Tag: Workshops/Events

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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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Wood-turning for beginners, with Tom Murphy

Come and learn how to turn wood on a lathe with Master Turner, Tom Murphy:

My name is Tom Murphy and I am a wood turner in Dublin. I started turning wood about 4 years ago and discovered I have a talent for it!

In Irish wood turning you are allowed to enter novice competitions for your first 3 years. In my first year, and again in my third year, I won the National Championships and in my guild I won Master Turner of the Year in my first year. (The first time a novice has ever won it)

It should also by a bit of fun and I will tell you the stories of drunkenness, intrigue and high speed death machines while we work!

This demonstration is aimed at absolute beginners with zero knowledge and intended to introduce you to the wonderful (and addictive) world of wood-turning. No prior experience is required.

It should also by a bit of fun and I will tell you the stories of drunkenness, intrigue and high speed death machines while we work!

Tom Murphy

*** You must be 18 years of age or older to take part in this
workshop. Please do not book places for children ***

Date: Saturday 17-08-2019 from 12:30 to 2pm
Cost: Free but booking required with the link below.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/woodturning-for-beginners-with-tom-murphy-tickets-65364293361

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Tog Events in April

Wave Hackers experimental music group.
An experimental audio research & performance group, a place for artists, dreamers, geeks, hackers, nerds, outcasts, weirdos, rebels and scientists to experiment and create. Everything from circuit bending to instrument design and creation. Everyone welcome no matter experience. Come learn and share but most importantly have fun. Hosted by Seb, Friday 19th April, from 7 to 10 pm. Let us know you’re coming on meetup.

The return of the singer/songwriter

Open Social: We open the doors to all-comers once a month for our Open Social event. This month it’s on Saturday 20th April, from 7 pm until the last one leaves. Come and see what happens in Dublin’s only hackerspace. Contributions of food and drink are always welcome. Club Bodge are threatening cheese and wine (bought, not made).

Lock Picking: Conor runs lock picking nights every other Monday, you never know when you may have put your skills into practice… We open padlocks, mostly taken from the Halfpenny Bridge, handcuffs, and various other locks, all without the original keys. Intrigued? Come along to lock-picking on Monday 1st, Monday 15th, and Monday 29th April, starting at 7 pm. Tools provided, and there are some for sale.

Craft Night: The Crafters are an eclectic bunch, engaging in embroidery, sewing, knitting, screen printing, crochet, drawing, painting, and other craft skills. You can bring a project along, start one from scratch, we have materials, tools and supplies to help you out. Every other Wednesday, this month on the 3rd and 17th April. 7 pm start.

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Gary runs Electronics and Micro Controller night, every Monday that isn’t a Lock-Picking night. We have an electronics room with a dizzying variety of equipment and bits and pieces to get you started if you’re a beginner. Basic kits for sale and lots of expertise on offer. This month’s evenings will be on Monday 8th and the 22nd April, starting at 7 pm and finishing at 9 pm. We don’t supply laptops, so bring your own.

CAD Night: Krzysztof and Louise host the 3D printing and laser cutting night, every second Wednesday (coincides with Craft Night), in April the 3rd, 17th, from 7 pm to 9 pm. We have a working Prusa Mk 3 3D printer, and a Lasersaur for laser cutting. Recommended that you bring your own laptop.

Coding: If you’re looking for a space to work on your own side project, or if you need help with some programming problem, come along to coding nights on alternate Mondays, the 1st, 15th and 29th April. Please bring your own laptop, we don’t provide the hardware.

The Science Fiction Book Club: While you are waiting for the future to arrive, why not be amazed at what others have imagined it will be like? This month we are reading a (non-Culture) novel by Iain M. Banks, Against A Dark Background. We’ll be eating cake and discussing it on Wednesday April 24th, at 7.30 pm.

Wikipedia Editing: Rebecca will instruct on how to become a Wikipedia editor, this happens every last Wednesday of the month, April 24th starting at 7 pm. You can’t edit without a computer, though, so please bring a laptop.

Team Bodge are in the space most Wednesday afternoons, from 3.30 pm until they run out of steam. Bring along your broken or faulty gadgets or computers – or anything else you’d like fixed – and James and Brendan will help you out, with advice, tools, expertise and the occasional spare part. Members only, check the mailing list for time and date confirmation.

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What’s going on in Tog in March?

Open Social: The monthly highlight of Tog’s social calendar is happening on Saturday 16th March, from 7 pm until the last one leaves. Open to all, come and see what’s going on in Dublin’s only hackerspace. Contributions of food and drink are always welcome.

Lock Picking: Conor runs the popular lock picking nights, learn a useful skill and help to preserve historic monuments by opening padlocks taken from the Halfpenny Bridge. We also open other locks without using keys, if you want to find out how come along to lock-picking on Monday 4th and 18th March, starting at 7 pm. Tools are provided and are for sale.

