Tag Archives: summer

2015 Dover Mini Maker Faire a Huge Success!

This year’s Dover Mini Maker Faire went off without a hitch. We’ve got this whole thing down to a science it seems.

Guests were excited and engaged.
snap circuits5-MF15

Makers were glowing from all the attention and from the opportunity to show off their projects.
inmoov robot-MF15_1

Staff and Volunteers helped the entire thing run smoothly.
googlecardboard-MF15

Check out our full album highlighting all the
great Makers from 2015 over on Facebook.

And our sponsors were the backbone of the entire event.
We really couldn’t have done it without their support. 
fidelity table-MF15

Thank you once again to:
Fidelity Investments and their Unique College Investing Plan

Our Media Sponsors: NHPTV and NHPR

Other Sponsors:
ENH Power
Alexander Technology Group
Prime Buchholz
Beswick Engineering
The Rowley Agency
Great Smiles, PLLC
Construction Services of New Hampshire
Chinburg Properties
Holy Rosary Credit Union
Leone, McDonnell, and Roberts
Garrison Women’s Health Center

And the Coca Cola Bottling Company of Northern New England for providing the Diet Coke needed to pull off our Coke and Mentos grand finale:

Meet all of our 2014 Makers!

Dover Mini Maker Faire is pleased to present all 62 makers approved for the 2014 event happening on August 23rd in Dover, NH.

SeacoSeacoastSeaPerchast SeaPerch Dover Mini Maker Faire attendees can drive a SeaPerch Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) in Seacoast SeaPerch’s 1000 gallon tank and in the Cochecho River. Representatives will also share info about STEM Outreach at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and their ongoing partnership with the University of New Hampshire.

NEMOLogoAndTentAward-winning outdoor equipment showcase.  NEMO Equipment, Inc. is a Dover-based designer and manufacturer of outdoor equipment, tents, and shelters. Founded in 2002, NEMO Equipment has won numerous awards for its designs and is recognized as a leader in outdoor equipment. Test our their products for yourself at Dover Mini Maker Faire!

NHKidventuresLogoNH Kidventures: Museum & Science Passport. Learn about this new “passport” program that encourages families to visit participating museums, science centers and cultural locations. Children can earn prizes and families can keep learning happening all summer long. Meet a representative from NH Kidventures and enjoy a free craft activity at Dover Mini Maker Faire.

GreatBayTroutUnltdFly Tying.  Learn about what Great Bay Trout Unlimited does for local waters and teaching youth and adults to fly fish and tie flies. Maker Faire attendees will be able to try their hand at fly tying with members of Great Bay Trout Unlimited.

HRCU_VioletAndCashHoly Rosary Credit Union. Dover Mini Maker Faire sponsor Holy Rosary Credit Union will be on-site with a financial literacy activity. Kids can spin a wheel and test their knowledge of money and savings. Their youth educator mascots, Cash and Violet, will be in attendance as well.

BreadboaUNH_IOLrd and Circuitry basics. The UNH InterOperability team will be using batteries, LEDs, and resistors to build simple circuits and provide an introduction to electronics and Electrical Engineering to Maker Faire attendees.

TirePressureMonitorAutomotive Technology by Dupont’s Service Center. Come see how modern vehicles work. Dupont’s Service Center of Dover will offer demonstrations on how tire pressure monitoring systems work and how computer systems measure air flow into the engine, and a look at the anatomy of an automotive wheel bearing. Looking inside the operating system of a modern vehicle to see all the electronics!

NH Lego LeagueRacing and Robotics by NH LEGO League. Join the NH LEGO League’s Kings of Konstruction to learn NXT Robotics programing and run a real FLL robot. Attendees can test their skills as they build and race LEGO brick cars on a Bricktona gravity track. LEGO brick race cars will also be for sale. 

PortsmPaperFlowerCraftouth Public Library Makers Projects.  Maker Faire attendees are invited to contribute to a shared craft using recycled paper, they can make and decorate recycled paper flowers, or dream up their own shapes and structures. Library makers will also help participants create a light-up notebook out of a single sheet of paper and paper circuits.

MF13_KidsFeltingCreating with Fiber.  Jean O. Hearn of From Sheep to Fiber Creations will demonstrate how fiber is processed to create a variety of wool products. She will show how to use a picker and carder to line up the fibers to get it ready to turn into yarn. Attendees can help turn light fluffy fiber into tough durable felt with a little soap, hot water and a lot of energy! Hands-on wet felt a soap bar or spin some yarn on a drop spindle.

