Clean up your tables!

Woodshop
#1

I’ve been looking at the same mess on the working tables by the woodshop every day for the past week or so. I finally moved all the crap on the tables nearest the shop to the last table.

There is still a pile of stuff on the the first large table near the Ryobi rack—there’s just way too much for me to move. There’s also what looks like personal items (stereo speakers, a keyboard, sunglasses, etc). None of that crap has been touched in 2 weeks.

Among the things is an Amazon package addressed to Fred Calvert III—is this your mess, Fred? That’s one whole table that’s unavailable for those of us who need a workspace. Who is responsible for policing this? How long before we can start calling dibs on stuff?

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#2

I have known Freddy @yashsedai for years and have never seen him work on a project for himself. If he has stuff sitting on a table, then it’s most likely a volunteer project for DMS.

4 Likes
#3

There is no claiming “dibs” on other member’s property. DMS may sequester it for a period and then depose it.

4 Likes
#4

I believe most of that was for storage, ryobi wall, etc. I was on my list to take care of, but have had more pressing matters the last week.

Thank you for clearing the table.

Justin

1 Like
#5

And FYI, we all are, but there is no removal of property from DMS. If you would like to assist the rest of the volunteers, please keep a look out for the next infrastructure meeting.

3 Likes
#6

Does that in some way change claiming “dibs” on property that isn’t yours? Does it make a difference who it belongs to concerning the right to claim it?

If so this is a major policy shift by DMS.

#7

No, sorry if I was not clear. No change in policy. There is no “dibs”. General policy is for an officer to sequester it, attempt to contact the owner, and then dispose of it. Nobody may take another’s property, as we’d consider that to be theft.

7 Likes
#8

It is frustrating to see a pile of things that lingers on those workspaces. @skyspook a thought: we could do a better job with signage. If such an effort was labeled “Another fine DMS infrastructure improvement project in progress” or similar that might alleviate some of the concern and frustration and anyone who did want to complain would know who to go to, infrastructure.

5 Likes
#9

Maybe infrastructure could have their own shelves\storage area and put their stuff away… The fact is NO MATTER WHO’s stuff it is it prevents others from using the precious resource of a work table.

I suspect signage would be ingnored just as it is in a lot of places. Putting contact information would be useful but only so far. That still leaves the table monoplized until somebody comes and deals with it. Even if a volunteer wants to clean the table where do they put it. Then I’ve heard of people complaining that someone moved their stuff when it had a fresh coat of laquer or varnish on it and ruining their finish.

The only threat I’ve ever seen work is threating to put the stuff in the dumpster after so many hours/days unattended.

I’ve never had any success in obtaining a table for a project. Even when we were helping the Boy Scouts with their pinewood derby work we had to reserve a classroom to work on them. Helping other non-profits is a part of our charter, too.

2 Likes
#10

Meh… Simply box it up and put it over with Lost and Found. Let them gripe and go check cameras to figure out someone cleaned up their mess… and let them go find it in Lost and Found.

They aren’t above the rules.

#11

Lost and found sounds like a good solution! Is that the shelf in the computer room, by the kitchen? Because I don’t think all the things in the photo would fit there.

#12

To be clear, I have not moved any of the things in the photo.
I cleaned up the misc gak on the other tables near the woodshop, that either had a clear place to go (DMS tools) or looked like it was left behind and might be claimed by somebody who left them behind by mistake (full face visor, misc pieces of wood).

#13

Thanks!

I’ll be in tomorrow and will make sure all of that stuff finds a home, as it does look like an infra project that just didn’t get cleaned up :frowning:

I appreciate you making sure the table is usable and helping us have functional space.

Justin

2 Likes
#14

Although: I had some boards stashed in the wood storage area back in January or February (before DMS reinstituted the sign-up sheets) for a couple of days as I was working on them, and someone helped themselves to my planed and sanded boards to build a storage rack. Someone absolutely called dibs on my wood, and it hadn’t been abandoned for weeks, like these things have,.

#15

Was probably mistaken for some wood we’ve had around for space project, which is why it’s very important to label your storage now that it’s open again. The place you probably put things was for space use only at the time.

Thanks!

5 Likes
#16

Yeah. If I remember correctly, you put your wood in the area that was labeled “Wood shop storage only - no personal projects”. Given that not all people making things for woodshop use knew what was in there, it was assumed that any wood in the space you used belonged to DMS. You might have been better off squatting on a table, or putting your things in the closed Project Storage. Sure, it might’ve been tossed quickly, but nobody would have thought that it belonged to DMS.

#17

Would you know if this stuff is written down somewhere? This is what I found from Internet searches:

https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Bylaws#Section_1.2_Non-Profit_Purposes

https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Mission_Statement#:~:text=Promote%20scientific%2C%20cultural%2C%20and%20artistic%20advancement

#18

I know it was part of our mission statement originally and is part of the mission of the non-proift status but unfortunately where this is written down I don’t really know.

1 Like