Fired Arts Committee Meeting 1-16 @7pm

[cmcooper0]

We will be meeting back in Fired Arts and doing a quick clean up after the meeting. Formal agenda will be posted “soon”. If you have anything you want to add, drop me a line or post up here.

Here are some of the items we will be discussing:

New kiln (brand, controller options, etc.)
Glass progress and needed tools
Ceramics progress and needed tools
Rehab progress
Stronger push to get on top of the FA binder, Makers Mark Log and Project Log
Wiki updates, complete inventory of large tools and getting full entries on the Tool Status Board
New events

[mrjimmy]

I’ve got the space modeled in Sketchup, will you be available to view it in VR this weekend?

[cmcooper0]

I will be at the Space this evening for the Board Meeting and then on Sunday to work on cabinet installation (probably late morning-early afternoon). I’m looking forward to seeing it. If you can narrow down the time window, I can guarantee I’ll be there!

[mrjimmy]

Not sure I can make it today, something came up, if I do get out there it will be later at night. If I don’t see you then I’ll be around Monday and Wednesday

[cmcooper0]

Sorry I missed you! If you can give me a firm time on Wednesday, I can be there. We got the wall cabinets up today and should have the tables (minus concrete tops) done on Tuesday.

[mrjimmy]

I’ll shoot for 7 on Wednesday. In the mean time I can post jpgs tomorrow of the views so we can see how everything fits.

[cmcooper0]

That sounds great. The biggest current plan question is the octagonal tables. There’s a nice solution that modifies the existing table (and increases the access for the slab roller) which would be much cheaper that I think we should consider. There is also the possibility of using a single new table that is more oval/round/octagonal in design to preserve walking room. Once we have the wheels, wall tables and storage cabinets sorted, I think we should take a pause to see how we feel about the space and how it works before tackling the works shelving, glaze cabinet (already undergoing a shift in sizing) and the center table.

[mrjimmy]

Here are some overhead views of the model for the space. The first one has the new configuration and the octagonal tables. The second one has the new configuration but keeps the current big table instead of the octaginals.

As you can see the octagonal tables leave less than the 3 foot ADA minimum clearance for pass through. I tried multiple configurations but there isn’t a way to make it work that I have been able to find. This design has an additional issue that there is nowhere for the slab roller. The only option would be to attach it to the end table away from the doors. I haven’t modeled this yet because I don’t have the measurements for the slab table as a standalone item. Likely this would create additional ADA clearance issues if it juts out into the space.

With the current table we are able to get around ADA clearance in all places and retain the slab roller without obstruction. The table measurements includes the slab roller.

In both layouts it was necessary to put the wheels along the side to maintain the clearance from the new shelf placement. This seems to work well as long as there isn’t an issue with people sitting in the lane while they are working.

Just so everyone understands what I am talking about with ADA clearance. It comes from section 403.5.1 Clear Width. the clear width of walking surfaces shall be 36 inches (915 mm) minimum. This is specifically for wheelchairs, however it’s also used in design as a basic guideline for usable space. The old design didn’t follow this and that’s a big part of why it felt so terribly cramped.

In my opinion the best option is to keep the table we have for now. It opens up the space, it keeps the slab roller, it saves money and it’s ADA compliant.

I’ll be at the makerspace with my VR computer on Wednesday after 7 if anyone wants to get into the space in VR and see how they each feel.

[cmcooper0]

These look great, I’m a big fan of keeping a more open space as it allows a greater number of people to work simultaneously. This past Sunday we had two people installing cabinets, two people throwing, one on the slab roller, one handbuilding and one unloading a kiln all at the same time. It was really awesome to see and that’s with only a partial finish to the space.

I also agree that the current table (after modification) can be a good fit for the space and retain more clearance. We’ve been discussing for a while ways to alter it to improve comfort and utility. I would like to try out the current proposed wheel arrangement (block style instead of row) as it will be a good fit for classes and allow (a smaller, shared) throwing bench which is a needed piece of furniture. We considered the long row in the initial phases and while very space conservative by utilizing the lane for all temporary sitting, it isn’t as ideal for teaching. Doable though if we need to go that direction. The double stack of works shelves won’t be a good fit for that (too close to the wheels), but we have room to play if we sacrifice access to both sides on the do not fire shelf. Looking forward to talking with you about it on Wednesday!

[mrjimmy]

I agree about the wheels, I don’t particularly care for how I have them there, the only reason I did that was because though I have the measurements, I don’t have an actual model of the wheels, so it’s hard to get a feel for how they really stack together. Since the power is from the ceiling we should be able to play with a bunch of configurations and see what we like.

We could also try a reversed L shape on the stand alone set of shelves, that would free up more space in the middle for the wheels. I’ll build a version with that and the wheels together instead of the row as a 3rd options.

[mrjimmy]

This is probably my favorite layout for the space. It keeps the shelves we wanted and gets the wheels in a cluster with the little table inside. The only question is does the L shelve backup to a shelf in jewelry or will it be open on both sides? Not sure it matters either way though since it gets us easier shelf access by not being behind the kiln and we get the wheels all together.

[cmcooper0]

I think we are really very much on the same page as far as what outcome we are looking for at the end of the day. The funding plan layout was created for funding purposes and at meetings we’ve always had an eye towards doing this in a couple of phases to really look at the space as it develops. When it comes to requesting funds, I throw everything and the kitchen sink in. I would rather come in under budget with a solid end result than cut corners and have to go back to the board a month in begging for another 1k.

I’m stoked to wander around and get a feel for some works shelves action in VR, thanks for doing this! Everything would be different if we didn’t need access to both sides. We labored over whether we could sacrifice that and it’s just not doable with depth and space and how mangled things would get with people trying to come in over the top. Even if we changed out the shelves entirely. But during build days we’ve been scoping out L’s in both directions and some other tweaks that might work including one crazy one that I’m not saying outloud yet because I want to look at the space once we remove the temporary storage table.

(You should see all the layouts that were created during the planning phases, there are dozens! )

[meanbaby]

looks great!

I noticed at one of Beth’s hand building classes the students were all piled in, with no room, squished around the wedging table. I am wondering if to make the students more comfortable and have elbow room, could the hand building class be held in the room the printing class is done in? Just a thought.

[dryad2b]

That was because 2 extras showed up, and I wasn’t mean enough to tell them to vamoose. I may well do so next time. I’ve always known that Interactive was an option, but hauling stuff doesn’t interest me. Other folks have done things differently.

[meanbaby]

They did all seem to be enjoying them selves.