some cool projects, and answer any questions you have. Many of our members share an interest in 3D printers, laser cutting, machining, crafting, electronics, robotics, programming, electronic music, and art. We’re also combining this event with World Create Day. Head over to the topic on Talk to find out what World Create Day is about and start your project!

Show and Tell (6pm +)
Have you made something amazing? Are you in the process of building something that will become amazing? Are you just starting out and want to talk to people about your amazing idea? Come down to VHS and tell us about it. Bring your projects!

Super Happy Hacker House (8pm – Late)
Super Happy Hacker House (SHHH) is a social night where members, friends and guests gather for a social night of conversation, adult beverages, lightning talks, and super happy hacker games.

Lightning talks – (11PM)
A lightning talk is VHS’ version of an un-conference, where people do short presentation on any subject that they want. Unlike other presentations at conferences, lightning talks last only a few minutes (2 min or less) and friendly heckling is encouraged.

Our sponsor Dominion Cider has donated cider for the event, which will be available after 8pm.
Remember to BRING YOUR OWN CUP if you want to drink beverages at the space.

Read a great Georgia Straight article about one of our previous open houses/SHHH!
http://www.straight.com/blogra/499266/photos-vancouver-hack-spaces-fifth-anniversary-open-house

Where
1715 Cook Street, Buzzer #104
Vancouver, BC
Limited street parking is available just outside the space. Bikes can be parked in our loading bay for the night or locked up on the bike racks outside the front door.
This map shows all the parking and amenities around the new space.

When
April 22nd from Noon till late (2-3 am)

Who
Everyone! Hackers, Makers, Crafters, Kids, Guests, Members, Friends of VHS, Anyone and Everyone.
If you are under the age of majority (19) then you should bring your parent or guardian with you as well. For those of legal drinking age (19), VHS will have donated beer for the adult-only event that will be available after 8pm.

Why
Because it is awesome!

Posted in Events, Media Release, Press

Made @VHS – March Edition

Posted on by Bruce

Another month, another selection of amazing VHS activities and member projects to highlight! The only difficult thing is to pick out just a few, but let’s see what we can come up with.

Scrap Wood Contest

Mike proposed an impromptu scrap wood contest. Entries ranged from functional (who doesn’t need more shelves?) to, well, beautiful:

I know there’s no formal winner for the contest, but… wow.

Blacksmithing

Spicehammer introduced himself to the VHS community with the question, “Any interest in a blacksmith’s forge?” And if you’re wondering, the answer to a question like that is “yes!”

portable blacksmith forge

By all accounts the event was a success, and hopefully Spicehammer will bring his equipment in for another try sometime soon. It was a very generous and well appreciated visit.

Lasers and LEDs, oh my!

Our laser cutter tube finally gave up the ghost at the end of February, and we’d have had it running again very quickly if our spare tube wasn’t faulty as well! Once that was diagnosed, our awesome laser maintenance team got us up and running again with all possible speed. But that’s not the cool part. (I mean, it’s cool. but… okay, stop digging!) What’s really cool is what packetbob has decided we should do with the failed spare tube:

I could watch that all day. And once it’s installed at VHS, I just might!

Once again, that’s only a small part of the creative awesomeness that’s been going on at VHS over the last month, much of which you’ll only see if you come for a visit on one of our Tuesday Open Nights. Why not drop in, or better yet join VHS today and share your own ideas and interests with us all?

Posted in Projects, Recycling, Things People Made

Workshop: Foreign Thought Ingress Protection

Posted on by Jarrett

Foreign Thought Ingress Protection Workshop. Open to ages 19 and over.

This workshop will provide you will all the materials and instruction to put together your own helmet of Faraday!

Do you dream of being able to think clearly, free of intrusive thoughts? Are major governments, or bad agents trying to influence your actions? Then this is the workshop for you!

During the workshop we will be discussing the design and process involved in creating various styles, as well as assembling your own to take home.

When:
7pm – 10pm Friday, April 7th

Where:
The Vancouver Hackspace,
1715 Cook Street #104, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Who:

The workshop is open to the public. VHS members receive a discount on the fees.

Adults only, please!

Equipment
You must bring yourself.

