This Saturday at the Madagascar Institute:
– Other people’s depravity is our shopping value; or; how blue-collar
desperation can make for a great machine shop.
– Home networking Gowanus style
And:
– Printmaking 101
Welcome back, me, from the Great American Flyover where the high desert
was explored, roller coasters were ridden, and a quest for “meat that
can’t be bought nor raised” was unsuccessful, but one for Navajo
cuisine, unfortunately, was not. I won’t expound on those references
except to say that the desert rocks, New York needs more roller
coasters, and that the Navajo are apparently trying to kill off every
non dine that dares sample their cuisine.
Welcome back, everyone, who missed out on last Saturday’s session to do
whatever you did..
Good job, Mo, for running a mini session last week with only one
accident.
The shop is officially indoors now, thanks to help from Hans and Kara,
builders of the big shop table. In addition another solid steel work
table should be arriving tomorrow.
– Other people’s depravity is our shopping value; or; how blue-collar
desperation can make for a great machine shop.
Tools are rolling in from the west- excursions to the intensely
depressing pawnshops of the Southwest (In Vegas there are many, many
places where you can pawn your CAR. Most of the ones in the lot were
family station wagons. This is too depressing to think about.) have
yielded a bad-ass Sawzall, a bench grinder, a MIG welder that might just
work someday, and and oscilloscope that oozes science. From the garages
of Palo Alto comes an oxyacetylene welder (due in next week), and from
the warehouses of Fenerly, Nevada, comes some work tables and hearing
protection. Also, two air compressors were ground scored right here in
Brooklyn.
The list of needed tools is growing shorter.
Lots of new tools to teach this weekend.
Bring:
Personal hearing protection if you don’t want to share.
Personal eye protection if you don’t want to share (full face shields
are best, goggles are ok for some of the tools)
All of the usual scrap, old engines, motors, and electronic crap.
– Home networking Gowanus style
The Madagascar Institute DSL connection is in and the network will soon
be up and running. Right now we will have space for 4 computers in the
shop to be networked. The networking (including installation of network
cards and configuration) will be done on Saturday, so if you want to
learn how to set up a small network this will be a good time. Come early
for this one.
Bring:
– Any old computers or printers you want to donate to the cause
– Network cables- we need these. Steal them from work.
– Any cool, multi-player kill kill kill games you think might belong on
the network
– Any video or audio processing software you can donate to the new,
super-powerful Madagascar Institute main PC.
– Extra geeks (like we don’t have enough)
– Printmaking 101
This looks to be a great class, for all of you that want to learn how to
make prints and silk-screen shit. The skills taught here will allow you
to make T-shirts from any image you choose, or whatever. This class will
be taught by Eric, and here is his description in his own words:
“Anyway, as for Saturday, just make up something catchy, but people
interested should find some
image or artwork which is one solid color (or black) and make two copies
of it on clear film or
acetate… Any copy shop can do it. Also, we are going to start
PROMPTLY at 3:00 because I have to
work Saturday night, and will have to leave by six or so. ”
Got that ? This is an intro course, and if you ever want to know how to
make more advanced prints (full color, I guess) you need to take this
one.
This will be a busy Saturday. If time allows and interest is there we
will be having a weekday session as well, maybe on Wednesday. Let me
know any preferences.
As usual, welding and machining will continue, and all newcomers will
learn how to weld.
As always, class begins at 2:30 or so, but you can come early to get
practice in or talk about upcoming projects. If you come late this time
you will miss out on printmaking and when everyone else is showing off
their printed art and shirts and stuff that you missed out on because
you decided to sleep off Friday’s E for another hour they will laugh and
laugh at you, and they will be right to laugh at you, and you will cry.
You’ll deserve to cry, too. Just save yourself the trauma and be there
on time, or a little early.
In upcoming weeks we have possible Hacking for Retards, and a couple of
special sessions on making holiday gifts like magnets, switchblades and
zip guns (no, I am not joking).
The Madagascar Institute is located at 217 Butler Street, between Nevins
and Bond, ground floor.
Directions:
Take the F or G train to the Bergen Street stop (3rd stop in Brooklyn on
the F) Exit at Bergen and Smith Street. Walk up Bergen, against the flow
of traffic, 2 blocks to Bond. Take a right on Bond, walk 4 or so blocks
to Butler. Take a left on Butler, walk 1/2 block to 217. Ring buzzer #1.
You can get there from the N/R train at Union (about 8 blocks) and the
Atlantic/Pacific street stop for everything, but I don’t know how to do
that.
Bodega-style refreshments were available at the corner of Baltic and
Bond, one black away.
Many students have raved about the quality and price of the sandwiches
offered in the supermarket up the block.
Smith Street has many fine places to eat. Bring your own.
If you have any question’s e-mail me.
As always, if you want to be removed from this list eat glass.
Hackett
