• 10/28/2018 12:30 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On Saturday, Oct. 27, four Loudoun County fathers and their children completed a Creepy Bot workshop at Makersmiths-Purcellville. The purpose of the workshop was to review the Virginia's Standards of Learning (SOLs) on Force, Motion and Energy (specifically the Simple and Compound Machines Curriculum) as the participants assembled the Creepy Bot's parts (levers, wheels and axles, screws) to make a compound machine (the Creepy Bot). The Creepy Bot kit parts were made by Makersmiths' instructor, Ralph Pugh. Ralph downloaded the plans for the Creepy Bot from Clayton Boyer's Web site, modified them to make it easy to assemble for children working with a parent, then used the Makersmiths laser cutter to cut out the pieces. At the end of the workshop, children held Creepy Bot races! Our next family-oriented workshop is Nov. 8 from 5-6:30 PM at Makersmiths-Purcellville when participants will make soaps the whole family will enjoy! To register, go to https://makersmiths.org/event-3098468

  • 09/17/2018 1:38 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    There are a number of fun activities coming up for families, especially for children. Here are a few examples: Saturday, September 29, we will be having soap-making the whole family will enjoy (register at https://makersmiths.org/event-3038283?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=9/17/2018). Boo at the Zoo at Wilson's Wild Animal Park will be on Saturday, Oct. 13, featuring Halloween activities and rides on our MS barrel train (https://makersmiths.org/event-3072629?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=10/17/2018). The Farm Tour stop at Southern States on Oct. 20-21 in Purcellville will also feature rides on our barrel train as well as a pumpkin-decorating station. On Saturday, Nov. 3, we will have Wind Energy workshops at both our MS locations (in the morning at MS-Leesburg- registration is at https://makersmiths.org/event-3034446?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=11/17/2018) and in the afternoon at our MS-Purcellville location (register at https://makersmiths.org/event-3034519?CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=11/17/2018). 

  • 09/02/2018 7:05 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On Sept. 2-3, 2018 Makersmiths partnered with Habitat for Humanity to help Loudoun County youth learn woodworking skills. The youth learned to build flower boxes for houses being built by Habitat for Humanity. Purcellville's Mayor Kwasi Fraser and his family stopped by to see this collaborative initiative in action at the Purcellville location. The event was repeated at the Makersmiths Leesburg location on Labor Day. Thank you to Makersmiths' Brad Hess for coordinating this partnership. We hope to have more collaborative events at Makersmiths locations in the future with Habitat for Humanity. 

  • 06/27/2018 3:57 PM | Anonymous member

    There's a corner in my ladyfriend's house that is the "magic spot" for plants. It's got just the right temperature and just the right amount of sunlight for a lot of different plants.

    We had a little cart there, but with so many plants doing so well there, we were running out of space quickly. I thought a ladder shelf would be perfect. I looked around and they were as high as $150!!! https://images.crateandbarrel.com/is/image/Crate/Sawyer24p5BookcaseMochaSHS15_16x9/?$web_zoom_furn_hero$&160105131027&wid=1008&hei=567

    I decided that I could build one for far less.

    I was initially thinking that I'd use oak because I love its warm look, but after pricing it out, I decided that stained pine would do very nicely.

    I used 12" and 6" wide boards for the shelves, and 2x2" for the sides. After looking at a number of plans, I found that 10 degrees was about the right lean angle, so I used the chop saw and table saw to make the cuts.

    I didn't use a plan, specifically, but looked at a lot of different ones. After getting it all together, I thought it was a bit too wobbly (side to side) so I ended up adding some bracing that stiffened it up nicely.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/iMtoQDegS93vtCqM8 (before staining and the addition of bracing)

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/PBWa6kA7SXnA4u5u7

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/TbajZ2vGF3aydpNE7


  • 06/20/2018 5:48 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    This week Makersmiths was represented at two educational outreach events. The first was Inspire Loudoun, a full-day conference for teachers at Riverside High School (a Loudoun County Public School). Member Erin W and her daughter entered the hard fought Battle of the Bots competition competing with their "bots" against two teachers. Even though our two Makersmiths contestants lost the battle, they had fun learning to guide their robotic balls under their custom-made cup bots around the gym floor trying to bust opponents' balloons secured to their bots. Diane P. manned the Makersmiths' exhibit table and handed out over 100 brochures and summer events & classes calendars to teachers and administrators who came to the table to see laser cut, 3D printed and wood-turned items that our Makersmiths members had made. The best "draw" to the table was Mike W's Photo Booth. Administrators loved the idea of having families take pictures during back-to-school, PTA and other school events and have the photos sent to them and the school that shows attendance at school events. Here is Josh A (Makersmiths member and educator for LCPS) using the Photo booth.

