A total of 15 members and 3 guests attended the meeting.

Guest Introductions

Housekeeping Items

The sink is being repaired, but until then, there is a garden hose out by the bathrooms.  All other plumbing fixtures still work.  The group reminded everyone to check the back door is closed and locked when leaving.  Also, the air compressor is currently out of order.  Rich and Tom will be repairing it shortly.

Black Friday Make-A-Thon

We are planning our second annual Make-A-Thon for the day after Thanksgiving.  Several project ideas have been suggested including CNC or saw cut wooden snowflakes, Makerbot-made cookie cutters, decorating eggs with the Egg-Bot, and soldering LED tie-pins.  We’re still open to ideas, especially those that have more guest involvement and less fabrication time like CNC designs would need.

CNC Work Days / Club Meetings

Ron announced that CNC Club Meetings will likely occur on the first Sunday of each month.  As a reminder, the Electric Car Club meets on the second Sunday of the month.  More info to come.

Game Day

Sunday, October 16th will be our first ever Game Day.  Elizabeth has offered to bring in The Impossible Machine and Timeline: Inventions.  Tom will bring Empire Builder and Ticket to Ride.  Settlers of Catan, Warhammer, and others have also been suggested.  Events start at 3pm.  See the discussion on our Google Groups page. 

Real Steel Matinee

The group is planning an outing this Saturday, October 15th to go see the new Hugh Jackman movie “Real Steel” featuring boxing humanoid robots.  Meet at Marcus South Shore Cinemas prior to the 4:20 PM start time.  See the discussion thread for more info.

A Visit From An Ethnographer 

One of our guests this evening was Michael, an anthropology major from Beloit College, about 75 miles southwest of us.  Michael is interested in becoming a member and studying the culture and community of hackerspaces.  We just happen to be the closest one he’s found.  Over the next several weeks Michael will be interviewing members, observing projects, and working in the shop.  When completed, we have been promised a copy of either part or all of the finished work.  There is also a presentation component that Michael will be organizing for his class.