Tips from an old carpenter

My grandfather was an amazing man.  He would make you laugh when you were in the worst mood, then turn around and cuss at you all in the same breath.  He worked as a carpenter his entire life and he always had a wealth of knowledge to share.  That knowledge transfer would usually start by him saying, "No seas pendejo! Mira hazlo asi", loosely translated into English, "Don't be stupid! Look, do it like this".  He grew up in a culture and era where power tools were a luxury that he couldn't afford, but looking back at some of the things he accomplished with just hand tools, is amazing.  He had a mastery of Geometry, angles and mathematics that would rival most of today's college students, but he dropped out of junior high school.  So this knowledge wasn't something he learned via a formal education.  It was shared with him by other fellow makers throughout his working life.  You could give him a circle of any size and using an L-square and a Combination square he would find the exact center of that circle with a few pencil marks.

No mathematics involved!  In my grandfathers words, "Geometry is for people who have time to think about those kinds of things.  All the math is in the tools, you just need to know how to use them correctly to get things done."  Here's another example.  Those shiny hand saws you see at the store, if you thought they were good just for cutting, my grandfather would have a name or two to call you.  Flip them over with the teeth pointing away from the cutting piece and they become an instant square.  Use the reflection of the saw against the wood and when the lines of your cutting piece are straight with the reflection you have a square line across your cutting surface.

What if you wanted to cut a 45 degree angle?  Angle your saw until the reflection you see is perpendicular and you have your 45 degree angled cut line.

Seeing these techniques being applied when I was young seemed like magic.  Even though I didn't know any better at the time, my grandfather was teaching me the principles of mathematics as young as 6 years old.  This is what being a maker is all about, learning by doing.  I could read a hundred books on the subject of woodworking but never know these shortcuts existed if it wasn't for my grandfather teaching me, via hands on learning, what he had picked up throughout his life.  A makerspace thrives on building a community where you can teach others your experiences and learn something new from their experiences in the process.  In my grandfathers words, "Everyone you encounter throughout life will have unique and valuable lessons to share depending on their professional background, knowledge and upbringing.  You just have to be willing and open to learn."  What experiences or lessons would you be able to en-part on your fellow makers?

Free 3D modeling software for 3D printers

Our two favorites would have to be GoogleSketchUp and OpenSCAD.   OpenSCAD is completely free and has a solid base in CAD modeling.  OpenSCAD is a bit more complicated than Google SketchUp, when it comes to a learning curve, but you can do some amazing things once you learn how to use it correctly.  In addition you'll gain a bit of programming knowledge on your journey.  But don't be intimidated, making everything work together isn't all that hard once you dive into it.  The great thing is that there are plenty of documentation/tutorials to help you on your way.  You can get some inspiration and possibly some help accomplishing your learning goal by checking out Thingiverse (Anything tagged customizer = OpenSCAD).

Here are some models and ideas from one of our co-founders, Greg, made using OpenSCAD and Thingiverse's customizer application.  You can always download the OpenSCAD files from pre-made models and modify them to suit your needs.

• Concrete Mold
• PVC Inner Coupler

Google SketchUp, our first choice when modeling something, has a free version, SketchUp Make, and can be used for most anything you can think of.  Google has also set up some free tutorials on the subject.  The tutorials are a bit involved but once you have SketchUp under your belt you’re well on your way to becoming a modeler extraordinaire!  Both of these tools have their strengths and weaknesses, but together there really hasn't been something we were unable to design rather quickly for a 3D printer.  Here's a Google SketchUp design Greg made for a Roll-Out Pantry.

We hope you enjoy making as much as we do.  You can learn more about us at makesanantonio.com.

Knowledge is Power - Francis Bacon

We've all heard the phrase quoted, "Knowledge is Power" but in my opinion it’s a bit misleading.  Knowledge is amazing!  Learning is what drives us to become who we are and what we want to be.  Prior to these last two decades however, an individual had to have a formal education in order to gain what was considered knowledge.  The great thing about learning now is that we've seen an emergence of the internet as the great equalizer.  You no longer need to come from a formal education to gain the knowledge needed to get ahead in the world.  Let me clarify, a formal education is not a bad thing, the more you know, the more opportunities present themselves.  But, this is the first time in human history where we are all on a level playing field when it comes to learning.  The internet isn't biased and won’t judge whether you're tall, short, purple, blue, rich or poor… If you have a computer and the internet you've got this treasure trove of knowledge available at your fingertips.  If you don’t have the internet, take your computer to a local coffee house, they’ll have free internet you can use.  No computer?  Head to your local public library, they’re sure to have one you can borrow.

So lets say we've learned everything there is to learn, memorized every single page of the internet, and can recite all of it word for word.  What good is all that knowledge if it’s never experienced or applied?  I've seen individuals who have had every privilege in their life but never amounted to more than a glorified chair warmer and individuals who from humble beginnings became millionaires.  What is the difference between the two?  How they applied the knowledge they had gained to better their lives.  “Knowledge is Power” is a great saying, used by many influential people, but not entirely true in this new era of human existence.  I think a better way to state the phrase would be “Applied Knowledge is Power”.  At Make San Antonio we’re looking to foster innovation, creativity and knowledge.  We will strive to maintain an atmosphere where you can gain knowledge and apply the knowledge you've learned in a creative environment, surrounded by enthusiastic and creative people.