Learn metal, wood, CNC and 3D print shop skills with this wealth of highly produced workshops developed at Autodesk’s high tech Pier 9 fablab/R&D facility.

It’s never too late to learn a new skill. And when the means to do so comes direct from the high tech wonderland that is Autodesk’s Pier 9 facility, we take notice.

So it’s with some small amount of glee that we hear the fab San Francisco lab has released a wealth of online Instructables courses covering many of its machines across four disciplines.

There are 25 courses — referred to as workshops — in total, spanning wood, metal, CNC and 3D printing. They can be found over on Instructables, on the dedicated Pier 9 splash page.

Those enrolling can expect to learn how to use the specific machines, with techniques and best practice building the picture to help you take an idea from design to machined piece.

Pier 9 Protocol for All

Each of the 25 workshops is the result of many years’ collaboration between Autodesk and the numerous experts and users of Pier 9. Within, enrollees will find a multitude of classes, mixing it up between machine parts, techniques and safety tips depending on the machine itself.

For example, in the Wood Shop sub-section of workshops, there are classes dedicated to the table, miter and band saws, plus planer, router table and drill press. Digging deeper into the miter saw class, we find lessons covering the anatomy of the machine and basics, miter and bevel cutting techniques and then advanced operation to get the most out of the tool.

On the 3D printing side of things, there are workshops for Stratasys’s Objet Connex polyjet and Fortus 450 FDM 3D printers. Both are machines we imagine few people are likely to encounter at their local fablab, but overall it presents an interesting glimpse into machinery typically inaccessible for day to day use for the most of us.

Whether you’re a seasoned craftsperson or fablab newbie, the classes could prove a valuable resource for brushing up on your workshop know-how. All you need is an Instructables account to access them online (a paid Instructables Premium account is required to download PDFs of the lessons). For more, check out the Pier 9 Instructables page here.

Source: SolidSmack