Craft Night: Bring along a crafting project or start a new one, anything from embroidery, knitting, sewing, crochet to drawing and painting and t-shirt printing. We have sewing machines and craft supplies to get you started, learn a new skill or share your know-how with the group. This happens every second Wednesday, on the 6th and 20th March. 7 pm start.

Beginners don’t have to start here…

Electronics and Micro Controller Night: Anything electronic, micro and controllable… so that’s Arduinos, Galileos, Raspberry Pis, BeagleBones, whatever you have that you want to play with or that you need help with. If you’re a beginner, we have basic kits to get you started. Runs on non-lock-picking Mondays, the 11th and 25th March. Bring your own laptop, we don’t have spares. Starts at 7 pm, finishes at 9 pm.

CAD Night: Work on 3D printing or laser cutting on our Lasersaur. Declan and Louise host and advise, every other Wednesday, 7 to 9 pm: this month, the 6th and 20th March. Please bring ideas and your own laptop.

Coding: If you’re looking for a space to work on your own side project, or if you need help with some programming problem, come along to coding nights on alternate Mondays, the 4th and 18th March. Please bring your own laptop, we don’t provide the hardware.

The Science Fiction Book Club: After a few months sniggering at what authors in bygone times thought the future would be like, we have decided to go bang up to date with a novel whose first English publication was last year, Ball Lightning by Liu Cixin. Bonus points if you read it in the original Chinese (although you will be expected to criticise the translation…) Wednesday 27th March, 7.30 pm.

Wikipedia Editing: Rebecca will instruct on how to become a Wikipedia editor, this happens every last Wednesday of the month, March 27th. Essential that you bring a laptop.

Science Hack Day Dublin 2019: We are super excited to be hosting Science Hack Day Dublin 2019. It’s an entirely free-to-attend and volunteer-organised event. A 36-hour hackathon that brings together designers, coders, scientists, engineers and makers. It is a social event with creativity and love of science at its heart. Taking place during on Saturday 9th / Sunday 10th March coinciding with Engineers Week.

St Patrick’s Festival Village: Jeffrey and volunteers will be at a stand in the Science Foundation Ireland Science Zone, part of the Merrion Square Festival Village. Come along to see examples of what we do. Monday March 19th, visit https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/travel-tips/dublins-st-patricks-five-day-family-festival-2019 for more details.

Kino Spraoi: Jules hosts a five-day film-making session in Tog around St Patrick’s Day weekend (Thursday 14th to Monday 18th March), in the form of an extended hackathon for films, broken into two rounds, with a warm-up day on Thursday. 25 euro per round (i.e. 50 euro for the entire session), guest speakers, screening nights on Thursday 14th, Saturday 16th and Monday 18th March.

Dublin Service Design Jam: This will be a 24+ hour make/build/prototype re/act & fix-a-thon session: we will brainstorm and pitch ideas, team up and build prototypes, then test them out. At the end there will be demos, prizes and pizza! Jules is hosting, for further details see https://www.meetup.com/Tog-Dublin-Hackerspace/events/258769258/?rv=ea1_v2&_xtd=gatlbWFpbF9jbGlja9oAJGY2MGFkYzk3LTc2MWUtNDg4My05NzAyLWViMDRlMTQwZGUyYg

Team Bodge are in the space most Wednesday afternoons, from 3.30 pm until Craft night starts. Bring along your broken or faulty gadgets or computers – or anything else you’d like fixed – and James and Brendan will help you out, with advice, tools, expertise and the occasional spare part. Members only, check the mailing list for time and date confirmation.

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Return of the Finish-a-Thon

If you’ve been meaning to complete a project, or you have something put away somewhere that you’re going to finish someday – lucky you! That day is Saturday 15th December, from 10 in the morning until late.

All projects welcome, they don’t have to be this complicated…
We’re opening up Tog for all-comers, hackers, makers, crafters, coders, whatever you have that could do with a finishing touch and a final tweak, bring it along and we’ll supply the workspace and a bit of know-how, enthusiasm, encouragement, and breakfast.

There’s an Open Social running on the same day, so you can stay as long as you want. Small handmade trophies for finished projects. Tog, 22 Blackpitts, Dublin 8, D08 P3K4.

The author is fully aware of the irony in the title of this post.

Image attribution: NASA/JPL/Thomas Wynne [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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48-Hour Film Challenge

Writers, directors, actors, DOPs, all filmmaking enthusiasts are welcome to join us and get yourself on a team for the 48hr filmmaking challenge, taking place in Tog from Friday 7th to Sunday 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 to shoot.

THERE WILL BE A SUGGESTED DONATION TO TOG OF €5 PER PERSON TO COVER THE COST OF SCREENING (OR WHATEVER YOU CAN AFFORD). Hopefully see you all there.