Print it, and give me the map. I can mount it to foamcore, gatorboard, whatever you want at my work (picture framer here…)
@wandrson: We will do that too. My vision is for a Web portal featuring the map (including all stores of chains – not just the nearest to DMS), links to store sites, reviews from DMS members only, some sort of “word cloud” people can build to describe the place, etc. I’ve also had plenty of experiences with Google Maps APIs (headonout.com, headonout.com/dfw-restaurant-week-2013/, ane.capitalone.com/#/dealer-locator/) but find their ToS a little too restrictive to use for this project. Instead, I’ll probably end up using Open Street Maps in conjunction with Leaflet.js. Would you be up for helping develop the Web portal?
@Nick: That sounds awesome. I was originally planning on printing the map markers as dots or shapes directly on the map, then adding physical pins when someone needs to make an edit. However, as long as there’s enough room to write a number on each pin, and they won’t get stolen off the map, I think that’d be even more visually compelling.
@Hardsuit: Sounds like a deal. 
Thanks, folks! Keep the thoughts coming.
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Reminder: Today (Saturday). 3 PM. Creative arts studio. Those of you who have input and/or want to discuss logistics for completion should meet me!
Sorry, ran late at the dealership. Will be there in approximately 10 minutes
Sorry, I was there and did not see you, I left.
Stephen,
Any further progress on this project? I had someone recently ask about the state of the map.
Is there a more recent QGIS file that is available? The one on the Wiki here shows April 15, 2015:
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/File:DMS_Places.zip
JAG “Geocaching for Tools & Materials Sluts Like Me” MAN
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One of the big impediments is, for some reason, QGIS stops rendering my map (granted, at 24*36 720dpi) after 1 minute, so what comes out basically looks like the Japanese flag, but imagine the red circle replaced by the street map. Everything else is white.
Is there a day this week that works well for interested folks to meet & discuss Makers’ Markers? Hopefully Wednesday? I’m open in the afternoons this coming week (M-F) starting at 6 PM. Meanwhile, that file you linked to is up to date (except Electronic Discount Sales needs to be deleted); feel free to add to it if you think it’s missing something.
Thanks,
Stephen
If you want to share the .qgs file, I have a computer with lots of RAM that I could run it past.
GRASS is a much more efficient pie e of software for creating large maps.
QGIS copies the poor ArcView paradigm, without the ESRI development resources.
I just updated the project files on the Wiki: see https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Civic_Hacking_Committee#Makers.27_Markers .
Ubuntu just updated my QGIS for me to 2.10 Pisa, but now I’m getting a Python error when I try to open up a print composer. I installed it on Windows, but turns out it gave me GRASS GIS 6.4.3, so I’ll play with that.
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OK, I can confirm that my computer will handle rendering these maps. I can also confirm that I have no experience with making maps pretty, so I just slapped some OSM maps with no styling on to test the render. If anyone can make a nicely-styled qgs project, I’d be more than happy to render it.
Warning: 20MiB PNG file. Your browser will explod. I’ll try to keep TALK from embedding the image.
http://phead.us/trough/DMS_map_bad.png@jast , I tried some of the magnetic paint, and had a lot of fun showing that off to my coworkers right before taking it to DMS. I got it to work well enough with only two coats, and especially well where there was kind of a glob of it. This’d be a great way for us to do magnetic markers.
@amacha, Rock Barrell has been duly noted. You’re gonna crowd out my map, though; there’s already a point at 13650 TI Blvd #101 for Wood World. 
@zootboy, I’m happy the PNG file came out well at 720 dpi. However, it wouldn’t load in the browser for me, so I ended up using curl to download it – then it went pretty much instantly. It sure beats my 445MB TIFF file (at only 360dpi) of the QGIS print composition. (I think I deleted the 2GB 720 dpi TIFF a while back. 
) I didn’t end up using yours in the demo, though, since I’d rather that some of the far-away points (like the one in Sanger) show up in an inset, and my TIFF file was already scaled for that. I’d like to work with you to tune that print composer so we can make a really good graphic.
When talking to several folks at DMS tonight, the majority suggested sticking to push pins on the map, as it’s more likely someone will end up altering magnets (either inadvertently or maliciously) and they’re way cheaper. However, the magnetic approach could still be “enabled” in order to highlight temporary locations. The holes left by removed pins aren’t incredibly noticeable, especially on a matte finish.
I’ll test out several OSM tile styles given a 3’ x 5’ size and 1:110,000 scale, and pass those around to solicit preferences.
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Yeah, hence the “it will explod” warning. Browsers don’t take kindly to humongous images =P
I’ll render whatever you send me, though I won’t be able to meet in person as I’m headed back to NY for school. I am interested in learning more about QGIS, and this is a neat opportunity to do so.
@zootboy, that’s fine; as long as you get the print composer specification (which I figured would be part of the QGIS file if you go to File -> Print Composers), it should come out just as desired. However, I haven’t even taken the time to make it super-pretty yet.
Also, I forgot to mention, since asking about how easy it is to push pins through the magnetic paint: it was very easy to do so, basically no different than pushing a pin through cork or something similar.
Purvis Industries (formerly Purvis Bearings)
For bearings, pneumatics, hydraulics, mechanical power more
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Just as any FYI, the owners of Turner Hardware have retired and they sold the business to a ACE franchisee. It is now called something like Westlake Hardware. It is getting a makeover and they aren’t going to carry nearly as much of the stuff that Turner’s did.
@CaryLW and @coloneldan could I suggest that you move this to another topic. @Kentamanos could you just move their posts to a new topic? Maybe titled “Turners under new management, share a story and a tear”
Discount steel.
Discount Steel & Aluminum Inc
10353 Hicks Field Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76179
Jorgenson steel
2030 W Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75208
Last time I was there they were open 24/5 open 24hrs during the week. They are high in price but usually have what you need.
McKinney steel
McKinney Pipe and Steel
196 Industrial Blvd, McKinney, TX 75069
They usually have good prices the last time I was there.
Fulton supply
Fulton’s Metal & Hardware
3100 Fort Worth Dr, Denton, TX 76205
They have a lot of various odds & ends for fabricating, steel is good prices, plate is a little high. They also sell scrap/ remnant steel & aluminum by the lb
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@TBJK, thanks for the addenda, and especially the notes on the places. It’s notes that I’m especially interested in collecting, so if [any of] you ever pick up the Legend that’s on the table near Maker’s Markers, please feel free to scribble something relevant and correct about any location in the margins. My next phase is to launch a private online site similar to Yelp where we at DMS share our experiences with particular “makery” stores we’ve been to.
@CaryLW, do you have it on good authority that Westlake Ace will carry less stuff than they did as Turner’s? I only ever went to Turner’s for ridiculously tiny drill bits until they became Westlake, and then they still had everything I was looking for (which admittedly wasn’t much ;)).
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What makery stores I cannot live without?
Kroger
Sur La Table
La Michuacana
Mercado Mexico
William-Sonoma
Central Market
Lake June Metals
CMC Recycling
Harvest Food and Patterson food proc.
Exotic Meat Market
Goodwill
Farmer’s Market Downtown
The Snap-on and Matco Trucks
…Not a store per say but mobile stores.
Home Brew HQ - aka: “Kelly’s”
Honk Kong Market
Subsi Mandi
Fry’s and Micro center
Some are repeated from other lists above, but are worth mentioning anyway.
…X…