make717, Inc. upcoming events

Equipment Orientation: Vaquform Vacuum forming machine (Wed, September 23, 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The Vaquform is a desktop vacuum forming machine designed to make the process of creating molds, packaging, and custom parts fast and accessible. Vacuum forming works by heating a sheet of thermoplastic until it becomes pliable, then using a vacuum to pull the softened sheet tightly over a mold, capturing its shape and details. The Vaquform automates much of this process with built-in heaters and a compact design that makes it easier to use than traditional industrial vacuum formers.

This orientation is a requirement prior to using the vacuum former.

To use the Vaquform, make717 has thermoplastic sheets for purchase (or you may use your own sheets of approved material). Material is limited to 0.2 to 3mm thickness. In addition, any molds must be able to withstand the heat and pressure of the forming process, meaning that materials like wood, plaster, resin, or 3D-printed parts are typically used.

Bring your molds for anything you would like to try to vacuumform and we will make it in the class! (<280 mm x 200 mm & <200mm tall)

Equipment Orientation: 3D Printers - Beginner (Thu, September 24, 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Learn to operate our 3D printers. The class covers safety, design issues, and operation of the hardware and software.

This is a required orientation for anyone who wants to use the 3D printers. You must be a monthly maker member with a door access pass or a social maker member and sign out the library STEMPass to take the class. Not a member? Visit the Get Started section of our website.

No walk-ins; registration is required. Class size is limited to 6 students. Every person in your party needs to complete a registration (spouse, child, etc). If you have any issues requiring accommodations, please let us know and we will do everything we can. Please email Jared@make717.org with any questions.

Woodworking Fundamentals (Sat, September 26, 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

In this session you will learn how to take rough milled lumber and turn it into flat, and square dimensioned lumber for use in your projects.

We will cover local sources of rough sawn lumber, how it is measured and priced. You will learn the safe use of the jointer, planer, band saw, and table saw* to mill wood to size for projects.

This class is for people who have limited experience in the woodshop who wish to know more, and for anyone who wants to know what "right looks like" for foundational woodworking skills.

*This is not a Sawstop orientation. To use the Sawstop on your own in the woodshop you will need to take the orientation.

Equipment Orientation: Carvey (Mon, September 28, 2026)

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Member orientation for the Carvey!

This machine features a 300W, 12,000 RPM spindle, a 8"x11.5"x 2.5" work area and is suitable for routing wood, wood products, a variety of plastics and other materials. It also features a cloud-based operator interface, Easel, where you can create your design and control the machine.

This class is the basic orientation for anyone who wants to use the Carvey, and we will be meeting in the new Woodshop room.

This class requires some homework to be accomplished before you can register.

To attend, you must:

Be a member in good standing or a STEMPass holder
Bring in (or purchase on arrival at make717) safety glasses since we will be in a safety glasses-required room
Complete the design phase at home. It should take less than 30 minutes to complete, but it could be longer if you wish to keep tweaking!
Complete the quiz that will give you the code needed to register below
Register for a class using the code emailed

Follow the instructions here: https://www.make717.org/Carvey/.

If you have already completed the design, you can obtain the registration code by completing this quiz. A passing grade will send the code to your email. Then you will need to click 'register' on the left and sign up with your code.

Walk-ins. are not accepted for this class. Class size is strictly limited due to time, distancing, and equipment availability.

This session will be taught by Clint Bouder.

Cars for Kids Build Day (Sat, October 03, 2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Come build Cars for Kids! We will use materials supplied by make717 to build simple cars to give to children for the holidays. We will use the bandsaw, router, sander and drill press to make these cars.

No experience is needed - volunteers will be available to help with any tools you're not familiar with.

Come on out and join other make717 members in this worthy effort!

Robotics Workshop (Tue, October 06, 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Overview

The Maker’s Pet robot is an affordable, hackable, and educational ROS2-powered ESP32/Arduino robot with Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) based SLAM and autonomous navigation capabilities—suitable for beginning and advanced DIY makers and robotics enthusiasts.

