What’s happening in Tog in January

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!!!BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!: Tog will be ten years old this month, to celebrate we’re turning our customary Open Social night into a Party night. Saturday 26th January from 7 pm onwards, everyone welcome!

Street Party celebrating the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II at a street in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England on the 7th June 1977. Photo originally taken on a Polaroid instant camera. Digitally scanned on 11th July 2010.
Yup, we’re going to have this much fun.

Lock Picking: Happens on Mondays, 7th and 21st January from 7 to 9 pm, or until we’re tired and need to leave. Learn how to open a variety of padlocks harvested from the Halfpenny Bridge – handcuffs too, you never know when that may come in useful. Tools and expertise on hand, and basic lock picking sets are available for purchase, 16 euro each.

Coding: Runs on the same Mondays as lock picking, the 7th and 21st January at 7pm. Come down and work on a project or help others with theirs. Don’t forget to bring a laptop.

Craft Night: Every other Wednesday, the 9th and 23rd January at 7pm. Bring along an unwanted Christmas present and hack it into something cool. Or knit, sew, crochet, embroider, glue, fold, cut and solder away. We have sewing machines, a laser cutter and a 3D printer for the ambitious.

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Runs every non-lock-picking Monday, the 14th and 28th January at 7pm. For all levels: Arduinos, Raspberry Pis and Intel Galileos, try our introduction to electronics worksheet. Some basic electronics kits available for sale. Bring your own laptop or notebook computer.

Wikipedia Editing: learn how to contribute to the world’s most useful and most searched online encyclopaedia. This month we are celebrating the 15th anniversary of Vicipéid, the Irish language Wikipedia, there will be cake and “other party elements”. Intrigued? Come along, Wednesday 30th January, 7pm onwards.

The Science Fiction Book Club elbows its way back into your frontal cortex this month, we’re reading Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash. We will be praising / trashing it on Wednesday 30th January from 7pm.

What’s on in Tog in December

Lock Picking: Break the bonds of true love, learn to open one or many of the padlocks we harvest from the Halfpenny Bridge. Lock picking nights are on every second Monday, we are meeting on the 10th December at 7pm, taking a rest over Christmas, and will be back in 2019. Basic lock picking sets are available for purchase at the bargain price of 16 euro.

Craft Night: Every other Wednesday, the 12th December at 7pm. Show that irritating / inspirational woman on telly how to really craft Christmas. Or knit, sew, crochet, cut-fold-glue-solder to your heart’s content. We have sewing machines. We also have laser cutting and CNC routing expertise. We may soon have a 3D printer.

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Runs every non-lock-picking Monday, the 3rd and 17th December at 7pm. For all levels: Arduinos, Raspberry Pis and Intel Galileos, try our introduction to electronics worksheet. Some basic electronics kits available for sale. Bring your own laptop or notebook computer.

Open Social: This month the Open Social will be on Saturday 15th December. Join us for an evening of conversation and pizza. Conor has promised games.

Coding: Runs on the same Mondays as lock picking, the 10th December at 7pm. Come down and work on a project or help others with theirs. Laptop of your own pretty much essential, and bring your own side project.

The Science Fiction Book Club won’t meet in December; on the last Wednesday we will be too scattered over the surface of the planet to rendezvous at Tog, especially since we STILL don’t have access to flying cars, faster-than-light travel or teleportation. We might be reading about one or other or all three, though. We will be taking two months to read Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. See you back here Wednesday 30th January 2019.

Wikipedia Editing: No meeting in December.

Finish-a-Thon: we are running an all-day hackathon on Saturday 15th December. Instead of starting yet another world-changing project, finish one of those you’ve had lying around waiting for, well, an event like this. The world will thank you. Breakfast will be provided.

