NEWS — Classes, events, etc.

  • Aug 3 & 10 2024: Intro to CAD/CNC: Make an edge-lit LED sign at TOG, the Dublin Hackerspace. For more info: https://www.tog.ie/2024/06/cnc-workshop-make-an-edge-lit-led-sign/
  • November & December 2023: I have a variety of courses at the Belfast Tool Library on Electronics and CNC. Have a look: https://tech-workshops.cademy.co.uk/
  • September 2023: The Belfast Tool Library have settled into their new location and are now offering courses. I will be teaching “Beginner Soldering: Make your own component tester” on Sept 13 and 27. Limited to 6 learners per session. See my Cademy listing for more info and booking!
  • January 2023: Creative Spark in Dundalk has a new FabLab! I will soon resume my maker courses there. Email me to let me know which ones you would like me to teach!
  • December 2022: I present my latest maker project, a wireless controller (pendant) for my home-made CNC machine on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lYjtsSwlnhk. It uses the ESP-NOW wireless protocol and was featured on Hackaday. Here is the article.
  • November 2022: My Terrain Carving Tutorial was featured on Hackaday! Here is the blurb.
  • November 2022: I have been doing a lot of terrain carvings with my MPCNC. I wrote a detailed Instructables tutorial about how I do them, and made a YouTube video. Have a look!
  • April 2022: I presented my portable MPCNC at the Balbriggan Library’s Mini Maker Day.
  • November 2021: “Electronics & Soldering for Beginners” at Creative Spark. Every participant will get their own soldering tools and solder their own electronics testing kit! Email me to get on a list so I can let you know when workshops resume.
  • October 2021: I am teaching Computerised Woodworking for Beginners in CNC for three 4-hour Saturday sessions at Creative Spark in Dundalk, Ireland. This course is for beginners who want to get into modern woodworking. You will get all the instruction and hands-on experience needed to go from zero to designing and carving your own creation on my home-made Mostly-Printed CNC carver. Creative possibilities include signs, decorations, and useful 3D assemblies. Requirements: Open to 13 and older. Windows laptop+charger (or a Mac with a Windows virtual machine), and proof of vaccinations. Limited to six students. Sign up at Eventbrite: BOOK TICKETS
  • August 27, 2021: I was featured on the Make:Cast podcast, and interviewed by the Father of the Maker Movement, Dale Dougherty. Listen here.
  • July 20 and Aug 4, 2021: I taught “Arduino Basics for Adults” classes via Zoom for the Dun Laoghaire Library.
  • I made a video about my portable CNC machine! It is now ready to bring to makerspaces across Ireland for CNC classes and activities! If you would like a CNC workshop, get in touch!
  • June 19-20, 2021: I presented my new home-built portable Mostly-Printed CNC machine at this year’s Dublin Maker fair! Learn more at DublinMaker.ie
  • June 2, 2021: I was featured on the live STEAM stream of TOG the Dublin Hackerspace, previewing my MPCNC build. View this 15-minute tour of my CNC and a couple of things I have carved with it so far on YouTube here.
  • March 2020: Sorry, in-person workshops were cancelled due to the Covid19 pandemic. We will get back to them as soon as most people are vaccinated!
  • March 2020: Computerised Woodworking! My next Creative Spark workshops will be a 5-session evening course in CNC carving for beginners, starting Wednesday, March 11th, 2020. Book your spot now at Creative Spark’s website. Space is limited.
  • October 2020: The CNC workshop at Creative Spark in October went well…See photos here.
  • July 2019: Dublin Maker fair was a huge success, with ~10,000 visitors to this event on July 20, 2019. I brought my Handibot portable CNC machine and lots of examples of what you can do with CNC carving. I helped the kids design customised name signs and carve them out of wood or acrylic. We also used a Sharpie pen holder to do CNC drawing of their designs. Photos here.
  • August 2019: My CNC carving booth at the Dublin Maker fair was featured in a piece in the August newsletter of Shopbot Tools.
  • Summer 2019: Here is a Dublin Maker blog post about me and my Mobile CNC booth at the Dublin Maker fair at Merrion Square in Dublin, Ireland: http://www.dublinmaker.ie/mobile-cnc-carver-by-prof-steve-m-potter