Building and operating the Maker’s Pet robot provides a hands-on introduction to modern robotics, spanning physical fabrication and electronics through advanced robotics software. You’ll start by completing the partially assembled 3D-printed chassis and installing the motors, sensors, microcontroller, and lidar. Along the way, you’ll gain a practical understanding of the robot’s mechanical and electrical systems—including wiring and power distribution—without needing to solder.

On the software side, the Maker’s Pet robot is built around the Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2), the industry-standard robotics middleware used extensively in both research and commercial applications. You’ll gain high-level practical experience with ROS 2 nodes, topics, services, and launch files, while using RViz to visualize the robot’s operation in real time. As the robot moves through its environment, you can watch its pose and state, mapping data, and live lidar scans update on screen.

A highlight of the workshop is learning to work with Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and the navigation stack using data from the onboard lidar. You’ll see how robots build maps, plan collision-free paths, and adapt to changing environments. Maker’s Pet makes these advanced topics approachable and hands-on.

You’ll also receive a brief introduction to the Gazebo simulation environment—useful for testing a robot’s behavior before deploying it to real hardware.

Based on feedback from previous workshops, and to streamline the experience for participants, all required software will be preinstalled on make717-owned computers. Windows 10 machines are pre configured and tested, allowing attendees to begin working immediately with no installation delays. Additionally, each robot’s ESP32 will come pre-flashed with the required firmware, eliminating one of the common setup pain points and allowing more time for hands-on learning and experimentation.

All robots used during the workshop will be make717-owned and partially pre-assembled. This approach ensures consistent hardware, avoids issues caused by attendees’ personal computer configurations, and allows participants to focus on meaningful activities such as driving the robot, viewing real-time sensor data, and understanding ROS 2 operation.

The workshop format consists of two sessions, each session lasting three hours in the evening or on a weekend. This structure keeps the experience focused, manageable, and accessible while still covering all core robotics topics.

Attendees who wish to continue robotics development at home may optionally purchase their own robot kit directly from the seller. For those considering this option, assistance will be available to install and test (using a make717 robot) all software on their personal computer before they commit to buying. If you buy your own kit, possible future enhancements include upgrading to Li-ion batteries, migrating to a full Linux-based environment, and incorporating additional ROS-based software.

Workshops will be limited to three attendees (a parent and child on a single robot count as one attendee). The first workshop is on the date indicated and the second workshop will have some scheduling flexibility the following week on a date acceptable to all attendees.

A short video of the robot in action can be found here.

Additional Technical Details

Maker’s Pet is a DIY educational robot built around Arduino, ESP32, and ROS 2. All parts, software, firmware, and CAD files are open source under the Apache-2.0 license.

Hardware

120 mm circular chassis
Dual N20 brushed DC motors
BDC-30P driver board with ESP32 DevKit v1
360° lidar for mapping & obstacle detection
Extensible platform for sensors and advanced software development
Six AA batteries, with optional 18650 Li-ion upgrade

Software & Autonomous Features

Full open-source stack: firmware, ROS 2 packages, PCB schematics, and 3D models
Docker-based PC deployment with ROS2/Kaia.ai
SLAM mapping, live sensor feeds, and autonomous navigation

Who Is It For?

Makers, students, and hobbyists of all experience levels
Suitable for adults and youth 12+

Questions may be directed to win@make717.org.

Planning Team Meeting (Mon, October 12, 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The Planning Team (Director level volunteers) will be utilizing the Conference Room for their monthly meeting.

Robotics Workshop (Tue, October 13, 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Overview

You’ll also receive a brief introduction to the Gazebo simulation environment—useful for testing a robot’s behavior before deploying it to real hardware.

A short video of the robot in action can be found here.

Additional Technical Details

Maker’s Pet is a DIY educational robot built around Arduino, ESP32, and ROS 2. All parts, software, firmware, and CAD files are open source under the Apache-2.0 license.

Hardware

120 mm circular chassis
Dual N20 brushed DC motors
BDC-30P driver board with ESP32 DevKit v1
360° lidar for mapping & obstacle detection
Extensible platform for sensors and advanced software development
Six AA batteries, with optional 18650 Li-ion upgrade

Software & Autonomous Features

Full open-source stack: firmware, ROS 2 packages, PCB schematics, and 3D models
Docker-based PC deployment with ROS2/Kaia.ai
SLAM mapping, live sensor feeds, and autonomous navigation

Who Is It For?

Makers, students, and hobbyists of all experience levels
Suitable for adults and youth 12+

Questions may be directed to win@make717.org.

Equipment Orientation: Vaquform Vacuum forming machine (Wed, October 14, 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

This orientation is a requirement prior to using the vacuum former.

Board of Directors Meeting (Mon, October 26, 2026)

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

The make717 board of directors will meet off site to review financials and plan for the future.

Equipment Orientation: Carvey (Mon, October 26, 2026)

Mon, 26 Oct 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Member orientation for the Carvey!

This class is the basic orientation for anyone who wants to use the Carvey, and we will be meeting in the new Woodshop room.

This class requires some homework to be accomplished before you can register.

To attend, you must:

Be a member in good standing or a STEMPass holder
Bring in (or purchase on arrival at make717) safety glasses since we will be in a safety glasses-required room
Complete the design phase at home. It should take less than 30 minutes to complete, but it could be longer if you wish to keep tweaking!
Complete the quiz that will give you the code needed to register below
Register for a class using the code emailed

Follow the instructions here: https://www.make717.org/Carvey/.

Walk-ins. are not accepted for this class. Class size is strictly limited due to time, distancing, and equipment availability.

This session will be taught by Clint Bouder.

Planning Team Meeting (Mon, November 09, 2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The Planning Team (Director level volunteers) will be utilizing the Conference Room for their monthly meeting.

Equipment Orientation: Carvey (Mon, November 23, 2026)

Mon, 23 Nov 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Member orientation for the Carvey!

This class is the basic orientation for anyone who wants to use the Carvey, and we will be meeting in the new Woodshop room.

This class requires some homework to be accomplished before you can register.

To attend, you must:

Be a member in good standing or a STEMPass holder
Bring in (or purchase on arrival at make717) safety glasses since we will be in a safety glasses-required room
Complete the design phase at home. It should take less than 30 minutes to complete, but it could be longer if you wish to keep tweaking!
Complete the quiz that will give you the code needed to register below
Register for a class using the code emailed

Follow the instructions here: https://www.make717.org/Carvey/.

Walk-ins. are not accepted for this class. Class size is strictly limited due to time, distancing, and equipment availability.

This session will be taught by Clint Bouder.

make717 Closed - Thanksgiving Day (Thu, November 26, 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 05:00:00 GMT

make717 is closed for the holiday.
No primetime access.
24/7 member access is not impacted.

Planning Team Meeting (Mon, December 14, 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The Planning Team (Director level volunteers) will be utilizing the Conference Room for their monthly meeting.

Equipment Orientation: Carvey (Mon, December 21, 2026)

Mon, 21 Dec 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Member orientation for the Carvey!

This class is the basic orientation for anyone who wants to use the Carvey, and we will be meeting in the new Woodshop room.

This class requires some homework to be accomplished before you can register.

To attend, you must:

Be a member in good standing or a STEMPass holder
Bring in (or purchase on arrival at make717) safety glasses since we will be in a safety glasses-required room
Complete the design phase at home. It should take less than 30 minutes to complete, but it could be longer if you wish to keep tweaking!
Complete the quiz that will give you the code needed to register below
Register for a class using the code emailed

Follow the instructions here: https://www.make717.org/Carvey/.

Walk-ins. are not accepted for this class. Class size is strictly limited due to time, distancing, and equipment availability.

This session will be taught by Clint Bouder.

make717 Closed - Christmas Eve (Thu, December 24, 2026)

Thu, 24 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

make717 is closed for the holiday.
No primetime access.
24/7 member access is not impacted.

make717 Closed - Christmas Day (Fri, December 25, 2026)

Fri, 25 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

make717 is closed for the holiday.
No primetime access.
24/7 member access is not impacted.

make717 Closed - New Year's Eve (Thu, December 31, 2026)

Thu, 31 Dec 2026 05:00:00 GMT

make717 is closed for the holiday.
No primetime access.
24/7 member access is not impacted.

make717 Closed - New Year's Day (Fri, January 01, 2027)

Fri, 01 Jan 2027 05:00:00 GMT

make717 is closed for the holiday.
No primetime access.
24/7 member access is not impacted.