{"id":99,"date":"2012-05-26T18:49:24","date_gmt":"2012-05-26T22:49:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orlandorocketry.com\/?p=99"},"modified":"2025-11-21T15:12:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T20:12:41","slug":"rockets-at-orlando-mini-maker-faire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorocketry.com\/?p=99","title":{"rendered":"Rockets at Orlando Mini Maker Faire"},"content":{"rendered":"

Press releases and ads for the Orlando Mini Maker Faire<\/a> mentioned “Rockets!” (with the exclamation mark). But, the web site for the event did not explain what kind of rockets. So, I attended the event expecting to see water rockets or whatever. But, a pleasant surprise awaited me as I entered the Maker Faire’s building at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.<\/p>\n

Backing up … (how’s that for building up the suspense?) … Maker Faire is sort of a cross between an arts and crafts fair and a science fair. The organizers describe it as “a two-day, family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement.” Sponsored by Make Magazine, Maker Faires have been held in several large cities.<\/p>\n

A “Mini Maker Faire” is a smaller, community-organized version of Maker Faire. Orlando’s one-day Mini Maker Fair was held at the Central Florida Fairgrounds on May 26, 2012.<\/p>\n

The Orlando event seemed to attract a decent-size\u00a0crowd.\u00a0 I purchased my ticket online, saving a couple bucks off the $10 admission charge.\u00a0 At the entrance, a volunteer used a smart-phone to scan the ticket I had printed at home. I received a wrist band and a printed guide to the exhibits.<\/p>\n

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One of the first exhibits inside the Maker Faire area featured an artist creating spectacular paintings using paint from spray cans.\u00a0 I have little doubt that he inhaled almost as much paint as he applied to his canvas. I watched for a while until the fumes began to make me dizzy.<\/p>\n

I walked around outside for a short while. The hot weather convinced me that it was a good idea to head into the air-conditioned building. Right inside the entrance I saw the …<\/p>\n

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Water rockets that I had expected to see.<\/p>\n

H2ORocket.com<\/a> exhibited a collection of cool water rockets and launchers. As I looked over their display, I noticed something interesting in the distance.<\/p>\n

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Hmm? What is that sticking up above the crowd.\u00a0 I had to go look.<\/p>\n

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Rockets! (Notice my use of an exclamation mark!)<\/p>\n

Tom Tweit displayed a selection of his rockets, from small model rockets to the large rocket he built for his Level 3 certification attempt.<\/p>\n

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Tom included a display of rocket motors, showing the relative size of motors from a Quest 1\/8A MicroMaxx motor to a 54mm CTI K motor. He also had a list of local rocket clubs that he was handing out to interested people.<\/p>\n

And, yes, that is an Estes Dude on the right.<\/p>\n

Assured that Tom was doing a great job promoting our hobby, I decided to look at some of the other things on exhibit at Maker Faire.<\/p>\n

But … first … let me apologize for the poor quality of the photographs. I took the photos with my Motorola Droid smart phone.\u00a0 It’s a great phone that takes terrible still photos.<\/p>\n

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Near Tom’s booth, I watched Hoverfly Technologies<\/a> demonstrate their “quadcopter” aerial video system.\u00a0 Yes, I want one.<\/p>\n

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Lego creations filled a\u00a0large area of the exhibition hall – from artwork to trains. There was even a computerized machine which built things using Lego building blocks.\u00a0 Several tables were devoted to allowing kids to build things.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I spotted many robots – some greeting visitors, others completing tasks such as shooting a basketball into a hoop.<\/p>\n

The Orlando Science Center had a large exhibit featuring a Tesla coil producing dramatic sparks in tempo with music played on a synthesizer. Florida Motion and Control’s<\/a> exhibit featured servos and switches and lots of other stuff. But, what caught my eye was the 80\/20 t-slot aluminum rails.\u00a0 I joked that “I didn’t know those were used for anything other than launching rockets.”\u00a0 The “FloMoCo” representative didn’t miss a beat.\u00a0 He picked up an 80\/20 brochure and showed me that the company had included rockets in their ad literature!<\/p>\n

Disappointed that I couldn’t stay around for Tom’s static motor demonstration, I headed outside.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I took a few minutes to look at the electric cars on display.\u00a0 Some were commercially manufactured as electric vehicles.\u00a0 But, many, like the Mazda Miata above, were converted from gas-powered cars.<\/p>\n

Then … I headed to my old-fashioned gas-powered car for the drive home.