Core77

We had a blast at Portland's inaugural Mini Maker Faire at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Like the bigger events in Detroit, the Bay Area and the coming world Maker Faire in NY, the Mini Maker Faire hosts an eclectic mix of makers, diy'ers, crafters, engineers, designers and essentially anyone else with something to show and tell.

Portland, OR's maker community runs deep and strong so despite the "mini" status there was maximum maker satisfaction. There was the expected gamut of 3D and laser printers madly pumping out bits and bobs hither and thither, other highlights included Fractal Copper tables, The Handlebar (a human powered mobile bar), dorkbot's Bee Hive enthusiasts and a magnificent trebuchet that hurled pumpkins and watermelons every half hour.

Hand-Eye Supply was out in full force with our brand new mobile bike hand painted by the talented illustrator and hand letterist Mary Kate McDevitt. While the bike tooled around MMF, the Hand-Eye Supply Curiosity Club set up an informational table with some artifacts from some of our past speakers: Blacksmith Lyle Poulin, Perfume Maker and Artist Julia Barbee, Stainless Steel Birdcage Fabricator Joe Diemer, Telmark Skier and Designer Mark Tieszen and Illustrator and Letterpress firm KeeganMeegan & Co.

Special thanks to Julia Barbee and Lyle Poulin for hanging out with us at the Curiosity Club booth, the OMSI team and all the makers who came out to make a fabulous inaugural Portland Mini-Maker Faire. We can't wait for next year!

Will Lolcama spreads the word about the Curiosity Club.

Simran Gleason's fractal copper coffee table is based off the Hilbert space-filling curve.

Simran demonstrates his braising techniques.

Portland's Alter Egos Society develops their own superheros and costumes to raise money for homeless youth.

Lindsay Jo Holmes' MapleXO upcycles thrashed skateboard decks and transforms them in to elegant and individual jewelry pieces.

Learning about bees with Dorkbot.

Thomas Hudson of Dorkbot and inventor of this sweet Arduino bee counter representing Hand-Eye Supply.

The Handlebar uses the pedal power of eight passengers to cruise the streets of Portland.

Including the driver and pedalers, the Handlebar has room for 15 people.

Kurt Mottweiler displays his meticulously fabricated pinhole cameras.

Artifacts of Kurt Mottweiler's fabrication process.

OMSI's Maker Lab.

Draw circuits that play music with MaKey MaKey: An invention kit for everyone.

Fred DiMeglio of Man vs. Ink does a screen printing demo.

A D.I.Y. coffee roasting demo with Mr. Green Beans.

Rewild Portland seeks to provide environmental education through earth-based arts & crafts.

Sparking things off with Rewild Portland.

Steampunk Academy's Joshua Tannenbaum creates "fantastic artifacts from the future past"

And last but not least the Trebuchet...
The Hand-Eye Supply Curiosity Club booth was located fairly close to OMSI's 20' trebuchet, which to the delight of everyone launched pumpkins, watermelon and galon jugs of water skyward every half hour. As you can imagine, this never ceased to entertain us, and every time the countdown started we cranked our heads around to see what would take flight.

The trebuchet is being prepped, this little pumpkin is about to take flight.

And away it goes!

After each and every launch packs of enthusiastic children raced over to inspect the remains of the smashed ballistic.