How To Roast Coffee With An Air Popcorn Popper
Posted by Devon Akmon | Filed under Maker, Museums, Work
As mentioned in a previous post, (How To Make Turkish (or Arabic) Coffee), the Arab American National Museum is currently hosting an exhibition entitled From Mocha to Latte: Coffee, the Arab World and the $4 Cup. This exhibit explores coffee’s Arab cultural roots, the global institution we know as the coffeehouse and the consumption and production of the beverage in today’s marketplace. In addition to the exhibition, we are planning a series of fun and engaging public programs. Speaking to this, we’re having some fun creating online tutorials on coffee roasting and coffee brewing. Further, these tutorials are meant to encourage our audience to participate in maker culture.
Our first tutorial focuses on roasting coffee beans with an air popcorn popper. The following short video will walk you through the steps and set you on your way to a better tasting cup of Joe. Stay tuned for a forthcoming tutorial on brewing coffee with a siphon!
- Devon Akmon
How To Build A Simple Interpretative Panel For An Exhibit Pt.1
Posted by Devon Akmon | Filed under Maker, Museums, Work
Outsourcing the design and fabrication of exhibits is not a new trend in the museum industry; this has been happening for quite some time. However, the current economic downturn is altering how we approach the design and fabrication of exhibition materials. A recent article in the publication Exhibit City succinctly explains the current trends in exhibit building:
Today, exhibit houses are under pressure to alter their business strategies. These pressures are spawned by the current economic downturn and competitive influences. Clients are demanding more from their exhibit houses but wanting to pay less. Custom builds and refurbishing services are down while rental exhibits are increasingly popular. Storage, drayage and shipping costs continue to escalate, and general service contractors (GSCs) bundle services to make it more difficult to compete.
The prevailing economic winds show no sign of letting up anytime soon, at least not in Michigan. As indicated above, this means more museums are trying to get by with less and, in turn, exhibit builders are floundering. Of the two large firms based in SE Michigan, one has gone out of business and one has greatly reduced its scope of services.
A couple of years ago, when the economy started going south, we decided to look at our exhibit building options. Clearly, for medium to large scale exhibits we knew that we would need to hire a firm. However, we also realized that small exhibits and “permanent exhibit” modifications could be handled in-house. For example, our web designer has been handling more print design. Our IT staff have been identifying new ways of building/modifying interactives (an Arduino, an mp3 player and some LEDs can go a long way and save some serious cash!). And our curatorial department has been creating more with so much less.
Speaking to this, I will walk you through the steps of creating a very simple exhibit panel. This is very basic, not hard to produce and the final project will look clean and professional. There are numerous modifications one can make, so play with it to meet you needs. Normally, the panel I show below would cost a couple of hundred dollars to have made. However, this one cost us under one hundred dollars to produce.
Step One: Create the Graphic
The first step is to draft the text for your panel. After you’ve proofread the material and are comfortable with the language and length, drop the text and any supporting graphics into a graphics application such as Adobe Illustrator. I won’t spend too much time discussing accessibility standards, but I will mention a few general guidelines one should follow:
- Avoid the use of colloquial and complex English, jargon, and technical language
- Use the active voice
- Use a sans-serif or simple serif typeface
- High contrast for type and background
For more information on sign and label standards, visit the Smithsonian Guidelines For Accessible Exhibition Design website or check out the Standards Manual for Signs and Labels from the American Association of Museums.
The text and graphics should now be laid out and the graphic panel set to its final dimensions. I generally use Adobe Illustrator to create my template. Before saving the final version, I “select all” and then “create outlines” of all the text. This helps to ensure the correct font type when printing the graphic.
Create the graphic.
Create a Proof
One could create a proof in-house if a quality printer is available. However, we generally send our templates to a high-quality printshop. We prefer to have the graphic created on a Lambda or LightJet machine. I would recommend using the Pantone Matching System to ensure the print colors meet your specification. Once your proof is ready, I highly recommend taping it to the wall at the panel’s final location. This helps to see what the panel will look like under the current lighting arrangement and, if there are similar panels nearby, it helps to ensure that the print blends in with those in the surrounding area. If the results satisfy your needs, it’s time to move on to building the substrate.
