you.stonybrook.edu/jadams

A lot of my posts are going on the CAT Lab blog these days.  I strongly suggest you “follow” that channel of writing. https://you.stonybrook.edu/catlab/news-blog/  

I’m new to this, but I think it’s time to get my crochet on!  (I might need help, so if you do this, maybe stop by the CAT Lab and see if I’m alright.) I got myself set up with an account on Ravelry. I asked GPT if there was a site like Thingaverse, but for crocheting – turns out there are a number of them: Ravelry — a huge community and pattern database for knitters and crocheters: patterns,…

New in the CAT Lab: Intro to Leather Working The CAT Lab has opened it’s second course. A self-paced, beginner-friendly leather working micro-course that encourages makers to  open the leather working kit and do it safely. The course lives in Brightspace, but all of the hands-on work happens right here in the CAT Lab. No prior experience is required. You’ll learn how handle tools safely, and…

🧵 Hands-On Learning Takes Shape: Sewing and Serger Course Now Live at the CAT Lab The CAT Lab’s newest learning path is officially open!After months of planning, testing, and threading (literally), the Sewing and Serger Course is now live on Brightspace — giving students a safe, guided way to earn access to the Brother CS7000X sewing machine and MARGAR serger in the CAT Lab on the second floor of…

If you’ve ever dipped your toes into 3D modeling, you’ve probably heard of Blender. It’s free, powerful, and used by everyone from indie artists to major studios. But with so many features packed in, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The good news? Most beginners (and even seasoned users) run into the same roadblocks. To save you hours of searching forums and tutorials, we’ve rounded up the 10 most…

As 3D printing continues to transform the way we teach, research, and innovate, an important shift is happening: academic institutions and libraries are partnering with 3D print databases to enhance access to quality models. Whether it’s for biomedical training, robotics research, or book history education, these collaborations are unlocking new possibilities across disciplines. Below, we explore…

As my faithful followers will know, I’ve been reconditioning some used 3d printers.  This week I’ve been working on an old Ultimaker 2+.  To get it to print something I had to load a file to a SD card, as this printer does not have the native ability to connect to the computer or network.  I did not have an SD card reader on my Mac at first, so I printed some files that were already on the card –…

  https://www.instructables.com/contest/makeithome2025/ (from the website:) In this contest your challenge is to design an affordable housing solution that could also address another problem. We are giving away more than $50,000 in prizes to the best entries! Designing and building permanent, supportive housing is a collective effort. How might we reimagine policy frameworks and think differently…

this past week I’ve rolled up my sleeves and tackled checking whether two new-to-us UP Mini 2 3D printers from Tiertime were still functional. These compact machines had been tucked away for quite some time—unfortunately, in a room that suffered a significant flood. One unit had been stored in its original box (lucky break), while the other had been sitting exposed on the floor. Needless to say,…

When I printed my first double-chambered flute on my 3D printer, I was thrilled to see it come to life. But as I prepared to play it, a question nagged at me: Is it actually safe to put this in my mouth? That one query opened a whole new world of research into the safety of 3D printed objects—especially those that come into contact with food or the human body. (who am I kidding – this is made of…

Make it Wearable – Engineering Students Contest     https://www.instructables.com/contest/makeitwearable2025/ prizes between $100 and $500.  Closes May 27th.    

I’m still here at Stony Brook University, but after many, many years with the Department of Information Technology, I have made the move to Stony Brook University Libraries!  I started off my professional life, eons ago, between working at the library and working at bookstores, and my personal hobby is to collect signed first edition SF&F books, so this is a great fit for me.  Especially since I…

Just a really great conversation and exchange of ideas in the comment area of this video on youtube:

Gilbert Consulting offers custom Adobe InDesign and Illustrator scripts to solve workflow issues. They provide 38 free scripts designed to automate tasks and enhance functionality within these programs. These scripts cover a range of functions, from adding hyperlinks and page buttons to analyzing documents and exporting files in various formats. Many scripts address specific formatting needs…