Makerspace Building Day 25/11/22

Clubs, Groups, Associations Makerspace Volunteers
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An open session: Want to help improve the space? Put those old skills to use or try something new?

An opportunity to learn new things and get to know new people. Come down and say hello, see what we get up to!

Things we are hoping to do:

  • please add your ideas below
  • Nicco: setup a server for various services in the makerspace

@DomAman - what are your thoughts on this?

PS: I also added the /22 in the end - we will value that in a year.

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For those not in the know, I found out I had COVID yesterday so I won’t be in until symptoms are clear and tests are negative. Boo, hiss et cetera…

I will be on the phone if you need to talk though, I think all the volunteers have my number.

We have a Councillor coming to perform a safety audit on Monday. We already have the indoor space coming along nicely, a lot of what is left is finding homes for weird and wonderful things. The Yard is shaping up well, too.

General:
To aid us in this, Dai and the caretakers have offered use of space in the Resource centre to get things out of the way while we build storage for them:

  • I have already discussed with Jon the sorts of things to go over there
    He could probably use a hand moving them there!

Stores:

I have discussed the Store Room already with @zzoeross and we are keen to see it organised. While there is a general theme, we need to decide what should and should not live in there long-term.

The store room does have a lock and now the space is being used by a larger number of people, we should ensure this is used whenever a volunteer is not in there (contact me for the code). The handle operates the wrong way, but is usable for now

  • The Laser cutter extraction unit needs finishing. I jerry-rigged a test unit to try a different format and it worked much better

I would be obliged if this could be disassembled and the temporary parts disposed of, the rest left tidy

  • Rob has Caddies in the Fab container for inflammable and hazardous materials (Yellow and Blue). These need a suitable home in the Yard and securing down with bolts-clearing space in that container and making space in storeroom. Probably not a job for tomorrow.

  • I have tied the scythes in threes, and made a box for the accessories (the rope is temporary). Blades are in the Jeans we will be making into a pouch. These have been left by the back door

They need a temporary home out of the way

Yard:

We have two ‘no unauthorised access’ type signs. One needs to go on the bottom gate, one at the top ‘gate’. Zip ties are floating around

The gubbins under the left hand cover is the last really unsightly part of the Yard for now, Jon knows the sort of things that need to be in the dry vs the skip. If there is anything there that doesn’t have an obvious use, skip or scrap

  • The outdoor classroom things are currently dispersed between the wood room, fab container, plastics and polytunnel, we should make a crate and store them with the sawmill. Could be someone’s induction on the MIG welder (after the inspection)?

Thanks for this Nicco, very grateful!

Also for sorting the dates/calendar side, that made me happy to see working again!

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Hi @DomAman,

I am wondering about a few things:

  1. I would like to set up a server on Friday because I have until November 28th to setup different open-source services to not have them interrupted.
  2. I can take care of the scythes. I will also bring Jeans. I do think sewing is not required at this stage. A knot suffices.
  3. Monday worries me a bit: Who will be there if not you? I think, it is important that you have time for that inspection because you are reliable and get paid. Can you ask them to do it later? @RobV is not here so much as to transfer the knowledge to us volunteers to align to the requirements that get harvested from the audit on Monday. Or maybe I do not fully understand the Monday and it also does not need a reply to that as it is not my responsibility?
  4. It is good that you share the list and we can do some things from it. Some points are unclear to me. Yes. We can call you but really if you are off work, I’d rather have that you are allowed to ‘rest’. That ties in with a feeling of stress that I was sensing about getting things done in the makerspace. It is easy to take on a lot and I know techniques like planning poker that allow us to plan and measure group velocity. This way we can start to plan ahead and say “yes” to projects “but it takes that and that long”. That was a tech solution to a social problem.
  5. So, now to urgency: If there is a sense of urgency for us volunteers to get things done, that directs action but also raises the threshold to bring us in:
    • Especially @zzoeross and me would like to work in the makerspace so we can live from it. Personally, I think that Zoe is so well suited for the home ed intro courses that you envisioned. Not only will the girls have a role model (Zoe might not like to hear that) but also: They loved the Christmas craft with her! For us two volunteers, I’d very much appreciate this support to be your focus. I do see that there are other priorities in your duties! So I fully understand that you must not always say yes to that. I will talk to Zoe about it and I would ask that we might get started with offerings to the home ed people.
    • A background player that I had the sense was present on Tuesday - “urgency”: The sense of urgency is a decision. It is human made and cultural, too. In part of my network we call it also out as part of scarcety thinking. As means and ends are no different, work in scarcety leads to scarcety until overcome. In my context: It is an essential root to the spiritual sickness that desertificates the planet. I cannot happily work along that. It negates peace and inclusion. I do not know what to do with that now. I just wanted to name the presence :slight_smile:
  6. Who do I ask for printing up at the office? Lol: should I create a tunnel so you can use the printer from down at our place? (I would do that, too, then :slight_smile:
  7. Another essence: We are volunteers and we come to support and we are unreliable in the sense that it is uncertain if we come and how much time we have and if we want to support certain projects. You can only trust a yes if there can be a no, too. I will continue to support. I do that where I am efficient: digital processes, documentation, giving a voice to forces in the unseen, … Less likely will I contribute to a makerspace project to get it done. That is below the geodome for income. If I sorted out my income, I can do that and like to do that. From what I understand: If Zoe can receive the income from serving at the makerspace, she is here more often. More often with more volunteers means more work done but only if we pull in the same direction. Same direction needs a joined vision and inclusion in certain decisions and we are getting there. <3

Also, I am aware that I have an incomplete picture over the whole makerspace and what it is connected to. So - here is my sharing - a comment and kind-of TODO list.