The proof of the graphic.
Prepare the Substrate
There are numerous substrates one can choose to use. However, we generally choose medium-density fiberboard (MDF). It’s cheap, durable, readily accessible and easy to work with. Mark out your dimensions on the substrate, measure again and make the cut. Be sure to cut your panel exactly to size. If a power saw is utilized then be sure to compensate for the kerf.
Once the panel is cut to size, use 600-1000 grit sandpaper to clean up the edges and surfaces of the substrate. Then, dress up the edges with several coats of paint that complement or match your graphic. I recommend at least four or five coats of paint. Don’t worry too much about the surface of the substrate; the graphic will cover one side and the other will face the wall. Once the paint dries and meets your satisfaction then you’re now ready to move on to the next step: putting the panel together.
The substrate.
Tune back in a couple of days for the second part of How To Build A Simple Interpretative Panel For An Exhibit. We’ll discuss the final steps in putting together a simple exhibit panel.
- Devon Akmon
Digital SLR Pinhole Camera, Part 1
Posted by Devon Akmon | Filed under Art & Design, Maker
I recently checked out the handbook Hacking Digital Cameras from the Ann Arbor District Library. I was happy to find within this book instructions for building a pinhole lens for a digital camera. I’ve been wanting to build a quality pinhole for quite some time. However, I didn’t think I’d be making a digital pinhole camera.
The project was really quite simple. I ordered two new body caps for my Canon EOS digital camera (the second was in case I screwed up the first!) from B&H Photo. In addition to the body cap, the only other supplies you’ll need for this project are a very small drill bit, a cordless drill and a needle or shirt-pin.
The first step is to measure the body cap to locate the center. Once marked, grab you’re drill and small bit and slowly start creating the hole. Don’t drill all the way through the cap! Go slowly until you have created a small dimple on the opposite side (front) of the cap. Finally, create the pinhole using the needle. Be sure to carefully run the needle through both sides of the cap. I used some 1000 grit sandpaper to gently clean up the hole.
Pretty simple, eh? Below you will find my first pictures taken with the pinhole. Yep, they’re pretty unremarkable. Currently, I’m taking things one step at a time. My next few experiments will focus on varying the size of the pinhole, trying to build a “closed pinhole” and maybe even working with some zone plates.
As a side note, if you’re looking for analog pinhole cameras, check out Eric Renner’s Leonardo cameras or this handmade wooden pinhole camera from Zero Image. Also, here’s instructions to other digital pinhole projects: $0 digital pinhole camera via Make or this one from Instructables.
I think I am going to finish one more project from the book before returning it to the library: hacking an old point-and-shoot digital camera so that it can create infrared pictures!
DSLR Pinhole Image 01
DSLR Pinhole Image 02
- Devon Akmon
Tags: Art & Design, Maker
DIY Bike Repair Stand!
Posted by Devon Akmon | Filed under Cycling, Maker
I’ve wanted a bike repair stand for quite time. Having one makes bike repairs and tune-ups so much easier. However, the cost for a basic repair stand starts around $150. So, why buy one when you could just as easily build your own from scratch and save a few dollars along the way?
I was happy to find project plans for the DIY Bike Repair Stand via Make zine (Issue 18/Shaun Wilson). The total costs for this project runs between $50 to $75, depending on which hardware store you purchase your supplies from (as a side note, the instructions state the cost for the project will run $30; not a chance!). For those who prefer visual instructions, be sure to check out this video from the Make YouTube channel.
For the most part I am satisfied with my results. However, I’m determined to re-design the bike mount on the stand. The bike hooks aren’t cutting it, and the mount to the uppermost pipe is not the most secure either. A little time re-engineering this part and another trip to the hardware store should remedy the problem.
