Just a quick update to members and friends of ChattLab.  We had some help this weekend getting some drywall started last week and through the weekend.  The noisy transformer is slowly getting muted, which is a good thing.  Extra special thanks to Mike, Rudy and Hollie that were all there to help me over several days.  There’s no way I could have done this myself.

Also, we’re having another maker meeting this Tuesday, so if you have some projects you want to show off, please bring them.  We’re hungry to see what others are working on over the holidays.

Come join our open meeting nights where we talk about ongoing projects, space improvements, upcoming workshops and generally socialize with other makers.

All are welcome, we don’t bite. We’re always accepting application for membership, but there’s no hard sell, we just like to talk about making.

We are located near the parking dock area on the ground floor at the BDC Building. You can park in the BDC parking lot AFTER 6pm without a permit. See the images below on how to locate us.

The official meeting begins at 7pm, which lasts about 20 minutes. We just talk about what’s going on, and what’s coming up. Afterwards, social hour commences. If you want to come early, doors will be open at 6pm. Tours are available before and after the meeting. Hope to see you there!

Go to meetup for more information: Meetup

Chatt*Lab is a Chattanooga based makerspace that is owned and run by dues paying members that share a leased space with tools that help us make neat things, and to teach one another by example or by workshops.

We are currently seeking Chattanooga makers to join our ranks as charter/founding members.  The deadline is either the end of November, or until we get up to 20 members.  Any new member requests after that point will need to go through an approval process that the club has yet to determine.

Our online application form can be found here:  ChattLab Membership Request

Membership is $50/month which is a great deal considering what you will get.  What does membership get you?  Great question.  Charter membership at Chatt*Lab has the following benefits:

• Name on wall and wiki as a Charter Member (unless requested otherwise).
• Key fob access to our space, and access to all the tools.
• Member Storage.  Keep some of your private stash here so you don’t have to lug it in each day.
• Voting privileges to help direct where our club goes, and elect officers.
• Discounts on all of our workshops.  (Basically, at cost).
• Access to the Tool Pool, a sequestered set of take home DIY tools for home projects.

Also, most importantly, your membership now helps us get off the ground and get started with the space we are considering within the next month or so.

To join, just fill out the following form.   ChattLab Membership Request .

If you have any questions on Chatt*Lab or membership, contact Jeff or Michael.

Which image to use as our first sticker/decal?  Help us decide.

Go here to vote: Sticker Choice Survey.  Voting ends October 1st.

We are proud to be involved with the upcoming Chattanooga Mini Maker Faire!

–Edit: I had the wrong year in the headline!

Recently at the lab we were looking at AA batteries and I brought up the bounce test to determine whether an alkaline battery is good or bad. I could not remember the details at the moment but this video explains in good detail.

TL;DR; Bad batteries bounce, good batteries bounce less.

We are proud to be involved with the upcoming Chattanooga Mini Maker Faire!

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 29, 2014) – As a growing number of Chattanoogans embrace the global maker movement, local organizers are working to expand the spirit behind it by launching the region’s first Mini Maker Faire. The event, which celebrates invention, creativity and resourcefulness, will take place from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Oct. 11 at the First Tennessee Pavilion.

The Chattanooga Mini Maker Faire will feature projects, performances, competitions and workshops that advance the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) culture of making things. Signature activities will include robot battles, a 3D printing showcase, quad copter and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) displays and a MacGyver Competition. The event will also feature soldering workshops, art displays, hobby presentations and sewing workshops, among other activities.

More details and registration information can be found on the official website here

ChattLab’s very own Lee Walker is hosting the first annual Chattanooga Drupal Camp on Saturday, November 9th, 2013. Drupal is a popular, free open-source modular framework and content management system (CMS) written in the programming language PHP. Drupal Camp Chattanooga is an attendee-driven, completely volunteer initiative modeled after the open, participatory nature of barcamps. The event is catered towards everyone – curious beginners, designers, developers, and business owners are all welcome!

The camp includes ‘Drupal In a Day’ training included in the ticket price, for anyone wanting to have a fast track to learn more about Drupal. This is presented by Doug Vann, Drupal trainer to NASA.

Discover how easy it is to build elaborate, flexible and secure websites without having any programming skills. At a $25 entry point, you won’t find a better value for your dollar. Follow the link for more information about this great event:

https://www.drupalcampchattanooga.com/information/about