Im starting a new thread because Im not familiar with this orientation process to the building.
I noticed a class will end tonight around 2130 (930).
I just need someone to open the door right? So if people are taking a class and it lets out at a certain time, I can be at the back door around that time to get in? Im pretty self sufficient and I dont need a tour, I can follow the procedure to completing the fob access.
Or does a member have to be there the entire time?
You must sign a liability waiver on a tablet before activating a fob. There may be a tablet by the back door; if not, you will need to go to the front lobby. Until you have a working fob, you will not be able to exit the front lobby if the front door is blocked by construction.
A member can show you where the fobs and cards are.
If you have already joined and paid online, you are officially a member and do not need to be escorted.
Ive already paid online. according to the email instructions, it looks like a self serving process; the fobs are in a “new member” storage bin, I log in to the maker manager site with my user id, sign a waiver, type in the badge number and the system will match my email address and activate the fob.
Unless the procedure has changed, you must sign the waiver on one of the provided tablets. They are primarily situated in the front lobby. I do not know whether any have been relocated to the back doors.
I am not kidding about not being able to exit the front lobby without a working key fob or card. At least there are restrooms out there…
Also, the location of the “New Member” bin has changed. It has not been in the Galley since 2019 when the storage racks were moved out. I do not know where it is now; my guess is the Common Room.
yea I did receive an 8 page detailed instruction on the process on how to and where everything is, so they may have updated things then since you have started. and if people are entering using the back door, they must be exiting using the back door. Lets see if one of these nice members who remain on site will be helpfull. thx
That is incorrect, some of the doors on the front can still be exited out of because they’re on the other part of the building.
Also we have multiple back doors, and a lot of people will go to a class and stick around afterwards- there is no guarantee that somebody will be going out to let you in.
Further, until you sign a tablet, you must be accompanied by a active member until the waiver has been signed. Usually this isn’t a big deal, because our front lobby has the waiver stands in it, so it is a lot more self-service.
There should be a few people in the back by the Motorsports area, so if you go to the automotive side (it has the long ramp with the big badge reader on it), and bang on the door. Somebody will probably be over there that can let you in.
In theory, yes, but if I recall that one isn’t working a lot of the time.
Since it’s not a main entrance and guests really shouldn’t be entering there anyways, it’s not been a priority to make sure that all the tablets are working at every entrance.
Obviously this is a little bit of a weird/ edge case.
Im already a paid member. The instructions state that a member only has to let me in, or show up during the open house hours. It doesnt specify that a member has to be present for the process.
I understand that. But also please remember that the entire organization is completely volunteer based. Sometimes instructions and documentation is not 100% up to date.
It’s technically not required too, that being said, we generally highly highly encourage any new member to be given a very rough outline by an existing member. There’s a lot of gotchas and links that are important/etc.
Your best bet for gaining access randomly is to post on here with some dates and times that you’re available and usually a member will try to coordinate further.
As you mentioned, sometimes there are classes where it’s easier to get in because they’re right near the door- automotive is one of those cases, ceramics classes tend to be near the one back door and will hear banging, and so on- but teachers and students of classes are not obligated to help let people in, The only day that we guarantee access to the space for new members to set things up is Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to noon unless prior discussion has occurred on one of our platforms like talk (here), or our Discord.
So – barring the times I posted on the other thread, there is a waiver pad/kiosk in the Common Room. It’s over by the Lost and Found, and the tables where the computers have the attached RFID readers, so you don’t have to read the number off the fob/card to activate it. A supply of fobs and wallet cards is also on that table. You can get to the Common Room from any of the back exits without having to already have a fob.