Harness the power of an Epilog 60 Watt Laser! In this class you’ll learn everything you need to know to make the ideas in your head become a reality with a laser.

In this three hour class, you will learn:

• How to set up a file for cutting on the laser cutter in Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator.
• Laser cutter safety including materials testing.
• Laser cutter operation including configuration, cuts and raster etching in common materials like wood, acrylic, cardboard and others.

At the end of class, you will go home with:

• One laser cut project, either the class default or a simple one of your own design (see below for details)
• Resistor Laser Certification, enabling you to use our laser on Craft Nights.

Please bring the following to class:

A laptop with either Inkscape (free: download here: https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-1.2.1/) or Adobe Illustrator installed.

A USB jump drive

The following items are optional if you’d like to try cutting a simple custom design. If your file ends up being too complicated, we may have you do the class default project first, just to learn the laser in the time allotted – but we’ll definitely help you with your more complex cut at a free Craft Night in future!

• An SVG vector file of a simple shape you’d like to cut for your first cut.
• A piece of 1/8 inch or thinner wood, acrylic or cardboard you’d like to cut. If you can’t bring your own material, small pieces will be made available, or larger pieces for purchase on site.

Please be on time for the start of class! If you’re late you will miss your slot.

This class will be taught by NYC Resistor member Katie. As with all NYC Resistor events, this class is 18+ and governed by our Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct, as well as accessibility information, can be found at www.nycresistor.com/participate/.

Please note that refunds must be requested 72 hours in advance. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Want to learn to crochet? This beginner class will teach the basics of crochet, including chaining, simple stitches, and how to begin & end a project. Students will complete (or start and finish later on their own) either a square coaster or a headband.

Open to all experience levels! All materials will be provided!

Your instructors:

Noelle (they/them) is a Broadway costume maker by day and a fiber arts enthusiast by night. They learned to crochet as a kid, then stopped doing it for 15 or so years, then picked it up again 3 years ago and became newly obsessed. They are particularly drawn to crochet colorwork/tapestry.
Linda (she/her) is a professional dancer and personal trainer. She has been a recreational fiber artist since early childhood, when her mother taught her to knit, crochet, embroider, and sew. She is grateful to be the recipient of multiple generations of inherited knowledge through her mother and great-grandmother, and delighted by her ability to still mess up her projects despite it.

This is a masks optional event.

As with all NYC Resistor events, this class is 18+ and governed by our Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct, as well as accessibility information, can be found at www.nycresistor.com/participate/.

Please note that refunds must be requested 24 hours in advance. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Harness the power of an Epilog 60 Watt Laser! In this class you’ll learn everything you need to know to make the ideas in your head become a reality with a laser.

In this three hour class, you will learn:

• How to set up a file for cutting on the laser cutter in Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator.
• Laser cutter safety including materials testing.
• Laser cutter operation including configuration, cuts and raster etching in common materials like wood, acrylic, cardboard and others.

At the end of class, you will go home with:

• One laser cut project, either the class default or a simple one of your own design (see below for details)
• Resistor Laser Certification, enabling you to use our laser on Craft Nights.

Please bring the following to class:

A laptop with either Inkscape (free: download here: https://inkscape.org/release/inkscape-1.2.1/) or Adobe Illustrator installed.

A USB jump drive

The following items are optional if you’d like to try cutting a simple custom design. If your file ends up being too complicated, we may have you do the class default project first, just to learn the laser in the time allotted – but we’ll definitely help you with your more complex cut at a free Craft Night in future!

• An SVG vector file of a simple shape you’d like to cut for your first cut.
• A piece of 1/8 inch or thinner wood, acrylic or cardboard you’d like to cut. If you can’t bring your own material, small pieces will be made available, or larger pieces for purchase on site.

Please be on time for the start of class! If you’re late you will miss your slot.

This class will be taught by NYC Resistor member Katie. As with all NYC Resistor events, this class is 18+ and governed by our Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct, as well as accessibility information, can be found at www.nycresistor.com/participate/.

