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.

Call for Burners / Makers / Artists: DIY Burner Fashion Week

AMT is putting together a week of workshops focused on Burner Fashion July 23rd -29th.
Current Workshops Ideas include:
  • LED Fairy Wings
  • Leather Feathers
  • TuTu Good (epic tutu making)
  • Laser Cutting Faux Fur
  • “Help me finish this…” a project completion lab
AMT has:
  • Large laser cutter
  • Classroom space to teach programming etc
  • A full textiles studio
  • Electronics Lab
  • 3D Printing
  • Woodworking and more
If you are interested in doing a workshop for the DIY Burner Fashion Week email as much of the following information to [email protected]:
  • Possible Dates of the workshop (between 6-23 to 6-29)
  • Title of the workshop
  • Description of what folks will make (I can help write that if needed)
  • Description of materials needed (stuff people need to bring)
  • Description of materials provided
  • Description of needed skills (like if people should have basic sewing skills)
  • Duration of workshop
  • Cost to attendees
  • Link to a picture or pictures if you have them.
Teachers can charge for their workshops but we would like to keep them affordable too. We can work with you to develop an affordable offering. Instructors are paid out 1 week after the workshop via ETF or Paypal or Cash. Instructors making more than 400 will require a W9.
AMT can also provide some materials and or access to discounted or free materials. Go up-cycling.
Big empty room

AMT Expansion 2018

This month AMT turns 8 years old and we are growing! We have rented an additional 1200sqft suite in the building. We have a Work Party Weekend planned June 1-3 to upgrade and reconfigure all of AMT. All the key areas at AMT are getting an upgrade :

CoWorking and Classroom are moving in to the new suite. Rad wifi, chill space away from the big machines, and core office amenities are planned for CoWorking. The new Classroom will be reconfigurable and have double the capacity.

Textiles is moving upstairs into the light. The room will now be a clean fabrication hub with Electronics and 3D Printing both expanding into the space made available. Photo printing may or may not stay upstairs — plans are still forming up.

Metal working, bike parking, and new storage including the old lockers will be moving into the old classroom. But before they move in the room is getting a face lift by returning to the cement floors and the walls will get a new coat of paint.

The CNC room and workshop will then be reconfigured to take advantage of the space Metal vacated. We aren’t sure what that is going to look like beyond more workspace and possibly affordable storage for larger short term projects.

Town Hall Meeting May 17th • 7:30PM • Plan the New Space

What expansion means to membership

The other thing that happened in May is after 8 years our rent finally went up. It is still affordable enough that we get to expand. Expansion also means increasing membership volume to cover the new rents and to take advantage of all the upgrades. We are looking to add another 30 members by winter.  Our total capacity before we hit the cap will be 200 members. We feel that offering more classes and the best bargain in co-working will allow us to do this. Please help get the word out!

The New Suite in the Raw

Big empty room

AMT Board Election Polls Now Open

2018 Winter Election: Candidate Interviews

We have three seats on the board open this election cycle. Five awesome folks have stepped up as candidates. Ballots have been sent to voting AMT members* and election results will be in on January 31st at 6pm.

Get to know the candidates:

Christopher Constantine

Member since May 2017

Why you want to be on the board at AMT?

I want to help out.

What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?

Keeping AMT running is important to me.

 

Pierre Grandin

Member since June 2016

Why you want to be on the board at AMT?

I’ve been serving on the board for 2 terms already and I feel like our current board is really getting better as a leadership team. We are better organized and more efficient than in the past. I’d like to continue being part of that team and help support our organization.

What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?

We are still understaffed in the officers department, and need to address this. I also want to continue the work to improve the efficiency of the officers / directors relationship, which will ultimately lead to a better leadership team as a whole.

 

Patrick Safinya-Davies

Member since July 2017

Why you want to be on the board at AMT?

I’d like to help with the decision making process to advance the mission and goals of AMT as an organization and maker space.

What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?

If elected, I would like to find more opportunities to bring our maker community together with the greater community. I’d also like to help address member concerns. Finally, it would be great to highlight all of the hard work that the volunteer staff does to make AMT function.

 

Peter Gardner

Member since November 2017

Why you want to be on the board at AMT?

I’m new to Ace Monster Toys and would like to step up and help out in any way I can.  I’m interested in big picture issues and helping to drive the vision of AMT while taking member opinions into account.

What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?

I have seen no flaws in the organization except that Rachel probably works too hard.

 

Rob Froetscher

Member since June 2017

Why you want to be on the board at AMT?

As I am at AMT most days, I feel invested in the place and interested in helping keep it going. I appreciate the ways it has spurred me to be more creative and the community it fosters.

What are one or two things you would get done if you were elected?

Keep AMT running. Be invested and interested and mindful of the direction of the org.
*If you are a full member and have not received your ballot please contact [email protected]

 

Hoover Garden Project – December Update

 

Highlights of the Dec 20th Meeting:

  • Attendees Included:  Crafty Rachel, Serena Patel
  • We discussed overarching design tools and relevancy, outlined an approach for design.
  • We began to develop a list of classroom activities and began to map to dates.
  • Cal Collaborators were invited to author content about the project for the Blog
  • Agreed on an overarching area of scope in the partnership
  • Discussed scholarship requirements and suggestions for ESW students,  AMT training and certification for ESW scholars and craft work and classroom activities.
  • Begin to compile a list of classroom activities and dates.  Brainstormed on activities in two groups “Big Kids” and “Little Kids”

Highlights of the Dec 27th Meeting:

  • Attendees Included: Vanessa, Wanda Stewart, Crafty Rachel,  Serena Patel 
  • Three Scholarships were confirmed
  • March Build Day Go/No-Go decided as a “GO”
  • Discussed information needs for March Build Day – build goals and funding, firm deliverables for funding, logistics for the day – food, parent and teacher engagement, tools, site coordinators.
  • AMT to host, possible to do multiple dates
  • Rachel to work with AMT approach AMT community for assistance in Promotion.
  • January 15th Workday  – Confirmed as a “go”
    • AMT has booth for table top activity
    • Activity ideas – voting/collaboration – draw your dream garden, color a garden, draw a chicken coop, vote for your favorite.  Stretch Goal – compile a look book from results.
  • Work Day Project ideas – build a path, construct benches, worm bins,.
  • Visual Language Design:  Rachel to post to blog in lieu of a presentation.
  • Classroom activities will start – Feb 7th.   Wednesdays 3-5th Graders, Thursdays 8-Noon 3rd and 5th Graders.  Sessions will be 100 minutes.   Fridays, Start Feb 2,  Kindergarden and First Graders 1:15-1:45. Sessions will be 30 minutes.
    • For classroom activities bring feedback and capture new ideas from participants.
  • Need to develop a facebook page for the garden project.

Hoover Garden Project Kick-off Meeting

Highlights from the December 6th Kick-off meeting

  • Meeting attendees included Wanda Stewart, Miguel Elliot, and Crafty Rachel as well as 3 engineering students from Cal.
  • We discussed the structures for the garden including a bulletin board, outdoor kitchen, coops, primary signage and more. It really helped to get a handle on the project
  • We discussed goals as relates to signage and communication structures. A focus on communication that helps folks know “how to be” in the garden came up… and refined as 3 buckets: Self/Others/World
  • Some logistics worked out including agreeing on a shared google calendar, a slack channel on the AMT Platform (#hoover-garden).
  • Two milestones where identified: January 15th workday and January 24th for the class workshops to begin.

Next Design meeting December 20th • Noon to 1:30 • via Google Hang Outs

Learn More about the project and join us as a contributor

AMT Badges

Show folks who step up a little love with a button badge!

Have you spotted these badges in our space yet? We’re excited to introduce a new badge program in which members can acknowledge and celebrate community engagement. AMT Badges are little tokens of appreciation that member can give each other. We do so much for each other and the community… give a badge to a member when you see them stepping up!

Guidelines

To get badges: You must be gifted the badge by somebody else.

To give badges: When you see something worthy, choose your badge give it to the person and ping an officer so we can post a digital badge to the recipients AMT profile. Also if you want give a badge anonymously an officer can be your messenger.

Badges are located on the media table upstairs.

Don’t see the badge you need?

Have a great idea for a badge? You can email officers to get a new badge created OR make your own custom badges on any of the Thursday Night General Meetings when we crack out the button maker.

Badges may sometime in the future make you eligible for special classes (sash making!!)

Hoover Elementary School Edible Garden Project

AMT is thrilled to be partnering with Hoover Elementary School in Oakland for a community benefit project. With the help of a team of engineering students from UC Berkeley, AMT will provide the community, space, tools, minor funding and mentorship to help create a truly edible community garden at the school. Our partnership will focus on signage, other usability aspects and will include developing classroom content to engage students in the design and build process.

We will be starting to meet weekly for design co-working in the space during the last week of November. We are part of a larger team doing a complete garden build out lead by the Hoover Elementary garden steward Wanda Stewart. We are actively seeking mentors, educators, and makers who are excited to get involved and contribute to this project.

All kinds of support are welcomed: whether you are interested in documenting, building, developing classroom content or designing builds in the garden.

Contact @crafty on Slack to get involved! Or email [email protected]

TechShop may be closed but your community isn’t

On November 15th TechShop folded… and folks have a ton of questions. This post attempts to answer them as well as offer folks some new options we added to take care of things. Ace Monster Toys makerspace is committed to being a community resources especially in these wacky time. If we don’t have what the TS orphans need we will do our best to connect you with folks that do.

Tours, Meet-ups and Classes

We have added a some things to address the needs of the community. We will add more as the situation develops.

Tour – Thursday, November 16th – 7pm

General meeting and round table discussion with special guests from other spaces – Thursday, November 16th – 7:30pm (food and drink served)

Laser 101 – Saturday, November 18th – 11am – 12:30pm (required for using our laser)

Tour – Saturday, November 18th – 12:45 – 1:15pm

Update: AMT is an all volunteer-run member supported community. Unless we have posted a specific event or you have made personal arrangements with a member please don’t just drop in. We are not open to the public outside of events posted on meetup.com but you can join our Slack team on our contact page to possibly make special arrangements outside of events by emailing [email protected] .

 

Tools and Equipment at AMT

Tools and what we have are covered on this overview page.

Laser! Yes we have one. It is very affordable. You have to take the $5 Laser 101 Class and pass an online test to use it. The soonest that can happen is Saturday afternoon.

Any of the tools that can hurt you easily or are easy to break require certification.

 

How AMT is different than TechShop

We are volunteer run… so set your response time expectations and service expectations accordingly. Also when asking for somebody’s time and energy remember you are asking for personal effort.

We are a community not a rental facility. You can read more here about the differences.

AMT Members are expected to do more that just pay dues. All members are expected to do one small task a month and participate in one large task or build per year.

We don’t use booking systems for tool use… members talk to each other instead. Mostly on slack.