Bryant F, Bob F: Bit Buckets use of space during the weekend, complaints from Wood Shop users too
Bryant looked at their schedule Wed 5p-9pm, Fri 5pm-10pm, all day Sat and Sun. 4 months a year.
Bit Buckets can take up a lot of space while they’re working (multiple shops), taking up space from members. They take up most of the weekend. This makes it particularly hard on members who rely on the weekend to get work done.
It’s difficult to socialize when Bit Buckets is taking up so much space.
Don: Jan-Mid Feb is Bit Bucket’s “heavy use” time, according to contract. Our calendar may be out of date. We need to check on the contract.
Bob: Talk to mentors (Craig, Justin) to discuss contract.
Bob: For sharing: we should designate space in Wood Shop for actual woodworking. Remind Bit Buckets to be mindful that members want to use the space too.
Geoff has asked Bit Buckets mentors to tell him when they plan to use tools to make others aware when they're not available. Geoff would like to see this become policy.
Bryant: Reduce Bit Buckets’ time on the weekends?
Geoff, Don, Jeremy: Let's take this to the Board.
Don will reach out to Board. Start discussion on Clubs Coordinator position. He’ll follow up at a future meeting.
Jeremy will talk to Bit Buckets and follow up at another meeting.
John N: Large vacuum former for sale [7:26pm]
Geoff and Jeremy want to sell it. John doesn’t know anything about it. Does it work?
Jeremy: The large one works but needs a new power cable.
Adrian and Bill P fixed the small one. It’s a shrinkwrap machine, not a vacuum former.
Steve: Get large machine to work with small plastic? Jeremy: Maybe.
There’s 220V on the pole next to the large vacuum former.
Steve will look at both machines and decide what we keep and what we sell.
Bob: Tom W would like to make use of the space where the large vacuum former is.
Don: Are we optimizing a machine people won’t use while sacrificing good space or tools?
Geoff wants the large want removed as well.
Geoff: Small vacuum former may not be worth keeping either
John N: Give away big vacuum former? We got it for free.
Don: Get rid of one or both.
Adrian B: 4x4 CNC router update [7:44pm]
Last Wed/Thu, they worked on it. New controller was working great then stopped working. It turns out a bolt fell in and got the Y-axis stuck. Then they discovered that the plates holding the Y-axis onto the machine are not flat. This explains why the Y-axis stickers. Bill P calibrated it and made us two new end plates. It's operating very smoothly now. Next step is to replace the controller box. Same functionality except it will run on OpenBuilds instead of Mach4. Hopefully it will be up and running this week. Then they’ll work on adding smaller upgrades (Adrian has a list). Adrian and John will put up a clipboard to accept requests from users.
Both CNC routers will run OpenBuilds and Vectric.
A maintenance program to check the linear guides, bolts are tights, guides are flat, is important.
Mark M, Don C: Update on blue laser’s honeycomb platter, update of new storage cabinet
Complaints that the bed’s not level. Mark brought in some blocks and it’s not level and the honeycomb is dished in the center. He tried shimming ip and it got somewhat better but it's still off. He bought a new honeycomb that should arrive tomorrow. He has a volunteer who will help him maintain it on Thursday morning (9am-12pm). How to notify? Don can post that to email group and Discord for Laser Cutter users
The mobile lockable cabinet will be converted to a vertical storage cabinet for laser cutter materials for sale.
Mark and Jayla did some work on the mobile cabinet and on the current materials cabinet.
Mark will get with Jeremy about setting up the online payment system.
Bryant F: UA robotics team parts building
Tom met a team member. They usually get their stuff made in China. We’re going to make parts for one of their robots.
Bryant: We can’t currently accommodate more clients, but possibly in the future.
Don: We need to beware of becoming a service bureau. He’s worked to avoid doing that in the Laser Cutter Dept. Don’t make promises we can’t deliver. Instead, “teach them how to fish”.
Bryant: Are we exposed to legal consequences on anything we produce?
Don: “No warranty, use at your own risk.”
Adrian: How did we handle mask-making during Covid?
Katherine K: Forge update? [8:02pm]
Training to use the forge?
Geoff: Shooting for sometime this month for open forge. We’re having some trouble getting some instructors to return. Our instructor will be back soon to teach others to operate the forge and act as monitors.
Bryant F: Network drive [8:05pm]
Shared network drive in the space to make sharing files between PCs easier.