New Member Training Scheduling

DMS General
1

Hi everyone, I am a new member that just registered today! My understanding is that for some of the more advanced equipment requires special training to get access to, and I should schedule trainings with advisors a few days in advance. I’d like to get trained on the following tools…

Laser Cutters
HAAS CNC Mill
Metal Lathe
Soft Metals Saw
Cold Cut Saw
Shapeoko 3 XXL
MIG Welding
Plasma Cutter

Does anyone have advice for how to go about getting trained for these tools?

Thanks,
Adam

2

Welcome to DMS. As you’ve obviously noticed, we have lots of wonderful tools and many wonderful people who use and/or teach them. Remember though that everything, including all training and equipment maintenance, is done by unpaid volunteers so sometimes it can take a long time to get into the training you’d like.

There are several things you can do for access to training.

  1. Watch Talk. Some of the committees ask people to post when they’re looking for training so they can judge the level of interest. Several instructors periodically ask whether is specific interest in various things (welding comes to mind right at the moment).

  2. Camp on the calendar. https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/ Basic training classes fill up super quickly. Sometimes an instructor will post that they intend to schedule a class. The class will not appear on the schedule (or might appear but won’t be open for registration) until 72 hours after it is added to the calendar. People sit like vultures waiting for the class to “go live” on the calendar.

  3. Participate in the committee. Aside from the lasers, everything you’ve asked about is in either Metal Shop or Machine Shop. You’ll meet the few people who are training on those items, and that goes a long way towards communicating your needs. A couple of those things (the saws) are just quickie training items and people are generally willing to train that after a committee meeting.

  4. Online learning. learn.dallasmakerspace.org Some of those items have online learning either as the training (lasers) or as a prerequisite to machine-side training. In Machine Shop, completing the prerequisite training for the Bridgeport lets people gauge the demand for the machine-side training. Be advised that you must be “certified” for manual machining on the Bridgeport mill before undertaking any of the HAAS CNC mill training.

  5. Additional resources.

  • The tools list on the wiki tells you what items require training and some have links.
  • Machine shop has a poster on the north side of the metal cabinets with QR code links to training.
  1. Hang around a lot and ask questions! The more involved you are, both in person and on the online forums, the more likely you are to become aware when an opportunity arises.
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The Plasma Cutter and MIG welding both require the Hot Process Safety class. Is a Wednesday evening or Sunday afternoon better for you?

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I am also interested in the Hot Process Safety training. Both Wednesday Evening and Sunday Afternoon work for me.

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5

Can we do Wednesday afternoon? Do we need to bring material? Is tomorrow the Wednesday you are referring to?

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It’d be next week. Usually I do the class at 7 pm to let the most people attend. No materials needed for the HP Safety.

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Sunday at 3 is the other option. Not 9/4, but 9/11.

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I’d like to do the 9/11 class at 3p for the Hot Process Safety class please

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Class is loaded. It’ll be available for sign-up either in 72 hours (norm for honorarium classes), or earlier if someone gives it a boost. I’ll keep my eye on it, and post the link when it becomes active.

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On the MIG training, do you just need a check-off? Or do you need fuller training?

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Are you able to do 9/4 in the evening? I’d prefer to get spun up sooner rather than later.

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I have some basic experience/training from my internship this past summer doing some basic welds with steel. I do want to know/learn if its possible to mig weld aluminum and the considerations around that.

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I can’t 9/4 I’m not available for that day I’m sorry

14

Can you come to the Metal Shop meeting this Saturday at 3pm? Since you’ve done some welding already, we could probably get one of the guys to just give you a checkout, rather than having you take a class. Atlas has been running the classes, but he’s just out of welding school. While I’ve heard several testimonials that his class is fabulous, he charges $150 per person, and it’s a 3 day class.

You could also talk about MIG aluminum welding there. I can run a bead, but I’m not an experienced welder. You would have to buy the aluminum wire, if it’s possible. My instinct is to say that aluminum welding is too finicky for MIG, but I could be wrong.

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It’s mostly that the wire is too soft to be fed through the usual steel wire pathway, so a spool gun is the usual solution.

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We have a new push pull gun. However aluminum is a little bit trickier than it’s steel counter part.

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Do you use the same shield gas with Aluminum as you do with steel ?

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No, just argon is used for aluminum mig vs 75/25 mixed gas for normal steel.

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So sorry for the late reply, I just realized I never replied! I plan on attending the meeting if that still works for you.

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It’s okay. Most of the folks that will be able to do a check-out for you will be there, that was all.