Team:Snackspace/Handbook

Other teams will tell you how important they are, but let's see how they do without sanding belts, toilet paper, or Dr Pepper! Snackspace is by far the most crucial function of the space. 😉

Replenishing from stock

There are a few key things which run out fairly quickly. When you're in the Space, it's nice to check on these.

Blue roll. This is kept in Team Storage. Blue roll is kept in the Woodworking workshop, on the shelves to the right of the entrance as you go in from Studio.

Toilet roll. This is kept in Team Storage. Often, a spare pack of four is often kept on top of the Kitchen cupboard. One pack of four should be kept in the larger cubical, on the shelf. This will allow members to find spares. One spare roll should be kept in each of the other cubicles.

Hand soap. A large amount is kept in the Kitchen cupboard. The hand soap dispensers are in the kitchen and in the bathroom. These are refilled rather than thrown away.

Tea, coffee, sugar, little portions of milk. These are kept in the Kitchen cupboard. We replenish the glass containers on the kitchen side. Be wary that there are caffein-free varieties of some things. Don't mix them. Also, don't mix the types of coffee as Gareth found this disquieting.

Storage

Kitchen cupboard. This cupboard is locked. The key is in the Snackspace key locker, which is in upstairs members storage. The unlock code can be found on HMS. We store lots of kitchen-focused bits here, as well as the overflow stock for the vending machines.

Team Storage. Next to the 3D Printing room is a locked door leading to Team Storage. The key is in the key locker next to the door. The unlock code can be found in HMS. You'll find stocks of PPE in here and lots of other stuff.

Woodworking Team Storage. This is a metal cupboard that is far too small for what's needed. Extractor bags, sanding pads, and other bits can be found in here.

Vending machines

Opening. Both machines have their key stored in the Snackspace key locker.

Pricing items. As a general vibe, we don't consider the vending machines as a profit centre. It's important that they're not making a loss though. There's obviously some cost for the electricity of running the machine. Usually, what happens is we take the wholesale unit price, round it up, and see what slot it fits best into.

Changing prices. Prices are set in three places and none of them are linked. First, the physical label on the vending machine. Second, the vending machine itself. Third, on HMS. The cost on HMS is what the member will pay, even if the other two prices are wrong. Make sure these are in sync!

Changing the prices on liquids vending machine. ...

Changing the prices on the solids vending machine. ...

Drinks vending machine spaces to not use. The top row should be avoided as the gates don't seem to be able to hold up the cans. Additionally, C6 also has some problems. This manifests as dropping multiple cans, instead of just one.

Bottles in the vending machine. These haven't done well recently. Avoid adding bottles.

Cooling. Cooling does not work in the drinks machine and is disabled (might not work) on the solids machine. This means that drinks are often warm and chocolate melts. Avoid stocking chocolate during spring or summer.

Purchasing stock

We have a preference for buying things locally and avoiding Amazon.

We have an account with Booker. You have to install the Booker app on your phone and get the log in details from Bitwarden. Booker is quite fun to go to! You will need a car to buy enough to refill the vending machines. As a guide, refilling the cans and solids machine cost just over £200 in April 2025.

Booker is used mostly for vending machine stock. There are some other bits there too, like rubbish bags.

Screwfix is often used for various woodworking area bits. We do not have a trade account.

Lidl is used for household-like stuff, like the hand soap, dishwashing tablets, and air fresheners. We don't have a special account. We usually wait until they do their XXL week, when they have larger versions of their normal product.

Paying

Some people on the Snackspace team have an Equals Money cash card. This is a card that acts exactly like a debit card. It can be topped up by the Trustees on request. Not every team member will be given a card. If you do not have an Equals card, it might be best to send your shopping list across to someone with a card.

Avoid paying for Hackspace supplies with cash or on personal cards. It's a bit of faff to get you paid back - we can't promise how quickly that will happen. It also complicates our finances. If you do, we will need a receipt emailed to the Trustees and accounts@nottinghack.org.uk.

Please also avoid paying for Snackspace bits yourself as a donation. It's very generous, but it's important that the Trustees know how much it costs to run the Space and not have our costs hidden by donations.

Delivery

Getting items sent to the Hackspace is quite tricky. It's hard to know what door they'll come to or when they will get here. Instead, it's common practice to have things delivered to a member's address (probably your own) if they're able to bring the item in.

Common purchases

Whilst it's not reflective of the full Hackspace membership, we do have a large number of vegan members. We should always stock some vegan options.

Still working on this table.

Item	Typical cost (April 2025)	Retailer	Typically stored
Soft drinks (Dr Pepper, Coke, Coke Zero, Rio Tropical.)		Booker	Fill vending machine first, then overflow in the Kitchen Cupboard.
Crisps (McCoy's)		Booker	Fill vending machine first, then overflow in the Kitchen Cupboard.
Snacks (Flapjacks, chocolate in cooler months.)		Booker	Fill vending machine first, then overflow in the Kitchen Cupboard.
Toilet paper (xxx)		Costco	Small stock in large toilet cubicle, then in Team Storage.
Hand soap (xxx)		Lidl	Kitchen Cupboard.
Blue Roll (xxx)		Costco or Booker depending on price.	Team Storage.
Rubbish, black bags (xxx)		Booker	Under sink in Kitchen. Excess in Team Storage.
Laser, black bags, extra large (xxx)		Booker	Underneath Laser Cutter.
Woodworking, extractor bags (See Woodworking below.)		Charnwood	Woodworking cabinet at the back of the Dusty Area.
Woodworking, sanding pads, belts (See Woodworking below.)		Screwfix	Woodworking Team Storage.
Vacuum bags (Titan)			In the Toilets, crammed between the wall and last cubicle.
Members Boxes (Wham)	£6.25 (lid + box)	Plastic Box Shop	Spread across Members Storage, ready to be picked up by members.
Printer ink			Blue Room shelves, but ideally immediately replaced.
A4 Paper (Rymans)		Rymans	Drawers in Blue Room, drawers in Craft Room.
A3 Paper (Rymans)		Rymans	Shelves in Blue Room.
Stationery		Rymans	Studio, near Vending Machines.
Sellotape		Rymans	Studio, near Vending Machines.
Electrical tape			Wall of Boxes, with additional stock kept in Team Storage.
Air freshener, plug in, spray		Lidl	Toilets, under sink.
Washing up liquid		Lidl	Kitchen, under sink.

Woodworking

Theoretically, Woodworking can also purchase their own stocks however requests often come via our team.

The good news is that we don't need to have to fit these items ourselves. For instance, we don't need to know how to affix the sanding pads. It's best to leave that to the Woodworking team.

Dust extraction bags. From Charnwood. We get two sizes of these. 800mm x 1075mm and 600x900mm.

Sanding sleeves. From Screwfix. For the spindle sander. We buy two sets of Triton 80 Grit Multi-Material Sanding Sleeve Set 6 Pcs (2693P) and two sets of Triton 150 Grit Multi-Material Sanding Sleeve Set 6 Pcs (5610P).

Items we do not stock

Other paper sizes or card stock. For instance, the plotter paper roll.

3D Printing filament. This is prone to being underused and then gone 'stale', leading to failed prints.

Laser materials.