    The second outreach event was LearnerPalooza 2018 held at Lord Fairfax Community College in Frederick, VA. Diane P represented Makersmiths and had the opportunity to meet with the executive director of VSTE.org (Karen Richardson) and Remy Pangle from James Madison University's Virginia Wind Center to talk about how Makersmiths can sponsor middle school and high school student teams for the Virginia KidWind Challenge hosted by Shenandoah University in March 2019.  Learn more about this event at https://virginiakwc.wixsite.com/kwcva.  If interested in having your children (grades 4-12) involved, please contact diane.painter@makersmiths.org.

  • 06/03/2018 11:28 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On June 2, 2018, Makersmiths held a grand opening at its Purcellville location 785 S. 20th Street, Purcellville, VA. A very special THANK YOU to the Purcellville Town Council, merchants, donors and many volunteers who made this Grand Opening possible. Throughout the day Makersmiths members displayed projects that they created and held mini-"I Made This!" presentations. Visitors from the community, Purcellville Town Council members, and business folks interacted with Makersmiths members, networking and sharing ideas for future Makersmiths initiatives. A few of the day's highlights, including the mayor's ribbon-cutting statements, are presented in this slideshow!

  • 05/21/2018 9:20 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    On May 21, the first class at Makersmiths-Purcellville was a huge success. Participants used woodshop tools to create corn hole games. Hosted by Tom Hill and Jon White, the class consisted of men, women and teens who became acquainted with the space's woodshop area and made their own popular backyard party corn hole games that some say were invented by the Native Americans in Illinois- or maybe by a German cabinet maker- or by a pioneer in Kentucky...? Doesn't matter, it is fun to play!

  • 05/04/2018 2:50 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Makersmiths, Inc. participated in Loudoun County Public Schools first Maker Showcase held at Brambleton MS on May 3, 2018. In this video, we captured amazing student projects created by a robot team, Girls in Gear after-school club, and maker spaces in schools that tie 3D printing into curricula initiatives. In addition, children and parents collaborated in building a Geo dome in the gym! Note in the movie our member Ralph Pugh's "creepy" bot that he created using a laser cutter! Makersmiths raffled free classes for teachers and administrators at this event. We hope the raffle winners will be encouraged to learn maker skills that they can use in maker spaces in their schools as well as at Makersmiths! We hope this will be an annual event.

  • 04/20/2018 8:16 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    We are all set for participating in the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival April 21-22 from 9am-6pm on Saturday and 9am-5pm on Sunday. Please stop by our booth in the non-profit section of the festival on Church Street by the post office and learn more about Makersmiths. Then come see us in our "garden shop" in the Makersmiths-Leesburg location at 106 Royal Street, SW. We will be offering items made by members in exchange for donations that will support our Makersmiths-Purcellville location build out.  See our table of items. Then visit our garden shop website to learn about the specific items. 


  • 04/20/2018 1:02 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Makersmiths-Purcellville held its first Brag Night with six members sharing things they created. Dave displayed a wooden box he constructed that stores a diamond angle and radius dresser used for used for putting precise radius radii or angles on to grinding wheels. Todd explained how he uses Raspberry pi (a computer on a board) to create games. He also showed us a cell phone module he invented that allows him to take and display photos, check his Twitter account and send and receive text messages. It even has a cell tower finder. Michael is experimenting with using a 3D printer to create an armor glove. Diane and Dave shared how they used a 3D printer and a silicone mold kit to create the mold for making Makersmiths soaps. Jon shared a computer game he created. During this event, eight people dropped by the space for a tour. To see photos from the event, click on Brag Night Slideshow. Makersmiths-Purcellville plans to have this "brag night" a once a month event. Contact Tom Hill if interested in participating!


     


Come see us


Makersmiths Leesburg: 106 Royal St SW, Leesburg, VA 20175
Makersmiths Purcellville: 785 S. 20th St, Purcellville, VA 20132
 


You can also watch Virtual Tours on our YouTube Channel!                                 

Join us


Normally the best way to get to know us better is to just come on by during one of our Open Houses:

  • Leesburg Open House: Thursdays 6-8pm
  • Purcellville Open House: Tuesdays 6-8pm

You can email info@makersmiths.org to request a tour if those days don't work for you. We're here to help get you making the best way we can!  

                                               

Makersmiths is a 501(c) non-profit organization.  106 Royal St SW, Leesburg, VA 20175

Makersmiths Anti-Discrimination Policy: Makersmiths does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

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