PS: Is the forum server down at the moment? Unplugged? I will check on Friday.

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Access

I am wondering: These signs are probably right but I would like to know when and how a person can obtain authorization. For the staff that is probably clear. I think a short description should be added to Basic Health&Safety Course - Makerspace Introduction

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The sig

Scythe

The two carers moved the things. I do not know where. Dom knows.

I do not know what to put there.

I put jeans for scythe blade bags onto this unidentifyable pile of clothing:

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To create an open environment, please note that e.g. my partner goes into shut down in the makerspace because we do not shield her from seeing clutter. Tidyness is required to be inclusive. I wonder in that sense also, how to better tidy up the shelve in the clean room.

Forum

The forum is running again. It was unplugged yesterday at about 16:30.

Gas bottles

I brought two gas bottles and I can bring them to the thing that can be welded into a fire place, in the yard. I wonder where to clearly store material that is free to use. Can we e.g. say that the bottom of the metal rack is for material that is free to use for metal work?

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The sign is there to see when the door is open. The other sign is attached to the gate.

Wide Angle Lense

There is a wide angle lense if we ever need one. Here is the difference:

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Server

For now, I think, the power supply to the laptop does not work. I will see what to do about it.

Tools documentation

I created documentation for these tools and if you have time, please fill in the responsible people and the people inducted:

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Hi Nicco, I would like to help give you some perspective on the whole current situation. The urgency to help is not as desperate as earlier implied, the audit on Monday is aimed to point out any problems that need addressing, so staff can then act accordingly. I’m sure there will be subsequent meetings and a report to consider. As volunteers it is merely our choice to aid and assist in making things work as best we can.
The homeschooling will require much forward planning and will not begin until next year, hopefully as early as is possible, but it is imperative that we first have a safe working space and adequate resources to move forward. As you know the whole Makerspace still needs work. Thank you so much for your comments about me! Also it is currently unclear who is available to take “classes” and what subjects to focus on.
The current focus for the rest of this year overall is on giving “homes” to equipment, creating more storage and finishing projects like the sculpture.
For you personally I’m not sure if you need more discussion with management about the website or what is expected of you as far as homeschooling planning is concerned. I would like you to not worry about things, and aim to enjoy your time in the Makerspace. I too have found myself sucked in to the atmosphere of rushing to do things and there is no point. There will always be more to do and we are busy humans!
I really hope this helps a bit. Z

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Thanks both.

I’ll try and work through, apologies if I miss anything.

  1. Sounds good.
  2. Agreed, be fine for now!
  3. As Zoe says, don’t worry too much. The tick boxes in my previous post are opportunities to make the space better for that inspection if you have time. All of the information will be written down for me anyway.
  4. I may be off sick, but I hate being bored. I am taking time to sleep and rest, fear not, but when I am awake and coherent I will pick up the phone. A five minute call won’t hurt here and there especially if it negates need for extended discussion or confusion in the space
  5. Agreed on all. As Zoe says, we can’t start courses until the indoor space is finished however. It is close, but I need to be allowed to focus on this aspect. While I am doing that, please continue to work on the course offerings spreadsheet so that the moment the space is ready you can get rolling. If you need help with pricing stuff out then feel free to raise this. I have some spreadsheets I find useful and can give pointers to keeping your own books in order. I expect Zoe will be able to help to, she is a woman of experience.

With regards to the urgency observation, I don’t disagree. To violate a metaphor: I have a lot of plates to keep spinning. These are set up in a certain way so none fall off. It is quite well balanced, bit I keep finding people asking me to change the plates, sticks or direction of spin. I can do one of these at a time, but no more while keeping the rest going.

At the moment, if I am allowed to ready the space, I will then be able to concentrate on other things.

  1. Whoever is in the office, Jayne, Louise, Dai or Marissa should be able to help. Please bear in mind they have a lot of other things to do as well so timing and tact will matter!
  2. Agreed! I have been working on a concept for visualising project progress/goals for the space. It’s a complex thing to do, but I am excited to share it when it gets a little closer.

Looks like good progress has been made, thank-you. I can write a list of the things if Jon is not about to provide pointers.

With regards to the clutter, there needs to be a conversation about what is clutter and what is useful visibility. In my workshop, there can be cupboard doors and curtains over things, that won’t work so well in public.

Metal
That sounds as good a place as any for now.

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Good summary.

I have sent out an email to everyone who has expressed an interest in running classes. If you have not received it, please check your junk as I seem to end up there a lot.

With regards to subjects, you can see some of what Home Ed families are after here: Home Education Events - #8 by CDP

Anything arts, design, craft skill development-wise they will love. If you dig out that email from me you can see the example courses I have plugged in and the reasoning behind each.

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I printed some posters. They are on the table. Marissa helped me. She is nice :slight_smile: I saw @RobV and we talked about posters and the documentation packs for the machines. I think, we will be able to have the documents soon, to edit or just to view.

The lock to the store room is repaired. The one to the clean room works, too - I just keep the tape on it so I do have access to the kids.

Pictures!

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Thanks Dom, I haven’t seen this.z

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Is there a purpose behind discussing it in an excel sheet via email? It could be online, too or in the forum or any other online table/form editor.

The post from today: