Category: Space

Posted on

From Dublin to Chemnitz: A Maker Exchange Through Vulca

In May, Jason Pettiaux and I had the chance to travel to Chemnitz in Germany as invited guests for Open European Lab Day at FabLab Chemnitz. Jason is a long-standing European maker and open source advocate, and was the other invited guest for the visit. The trip came about through the Vulca Network, which helps connect makers, hackerspaces, FabLabs and community workshops across Europe. It turned into much more than a single workshop, with visits to makerspaces, museums, research institutes, a radio club, and even a bit of hiking and amateur radio along the way.

It was a lovely reminder of how strong and varied the maker community is across Europe, and how much we can learn from visiting each other’s spaces.

Friday: Arriving in Chemnitz

I travelled over on Friday and met up with Jason and the local FabLab Chemnitz team. Maik Jähne and Babette Sperling were our main hosts for the trip and gave us a brilliant welcome. It was great to finally meet people in person after the usual run of emails, planning messages and travel arrangements. There is always something nice about arriving into a new city through a maker connection, as you immediately get a sense of the local community and the people who make things happen.

Chemnitz itself has a strong technical and industrial history, which made it a very fitting place for a weekend of making, workshops and community activity.

Saturday: Open European Lab Day at FabLab Chemnitz

Saturday was Open European Lab Day at FabLab Chemnitz, with lots of people coming through the space to see what was happening, meet the team and take part in hands-on activities.

I ran a workshop called Hidden Colors, where we built polarisation viewers and explored the colours hiding in everyday materials. Using layers of clear tape, plastics and polarising filters, participants could see patterns and colours appear that are normally invisible to the eye. It is a simple but very satisfying mix of science, making and “let’s try it and see what happens”.

The workshop started with a bit of the science behind polarisation, then moved into building the viewers from laser-cut parts. Once everything was glued together, we experimented with layers of tape to create different colours and patterns. The results were really beautiful, with some pieces looking almost like stained glass.

A big thank you to FabLab Chemnitz for hosting the workshop, to Maik and Babette for the warm welcome, and to the Stadtfabrikanten team for making the day happen.

Event details:
https://stadtfabrikanten.org/en/article/open-european-lab-day-fablab-chemnitz-09052026

Photos from FabLab Chemnitz:
https://www.tog.ie/gallery/nggallery/album/fablab-chemnitz

Saturday Evening: Museumsnacht and Chemnitz

After the FabLab day, we also got to explore a bit more of Chemnitz as part of the city’s Museumsnacht. We visited the Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz, including a look at the natural history exhibits and some very impressive fossils.

It was a great way to round off the day: a makerspace full of hands-on activity, followed by a city-wide museum evening celebrating culture, history and science.

Photos from Chemnitz, Europatag and Museumsnacht:
https://www.tog.ie/gallery/nggallery/album/chemnitz-europatag-und-museumsnacht

Continue reading “From Dublin to Chemnitz: A Maker Exchange Through Vulca”
Posted on

TOG Turns 17: Birthday Open Social, Pizza, Cake, and a Bit of Craic

TOG is turning 17, and we’re marking it the best way we know how: by rolling our regular Open Social Night into a proper birthday session with pizza, cake, and plenty of chatting, tinkering, and general messing.

If you’ve been meaning to drop in for ages, this is a lovely one to start with. If you’re a regular, you already know the vibe: good people, interesting projects on benches, and the sort of conversations that start with “what’s that board?” and end up with someone soldering at 1am.

When and where

  • Date: Saturday 24th January
  • Time: 7:00pm until late
  • Location: TOG Hackerspace

The space stays open until the last member calls it a night, which often means we drift happily into the small hours of Sunday morning. Pop in for 10 minutes or stay for the whole stretch, you’re very welcome.

What to expect

  • Homemade pizza from the TOG pizza oven, rolling out through the evening
  • Birthday cake (because we’re not animals)
  • A relaxed open evening: tours, chats, and a look at whatever weird and wonderful builds are on the go
  • Community craic: talk, tunes, and the usual “oh go on, I’ll show you how that works” energy

Our Open Social Nights are an easy, no-pressure way to see the space and meet the people. There’s no agenda and no expectation that you’re “good at” anything. Curiosity is the only requirement.

Make a full day of it: Finish-a-thon earlier that day

This birthday party is happening the same day as our Finish-a-thon, running 11:00am to 7:00pm. So if you’ve got a project half-done, a box of parts staring at you, or a nagging “I really should finish that”, you can spend the day getting it wrapped up, then roll straight into the birthday celebrations at 7pm.

Have a look here for the Finish-a-thon details:
https://www.tog.ie/2026/01/a-day-to-finish-what-you-started-finish-a-thon-2/

What to bring

We’ll have food covered between pizza and cake, but feel free to bring along:

  • A drink (or your beverage of choice)
  • Snacks to share
  • A project to show off, or something you want advice on
  • A friend who’s curious about makerspaces

We’ve also got plenty of free parking, so it’s handy to swing by with gear, gadgets, or something for show-and-tell.

Come celebrate 17 years of TOG

Seventeen years of TOG is a bit mad, in the best way. What started as a small group of people who wanted a place to build and learn has grown into a proper community workshop full of skills, tools, and good humour.

So come in, grab a slice of pizza, have a wander, meet the crew, and help us celebrate.

See you Saturday 24th January from 7pm.

Posted on

Explore New Worlds with Tog Hackerspace’s In Person Science Fiction Book Club!

Ready to launch into the far reaches of space? This January, the Tog Science Fiction Book Club is embarking on an epic journey with Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, an award-winning novel that weaves together themes of evolution, survival, and humanity’s place in the cosmos.

