Metal Shop Committee meeting Saturday, August 4th, 2018

Metal Shop
#1

We will be having a committee meeting on August 4th, 2018 at 12:00 PM followed by cleaning & upkeep of the equipment.

Pre-listed Action items:

  • Formal chair vote (the last meeting was scheduled one week out, rather than two)

  • Discuss recent events and issues including, but not limited to:
    – status of the powder coating oven & spray requirements
    – updates to signage
    – discuss whether we want anything to allow members of ages 16 & 17 and possible implications or compromises
    – Discuss inconsistencies that have been brought to attention regarding classes that have multiple instructors
    – members whom have been barred from the space since the last meeting

  • Call for Volunteers
    – making of powder coating part jig & shelves
    – making of steel support frame for large oven (currently on wooden blocks)
    – Planning of dust collection system for grinders & saws

After these required discussions, an open forum for any new items.

Once the committee activities are over, we will be cleaning the room & servicing equipment. I’ve put a lot of effort recently into trying to get things to a state where it’s not so daunting. I think one large team effort can get the spot to a state where it will become far more manageable.

Cheers,
-Jim

6 Likes
Looking to create a sheet metal fabrication 101 class
#2

Which classes were these?

2 Likes
#3

I think he’s talking about PlasmaCam classes not including where to take your trash metal

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#4

Talking about a few things.

PlasmaCAM has a couple of issues (trash metal is one, another is instructors not showing up with consumables / being ready to work the machine). I have even had instructors putting plasmatrash into the scrap bin, despite the labels not to. I do concede, a few weeks ago the sign on the worktable was damaged and hasn’t yet been replaced, and the normal computer is in for repairs and the temporary one doesn’t have an additional sign. However, most of the scrap was from before a few weeks ago meaning too many users are not reading the notices on the machines.
Others include Welding; we have a general safety class, and a lot of classes that include the safety as part of it, but a different class for each process. This has created confusion and likely a lot of wasted time for some members whom end up taking the safety multiple times. We already don’t have enough people teaching it, and very small class sizes due to constraints, so we need to make it easier for students to actually take the classes. Maybe something like what Machine Shop is experimenting with for the initial portion of the class as a form of self study, and a quiz, to cover parts of it (though not all). There is also the matter of the cost. There have been differing costs for attending the class, with each one saying it’s just the cost of consumables. Some have been around $10, others $30. I have had people bring this to my attention and it’s something we need to nail down.

4 Likes
#5

What time will the meeting be?

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#6

Scheduled for Noon currently, to account for a decent amount of time to cleanup etc. I figured a lot of us might want to grab food afterward.

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#7

I was instructed when I trained on how to teach the class to set $30 as the rate.

My napkin math on consumables for TIG is: $25 for AL or $30 for Steel + $10 in Tungsten + welding time (about $50 in time) = $90/class.

Class size is 8, so our break even is $11.25 per person if we don’t need any other supplies for the class (occasionally TIG torch parts, wire brushes, gloves, helmets, etc).

If our break even is about half the cost of the class maybe it is time to re-evaluate class cost.

I believe the person who taught classes at the lower rate was teaching MIG which would also explain some of the cost difference.

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#8

I was informed of MIG classes being at different costs within the same process.

It’s fine if the class is $30, I’m just hoping to track down the discrepancies that I’ve been hearing about for the same class but different instructors.

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#9

Ah ok. I had taught the class a few months back, and then I taught two people to teach the class. One of them must have heeded my advice on the $30, and the other must of decided to do something else.

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#10

I charge $10 for my MIG class because nobody mentioned a rate and because it more than covers the materials used per person. TIG may very well be a different story (really would know), but $30 for the MIG class is just farming the membership for funds off a training required class and there are better ways to raise money.

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#11

And this is why I want this discussion; let’s find what is necessary and what is fair and pick something for consistency in the meeting.

-Jim

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#12

To all, I will be ordering some pizzas for lunch, and I figure we can have some form of Potluck as well for people to bring things. I have no idea how many people are attending still, so final details are still up in the air.

Cheers,
-Jim

1 Like
#13

Additional action item: Discuss a possible Metal 101 class due to constant issues with cleanliness & safety of users, possibly a Moodle since our teaching base is so small.

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