48 Hr Filmmaking Challenge: Writers, directors, actors, DOPs, all filmmaking enthausists are welcome to join us and get yourself on a team for the 48hr filmmaking challenge taking place on the 7-9th December. This is a great opportunity if you want to try out filmmaking and don’t know where to start. All skill levels welcome. We will meet and form teams on Thursday 6th and Teams will get together over the weekend and shoot. THERE WILL BE A SUGGESTED DONATION TO TOG OF €5 PER PERSON TO COVER THE COST OF SCREENING (OR WHATEVER YOU CAN AFFORD). Event page on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/events/351903748909360/

What’s on in Tog in November: Too Many Events to list in a Header…

November

from Tog’s vast duck collection

This is what we will be up to in November:

Lock Picking: Our lock picking get togethers are on every second Monday, the 12th and 26th November at 7pm. We provide the locks, the tools, and the know-how. Basic lock picking sets are available for purchase.

Craft Night, CAD Night: Runs on alternate Wednesdays, the 7th and 21st November at 7pm. Knitting? Crochet? Embroidery? Getting ready for Christmas? We offer sewing machines, glue guns, expertise and encouragement. We also cover computer-based ‘crafting’ like CAD/CAM software, 3D printing, laser cutting and CNC routing.

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Runs every non-lock-picking Monday, the 5th and 19th November at 7pm. Arduinos, Raspberry Pis and Intel Galileos are just some of the things you can work on down here, or try our introductions to electronics worksheet. You should bring your own laptop or notebook computer.

Open Social: This month the Open Social will be on Saturday the 24th November at 7pm. Join us for an evening of conversations and games.

Coding: Runs on the same Mondays as lock picking, the 12th and 26th November at 7pm. Come down and work on a project or help others with theirs. Laptop of your own pretty much essential, and bring your own project.

The Science Fiction Book Club will meet on Wednesday 28th November. We haven’t decided on November’s book yet (suggestions, anybody?). But there will be some sort of cake.

Wikipedia Editing: Runs on Wednesday 28th November at 7pm. Ever wondered how to get started editing Wikipedia? Come along and will get you adding to the world’s largest open collaborative knowledge project. All are welcome, no editing experience is necessary and the event is free, just turn up with a laptop to start editing.

Dublin Raspberry Pi Jam: We are hosting the Second Dublin Raspberry Pi Jam on Saturday November 3rd at 12.30 pm. A day where people of all abilities come together to work on or get help on Raspberry Pi projects. For more information and tickets visit https://ti.to/dublin-raspberry-pi-jam/2nd-pi-jam

** Tickets for this event are sold out, but members can still come **

Science Week Talks: Thursday 15th November – A night of short talks on a range of topics with YES (Young Engineers Society). https://www.tog.ie/2018/11/science-week-lightning-talks/

Science Week Family Day in DCC: Family fun day, Saturday 17th November 11:30-17:00. We hope to have a stand with usual demos. https://www.tog.ie/2018/11/dublin-science-week-family-open-day/

OpenStreetMap Mapathon: planned for Saturday 24th Novemberhttps://www.tog.ie/2018/10/openstreetmap-meetup-and-mapillary-workshop/

Game Night: **Members only

** – board games, card games, RPGs, a whole lot of sinister sounding acronyms, possibly some online gaming. Scheduled for Saturday 3rd November. With the expected participation of Board Games Ireland.

Make your own Films! Kino Kabaret. A weekend filmmaking hackathon. Weekend 9th-11th November https://www.tog.ie/2018/10/kino-kabaret-filmmaking-hackathon-in-tog/

What’s on in TOG in October: lock picking, crafting, coding, Science Fiction book club, Wikipedia editing

3D printing machine printing bits for a 3D printing machine

October

A summary of what’s happening in Tog this October:

Lock Picking: We have a huge variety of padlocks liberated from the Halfpenny Bridge, we’ll show you how to open them. We also have more esoteric locks, handcuffs, practice locks, and the tools and know-how to pick them.

Workshops on Mondays, the 1st, 15th and 29th October, starting at 7pm.

Coding: Come into Tog and work on a project, or help others with theirs. Laptop of your own pretty much essential, and bring your own project. We provide the space and the wifi, and some expertise.