But that’s not the only big news—our book club is going in-person! After years of virtual meetups on Discord, we’re excited to bring our discussions back to the hackerspace. Join us for a night of conversation, curiosity, and community.

Details:

📖 Book: Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
📅 Date: Tuesday, January 28th, 2025
🕒 Time: 7:30 pm
📍 Location: Tog Hackerspace

Whether you’re a long-time fan of science fiction or just curious about diving into the genre, our book club is the perfect way to connect with like-minded enthusiasts and discover fantastic stories.

Haven’t finished (or started) the book yet? No problem—come along anyway! We’re all about sharing ideas and enjoying the journey.

This is the perfect time to join as we step into an exciting new chapter for our club. We’d love to see you there!

https://www.meetup.com/tog-dublin-hackerspace/events/mzwvntyhccblc

Posted on

Culture Night At Tog Hackerspace

Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir is a national moment, celebrating all that makes up the richness and diversity of Culture in Ireland today, connecting people to cultural activities locally and nationally and aims to open up pathways to ongoing engagement.

Friday 20th September 2024 18:00 – 22:00

An annual, all-island public event which takes place each year on the second last Friday of September, Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir celebrates culture, creativity and the arts and seeks to actively promote the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day.

Tour the Hackerspace to learn about innovative projects and technologies at TOG. Enjoy demonstrations of their fabrication equipment including 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNCs. Guests can also try their hand at an electronics project or learn lock-picking. TOG encompasses many elements from the maker movement, so this is a fantastic event for creators and tinkerers of all ages!

Open Night at TOG Hackerspace

TOG is a hackerspace run and funded by its ongoing members. It offers a modern studio-like space, with access to a large range of equipment and a community of welcoming STEAM enthusiasts.

Posted on

Togtober: Building Community, One Volunteer at a Time

At Tog Hackerspace, community lies at the core of everything we do. We take immense pride in being a volunteer-driven organisation, where every member plays a pivotal role in shaping our welcoming and innovative environment. In this spirit of community and collaboration, we are thrilled to introduce Togtober – a month dedicated to enhancing our space for the benefit of all.

Our Volunteer-Powered Community

Tog Hackerspace stands out as a truly exceptional place because we have no paid staff or roles. Our community thrives on the dedication and passion of our members who generously contribute their time, skills, and enthusiasm to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. It is this spirit of volunteerism that sets us apart and makes our space genuinely special.

Member-Hosted Group Nights

One of the defining characteristics of our community is our member-hosted group nights. These events offer a platform for members to share their knowledge, collaborate on projects, and nurture a sense of togetherness. Our volunteer hosts go the extra mile to ensure that everyone feels welcome and inspired.

DIY Space Improvements

In the spirit of continuous improvement, Tog Hackerspace has always depended on the hard work and dedication of our members and friends for all our space enhancement projects. We believe that the best way to make our space even better is to do it ourselves, and that is precisely what we have been doing.

Introducing Togtober: A Month of Improvement

This October, we are excited to kick off Togtober – a month dedicated to making Tog Hackerspace an even more vibrant and functional place for our community. Throughout October, every weekend will be dedicated to various space improvement projects. From upgrading equipment to enhancing the layout, we have a range of exciting initiatives in store.

How You Can Get Involved

Togtober wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible community. We invite you to join us in making a difference this October. Here’s how you can get involved:

  1. Volunteer Your Time: If you have skills, time, or energy to spare, we welcome your contributions. Whether you’re a seasoned DIY enthusiast or a newbie eager to learn, there’s a place for you at Tog Hackerspace.
  2. Donate Materials: Do you have spare materials or tools lying around that could benefit our projects? We’re always in need of resources to bring our ideas to life.
  3. Share Your Ideas: Have a vision for how we can improve our space? We’re open to new ideas and fresh perspectives. Share your thoughts with us, and let’s brainstorm together.

Join the Togtober Movement

This Togtober, let’s come together as a community to create positive change. We’re excited to see what we can achieve when we pool our skills and resources. Whether you’re a long-time member or someone looking to get involved for the first time, your contribution matters.

Get in touch with us to find out more about our Togtober projects and how you can participate. Let’s make this Togtober a month of growth, connection, and shared accomplishments. Together, we can continue to build a space that reflects the passion and dedication of our incredible Tog Hackerspace community.

To kick things off, we have repainted our entrance way into the space.

Posted on

Building a TinyGS Station Workshop

Space is fun. Receiving data from space is even better.

TinyGS is an open community-run network of Ground Stations distributed around the world to receive and operate LoRa satellites, weather probes and other flying objects, using cheap and versatile modules. https://tinygs.com/

This hands-on workshop will cover building, programming and setting up your own TinyGS station.

Participants will build their very own quarter-wave ground plane antenna, and base station to take home. All they have to do is plug the box into a USB charger.

This workshop is perfect if you want to get started building your first antenna and get started in the world of radio.

No amateur radio license is required to operate the station, only if you wish to send data to space.

TinyGS workshop at EMFcamp

Event Date: Saturday 17th September 16:00 – 18:00

Event Cost: €65 plus Eventbrite fees

Max Eight Participants

Booking Link: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/building-a-tinygs-station-tickets-410608209207

Participants are required to bring a WiFi device like a phone or laptop to configure and a Telegram account.

This workshop is facilitated by our own Jeffrey Roe and with help from Gary.

You can read more about the building a TinyGS project on our blog https://www.tog.ie/2022/02/building-a-tinygs-station/

All visitors are welcome to stay at the event of the workshop for Tog’s Open social night https://www.meetup.com/tog-dublin-hackerspace/events/286494552/