We discovered that flat material really matters when your laser is new/focused properly. Here is a little movie that demonstrates. (sorry about the sound and the shakes… I am learning!)
Author: Crafty Rachel
I like to make wearables and laser random things. I have been a member since March 2012ish and really have a good time at Ace Makerspace My background is in front-end developments and design. I currently work as an independent consultant doing all manner of things.
Light-up Holiday Cards at the Library
We had a blast making light-up holiday and birthday cards with families at the Golden Gate Branch Library. Each person started by designing their very own circuit with 1 to 4 LED lights, a battery, and a switch. Pushing the switch lit up the card!
Some folk crafted their own pictures, while others added lights to art paper. Either way, each person brought their own spark to the experience.
Oakland Pride Jewelry at the Library
We celebrated pride with some Oakland love at the Golden Gate Library!
We brought laser-cut Oakland trees and alcohol ink. Families brought their creativity and spark. Together, we made lots of rainbow-colored, Oakland-themed earrings and key rings. A wonderful way to show our Oakland Pride!
Made at AMT-June 2019
Plushie Rainbow Friends made at The Golden Gate Library
This free workshop was a super fun pride project held on June 15th at the Golden Gate Library.
Stanley Black and Decker and DeWalt Donation of Awesomeness
The morning of January 17th was jam-packed with activity at AMT. Coworking was fun and I had appointments back to back for AMT Office Hours. Around the end of the morning, I got this mysterious call from a lost truck driver trying to find us. I thought to myself “We haven’t ordered anything… what could it be”.
After a few missteps with online maps, the driver found us and I got a call to come down to the loading dock… I was all prepared to send a miss-order back… but low and behold when I got on the truck to check it out I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was this amazing donation from Stanley Black & Decker of top of the line DeWalt tools. Two pallets of them.
I freaked out. Like full-on, won a game show freaked out. I almost hugged the driver.
This was out of the blue. A total surprise. When I announce it to the AMT community on our Slack #workshop channel my reaction spread.
And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better it did. I came in on Friday morning to find another pallet’s worth of amazing Stanley planes, Black and Decker Tools, and DeWalt was waiting for us at the shop door.
AMT was built on amazing donations and this one couldn’t have come at a better time. Much of our existing equipment was near its end-of-life. This community had really racked up the duty cycles.
So a big thank you to Stanely Black & Decker/ DeWalt from me, the AMT community and greater set of folks in North Oakland, CA.
Laser Cut Custom Jewelry
So this was an ambitious workshop where each person got to make a few pieces of custom laser cut jewelry out of wood or leather.
We learned a lot at this workshop. With a bit of restructuring, I would be interested in doing this again. All proceeds went to the new serger fund.
Soft Skills for Shared Spaces Workshop Series
Over the years the AMT community has experienced growing pains. And it turns out many of these growing pains are not unique to AMT or even makerspaces. We are proud to have partnered with Emily Bowen MA, ABS to bring a 3 workshop series on soft skills. The focus is on soft skills for inclusion, sharing and challenging situations. These workshops are primarily geared towards leaders and instructors though community members in general, will learn great skills.
We have a limited number of sponsored tickets for each workshop. Contact [email protected] to request a sponsored tickets if finances are an issue.
The Good No
Sat, September 15, 2018 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT
Learn how to hear both a hard and soft “no” as well as how to set firm boundaries by saying no with tact and brevity.
Words for Woke Leaders
Sat, September 29, 2018 | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM PDT
Leaders will learn:
- How to speak and think in an inclusive way.
- How to direct behavior change in non-shaming ways for best results.
In the Heat of the Moment
Sat, October 13, 2018 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT
Learn practical skills:
- How to support and diffuse emotions and behavior resulting from frustration, anger, triggering and fear
- How to create safety in shared spaces
DIY Burner Fashion Week – July 23-31
Before you know it it will be time for the burn. AMT has a workshop line-up designed to help folks make smashing gear and finish up those last minute projects.
Monday the 23rd | 7-9pm | Headgear! Make amazing fashions for your noggin.
Tuesday the 24th | 7:30-9-8:30pm | Laser Cutting Faux Fur
Thursday the 26th | 7-9pm | EL Wire for Playa Gear
Saturday the 28th | 11am-2pm | Manskirts and Kimono making Workshop
Saturday the 28th | 12-3pm | Painted leather feathers
Sunday the 29th | 10am-2pm | Finish this Fashion: Project Completion Lab
Monday the 30th | 7-9pm | DIY Fairy Wings Workshop
Tuesday the 31 | 7-9pm | Textile Tuesday
And more!
2018-2019 Goals
The AMT board of directors is proud to present the goal for the new fiscal year.
Be intentionally inclusive
AMT strives to be a place for the growth of all kinds of people. We, as the organization, want to be engaged in a continual process of understanding how we can make people feel welcome and safe.
Actionable items to support this goal
- Update and promote the anonymous incident report system.
- Continue discussions about inclusivity at AMT and the wider makerspace community.
- Create media and advertising that shows a diverse range of people and projects.
- Roll out a code of conduct by end of Q3.
Support Sustainability
We want AMT to be around for the long haul as a positive force in people’s lives. This means both running the org in a way that is sustainable financially and operationally, but also creating a culture in which it is easy to get and stay involved with helping run the space.
Actionable items to support this goal
- Recruit 40 new members by November 30th.
- Develop an officer application process and improve recruitment process.
- Reassess incentives to encourage officer retention.
- Reassess and prioritize officer positions to fill, and fill positions.
- Improve the ability of members to get involved with contributing to and maintaining the space using from member feedback.
- Improve promotion of leadership and general volunteer work.
- Celebrate community successes and support of project leaders even more
- Reduce critical single-person dependencies (critical tasks only one person knows how to do).
- Complete revisions of our bylaws.
Strengthen our community
AMT is a space that fosters collaboration and support between members, as well as shared knowledge and responsibility for the space. The community is so much of what is amazing about AMT and is also what keeps it sustainable. We want AMT to be a good member of the maker community and East Bay community.
Actionable items to support this goal
- Continue engaging in events in the wider community, such as the Oakland library program and Hoover school project.
- Develop more content and programs that strengthen soft skills within the community, such as the new member orientation.
- Create strong relationships with other groups, organizations, and spaces in the greater Bay Area.
- Expand professional development offering for officers, stewards and Monster Corps members.