Runs on Mondays, the 1st, 15th and 29th October at 7pm.

Craft Night: Ranges from knitting, sewing (we have machines), crochet, and embroidery to 3D printing and laser cutting. Bring along a project, work on something you know, or learn a new skill.

Runs on Wednesdays, the 3rd, 17th and 31st October at 7pm.

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Learn how to make Arduinos, Raspberry Pis and Intel Galileos do cool and interesting things, or try our introductions to electronics worksheet. We don’t have spare laptops, so bring your own.

Runs on Mondays, the 8th and 22nd October at 7pm.

The Science Fiction Book Club meets on the last Wednesday of each month, the next one is the 31st October. This month’s classic is Neuromancer by William Gibson. There is usually cake, and not entirely coincidentally Science Fiction Bookclub is on the same night as…

Wikipedia Editing: On the 31st October at 7pm, you can learn how to add your knowledge to the world’s largest open collaborative knowledge project, by becoming a Wikipedia editor. Everyone welcome and no prior experience is necessary. There is pizza, to go with the cake.

Open Social: This month, the open social is on Saturday 20th October at 7pm. Pizza, beer, conversation, games, starts early evening and, like the best parties, doesn’t end until the last person leaves.

Everything TOG in September: crafting, coding, lock picking, book club, Culture Night

September

Back to school and back to TOG this September…

Our members are over in the UK for EMF camp, follow @tog_dublin on twitter for updates on how the camp is going.

Lock Picking: Runs on Mondays, the 3rd and 17th of September at 7pm. Come down and try your hand at cracking open tumbler, tubular or warded locks.

Craft Night: Runs on Wednesdays, the 5th and 19th September at 7pm. Knitting? Crochet? Embroidery? Laser cutting? 3D printing? Join us and work on something you know, or learn something you don’t.

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Runs on Mondays, the 10th and 24th September at 7pm. Arduinos, Raspberry Pis and Intel Galileos are just some of the things you can work on down here, or try our introductions to electronics worksheet. Recommended you bring your own laptop.

The Science Fiction Book Club will meet on Wednesday 26th September. This month’s book is The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner, published in 1975. Cake will be available.

Open Social: Runs on Saturday the 15th of September at 7pm. Join us for an evening of conversations, games and our glorious hand made wood fired pizza.

Coding: Runs on Mondays, the 3rd and 17th September at 7pm. Come down and work on a project or help others with theirs. Laptop of your own pretty much essential, and bring your own project.

Wikipedia Editing: Runs on Wednesday the 26th September at 7pm. Ever wondered how to get started editing Wikipedia? Come along and will get you adding to the world’s largest open collaborative knowledge project. All are welcome, no editing experience is necessary and the event is free, just turn up with a laptop to start editing.

We are taking part in Dublin Culture Night again this year, Friday 21st September. https://culturenight.ie/event/tog-hackerspace/

TOG will have a stand at this year’s EU Contest for Young Scientists, https://www.eucys2018.com, which runs from 14th to 16th of September at the RDS, Merrion Road, Ballsbridge.  We will be showcasing a range of projects and activities, including a constellation umbrella, bone conduction, boat models, wearables and interactive games.

Welder repair

An ancient proverb says that power tool failures occur in threes. During the same week that the lathe motor burned out and the compressor wire meltdown has turned it into a scary noise machine, we also had a mysterious malfunction in one of our welders. It didn’t release any smoke, didn’t make weird noises. It just didn’t weld. 0 volts across the output.

Inside of the welder (top view) before the repair attempt. Note that a large number of similar – but not identical – top boards can be found on Aliexpress.

This machine, a small 180A TIG/MMA inverter welder, has recently been repaired. It was not used heavily, as TOG has only so much use for welding. In fact, it was only used by a couple members to practise their welding skills.

On one hand, this machine was 5 year old, has been used extensively in the past and could have been written off as death of old age. The cost of a commercial repair would probably exceed the value of the welder. On the other hand – why not try to repair it ourselves before scrapping it?

Continue reading “Welder repair”