Category: Uncategorized

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Another Repair Café Fix

We’re no stranger to Repair Cafés  here at TOG, having just run our biggest one ever in January. Repair Cafés are events where volunteers try to fix stuff to keep it in-service and out of landfill. We had about 90 fixes attempted on the day with much success, thanks to a fantastic pool of fixers. You can read about it in the Irish Times.

This particular fix was a simple one, but we also decided to upgrade the power socket to USB-C. A rechargeable work light from ALDI had become intermittent in charging. The charging socket (micro USB) seemed sensitive to touch. Some of the tiny surface mount pins on the charging socket circuit board had failed. These proved quite difficult to re-solder, even with our best hot air kit.

Checking the usual Chinese websites, there are many kinds of USB-C plugs and sockets available. We bought 3 types…. some chassis mounting ones, some on a small PCB similar to the original one, and some plain vanilla ones with just 2 flying leads. We decided to use the plain one. With a bit of enlarging of the hole to make it fit, and some 2-part epoxy, the new USB-C socket is now in place and connected up. These have just a red and a black wire so it’s just 5V, but that’s fine for this application.

Talking afterwards, most of the gadgets and gizmos that we’ve made at TOG have traditionally used some kind of barrel plug for 5V or 12V. Since USB-C is now the in-thing, it’s easy to use it for new projects. Drop in to our regular Monday night Electronics or Tuesday night Open House to see this and much more.

If you need something repaired come along to our upcoming repair cafes.

Fingal Makerspace, Blanchardstown Library 29th March 2025

Tog Hackerspace, 19th April 2025

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Joining The Irish Men’s Sheds Association

We have joined the Irish Men’s Sheds Association. Their mission is to support the development of the burgeoning men’s sheds movement in Ireland. A grassroots organisation, they believe strongly in the autonomy of each individual shed, as they strive for a future in which all men have the opportunity to maintain and improve their well-being on their own terms and within their own communities.

We hope being a part of this association will help us reach a wider community and learn from the many other sheds.

https://menssheds.ie/sheds/tog-mens-shed/

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CARE, HEALTH and HOUSING collaborative workshop

When: Tuesday, October 18, 2022 – from 14:00 to 18:30

Where: Learning Studio: The Digital Hub, Digital Depot, Roe Lane (off Thomas Street) Dublin 8, D08 TCV4, Ireland

THE WORKSHOP AIMS TO:

▪ Raise awareness on the right to adequate housing that must be “habitable”.
▪ Promote research collaboration between academia and local/national stakeholders to overcome the lack of information on housing quality at the community level to develop effective housing and health policies.
▪ Enhance residents’ empowerment in vulnerable communities to address violations of rights to adequate housing.
▪ Identify solutions needed across the system to transform health, community care and housing.

Our own Jeffrey Roe will be speaking at this workshop with a talk titled “Grass Roots Community Air Quality Network”. He will talk about the power of the Sensor.Community . What a community using the open source mindset can achieve.

https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/news-events/care-health-and-housing-collaborative-workshop

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Film Your Favourite Tool

Would you like to learn how to make videos?

Would you like to see more instructional videos on how to use various tools correctly?

Then let’s make them!

In this workshop, we will bring our favourite tool (and some material to use it with) and learn how to make a video that demonstrates and explains it in action for others.

In this way will build up a video library for tool demonstration and a video-making skills base for our maker community.

We will use our phones to film, edit and publish the videos.

Bring a tripod (just a cheap one from Tiger or a discount store will do) if you can.

By default, we will use TikTok as the app to make our videos with, although participants can use other methods/apps that they prefer (for example video editing apps such as VN and Capcut are free and available on both apple and android phones).

So what do you need to bring?

A tool (and material to use it with) and a phone (perhaps with a tripod so you can film it hands few) and an app such as TikTok installed on it.

Bring a script of what you want to say about your tool and how it works if it helps you.

You will make a short 1-2 minute video about the tool and how it’s used that can go up on tog’s wiki and video channel so others can get an idea of how to use it.

We’ll also run through the basics of making a video with TikTok too.

You can choose whether or not to publish the video you create, so don’t worry about making mistakes or being on camera.

It will be a relaxed workshop that is open to anyone of any video skill level.

There will be a €5 donation suggested for non-members to tog for use of the space, due to tog being a member-funded community space.

See you Sunday 16 October 4-6 pm in Tog!