HAWBE_CHAWBE-C Demo. Brendan Power and Alex Nunn of Seacoast Makers are working toward launching a weather balloon containing a video camera and custom devices. Their goal is to have it reach near-stratosphere altitude, then use APRS and GPS tracking technology to help retrieve it after the balloon bursts. Because this is still a work in progress, they will only be displaying the package that is going to be launched. They won’t be able to launch it at Maker Faire since it likely won’t be ready, plus there’s concern about a Dover launch being too close to the ocean which increases the risk of losing the package.

PaperCircuitPinPaper Circuit Pin Making by the Children’s Museum of NH.  Thanks to the generous donation of materials by SparkFun Electronics, museum educator Jenaya Paradis will offer a workshop to show how to create a circuit using copper tape instead of wire to light-up an LED and make a wearable piece of e-craft art!

MF13_Trebuchet01Trebuchet Demo by the Children’s Museum of NH. Do you know what a trebuchet is? Come help Children’s Museum of NH exhibits manager Mark Cuddy launch different sized balls using the medieval machine. How far will each ball go? Will a tennis ball launch further than a golf ball? Come find out!

QuadCopterWithGoProDrone Demonstrations by Roe Cole. Tinkerer and technology fan Roe Cole will be launching his GPS enabled quad-copter drone in Henry Law Park during Maker Faire. Using an attached GoPro camera, he will be taking aerial footage of the Faire at scheduled times during the day. He will be available to talk to visitors and show footage from aerial flights at his outdoor race car booth throughout the day.

RoeColePorscheAfterModified Porsche Race Car by Roe Cole.  Look under the hood, go through the window into the driver’s seat and learn all about how race car enthusiast and garage tinkerer Roe Cole has been modifying this 1980s era Porsche for the past 2 years to make it as “fast and furious” as possible given its small 4-cylinder engine.

UNHCompSciEPIC Bots UNH. Students from Department of Computer Science at the UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences will be at Maker Faire to talk about robot programming. Meet these aspiring engineers and see what they are doing with building and programming robots on the UNH campus.  

PhotoPreserversPreservation Station by the Photo Preservers.  The Photo Preservers are all about saving and organizing memories. At their Preservation Station booth, Maker Faire attendees will learn how to save a selfie, tame their “Jpeg Jungle” and honor their heritage in a lasting way. The organization will also be selling photo preservation starter kits.

CorkysRailwayBackyard Railroad by Corky MorkCome check out this kid-powered ride-on car that runs on rails made of PVC conduit. Kids will be able to take a ride on the car and use a hand-crank drive system to do a lap on the track. For small children, the car can also be propelled by grown-ups pushing it from behind.

ROBLOXROBLOX Makers.  ROBLOX is one of the most flexible free platforms on which to make multi-player video games. Learn from users how to quickly start building using the free ROBLOX integrated dev environment, multi-platform support, and a global cloud of servers. Discover all the possibilities of being fueled by ROBLOX.

R2D2R2 Builders Club. Paul Murphy, an active member of the R2 Builders Club, will bring his R2 to Dover Mini Maker Faire. Watch for him driving around, mingling with the crowd and explaining the different aspects of building a droid – both mechanical and electronic. Murphy designs and produces electronic lighting systems for the club, but has also made several physical parts for his own droid.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 12.08.12 PMPaper Airplane Launcher & LightBotThis year’s youngest maker, 7 -year-old Sean Violette, invites attendees to make their best paper airplane to blast off from his paper airplane launcher? How far can paper planes travel? Come and find out! Sean will also have  his LightBot on display featuring a motion sensor, LED lights, and glow-in-the-dark arms and head!

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 10.45.37 AMBeer-Making Process. Brewers at 7th Settlement, Dover’s first community supported brew pub, will lead tours through their brewery and teach the process of making beer from the history of beer, the growing and malting of grains, creating beer recipes, the brewing process, fermenting, conditioning and post production. They will also talk about their process of making root beer as well.

