SLA Printer Demo
Thanks so much to Henry Locke for doing a presentation on 3D printing and the SLA printer that he built. (See brief video excerpt) It’s always a great treat when Henry stops by the MakerLab and we get to hear the vast knowledge and experiences of someone who has been a maker since well before the label was coined. He has built many machines found in our MakerLab in his home workshop! He’s created a business making and selling the resin vats for commercial brands of SLA printers, and counts research facilities, universities, dental labs, and tinkerers as clients who choose to replace their OEM vats with his designs. You can find out more info about SLA printers and other projects like GPS-controlled robots at his website at http://projectsinterestsandetcetera.com/ .
SLA printers use light to cure a vat of resin layer-by-layer until the 3D object is formed. Henry’s version uses a standard video projector as the light source, a Z-axis and stepper motor attached to about $30 of electronics to allow movement, and open source software to make the slices and control the process. The leading SLA printer brands, FormLabs and Carbon3D , are more expensive than the typical PLA filament printers that most makers have, Henry’s version can be made in a weekend for a couple hundred dollars.
We’ll be building one of Henry’s machines at SouthWorks later in the summer, and all are invited to participate.
Made in Chicago Museum
Through another maker, I just found out about this amazing museum on the South Side. Its Made in Chicago collection is on display starting this month through April, 2018. The website by itself is a great compilation of all the things invented and/or made in Chicagoland and makes for great reading. Look up Scwhinn and Radio Flyer or even Rock-Ola juke boxes and Zenith Radios and, of course, Motorola.
https://www.madeinchicagomuseum.com/
1Million Cups Entrepreneurship Program
If you believe it would be helpful to gain experience presenting to groups of customers and/or investors, the Purdue NW (Hammond) Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center participates in the Kauffmann Foundation’s 1 Million Cups program.
If you would like to apply to present, then can easily do that here in 3-5 minutes: http://www.1millioncups.com/hammond
They meet on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month through the summer and will likely start up every week again in September.
Make City Small Business Pitch Event
On The Right Foot: This 3D Printing Incubator Is Liberating Engineers (And Much More)
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Want to Learn to Woodturn?
We don’t have a lathe yet, but we’ve found a great resource for those of you who are interested in learning about and using lathes.
We were visited by a member of the Illiana Woodturners, a non-profit group in South Holland who provide workshops and equipment (5 lathes of various sizes) for individuals to do amazing woodturning projects from bowls to baseball bats.
Workshops provide the opportunity to create a bowl you can take home.
Monthly meetings are the 2nd Monday of the month, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
South Suburban Chiselers-Illiana Woodturners
16236 Vincennes Ave South Holland, Illinois 60473
Facebook Page: South Suburban Chiselers/Illiana Woodturners
Contact:
Tom Waicekauskas 708-597-9049 IllianaWoodturners@gmail.com
New Event: Find Funding For Your Business
Find Funding For Your Business
Alternative Funding Sources
¨ Learn about SEEDChicago, a curated Kickstarter site offering coaching
¨ Learn about AccionChicago’s funding programs to fit your business
Even if a bank has turned you down, there are reasonable alternatives to get your business going. AccionChicago ‘s Olivia Riedel will discuss their crowdfunding program that includes curating your campaign and providing coaching to make it successful. She will also provide information on Accion’s other business finance programs providing up to $100,000.
DATE: Tuesday, June 13, 2017
TIME: 6:00pm to 6:30pm: Tour Prairie State College’s MakerLab and Manufacturing labs available to help you prototype
6:30pm to 8:30pm: Accion Chicago presentation
LOCATION: Prairie State College
202 South Halsted Street
Room T-192 (Campus Map)
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
Free Registration at : https://southworks-find-funding.eventbrite.com