I would like to meet with the people who are interested in vermiculture and growing spirulina tomorrow in the Science area to discuss setting up those two projects. I also plan to continue working on the nitrogen laser tomorrow, as time allows. I plan to be there by 4 P.M. The meeting should be short.
We need to discuss any other business that we would like to present at the Board Meeting, including funding requests.
Where will you be meeting at? Never been to the Science group but sounds interesting.
We will be meeting in the Science area, which is the old Bio area. It is located behind VECTOR, in the workshop.
So far, the agenda for the Science Committee meeting tomorrow includes the following:
Vermiculture - Need to design and build
Spirulina - Need to design and build
Reference Library - I want to know what books you would like. Tron wants to discuss the library’s existence.
Work Bench and Shelves - Unless someone has a better idea and puts it into action, I’m going to request the electronics workbench that I presented to the Board a few months ago. Also, unless we find some shelves soon from somewhere else, I’m going to buy some.
Open House Presentation - PR Committee asks us to give a 30 or 60 minute presentation for the Big Open House. I’d like to know if anyone would like to talk about their project for a few minutes at this presentation.
Open House Booth - We need volunteers to man the Science area throughout the day on Saturday, September 12.
Vacuum System - I would like for us to purchase a vacuum pump and associated plumbing (including a vacuum chamber). I’m looking for suggestions on what to buy and from where.
Health Equipment - Science Committee could offer health equipment, including blood pressure cuffs, scales and other health-related tools. I’m looking for opinions on doing this.
Computer Lab - We could use a computer lab. Obviously, in our small area, we aren’t going to get very many or very large computers. Previous discussions on Talk regarding a computer lab stopped at software licenses. Perhaps we should offer an open-source lab?
@Opcode I will not be able to attend. I would have liked to be there, but the earliest I could make it out to the space would be 1900hrs. In lieu of my presence allow me to suggest the following:
Library: If we build a physical library it must occupy space; which is at a premium. It is an awesome thing to have, and the mind reels at all the possibilities… but space. Should we consider building a Google Book scanner?
Vermiculture And Spirulina - I have some ideas and resources that I would like to contribute.
Shelves - I have some fully metal gray shelves that came out of a warehouse from the 50s. They are hard to assemble but they can withstand a whole lot of weight. They are modular and if memory serves me right are 2’D x 4’W x 7’H Due to these dimensions will eat up quite a bit of space, but are weight proof(for all intended purposes)
OPEN HOUSE I could talk about some of my projects if they fit the scheme of the presentation intended for our committee.However, most of my projects are hard to define, sometimes they nothing more than experiments and some, I have to admit, are ridiculous… In example, I have a carbonizer screw cap and CO2 related equipment. I have carbonized a whole bunch of stuff that one normally would not carbonize. TANG, Koolaid, various fruit juices, wines, spirits to name a few. I have also tested different containers to examine burst pressure. Very loud and lots of fun. Sometimes one finds out useful stuff; Safely one can carbonize at 60psi using a 2 litter DP bottle. The burst pressure is UN-credibly high for these bottles. 60psi is well with in safe limits.
Vacuum System - I thought we already had a vacuum vessel in science? If you acquire a vacuum pump, then we have the chamber. Do we need a new one for some reason, perhaps a bigger one?
Health Equip: It would be awesome if one could visit the science lab and get “measurements” for vitals weight etc. then get the results printed out via a receipt printer for the member to take with them after being measured. Even more high tech, a terminal like the tab-keeper in the break room where the results are contained for the individual alone.
…X…
Richard,
I won’t be able to make the meeting this time due to previous plans.
The only comment I have right now is on the health equipment - sounds good as I personally think we should have an infirmary at the DMS, but I hope you explore any potential liability issues as well as proper sanitization procedures.
BTW, this is a very cool scale for $30:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L0ZSAG0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00
JAG “On A Walkabout” MAN
We’ve had this conversation a few times on the Talk forum. For example,
https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/dms-technical-library/3866
I’m looking for books on subject material ranging from fairly common (composting, rain harvesting, aquaponics) to esoteric (spectroscopy, laser physics and atomic power). I doubt that our group has all of these titles available so we could scan them. So, we’d have to get a physical copy of the book, regardless, and don’t count on interlibrary loan to get it for us.
Besides, books are part of the creative process. It helps people think–should they choose to do that–if they browse the shelf and select interesting books that they can browse through. They aren’t likely to do this for files on a server.
Building a book scanner would be a fine project; @Afloyd actually has the home-made book scanner that was in the Space for a while. However, all these projects take time, effort, money and space.
Thank you for your offer for the vermiculture and spirulina project donations.
The shelves you mention might come in useful; I’d like some deep, strong shelves. I’d also prefer something that we could assemble somewhat easily, if that exists. Perhaps your offer would be the best.
I don’t know where we will be making our presentation, but I did it in the Lecture Hall last year. So, I don’t know if we can burst bottles in front of a live audience or not. But, please keep thinking of something you could present on behalf of our group.
We have a food-grade freeze dry machine that is on loan to the Science Committee. It is only for food-safe items and I don’t know how to use it. We need a chamber that could be used at least for plastics, and probably more than one system, so we could pump down things that must be free of contamination, like laser tubes and particle accelerators.
We will have to start out with basic equipment, I think, unless I can get a really good grant. Ultimately, the sky is the limit.
JAG, I’m sorry you won’t be able to attend this meeting.
We probably could avoid liability if the equipment is self-operated. The user steps on the scale, or uses the thermometer, or pokes his eye out with a stick. We just provide instructions in usage.
Did you guys decide anything earth-shattering?
Yes.
I’d leave my post at that, if the system would let me.
Next Sunday is the end of Science Committee’s three-month probationary period. Now, the Board will decide our fate. I would like everyone who values Science Committee to tell the Board–by every means possible–what Science Committee means to you and how much you want to see it continue. I would like as many people as possible to attend the Board of Director’s meeting next Sunday, August 23, at 6 P.M., in a show of support for Science Committee. Tell the Board that it is important for you to be able to work on science projects in our area. Tell them how much you enjoy having the aquaponics system. Tell them how much you are looking forward to seeing the nitrogen laser in operation. Tell them that you really could use an ultra-high vacuum system. Tell them that you would like to be able to measure your vital statistics using Science Committee health equipment.
This is the single biggest issue facing Science Committee right now.
Richard, I need to speak with you privately. I am new and not allowed to use private messaging yet. Will you please go to the Member page in the Wiki and send me e-mail? Thanks.