Kinnebotanicals_Dyn1Vertical Gardening by KinneBotanicalsUsing long-lasting and environmentally friendly materials, KinneBotanicals will show Maker Faire attendees how to grow plants on walls instead of the floor. Their method for growing edible and ornamental plants drastically reduces space requirements and adds an interesting aesthetic to any indoor or outdoor space.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.05.40 AMBuild Your Own QuadcopterEver wondered if you could build and fly your own drone? Dan Norris, author of “Build Your Own Quadcopter,” will demonstrate how to build a quadcopter from a kit. A completed quadcopter will be on static display for visitors to examine. Norris will also offer a Raspberry Pi demonstration based on his popular book, “Raspberry Pi Projects for the Evil Genius.” He will show some of the features of the world’s most inexpensive, yet full functional computer, with more than 3 million sold worldwide.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.10.32 AMFuture Tech Women. This organization’s goal is to empower the next generation of women technologists. They offer mentorships, monthly hangouts for women in tech, and other activities centered about getting an increased interest in STEM careers. Visit their booth to learn more about STEM careers and what FTW does, and try a hands-on tech activity presented by members of the organization.

Screen shot 2014-08-15 at 11.41.25 AMKite Arial Photography   Kite Arial Photography has been around since the 1880s and from the start has been used to capture amazing photos. Christopher Perry recently completed his rig, designing all the custom mechanical parts to be 3D printed and custom designed his own PCB and software. Come see the Rig and some of the pictures he has recently taken.

Screen shot 2014-08-15 at 11.47.59 AMNH Destination Imagination – SMASHING! Help save the poor Grapes from their juicy fate!  Use your creativity to protect the  defenseless Grapes from the evil Grape Crushing/Destructo Machine created by the NHDI team!  Destination Imagination is a 21st century learning program that encourages students from kindergarten through college to have fun, take risks, focus, frame, and solve challenges. This program incorporates STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) as well as service learning. Participants build on multiple strengths and modalities while learning patience, ethics, respect for others and their ideas, project management, teamwork, and prototyping. Teams showcase their solutions at a tournament.

Screen shot 2014-08-15 at 11.55.26 AMReVision Energy  Stop by their booth for a refreshing cool down with a solar powered misting system, brought to you by ReVision’s solar-charged Nissan Leaf, which will also be open for tours. ReVision Energy is Northern New England’s leading installer of solar electric and solar hot water systems for homes, businesses, schools and nonprofits. With service to Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, having recently been rated #24 by Solar Power World’s 2014 Top Solar Contractors!

Screen shot 2014-08-15 at 11.56.35 AMScreenprinting with Brainstorm   Learn the techniques of screenprinting a poster by hand and then take part in the process and print your very own Maker Faire Dover poster to take home as a souvenir! Poster designed in collaboration between Brainstorm and the Childrens Museum of NH and is available exclusively at Maker Faire!

Woodman_New_LogoWoodman Museum  Come visit the Woodman Institute booth to check out a hands-on exhibit of 19th century tools and handmade items. Can you guess what these tools are for? How were these items made, so long ago?

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.33.12 AMUsborne Books & More. Consultant Amy York will be on site with quality educational children’s books which include science, art activities, experiment kits and education on many areas of arts and science. She will be offering a paper airplane-making activity for young Maker Faire attendees.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.38.18 AMLetGo Your Mind. Dover Mini Maker Faire attendees are invited to join leaders from Letgo Your Mind to build LEGO gravity cars and create LEGO art design using gears and a motor.  This organization’s mission is to  pro­vide high quality, innovative and chal­leng­ing pro­grams that encour­age cre­ativ­ity and higher-level think­ing skills while fos­ter­ing self-confidence in a fun and safe environment.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.57.37 AMUNH LunaCatsThis team of UNH engineering students is devoted to designing and building a robotic excavator that mines lunar soil for a NASA-sponsored competition. Team members will be on hand to demonstrate their Lunabot robot and share information about their work process and recent competition in Hawaii.

MF13_3Dprintergirl3-D Printed Maker Coins. Meet 10-year-old returning maker Lauren Violette and make a fun maker crab coin or pin using her 3-D printer. She will also have a fun DIY project that attendees can create with just a few materials.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 12.18.40 PMRecycling – The Story of Your NorthFace Jacket. Learn about Coca Cola of Northern New England’s recycling and sustainability efforts and how they to the jacket you might be wearing. The PET (polyethylene terephthalate) collected by CCNNE is baled into 600-700 pound bales and sold to companies who reclaim the PET. The PET bales are broken apart, color sorted, chopped into small flakes and washed, then the PET material is resold to companies that make textiles, automotive parts, carpeting and other goods.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 12.10.48 PMDHS Shockwave Robotics. The Shockwave Robotics Team from Dover High School will be onsite with its FRC Robot. This tethered and wifi-operated robot can retrieve and throw a two- foot diameter exercise ball.

