This Sunday I’m opening the space from 11AM to 2PM for a VTL wall building workshop. They might use the wood shop, but as it’s rather small they’re intending to use the loading bay to do their stuff.
Either way, the tables and couches are not implicated in their workshop at all, and I’ve been wanting to drum up some interest in PCBmodE for a while now. So I’m proposing the following event:
What: VHS PCBmodE Hackathon
Date: Sunday, July 23 (this Sunday)
Time: 1PM - 3PM (feel free to come early, anytime after 11AM, and get a head start)
Who: VHS members and friends
Cost: free
Bring: Your own laptop, with a working recent copy of Inkscape. Also PCBmodE if you can figure out the install.
So what’s this about?
PCBmodE is a Python script written by Dr Saar Drimer of Boldport and the Boldport Club. It’s a PCB design tool, but it is primarily targeted at using PCB fabrication processes to produce visually interesting designs rather than functional circuits. You certainly can produce functional circuits with PCBmodE, but if that’s what you’re cfocused on you may want to consider KiCad, Eagle, Fritzing, or the like.
Here are some examples of boards designed with PCBmodE. The BoldPort Github account has PCBmodE design files for at least some of the Boldport Club boards. The catch is that this software is not terribly well documented, I find. Wouldn’t it be great if we had a local community of people who have played with the software and could help you with design tips and inspiration? Well, come on down to VHS this Sunday and we can start to create just that!