I should mention the bike frame in the picture below is that of the fixie I am currently rebuilding. So far I have stripped the frame and, most recently, had it powder coated. I’m hoping to have this bike finished by early spring!
DIY Bike Repair Stand w/ Fixie Rebuild
DIY Bike Repair Stand: Mount for Bike
DIY Bike Repair Stand Base
DIY Bike Repair Stand Joint
- Devon Akmon
Maker Faire Detroit: Maker City!
Posted by Devon Akmon | Filed under Maker
It’s official! In case you haven’t yet heard, Maker Faire is coming to Detroit. I had the pleasure of attending the community meeting last month at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, and I was thrilled to meet Dale Dougherty and hear about his plans for Detroit! Mark your calendars and get ready for Maker City! I’m sure more news will be coming soon.
The Henry Ford Partners with MAKE Magazine For 2010 Maker Faire Detroit
July 31 & August 1, 2010
(Dearborn, MI – December 4, 2009) – Makers from all over the nation will make their way to The Henry Ford, in Dearborn, Michigan for Maker Faire, July 31-August 1, 2010. This two-day, family-friendly event celebrates creative and resourceful people in the areas of science and technology, engineering, food, and arts and crafts. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
“At its core, Maker Faire Detroit is about the possibility of what ordinary individuals can do,” said Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford. “It’s about people being resourceful and innovative, using their hands, and tinkering to create actual objects and, possibly, to use those objects to create change. The great innovators of our past—Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, the Wright Brothers—all believed in exploring new ideas, and making new things to create a better world. There is simply no better place to bring this event to than Detroit. We are the birthplace of modern manufacturing and today we are a hotbed of innovation. We are a region brimming with doers, thinkers and makers.”
Created by the publishers of MAKE magazine and makezine.com, Maker Faire draws tech and DIY enthusiasts. The event attracts families, school teachers, students, local science, hobby and tech clubs, as well as those who are drawn by a curiosity for the unorthodox and often whimsical MacGyver-like nature of Makers and their projects. Maker Faire will feature demonstrations and hands-on workshops over the two days. Visitors will enjoy arts and crafts, science and engineering, robotics, sustainable living, music and fine arts, fun for kids and families and more.
“We’re excited to partner with The Henry Ford, which celebrates the history of American makers” said Dale Dougherty, publisher of MAKE magazine (in print and online at makezine.com). “We’re also excited to bring our event to Detroit to showcase the technical and creative talent of the region.”
About Maker Faire
Maker Faire’s mission is to inspire, inform, connect and entertain thousands of Makers and aspiring Makers of all ages and backgrounds through the public gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkers, hobbyists, science clubs, students, authors and commercial exhibitors. Started in San Mateo, California in 2006, Maker Faire will hold the 5th annual festival in the Bay Area this May, 22 & 23, in San Mateo, California. As Maker Faire continues to grow in popularity and relevance, Maker Faire will expand to two new cities in 2010, Detroit and New York City. See the Maker Faire website for details www.makerfaire.com. Maker Faire is supported by MAKE Magazine, makezine.com, craftzine.com and O’Reilly Media, the premier information source for leading-edge computer technologies. The company’s books, conferences and web sites bring to light the knowledge of technology innovators.
About The Henry Ford: The Henry Ford, in Dearborn, Michigan, is the world’s premiere history destination and a National Historic Landmark that celebrates American history and innovation. Its mission is to provide unique educational experiences based on authentic objects, stories and lives from America’s traditions of ingenuity, resourcefulness and innovation. Its purpose is to inspire people to learn from these traditions to help shape a better future. Five distinct attractions at The Henry Ford captivate more than 1.5 million visitors annually: Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, The Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates 485 students a year on the institution’s campus and was founded in partnership with The Henry Ford, Ford Motor Company and Wayne County Public Schools. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org.
For more information:
Carrie Nolan: (313) 982-6126, carrien@thehenryford.org
Bridgette Vanderlaan: (727) 278-2828, Bridgette@oreilly.com
Tags: Maker