AirRockeWorksAir Rocket Glider & Compressed Air Rocket Launcher v2.0   This is the Air Rocket Glider (ARG), featured in MAKE issue #39. With its wings folded back, it launches on a blast of compressed air, on our new v2.0 Compressed Air Rocket launcher (CAR v2.0). When the ARG reaches apogee, the wings pop out for a gentle glide back to the ground. Several ARG’s will be on-site for demonstration purposes, and may be selling both ARG and CAR v2.0 kits.

BerwickInnovationCenterBerwick Innovation Center   The Berwick Innovation Center (BIC) is an organic and evolving program that reaches far beyond the physical Berwick Academy campus. BIC offers students a way to articulate an intellectual passion, serves as a strong addition to the college application, and allows students to follow their interests and engage themselves in creative and imaginative projects. The Berwick Innovation Center seeks to be nationally known as a leader in 21st century education and is, in part, financially supported through a generous grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation along with other dedicated endowed funds.

VellemanK8200PrinterVelleman USA Introduction to Electronics and 3D Printing   Velleman is a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of commercial and consumer electronics. They will be showcasing the K8200 3D Printer, a line of Arduino Shields as well as solar and educational kits. They will be running a demonstration of the K8200 in action.

NHPTVKidsNH Public Television Kids   As a returning participant and media sponsor, NHPTV Kids will be back with information about all their great kids programs and services, as well as an interactive creative activity for younger Maker Faire visitors.

DarkhillCemetaryDarkhill Cemetery Haunted House   14 year-old George Farrow’s passion for the past six years has been creating the Darkhill Cemetery Haunted House. This small attraction held in his parents’ garage every year focuses on using high-quality detailed sets/scenics as well as computer controlled animatronics and spectacular sound and lighting to scare you, rather than cheap scare tactics like blood and gore. All elements of this attraction are designed and implemented by George himself. Some methods used to make this event come alive are foam carving/sculpting, carpentry, lighting/sound design, animatronic mechanism design, painting, casting, molding, and much more!

PortCityMakerspace_BikeWeldPort City Makerspace   A second-year participant, Port City Makerspace will bring some projects that members have been working on as well as an ongoing Large Bed 3D printer build. They also plan to have a tent to showcase outdoor projects like blacksmithing, bikes, and other larger projects.

NorthernSelfRelianceBiomass Gasification – Running Engines on Wood   Northern Self Reliance is a small Maine company that builds biomass gasifier systems. These machines convert wood chips and pellets into syngas, a fuel gas capable of running engines in tractors, generators, and vehicles.

 

AppleIReproduction Retro Computers   Check out reproductions of Apple 1 and the SCELBI 8H computers. The Apple 1 is the first product of Apple. The SCELBI is the first personal computer, released in 1974, a full 2 years before the Apple 1. There were around 200 of each system originally built. There are around 70 original Apple 1’s remaining. Original SCELBI computers are even scarcer, as there areonly about a dozen original SCELBI’s known to exist. Both will running vintage computer software games from the 1970s. Users will be able to operate both computers.

MF13_MacaroniKidMake a Macaroni Bracelet  Erika Veduccio of Macaroni Kid of NH Seacoast is returning to Dover Mini Maker Faire for a second year. She will be sharing information with parents about her e-newsletter packed with family event information, and kids can make bracelets at her station using colored macaroni.

MozillaOpenBadgesMozilla Open Badges with Zigraphix   Learn how to earn, issue, and display Mozilla Open Badges – an open way to recognize and share achievements. Create a Mozilla Badges Backpack and earn a “Badge Basics” Badge while attending this demonstration. Be part of a community discussion about digital badges and help chart the future of micro-credentialing in the Maker community!

FusionForFunFusion for Fun and No Profit   Wow – Aidan Cookson made a fusion reactor in his basement! It’s a Farnsworth-Hirsch fusor which uses inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) to fuse deuterons, very inefficiently. Meet Aidan and learn about his adventures with fusion technology!

