Joel C

Cyber school teacher offering distance 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC milling, circuit building, and cyber security programs to kids statewide

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@MrBGameAndTeach Great find! I was just thinking this summer would be a good time to revisit making awards for students. Let me know if you want to do coins again or we can make something new. I still have a good bit of rocket league coins we didn’t give out yet!

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@AlSweigart Another teacher does Turtle, but I wrote my school’s Python class (I’m a curriculum coordinator at my school). Turtle is a popular part of the class!

[Ashley Stillson 🍝 @chippedbuilds]

I’m currently filming a 3D printing 101 course for my YouTube channel. The first episode dropped today. This series is aimed at the absolute beginner.

https://t.co/SuIxGVygan

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@JohnKellarmath @PLTWorg @LafayetteHSIED @CazHSTechLabs Surprised no one has answered you. I can’t speak to any of the resources in your network, but I highly advise visiting makerspaces and local businesses. I made contact with a machine shop owner who hires high school interns. Tons of valuable guidance.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@KevinWhiteSD @Onshape I’ve encountered an issue like this. The end points on the lines aren’t closed. I had to zoom in and bring together all the nodes at the end of each line segment. Once fixed, worked to extrude how you’d expect.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@KevinWhiteSD @JohnKellarmath @TechEdBlakely @MattStultz @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @AvidCNC @Inventables @Tormach @glowforge @LightBurnLaser You likely already buy your plywood in 4x8 sheets and cut it to your machine dimensions. But worth mentioning for anyone reading this thread. It’s time costly to spend a day just cutting down sheets, but it’s significantly better cost per foot at 4x8 than buying 2x4 sheets

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@KevinWhiteSD @JohnKellarmath @TechEdBlakely @MattStultz @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @AvidCNC @Inventables @Tormach @glowforge @LightBurnLaser I haven’t found a way around retail stores for plywood. But hardwood, I check Facebook marketplace and find local people. I have 2 kiln dried wood sellers within 30-40 minutes drive. One guy gives his odd shaped cutoffs for free. I always take a box full for class.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@JohnKellarmath @TechEdBlakely @MattStultz @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @KevinWhiteSD @AvidCNC @Inventables @Tormach @glowforge @LightBurnLaser Plastics for CNC can be great but frustrating. HDPE is very strong plastic and sold in layers of color so you can carve the top and expose the inner color. Direction of cut, up vs down cut end mills, and cut speed can all affect how smooth the cut looks. It’s easy to cut poorly.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@JohnKellarmath @TechEdBlakely @MattStultz @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @KevinWhiteSD @AvidCNC @Inventables @Tormach @glowforge @LightBurnLaser Oak is a good lesson for CNC. It’s “open grain” which students can see and feel. That open grain easily tears/splinters when cutting. Retail stores will have long thin planks of oak that draw you in for CNC by looks. I pre-coat heavily with shellac to improve that grain tearing.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@NathieVR VR content for online learners. When teachers have a VR sandbox of visuals, especially for science, could be a huge shift in remote learning.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@JoelRGarza Put apps on your phone that have milestones, like how duolingo has short lessons. I found using duolingo conditioned me to open apps for short, specific purposes. Too many apps condition you to just scroll forever.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@TechEdBlakely @JohnKellarmath @MattStultz @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @KevinWhiteSD @AvidCNC @Inventables @Tormach @glowforge @LightBurnLaser Just going to follow on @TechEdBlakely cnc router for the perimeter means you see the wood color on the cut edge. Laser would give you a burned edge. We cnc coasters out of bamboo, then engrave on top. Pic below. Looks amazing. But plywood? Go ahead and laser that outer edge.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@KevinWhiteSD @JohnKellarmath @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @MattStultz @TechEdBlakely @bobscnc I often dream of having a community center and participants building all the tables, tool storage, and more. Machine enclosures just made the list on this dream idea.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@KevinWhiteSD @JohnKellarmath I haven’t. I have a diode laser and the material compatibility is less than CO2 laser. For example, can’t cut clear transparent acrylic with diode laser because the laser is diffused in the material. Diode is low maintenance but not max options.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@JohnKellarmath @ianmct @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @KevinWhiteSD @MattStultz @TechEdBlakely Some tips if school has no guidelines: metal trash can, post an “approved materials” list for each machine, tape off an operator zone on the floor and limit 2 max people in the tape, ear plugs even if CNC seems low volume, and put power cords in a power strip easily shut off

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@JohnKellarmath @ianmct @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @KevinWhiteSD @MattStultz @TechEdBlakely Just a precaution for laser, be cautious about unfamiliar materials. Reflective material can bounce the laser off the surface. Material containing PVC (such as fake leather) will release chlorine gas (which can corrode metal), and certain plastics will melt instead of cut.

[Joel C @PiMiosLearn]

@KevinWhiteSD @JohnKellarmath @Onshape @PeruCSDTech @dailystem @jhirschtick @MattStultz @TechEdBlakely @bobscnc I love DIY machines and made an openbuilds LEAD CNC for myself. But if his district/board has safety guidelines, they may reject a student built machine purchase. Also they may require an enclosure for safety as well. Or, like some schools, no guidelines exist where they should.