I’ve removed it from the 4/27 BoD Meeting for you.
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Laser charges a usage rate that happens to fall within an unusual sweet spot. High enough to cover consumables, fund new lasers, and discourage excessive usage. But also low enough that the rate is neither particularly controversial nor does there seem to be widespread dodging of it.
I mentioned parking meter somewhat out of mirth, but also out of its rationing function and visibility. $0.25/hr - or whatever rate we choose - strikes me as something analogous to Laser. It would discourage excessive use, put a limit on how long a vehicle could sit unattended, and also provide a visible indication of overstaying one’s welcome. The presumably small sum of money it would generate is an added bonus.
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We really do not want to get into that business or there would have to be a real charge associated with that.
People are all ready throwing used fluids in trash can or dumpster - this a real problem and I’ll be asking at next automotive meeting how to address this problem. Unlike individuals we can’t drop it off at Autozone, etc. But this is a real issue.
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Do we fully appreciate Automotive, which is unique within DMS and deserves a pride of place?
What other area keeps money - hundreds or even thousands of dollars - in a member’s pocket?
Others may disagree with me, but I’d be hard pressed to think of another group of regulars more generous with their time and expertise. If you even look like you want to learn about cars, they will eagerly come to your side. They have transferred knowledge to countless members, in effect holding impromptu “many-on-one” classes for which the committee never receives credit. If you haven’t yet used Automotive, just know you have peace of mind that it is there for you.
And yet Automotive occupies such a small, yet high demand, footprint. Only 3 projects can be worked on at a time and these can last hours. Their draw from the General Fund (i.e. its demand upon our dues) is a $850/month, raised only a year ago from $500/month. Hand to God, compare that to the value returned. Automotive tools are not cheap and the knowledge base is priceless. Having collective access to them is why our members want to work on their cars here.
So I raise a glass to my neighbor in Automotive. May the expansion only bring more opportunity and may you find a way to have peace in your house.
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What is this in reference to? My understanding is the automotive monthly stipend is only $250
Check QBO. 07/2016 raised to $500.
Well said. Thank you.
Regardless, Laser - and all committees - deserve to be challenged on their finances. It makes us better stewards.
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Using the lift for 16 hours straight doesn’t discernibly diminish the life of the machine. The lasers get around 2,000 hours of life before needing considerable maintenance so that’s not really a fair comparison.
I’m hoping the committee can expand if the facility allows so more people can work concurrently rather than placing artificial restrictions on the resources.
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Usually our guiding light has been “what is educational about this?”. Maintenance and repairs can definitely be considered educational. We don’t just make, we are supposed to educate.
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This could be split into another topic but I would be fine with doing away with laser fees if commercial work is prohibited (like how auto is). That’s what takes up most of the actual use time from what I’ve seen.
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Auto doesn’t allow commercial use because of safety concerns and to avoid any legal issues that could arise do to such work. Lasers is different in that regard because although a commercial user may take more time, they also pay for it and are not putting other people in danger due to simple negligence like not tightening lugnuts. I personally think some type of fee or donation is needed in auto to balance the supply and demand we have.
Strangely enough, a quick search for used parking meters only brought me to the likes of etsy and ebay selling collectibles at outrageous prices.
I think an official cue board possibly near the garage door could benifit automotive as @BNK suggested, maybe even an automotive calander set up so some of the bigger projects could be scheduled ie: engine pull, transmission replacement, or anything that could potentially take more than 4-6 hours.
On a separate thought, what if there was a cap of free use per day in the automotive bay (like 4 hours) and any overage on work being done could be $X/hour Or donation of approved tools like a socket set, pliers, engine stand, etc.
I believe this would help automotive because as we expand, we will need more tools and having the additional funds could allow more lifts, better quality tools, etc for the future.
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I was joking with @TLAR this morning about parking meters. Here’s what I sent Tom this morning
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Roughly how long have we been tracking the Auto Lift class?
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Agreed. Rushing leads to safety issues. Instead of putting members on the time crunch, better to coordinate to ensure that projects expected to take a large amount of time are scheduled to least impact other members and that appropriate preparations have been made to reduce the risk of things going tits-up.
That said, I do think a cue board would be good to have, as well as a calendar.
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I’m not sure. 
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Agree. A 101: Safety, Policies, and You Can Do This But Don’t Do This List should be offerred by most, if not all, committees.
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That is the best idea I’ve seen on this page. While I am more than competant using the tools, not knowing where stuff is or expected ettiquette is probably the most important thing in sharing a workspace.
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