RoseannMeservePaintingWatercolor Painting   Work with artist Roseann Meserve of Dover to create a 5 x 7 watercolor painting to take home! The artist will provide the supplies and step-by-step instruction.

TinkersRefugeTinker’s Refuge  Tinker’s Refuge is a website/blog following our family’s attempt to lose the mortgage by building our own house [at this point, we are still getting the old one ready to sell]. The website will have an emphasis on families and in interesting women and children in building. Our exhibit will include his vs. hers tools; a reading area for kids with picture books about building, making, and houses; a play area with construction toys for kids; printouts and models of floor plans we have designed; instructions and examples for building related projects to do with kids; resources in the form of books and websites.”

MF13_GhostBusters

Baystate Ghostbusters  That’s right, the local Ghostbusters will be back at Dover Mini Maker Faire! The Ghostbusters will not have a table at the Faire but you will find them all over town. They will be looking for spooks, goblins, ghosts and ghouls. They’ll test your psychic powers and may even have a treat for you. Be sure to ask about and collect their personalized trading cards!

TDB Monsters (no link available)  TDB Monsters is focused around making creatures and characters out of discarded items and junk laying around. They create all sorts of other items, from a slithering bicycle, to jewelry made from almost nothing. Recycling objects is a major factor in what they do.

MF13_StoryTellerInClassroomHow to Tell a Story from the Coyote’s Inkwell  Story-teller Michael Lang will lead a workshop, explaining four steps to telling stories in front of any audience. Using anecdotes from his own experiences, examples of technique, and group discussion, he will guide participants through the process of Enjoy, Share, Do, and Receive. Michael will also perform a selection of stories, and invite participants to join him in an interactive story experience.

MF13_TOOOL01

The Open Organisation of Lockpickers  TOOOL PWM will be back at Dover Mini Maker Faire for a second year to teach people to pick locks as well as understand the mechanics behind the process.

Claytransformed_MarisaVitolo

Claytransformed  Artist Marissa Vitolo will work with participants to paint their own ornaments for a nominal fee of $3 each. Acrylic paint, which is permanent, will be used. Once dry (while the participants are enjoying the rest of the show), they will use hemp to tie on a string for hanging purposes.

EPLISComic

EPLIS Comics  EPLIS Comics is an all ages sci-fi action adventure comic book series. Creators Emily & Jeremy Drouin will have a vendor table for comics, and they will present two workshops: learn to draw cartoon characters, and how to create your own comics.

501st501st New England Garrison  The 501st is a world-wide Star Wars costuming club. They fabricate their own movie-quality costumes, using a variety of cool techniques: resin casting, vacuum forming, machining, 3d printing, etc. They hope to have a Dover Mini Maker Faire booth that will demonstrate how the costumes are made using a variety of these specialized methods.

NewHeightsStiltTroupe

New Heights Stilt Troupe  New Heights Stilt Troupe is an ever-evolving group of middle school age youth from the Seacoast area. Their stilts are hand made from pine 2×4’s and their costumes are student-designed and made. You may have seen them in the annual Portsmouth Halloween Parade or Kittery Block Party. They have performed at The Music Hall, Rochester Opera House and many non-profit fundraising galas.

Yarnforms

Yarnforms  Artist Holly started YarnForms in mid 2013 when she took up crochet and realized how much she loved this art form and creative process. She will be demonstrating her crocheted arts and crafts which include colorful jewelry and clothing.

Group Projects from Makers in Manchester  This group will offer interactive displays of projects made by members of Makers in Manchester, including engineering, crafts and science.

Meet Our First 36 Makers for 2014!

Dover Mini Maker Faire is pleased to present the first 36 makers approved for the 2014 event happening on August 23rd in Dover, NH! Stay tuned for even more updates soon … we expect to top 50 makers this year.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 12.08.12 PMPaper Airplane Launcher & LightBotThis year’s youngest maker, 7 -year-old Sean Violette, invites attendees to make their best paper airplane to blast off from his paper airplane launcher? How far can paper planes travel? Come and find out! Sean will also have  his LightBot on display featuring a motion sensor, LED lights, and glow-in-the-dark arms and head!

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 10.45.37 AMBeer-Making Process. Brewers at 7th Settlement, Dover’s first community supported brew pub, will lead tours through their brewery and teach the process of making beer from the history of beer, the growing and malting of grains, creating beer recipes, the brewing process, fermenting, conditioning and post production. They will also talk about their process of making root beer as well.