Please note that refunds must be requested 72 hours in advance. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

In this hands-on workshop, participants will build a low-power mesh-communication node based on the NiceRa design — a small form-factor board using an NRF52 (Pro-Micro) microcontroller and an SX1262 radio module. These nodes are ideal for deployment in areas with limited infrastructure — for emergency communications, community networks, or off-grid connectivity. At the end of the session, each participant will have helped build solar-powered nodes that will be donated to front-line communities, and each participant will take home a fully-functioning battery-powered node ready to interact with the wider mesh community.

By the end of the workshop, participants will:

Understand the hardware design of the NiceRa board and how it interfaces with the mesh firmware.

Assemble and wire a node including the microcontroller board, radio module, battery, solar panel, and enclosure.

Configure and flash the mesh firmware (e.g., Meshtastic-compatible) onto the board.

Learn how to configure the node for solar/battery operation (power budgeting, sleep modes, solar trickle charging).

Deploy basic mesh network communications (sending messages, understanding node-to-node connectivity, range considerations).

Gain insight into how these nodes can be used in underserved areas for emergency communications (e.g., disaster backup, off-grid communities, remote areas).

Take home a working node that they built themselves — ready for them (or their community) to deploy.

This event is for makers, tinkerers, engineers, community tech organizers, and anyone interested in emergency communications or off-grid networks.

Participants should have some familiarity with electronics and microcontrollers (e.g., soldering, flashing firmware) — but we’ll walk through everything step-by-step, so intermediate skill levels are welcome.
Ideal for community-tech groups, local disaster-prep teams, NGOs operating in remote areas, or educational groups working on connectivity challenges.

Why This Workshop Matters
In many underserved or remote regions, traditional communication infrastructure (cell towers, internet) may be unreliable or nonexistent — especially during emergencies (natural disasters, power outages). Mesh networks — where each node can relay messages — offer resilience and flexibility. By building solar-powered nodes, we eliminate dependence on mains power and allow deployment in remote and off-grid locations.
The NiceRa design is compact, efficient, and well suited for this purpose (NRF52 + SX1262 radio). The workshop empowers participants not just to build hardware, but to understand how to deploy and manage resilient communication networks — creating real-world impact.

In many underserved or remote regions, traditional communication infrastructure (cell towers, internet) may be unreliable or nonexistent — especially during emergencies (natural disasters, power outages). Mesh networks — where each node can relay messages — offer resilience and flexibility. By building solar-powered nodes, we eliminate dependence on mains power and allow deployment in remote and off-grid locations.
The NiceRa design is compact, efficient, and well suited for this purpose (NRF52 + SX1262 radio). The workshop empowers participants not just to build hardware, but to understand how to deploy and manage resilient communication networks — creating real-world impact.

Signals Rising provides education and support to the public around radio and other communication technologies. We also provide funding for projects to facilitate growth of the amateur radio community. Signals Rising provides funding and educational resources to underserved individuals and communities to receive radio licensing and equipment. We also sponsor research projects to expand the field of amateur radio communication. All solar nodes built will be distributed to the many communities that have put in requests for assistance in setting up meshtastic systems in their regions.

Learn the basics of carving wood with hand tools to produce a fun and functional piece!

Spoon carving is not something easily done in one sitting. The purpose of this class is to educate students on the tools and processes involved in crafting a unique hardwood utensil. During the class, students will learn the difference between hardwood and softwood, the qualities of wood grain, and how to work with the wood that they have selected for their piece.

Students will be taught how to carve out the inner bowl of their spoon with gouges, shape the exterior and handle with carving knives, and refine the shape with rasps and files. Sanding and finishing will be explained as students may not reach this stage during the class time, and this is a process that can take multiple days!

This is a skills-learning class, and participants are not guaranteed to go home with a finished product. Students will be able to return to NYC Resistor during Craft Nights to access hand tools to work on their pieces to their satisfaction.

Who is this class for?

Beginner/Intermediate woodworkers, no prior experience needed

Your Instructor:

Atlas Thomas is a multimedia sculptor with experience working with mediums such as ceramics, textiles, glass, and wood. He learned the art of spoon carving at Pratt Institute, and was a member of the Fine Arts Woodshop Staff Spoon Club for 2 years.

This is a masks optional event.

As with all NYC Resistor events, this class is 18+ and governed by our Code of Conduct. The Code of Conduct, as well as accessibility information, can be found at www.nycresistor.com/participate/.

Please note that refunds must be requested 24 hours in advance. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].