A collaboration between the Exploratorium, MAKE Magazine, and Pixar Animation Studios, Open MAKE is a monthly program highlighting the tools, techniques, and ingenuity of local Makers. Visitors are invited to participate in tinkering and making activities inside the Tinkering Studio, where Makers from around the Bay Area will share their work. In addition, Dale Dougherty, founder and editor of MAKE Magazine, will interview Featured Makers in the McBean Theater.
This month’s theme was metal and wire. Our Featured Makers were interviewed in the McBean Theater between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., talking about their work and process, and taking questions from the audience.
- Tim Hunkin has set up shop inside the Tinkering Studio, and shared his humble beginnings.
- David Cole brought his amazing chain-making machine
- Jay Broemmel talked about mutant bicycles
- Sam DeRose and Alex Jacobson from the Young Makers program talked about learning how to build a fire-breathing dragon!
Makers from all over the Bay Area, as well as Tinkering Studio staff, shared activities with the public between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Tinker with circuits, motors, electromagnetism, and art making with two of our activities: Circuit Boards and Scribbling Machines- Michael Shiloh and Judy Castro hosted another workshop on Electromechanical Contraption Building
Run around in a bicycle-powered Ferris Wheel and a Carousel thanks to the brilliant folks at Cyclecide- We played with wire twisting and soldering to make figurines in the spirit of Alexander Calder’s Circus
- Experience Todd Williams‘s wonderful contraptions called Land Sharks
- Doug Conner brought and showcased his solar-powered stirling engines
The phenomenal scraper bikes team brought some of their creations and rode in and out of the museum.- Our own Eric Muller lied on a bed of nails and had a cement block smashed on his chest
And much more: real-life galimotos, make-your-own bent metal cookie cutters, a giant Erector City, Applied Kinetic Arts brought PoBot, and we made “human detectors”!