Kinnebotanicals_Dyn1Vertical Gardening by KinneBotanicalsUsing long-lasting and environmentally friendly materials, KinneBotanicals will show Maker Faire attendees how to grow plants on walls instead of the floor. Their method for growing edible and ornamental plants drastically reduces space requirements and adds an interesting aesthetic to any indoor or outdoor space.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.05.40 AMBuild Your Own QuadcopterEver wondered if you could build and fly your own drone? Dan Norris, author of “Build Your Own Quadcopter,” will demonstrate how to build a quadcopter from a kit. A completed quadcopter will be on static display for visitors to examine. Norris will also offer a Raspberry Pi demonstration based on his popular book, “Raspberry Pi Projects for the Evil Genius.” He will show some of the features of the world’s most inexpensive, yet full functional computer, with more than 3 million sold worldwide.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.10.32 AMFuture Tech Women. This organization’s goal is to empower the next generation of women technologists. They offer mentorships, monthly hangouts for women in tech, and other activities centered about getting an increased interest in STEM careers. Visit their booth to learn more about STEM careers and what FTW does, and try a hands-on tech activity presented by members of the organization.

MakerFaire2014_PriscillaNickersonPorcelain Dollmaking. Priscilla Keene Nickerson, Doll Artisan Guild Grandmaster of Dollmaking, will demonstrate the casting and cleaning of greenware (unfired porcelain pieces) and china painting of porcelain heads, hands and feet. There will be pieces available for Maker Faire attendees to try these techniques as well. Nickerson teaches beginner to advanced classes at Mystical Merriment Doll Studio in Durham, NH.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.33.12 AMUsborne Books & More. Consultant Amy York will be on site with quality educational children’s books which include science, art activities, experiment kits and education on many areas of arts and science. She will be offering a paper airplane-making activity for young Maker Faire attendees.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.38.18 AMLetGo Your Mind. Dover Mini Maker Faire attendees are invited to join leaders from Letgo Your Mind to build LEGO gravity cars and create LEGO art design using gears and a motor.  This organization’s mission is to  pro­vide high quality, innovative and chal­leng­ing pro­grams that encour­age cre­ativ­ity and higher-level think­ing skills while fos­ter­ing self-confidence in a fun and safe environment.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 11.57.37 AMUNH LunaCatsThis team of UNH engineering students is devoted to designing and building a robotic excavator that mines lunar soil for a NASA-sponsored competition. Team members will be on hand to demonstrate their Lunabot robot and share information about their work process and recent competition in Hawaii.

MF13_3Dprintergirl3-D Printed Maker Coins. Meet 10-year-old returning maker Lauren Violette and make a fun maker crab coin or pin using her 3-D printer. She will also have a fun DIY project that attendees can create with just a few materials.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 12.18.40 PMRecycling – The Story of Your NorthFace Jacket. Learn about Coca Cola of Northern New England’s recycling and sustainability efforts and how they to the jacket you might be wearing. The PET (polyethylene terephthalate) collected by CCNNE is baled into 600-700 pound bales and sold to companies who reclaim the PET. The PET bales are broken apart, color sorted, chopped into small flakes and washed, then the PET material is resold to companies that make textiles, automotive parts, carpeting and other goods.

Screen shot 2014-07-29 at 12.10.48 PMDHS Shockwave Robotics. The Shockwave Robotics Team from Dover High School will be onsite with its FRC Robot. This tethered and wifi-operated robot can retrieve and throw a two- foot diameter exercise ball.

AirRockeWorksAir Rocket Glider & Compressed Air Rocket Launcher v2.0   This is the Air Rocket Glider (ARG), featured in MAKE issue #39. With its wings folded back, it launches on a blast of compressed air, on our new v2.0 Compressed Air Rocket launcher (CAR v2.0). When the ARG reaches apogee, the wings pop out for a gentle glide back to the ground. Several ARG’s will be on-site for demonstration purposes, and may be selling both ARG and CAR v2.0 kits.

BerwickInnovationCenterBerwick Innovation Center   The Berwick Innovation Center (BIC) is an organic and evolving program that reaches far beyond the physical Berwick Academy campus. BIC offers students a way to articulate an intellectual passion, serves as a strong addition to the college application, and allows students to follow their interests and engage themselves in creative and imaginative projects. The Berwick Innovation Center seeks to be nationally known as a leader in 21st century education and is, in part, financially supported through a generous grant from the Edward E. Ford Foundation along with other dedicated endowed funds.

