Tag Archives: hackerspace

Laser-Cut Tokens Make the World Go ‘Round

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Crash Bang Labs AGM Tokens

Crash Bang Labs AGM Tokens

Regina maker space, Crash Bang Labs celebrates it’s first Annual General Meeting with commemorative laser-cut tokens.

I highjacked Bill Wales original idea of a black acrylic coin, and suggested pushing the frivolous envelope with a toonie-ish design.

Our finished project is a token made with a laser cut 3mm thick black acrylic outer ring with “Crash Bang Labs Annual General Meeting” engraved on both sides. The 3mm thick baltic-birch plywood insert has “1st” on one side & the CBL logo on the reverse.

It was a labor-intensive endeavor to produce 40 tokens, Bill & I spent over four hours creating these gems.  The next batch will go much quicker as we also created jigs to help align the engraving of the tail-side of the parts.  About half of the time was spent on design and rest on actually cutting and engraving the tokens.

The AGM takes place today at 2 PM, at 2431 8th Ave (East side of The Exchange, North-most door).  Everyone is welcome to attend.  Immediately following the meeting we’ll move the festivities over to The Exchange for fizzy pops and grub.

Frivolous Donates Laser-Cutter

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Donating a Laser-cutter

Left: Brett Park (CrashBangLabs) Right: Brett Coulthard (Frivolous Engineering)

The Frivolous Engineering Company has donated a desktop laser engraver/cutting system to CrashBangLabs, the local makerspace here in Regina.

This is part of Frivolous Engineering’s ongoing effort to promote maker/hacker spaces and to encourage non-traditional places where people can learn to make and do stuff.

The laser is a Full Spectrum machine we purchased back in 2011 and it was used almost daily for over a year.  It’s last major overhaul was last September when we replaced the tube and power supply.  Last October Frivolous purchased a much larger laser that we now use and this unit was no longer needed.

Transporting the system and helping with the setup was CBL board member Bill Wales who also got the computer and software going.  Also helping out and getting a crash course on laser cutting were CBL board members Brett Park and David Gerhard.

This is all part of preparations leading up to CBL’s first Annual General Meeting that will be held this coming Sunday, March 3rd.  We encourage anyone interested to attend, it’s open to the public.

Hackerspaces Love Halloween

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I’ve been behind in my posting of local events and it’s time to catch up.  Last night I attended a meeting at CrashBagLabs, the local hackerspace here in Regina.

A lot has happened since my last post about CBL, the executives are moving things along smoothly and quickly.

CBL has a new website:  crashbanglabs.org . Everyone is welcome to join this virtual hackerspace.  Please check it out.

Now on to even better news: actual physical space has been rented.  CrashBangLabs is officially a real Hackerspace!  2431 8 Avenue, Regina to be exact.

Continue reading →

Results of the Hacker Space Meeting

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Last night I attended the first meet-up of CrashBangLabs, a hacker space that is forming here in Regina.  More than 50 people attended and it looks to me like we have the critical mass needed to make this work.

The most impressive thing for me was being in the same room with over 50 like-minded people:  folks who want to get their hands dirty and MAKE stuff.

A hacker space is more than just a place with tools and equipment, it’s the people who MAKE it happen.  And judging from the folks I met last night, CrashBangLabs is off to a great start:  almost every who attended the meeting signed up and intends to become a dues-paying member.  The next steps will be incorporating the hacker space as a non-profit organization and finding a suitable location.

Hats off to David Gerhard and Matt Haines who got the ball rolling, and everyone who attended.  You folks MADE my day!

Regina HackerSpace Meet-up

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Attention all you hackers, Makers and folks who like to tinker with technology:  a hackerspace is being formed in Regina!

CrashBangLabs is looking for people who are interested in helping get this off the ground.  The inception meeting will take place Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at The Owl.

This is something I support and I urge anyone in the Regina area who is interested to surf over to CBL’s facebook page and sign up.