Blinkybug Kits on Maker Store

My blinkybug kits are now available on Make Magazine's Maker Store.

The Order Electrus

I wish I made this movie!

DIY Blinkybug Kits

Because some of the parts are hard to come by in small quantities, I'm now offering blinkybug kits on my etsy store. This is for the solder-free version that I designed for the 2007 Maker Faire. A how-to is here.

The kits I'm currently offering contain all the parts needed for 4 bugs! If you're interested in larger quantities just drop me a line.

Portland Bike Ride

This is a short video my brother made. It's a really nicely shot and edited piece of him on a bike ride through Portland, OR on a foggy day. He shot using his digital still camera and edited in iMovie. I dig it! Nice work Greg!

Ask him how he got the music...

Blinkybug (Maker Faire version) on Instructables

I've come up with a modified design for the "Build Your Own Blinkybug" workshop I'm organizing for the upcoming Maker Faire.

This is a solder-free version that I think will work a lot better in this type of chaotic environment, and should only take a few minutes to build.

Check it out!

Light Art Innards

This is the "back end" for one of my LED art pieces. Stripboard makes it fun and easy! Click the image for the wicked large version. Those are color-changing RGB LEDs, which run nicely off 3V (without a resistor!) I got the barrel jack connector, along with a nicely matching 9VDC regulated power adapter from SparkFun. Simple, no?

Seeking Volunteers for Blinkybug Workshop @ Maker Faire!

Photo Credit: Scott Beale

I'm organizing something I think will be a lot of fun to participate in. It's taking place at the upcoming Maker Faire (May 19-20 @ San Mateo Fairgrounds); it's going to be a "Build Your Own Blinkybug" workshop.

The workshop will be open to all attendees, and will be what it sounds like... a bunch of people making a bunch of blinkybugs! The way I see it, the process will be broken down into various steps and there will be "stations" where people can work on each step. I've run this workshop before in a big festival setting and this system works pretty well.

I need help manning these stations! Each step is pretty simple... a bit of soldering, attaching things with hot glue, demonstrating how to crimp a couple wires together, or helping people come up with creative variations on the bug design.

We'll be getting some support from the Make magazine folks, but I'm also assembling a core team of volunteers. There will be other crafty-type things going on in the area, who we may collaborate with as well. I don't envision that the workshop will be operating the entire time, so there should be plenty of time to check out the event.

This is a totally volunteer thing... but it would get you in free to the Faire ($20 adult / $15 student), and it would be a lot of fun. For those of you who went last year, you know how Wicked Awesome it is. If you didn't, it's hard to describe... but I think it's an amazing experience for anyone who appreciates the creative/techy/nerdy things in life.

If you think you might be interested, please contact me.