VellemanK8200PrinterVelleman USA Introduction to Electronics and 3D Printing   Velleman is a manufacturer and wholesale distributor of commercial and consumer electronics. They will be showcasing the K8200 3D Printer, a line of Arduino Shields as well as solar and educational kits. They will be running a demonstration of the K8200 in action.

NHPTVKidsNH Public Television Kids   As a returning participant and media sponsor, NHPTV Kids will be back with information about all their great kids programs and services, as well as an interactive creative activity for younger Maker Faire visitors.

DarkhillCemetaryDarkhill Cemetery Haunted House   14 year-old George Farrow’s passion for the past six years has been creating the Darkhill Cemetery Haunted House. This small attraction held in his parents’ garage every year focuses on using high-quality detailed sets/scenics as well as computer controlled animatronics and spectacular sound and lighting to scare you, rather than cheap scare tactics like blood and gore. All elements of this attraction are designed and implemented by George himself. Some methods used to make this event come alive are foam carving/sculpting, carpentry, lighting/sound design, animatronic mechanism design, painting, casting, molding, and much more!

PortCityMakerspace_BikeWeldPort City Makerspace   A second-year participant, Port City Makerspace will bring some projects that members have been working on as well as an ongoing Large Bed 3D printer build. They also plan to have a tent to showcase outdoor projects like blacksmithing, bikes, and other larger projects.

NorthernSelfRelianceBiomass Gasification – Running Engines on Wood   Northern Self Reliance is a small Maine company that builds biomass gasifier systems. These machines convert wood chips and pellets into syngas, a fuel gas capable of running engines in tractors, generators, and vehicles.

 

SeedBombSeedbomb Workshop   Join Marcie Cuff for this hands-on project based on her book, This Book Was a Tree. Come make a SEEDBOMB — a handmade
explosive mix of recycled paper and native seeds. Later on, “bomb” it grenade-style into barren spots in your yard or neighborhood. The seedbomb will germinate and add splashes of vibrant color to once-neglected places.

AppleIReproduction Retro Computers   Check out reproductions of Apple 1 and the SCELBI 8H computers. The Apple 1 is the first product of Apple. The SCELBI is the first personal computer, released in 1974, a full 2 years before the Apple 1. There were around 200 of each system originally built. There are around 70 original Apple 1’s remaining. Original SCELBI computers are even scarcer, as there areonly about a dozen original SCELBI’s known to exist. Both will running vintage computer software games from the 1970s. Users will be able to operate both computers.
MozillaOpenBadgesMozilla Open Badges with Zigraphix   Learn how to earn, issue, and display Mozilla Open Badges – an open way to recognize and share achievements. Create a Mozilla Badges Backpack and earn a “Badge Basics” Badge while attending this demonstration. Be part of a community discussion about digital badges and help chart the future of micro-credentialing in the Maker community!

FusionForFunFusion for Fun and No Profit   Wow – Aidan Cookson made a fusion reactor in his basement! It’s a Farnsworth-Hirsch fusor which uses inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) to fuse deuterons, very inefficiently. Meet Aidan and learn about his adventures with fusion technology!

RoseannMeservePaintingWatercolor Painting   Work with artist Roseann Meserve of Dover to create a 5 x 7 watercolor painting to take home! The artist will provide the supplies and step-by-step instruction.

 

BYO Guitar KitBYO Guitar  Build Your Own Guitar is a company based in Amherst, NH that sells and creates electric guitar kits.BYOGuitar offers customers a wide variety of electric guitar kits as well as the freedom to create a custom design, just for them! BYOGuitar sells an unparalleled experience to the guitar lover: not only do they get to play music on an instrument, they get to build their work and showcase it while playing!

TinkersRefugeTinker’s Refuge  Tinker’s Refuge is a website/blog following our family’s attempt to lose the mortgage by building our own house [at this point, we are still getting the old one ready to sell]. The website will have an emphasis on families and in interesting women and children in building. Our exhibit will include his vs. hers tools; a reading area for kids with picture books about building, making, and houses; a play area with construction toys for kids; printouts and models of floor plans we have designed; instructions and examples for building related projects to do with kids; resources in the form of books and websites.”

