Pilot Workshop
a 2-session hands-on build, led by Kate Bailey and Meghan Thréinfhir, with support from Cam Smith, Doug Carmean, and Hank Duhaime
We've reserved your spot for both sessions. We'll follow up by email with the shopping guide and more details before November 8.
This is a 2-session series — signing up reserves your spot for both Sundays. Participants under 18 must have a parent or guardian attend both sessions with them.
Jennifer and Christopher Roberts have generously sponsored this pilot series, and their donation covers instructors' time and some shared supplies — so the workshop itself is free.
Participants will need to buy their own components — a Raspberry Pi kit, screen, battery, and keyboard. We'll send more information after you sign up, including our shopping guide. New to cyberdecks? Browse our zine at cyberdeckseattle.com for inspiration before you start shopping. If you need scholarship assistance for components, please contact Lele.
What kind of computer would you build if it didn't have to look or function like everyone else's?
In this 2-day workshop, you'll build a cyberdeck: a custom computer designed around your interests and personal style. Before the first workshop, you'll find a unique enclosure and use our shopping guide to select compatible components. Bring everything with you, and we'll guide you through assembling the hardware and vibe coding a custom interface.
No programming, soldering, or hardware experience required. You'll leave with a working cyberdeck you designed and built yourself.
A cyberdeck is a DIY computer designed around your unique needs and personal style. It can be a simple laptop replacement or a purpose-built device — an offline journaling machine, podcasting workstation, mini zine maker, digital recipe box, portable photo booth, pocket synth, plant monitor, or something entirely your own. The possibilities are endless.
No programming, hardware-hacking, or wiring experience is required. We'll guide you through the entire build.
Before the first workshop, you'll find a unique enclosure and use our shopping guide to select components that fit inside it, such as a Raspberry Pi kit, keyboard, battery, and display. The workshop focuses on hands-on assembly — you'll connect your components, modify your enclosure, and securely mount everything using standoffs, foam, and other provided materials and tools.
You'll leave with a working cyberdeck, a foundational understanding of its hardware and software, and the tools and confidence to continue customizing it.
A hands-on intensive series in design, wiring, mounting, and UI programming.
Students arrive with: their personal laptop and a unique enclosure, along with the components required for the workshop (a Raspberry Pi kit, keyboard, battery, and screen) and any decorative elements.
During these hands-on workshops: students will mount and wire their components, assemble their cyberdeck, and program a custom user interface.
Students leave with:
Bring a PC/Mac laptop, a unique enclosure, a Raspberry Pi 4 kit, battery pack, keyboard, and display sourced from the ShopMy guide — Kate Bailey's handpicked recommendations.
Optionally, bring decorative elements to make your cyberdeck your own, especially repurposed or found objects. Think old watch faces, jewelry, chains, beads, LEGO, tiny toys, knobs and switches, LEDs, buttons, dollhouse miniatures, patches, charms, stickers, or interesting pieces harvested from old electronics. Interested in adding 3D-printed elements to your enclosure or decorations? Mention it in the notes field when you sign up below, and we can help.
Participants must bring: