2016-09-07 Transcript

Rob Hunt [7:54 PM]  
https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/2016-09-07_Agenda

[7:54]  
https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Talk:2016-09-07_Agenda

Rob Hunt [8:03 PM]  
Roll Call: Rob, David C, Daniel, Adam F, Ian D, Kirsty

[8:04]  
Steve, Howard, George, Tom, Ali, Matt Lloyd, James F

[8:04]  
Jack

[8:04]  
Actions & Minutes from last meeting

[8:04]  
-None

[8:05]  
Announcements & Events:

[8:05]  
Every Tue & Sat we’re doing stuff downstairs

[8:05]  
getting to the point where we can build things

James Fowkes [8:05 PM]  
joined #meetingminutes

Rob Hunt [8:05 PM]  
very dirty, bring old clothes

[8:06]  
Plan on the wall in the studio and information on the wiki about downstairs

James Hayward [8:06 PM]  
Not every Saturday - check the Google group

Rob Hunt [8:06 PM]  
Green Festival Saturday

[8:06]  
We need someone to champion it

[8:06]  
At the Arboretum

[8:07]  
Kirsty willing to help and will post to the Google Group for volunteers

[8:07]  
Next: Finance

Matt Lloyd [8:07 PM]  
https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Financials_July_2016
https://wiki.nottinghack.org.uk/wiki/Financials_August_2016

Rob Hunt [8:09 PM]  
Spent a lot on tools and equipment past few months

[8:09]  
some income is deferred due to pledge drives

[8:09]  
Tools Update:

[8:09]  
Supplied replacement detail sander - old one was broken but not reported

[8:10]  
Jigsaw reported broken

[8:10]  
replacement parts purchased, may be repairable

[8:10]  
have a donated router table - the homemade one isn’t up to scratch so it might be a good replacement

[8:10]  
finishing off getting the motor replaced for the wood lathe

[8:11]  
it will get it back to the state it was in

[8:11]  
may need the bearings running in for several days

[8:11]  
Teams

[8:11]  
Need more members, especially for the membership team at the moment

[8:12]  
Discussion about the community

[8:12]  
Opening the question to the room for thoughts on the topic

[8:13]  
James F: What problem are we trying to solve?

[8:14]  
David C: mentioned that some members travel far and might not know other members

[8:15]  
David C: some members seem to leave the space in a worse state when they leave, guards off tools

[8:15]  
David C: regarding remote members, they travel far and get the the space with it in a state where they can’t immediately work due to the state

[8:17]  
Steve: No one on the google group said “I turn up and make a mess then disappear"

[8:17]  
Steve: Some people may be of the opinion "It’s a workshop it’s mean't to be messy, someone is going to use the tool later in the day etc" (edited)

[8:18]  
Matt: It should be kept clean as some tools may not be used frequently, it’s a 24/7 space

[8:18]  
Matt: 29 authors on the Google group post out of 450+ members, the people making the mess may not know the thread even exists

[8:18]  
Matt: very narrow selection

[8:19]  
Kirsty: If you’re making the mess you’re not going to be commenting on the thread (edited)

[8:20]  
George: Maybe if we have a drive for specific things each week to focus the effort

[8:20]  
George: we can’t try and solve all the problems at once

[8:21]  
David C: post a short while ago about not being able to find tape measures - it’s not just the big tools

[8:21]  
David C: Cheap, small item taken from the place it’s normally stored causes inconvenience

[8:22]  
Adam: On the discussion page: chores list, explaining to new members what’s expected

[8:22]  
Josh: Lot of machines not being looked after

[8:22]  
Josh: band saws seem to go through tooling rapidly indicating misuse (maybe not intentional)

[8:23]  
Josh: no information around the tools or wiki in most cases

[8:23]  
Josh: maybe make an effort to provide instructions to help people on the non-inductin tools

[8:24]  
David C: one incident when a member cutting a log with the bandsaw and the guard all the way up

[8:24]  
Josh: sort of thing that can damage the machine or more likely the person

[8:25]  
James F: If you’re a new member it’s maybe not clear what you’re suppose to do, maybe make it more explicit

[8:25]  
James F: When I was a member of the climbing club there were reps to help new members

[8:26]  
James F: point of contact maybe

[8:26]  
James F: some members said they were afraid to ask questions

[8:26]  
James F: maybe followup emails after X visits to give a reminder, not a lecture, positive (edited)

[8:27]  
James F: Useful to get new member’s opinions

[8:28]  
Steve: I joined about 6 months ago, got impressions that the space was run by people who wanted to share the awesome stuff

[8:29]  
Steve: got the impression that it was run by professionals and that it was to help run their space rather than our space

[8:29]  
Adam F: need to get across it’s run by members

[8:30]  
The hackspace is maybe not great at explaining what is expected of people

[8:30]  
It’s sometimes difficult to even know where to go to get the information

[8:31]  
I think people have very different ideas of what the hackspace is and how it works

[8:33]  
It’s not straightforward or simple to find out where the information

[8:34]  
Josh: All the information is great on the web but we could do with it in the space

[8:34]  
Josh: Could do with ways to access it within the space, information kiosk?

[8:35]  
Matt L: a big problem with the content, a lot of it is out of date, needs curation from members (edited)

[8:37]  
We’re struggling with a problem every community like this has - we need ways for people who are not often in attendance to access the information easily

[8:39]  
Matt L: Information mostly lives on the wiki or the member’s guide

[8:41]  
James F: links page on HMS has useful links for members - maybe have a bit more descriptions of what the links do

[8:42]  
Kirsty: the wiki may not be familiar to use for some members

[8:44]  
Adam F: orientation days is an idea that has come up repeatedly

[8:44]  
Adam F: is that something that members would find useful?

[8:45]  
Adam F: would be hackspace orientation, where the bins are, using dishwasher etc.

[8:46]  
Kirsty: doesn’t have to be complicated, something like where the light switches are, bins etc.

[8:48]  
James F: the goal of converting every member is unrealistic but 3-4x the participation it would be a lot nicer

James Fowkes [8:49 PM]  
Mouse sends apologies for not attending.

Rob Hunt [8:50 PM]  
Somebody mentioned on the email that we should remove words from content that would suggest things are provided

[8:51]  
Kate suggested that providing something when signing up might help

[8:51]  
Matt L: that was the idea of the guide but maybe it needs some work

[8:51]  
Adam F: guide is on github and can be edited

[8:51]  
Matt L: as a PDF it’s only 15 pages

[8:52]  
James F: maybe something a bit more formal when you pickup your card - something to give to the member?

[8:53]  
Adam F: we really need more members for the membership team, only 4 active members

[8:54]  
PPE and Safety

[8:54]  
Josh: go to get safety glasses and we only have dirty old ones that end up all over the workshop buried in dust

[8:54]  
Josh: Need proper PPE that people will want to use

[8:55]  
Josh: Have PPE next to the machines that need them - maybe that’s why they end up all over the place

[8:55]  
Josh: Mark Cambridge made suggestion that members take ownership of the PPE - but them form snckspace?

[8:56]  
Matt L: Alternative is to have a lot more around the space

[8:56]  
Josh: Common in labs to have a dispenser type things with a bunch of safety glasses in by the door

[8:57]  
Josh: Think we need to invest in PPE stock, hearing protection, eye protection

[8:58]  
Matt L: would rather have too much out on the workshop and not being used than it being kept in reosurce stock

[8:59]  
David C: Would other members not using the machine near ear protection?

[8:59]  
Toby: If you’re really close to the machine you would need it but not necessarily others, have the options available for others to get them if needed

[9:00]  
Josh: Maybe add doors to the PPE shelves to keep things organised rather than having shelves that get messy (edited)

[9:00]  
Matt L: could do with clear doors to see through

[9:01]  
Toby & Michael E arrived

[9:02]  
Idea suggested that people could buy their own

[9:02]  
Matt L: membership payment covers stuff like PPE - members may not use them if they have to buy them

[9:03]  
Toby: maybe we could provide links to where you can buy stuff if you want your own

[9:04]  
James F: if it’s only basic stuff but accessible people will likely use it but may decide to get their own

[9:04]  
if they want something better when using it frequenty

[9:05]  
Adam F: Get involved with the safety team

[9:05]  
AOB

[9:05]  
Matt L: two pledge drives running, want pledges

[9:06]  
Matt L: Worked for Wireless Things - company being shut down, some test equipment, 4c dig osc, bench PSU, bench multimeter

[9:06]  
need to hit £1276 by end of next week

[9:06]  
kit would be around 3.5-4k new

Dominic [9:06 PM]  
1. Membership team work hard however, they need more helpers, consider revising membership teams duties to aid/help members for life not just for recruitment? 2. Broken window syndrome, the space generally over the years has been very cluttered to greater or lesser extent needs a good clear out and Hackspace 2.5 is a good opportunity to have a thinning and clearing. 3. Communication  must be constant and varied for all tastes and catchment it's not a one off task but a constant plate spinning perhaps? 4. Recruitment is pressing, we've gone for quantity of membership over quality of engagement. Just comments for the minutes. I'm sorry I was unable to attend this evening. I've wanted to respond to James H email but have found it difficult to know where to begin. Finally I'd like to extend my thanks to James H and all trustees for their continued hard work and commitment to the space. (edited)

Rob Hunt [9:07 PM]  
James F, Matt L volunteered to run workshops on usage of the tools if we get them

[9:07]  
Matt L: nearly top end model for the scope

[9:09]  
Other pledge is a smart whiteboard, would be nice for the classroom

[9:09]  
Test kit is the big one we’re trying to push

[9:09]  
Russell: green festival

[9:10]  
This Sunday, Toby volunteered as well

[9:10]  
Russell: can arrange power for the event if workshop things can happen (edited)

[9:11]  
Michael E: are we taking the geodesic dome parts even though we have no sticks?

[9:12]  
Adam F: summary join the membership team, pay up on pledges, get involved, team Slack, Google Groups

[9:12]  
Meeting Closed