Parts included with the workshop
These parts are included and used for the workshop, and are yours to take home:

1 x Sheet Aluminum Foil
1 x Dollop iron-impregnated epoxy

Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/foreign-thought-ingress-protection-tickets-33349371869

Posted in Courses, Events

Made @VHS – February Edition

Posted on by Bruce

All kinds of interesting projects are created by members and guests at VHS. A few of them get documented on our forum, talk.vanhack.ca. But not everybody follows Talk, so maybe we should show off a few of these on this blog, yeah? Let’s give it a try. Here’s a sampling of things people were working on in February.

Monster Corner Planter

Monster Corner Planter, installed and looking great! Have you got a big plant? Why not build it a custom home? Baptiste has been building this beautiful organic piece for a while, but he documented the build and the finished result last month.

This planter was laser cut. Yes, laser cut.

A pile of laser cut plywood parts for the monster corner planter.

Now that’s a puzzle!

Read all about this laser cut project.

CNC Milled Circular Dies

Majicj is interested in die cutting paper, but why not take it a step further and machine your own dies?

Die being machined from rectangular aluminum blank on CNC mill Machined die with micrometer measuring thickness

Die with sample paper cut lying on table

CNC mills are remarkably powerful machines, and Majicj is doing some very creative work with this one. And right now, VHS has three of them.

Read more on this machining and papercraft project.

LED Strips

Most VHS projects don’t start and end in a month, and often they involve many people collaborating and building off of each other’s work. As an example, here’s Janet’s build of Jarrett’s LED board, reflow soldered in the VHS reflow oven built by PacketBob, and tested using LukeCyca’s Partycat wifi-connected LED controller.

No idea what photo to choose for all of that, so… VHS LED wall.

Read more on this electronics project.

There were many other interesting projects and ideas shared over the last month, and more still that you could see if you drop by for a visit on one of our Tuesday Open Nights. The only thing we’re missing is your projects; why not join VHS today and add your own flavour to the VHS mix?

Posted in Projects, Things People Made

Vancouver Roomba Repair Night! March 22rd, 7 – 10 PM

Posted on by Bruce

Dustin (the VHS Roomba) invites everyone to a a fun-filled night of Roomba repair, hacking, and general playing with these amazing little robots. Some first and second generation roombas will be on hand as well as a few VHSers who are happy to give you tips and help out with repair. It’s easy and very fun! We’ve restored many of these little guys, even one that got wet during a flood.

Some things we can help you with:

  • overall maintenance on a working Roomba
  • the infamous circle of death
  • bumper problems
  • charging unit problems
  • stuck brushes and side brushes
  • missing side brushes
  • disassembly and reassembly
  • 3D printing replacement gears

Dead Batteries
We can’t help so much with those but batteries will be on hand if you want to test your Roomba. We can also suggest battery sources.

Get a Roomba on the cheap!
Would you like to have a Roomba but don’t want to pay a lot of money? If you can find a broken one on craigslist we can help you fix it. Sometimes these can be picked up for 50 bucks or less Post any ads below if you need help sussing out the suitability of a roomba that is for sale. We recommend the 500 series and up.

Thanks to VHS member Bob, whose donation of IR parts helps make this event possible.

Posted in Events

Access Makeathon Wrap Up

Posted on by Jarrett

A couple weeks ago, the Neil Squire Society put on a makeathon for people with disabilities with Makers Making Change.

It was an exciting learning opportunity that VHSers were proud to be a part of, and we want to thank everyone for including us! The organisers and participants alike did a fantastic job to make this a successful event. Everyone had a great time, and, more importantly, there was a positive change in the world. We look forward to more collaborations in the future!

More media is still coming in, but check out the official Storify here!

Posted in Media Release

Welcome, Access Makeathon!

Posted on by Bruce

accessmakeathon

This weekend the Vancouver Hack Space (VHS) has the privilege of co-hosting the Neil Squire Society‘s Access Makeathon.

The Access Makeathon is a 48 hour event that connects a person with a disability to a team of makers. Makers will build an open source assistive technology that directly addresses a need of the person they are paired with. It is an opportunity for makers to apply their knowledge and skills to address a real world need of a person. The goal is each team will help a person leave the event with a working prototype that improves their quality of life.

We are very excited to open our doors to Access Makeathon participants, and we’re looking forward to seeing your creative ideas for improving people’s lives and helping you realize them.

VHS Makeathon Hours:

 Saturday, Jan 28th, 9AM  to Sunday, Jan 29th, 1 PM.

How to Access VHS

This event is part of Makers Making Change, “a new initiative by the Neil Squire Society — using technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with Disabilities.”

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Posted in Events