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Baystate Ghostbusters  That’s right, the local Ghostbusters will be back at Dover Mini Maker Faire! The Ghostbusters will not have a table at the Faire but you will find them all over town. They will be looking for spooks, goblins, ghosts and ghouls. They’ll test your psychic powers and may even have a treat for you. Be sure to ask about and collect their personalized trading cards!

TDB Monters (no link available)  TDB Monsters is focused around making creatures and characters out of discarded items and junk laying around. They create all sorts of other items, from a slithering bicycle, to jewelry made from almost nothing. Recycling objects is a major factor in what they do.

MF13_StoryTellerInClassroomHow to Tell a Story from the Coyote’s Inkwell  Story-teller Michael Lang will lead a workshop, explaining four steps to telling stories in front of any audience. Using anecdotes from his own experiences, examples of technique, and group discussion, he will guide participants through the process of EnjoyShareDo, and Receive. Michael will also perform a selection of stories, and invite participants to join him in an interactive story experience.

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The Open Organisation of Lockpickers  TOOOL PWM will be back at Dover Mini Maker Faire for a second year to teach people to pick locks as well as understand the mechanics behind the process.

Claytransformed_MarisaVitolo

Claytransformed  Artist Marissa Vitolo will work with participants to paint their own ornaments for a nominal fee of $3 each. Acrylic paint, which is permanent, will be used. Once dry (while the participants are enjoying the rest of the show), they will use hemp to tie on a string for hanging purposes.

EPLISComic

EPLIS Comics  EPLIS Comics is an all ages sci-fi action adventure comic book series. Creators Emily & Jeremy Drouin will have a vendor table for comics, and they will present two workshops: learn to draw cartoon characters, and how to create your own comics.

501st501st New England Garrison  The 501st is a world-wide Star Wars costuming club. They fabricate their own movie-quality costumes, using a variety of cool techniques: resin casting, vacuum forming, machining, 3d printing, etc. They hope to have a Dover Mini Maker Faire booth that will demonstrate how the costumes are made using a variety of these specialized methods.

NewHeightsStiltTroupe

New Heights Stilt Troupe  New Heights Stilt Troupe is an ever-evolving group of middle school age youth from the Seacoast area. Their stilts are hand made from pine 2×4’s and their costumes are student-designed and made. You may have seen them in the annual Portsmouth Halloween Parade or Kittery Block Party. They have performed at The Music Hall, Rochester Opera House and many non-profit fundraising galas.

Yarnforms

Yarnforms  Artist Holly started YarnForms in mid 2013 when she took up crochet and realized how much she loved this art form and creative process. She will be demonstrating her crocheted arts and crafts which include colorful jewelry and clothing.

Group Projects from Makers in Manchester (no link available)  This groups will offer interactive displays of projects made by members of Makers in Manchester, including engineering, crafts and science.

Early-Bird Tickets Now On Sale!

Tickets for the 2014 Dover Mini Maker Faire are now on sale at early-bird pricing. You can purchase tickets now through August 1 for just $8 per person, and children ages 5 and under are admitted free. Please visit our Ticket Sales site to buy your tickets now.

We have already heard from many of last year’s makers who are planning to return, and we are in talks with new makers throughout New England who are considering how they might participate.

Here are a few of the highlights from last year:

3-D printing demo!

3-D printing demos!

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Trebuchet launches!

Underwater robotic vehicles!

Underwater robotic vehicles!

Science shows!

Science shows!

Blacksmithing!

Blacksmithing!

Bike part art!

Bike part art!

Iron pour!

Iron pour!

 

2014 Call to Makers is now open

It’s that time again … makers of all kinds are invited to apply to be part of the Dover Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, August 23, 2014. Whether you want to demonstrate what you do, sell what you make, share your story as a speaker, or otherwise be part of the fun, please sign up between now and July 30.

The process is simple: just fill out our Call To Makers form online. The application is a straight-up Google form where you can tell us more about what you do and how you think you’d like to be involved.

2014 Call to Makers screen cap

Your application will be submitted right to this year’s Programming Committee. Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis so you should hear back from the committee within a month of submission.

Whether you program underwater radio-controlled robots, make life-size super-hero puppets or create dazzling duct-tape fashions, we want to hear from you! We surpassed expectations last year with more than 50 makers participating, and we want this year’s event to be even bigger and better.