[dorkbotdc-blabber] Teach Your Family How to Solder

[Gareth Branwyn]

Hey folks,

I'm sending this out to both the Dorkbot and HacDC lists (apologies  
for cross).

As you may know, we're doing a series of MAKEcations at MAKE this  
summer, fun, inexpensive DIY activities you can do at home with your  
family. The first one, which we launched this week, is Teach Your  
Family to Solder. Here are links to all of the relevant posts:


Let the MAKEcation solder-fest BEGIN!
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/let_the_makecation_solder-fest_begi.html

MAKEcation: "Teach Your Family to Solder" week
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/makecation_teach_your_family_to_sol.html

Super learn-to-solder roundup
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/super_learn-to-solder_its_fun_round.html

Camp counselor Dave's soldering tips
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/camp_counselor_daves_soldering_tips.html

YOUR soldering tips
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/solder_tip_using_the_solder_as_the.html

Lucas learns to solder
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/lucas_learns_to_solder.html

A brief history of my soldering experiences
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/metcal_soldering_iron.html

Toolbox: Soldering essentials, part 1
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/toolbox_soldering_essentials.html

Toolbox, Soldering tools, part 2
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/07/toolbox_soldering_tools_part_2.html

We now want to encourage folks to take up the challenge, and the  
soldering irons. We're giving away a $100 Maker Shed gift certificate  
to the family that submits the most creative, fun, informative video,  
photoset, or written account of their soldering MAKEcation.

I wanted the members of Dorkbot and HacDC to know about this, and to  
encourage you to do this with your family (and we'll be very loose  
about how we define "family," it can be someone teaching their SO/ 
spouse how to solder. We're more interested in the creativity of the  
submission, the engagement, the teaching, etc. than in the nature of  
the social bond).

And maybe HacDC would think about doing a Teach Your Family to Solder  
night?

BTW: You can help this effort tremendously by passing on this info to  
other hackerspaces, other Dorkbots, and other places that run tech/ 
hacking/making events. Please help me get the word out.

Let me know if you have any questions.


Gareth Branwyn
Senior Editor
Make: Online
makezine.com