Introduction
Welcome to The Hive Wiki, a reference built and managed by The Hive as a resource for all students using equipment and making projects within The Hive Makerspace!
Some Terminology
Originally, the term “The Hive” referred to a collective group of student volunteers who ran ECE-focused events for students at Georgia Tech. In 2018, the renovation of the Van Leer rotunda was completed, and the Interdisciplinary Design Commons (IDC) opened as a 15,000+ square foot, 3 floor makerspace on September 27th, 2018. The Hive then became the group that staffed and operated the IDC. Over time, the term “The Hive” came to be associated with the space in general, and now most people (including us PIs and Staff), refer to the makerspace itself as “The Hive” or, offically, “The Hive Makerspace.”
This Wiki
Besides containing up-to-date information on IDC equipment, The Hive Wiki also contains useful advice on how to make your projects come to life, as well as step-by-step guides on how to recreate the Hive’s most popular workshops on your own time and standard operating procedures for all of our equipment.
Below are links to our Technical Area pages. Other resources can be found further down this page.
Resources at The Hive
At the IDC, you can find a plethora of equipment to assist you with your projects. Along with spare wood to help you downstairs, and a seemingly endless supply of 3D print materials, our electrical equipment lying behind the front desk can be found here at this. The hive is looking to create a comprehensive inventory list soon. At any time, you can come into the space and ask a PI at the front desk. If we don’t have a specific component, be sure to try Senior Design on the third floor of Van Leer.
The Front Desk
When you enter the Hive through the main entrance on the second floor, you’ll see the front desk on your left. Be sure to sign in! The front desk is a place to ask questions, find information, check in for workshops, and learn about the Hive. If you have a question and don’t know who to ask, the front desk is a great place to start. If the PIs there can’t answer your question, they can either direct you to another resource or send a message to other PIs. If a room you need access to is locked, visit the front desk, and a PI can unlock and staff a room for you.
You can also check out equipment (for free!) at the front desk, including Raspberry Pis, motors, breakout boards, solder practice kits, USB cables, and several types of Arduinos in exchange for your buzzcard in the space. We no longer check out inventory outside the space. Other supplies, including circuit components, electrical wire, and solder, can be found near the workstations.
There are also lockers available for checkout at the front desk. If you have a big project, or don’t want to carry a project back home each day then you may want to consider getting a locker. A PI at the front desk can get you a locker and a combination lock for it. If you forget your combination, we can look it up for you at the front desk too.
Spray Paint Booth
It exists! A ventilated room is located on the first floor of the IDC and can be used to make your final product look nice. Some common spray paint colors are provided, but for specific colors and substances, please purchase your own. We also have various wood stains for your convenience.
Collaboration and Study Space
The third floor of the IDC is dedicated to providing space for students to work individually or with others on their projects. This floor features desktop computers (with spinny chairs), movable tables, whiteboards, and generally lots of space. The area is open to all Georgia Tech students for any reason. This is the only public place food is allowed in. Don’t forget to sign in!
Popular Workshops
How We Clean the Space
What’s up! It’s cleaning the space with Matthew Lim.
If you’ve ever wondered how the space stays clean and how you can help us keep it that way, this is the section for you.
Editing this Wiki
There are links to edit at the bottom of each individual page. You may create a fork and submit a pull request if you wish. Please contact Amanda Wang for direct access to the git repository.