Make Magazine just published this article. Some very interesting food for thought, as it relates to DMS’ situation; the benefits of corporate sponsorship; and the challenges that makerspaces face in their daily operations. That we’re still 100% volunteer-run is hard to fathom, considering our size.
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We’re
A. Dedicated and
B. Lucky
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Only 700 people. Wow that would be nice.
Interesting interview but it’s hard to find a two-hour class under $65.00 on their site.
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And their 24/7 membership is $175/mo. Their cheapest at $60 gets you weekday only 8 A.M. - 4 P.M.
$80 just to get signed off on their table saws. Another $80 for the jointer and planer. And yet another $80 for drill press, scroll saw and sanders. CNC router is $180.
Guests aren’t allowed in to help you with a project unless you purchase a day pass for them.
Absurd. I’d never join a space like this.
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That is how almost every maker space i’ve ever been to operates under.
I know that it frustrates people sometimes when they just join and then it takes them a while to get signed off on like some of the wood shop tools here… But there are some advantages of being completely volunteer run, like the fact that we don’t have crazy prices for different hours and all sorts of other things.
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Member and class pricing is a recurring discussion topic when it comes to DMS strategy. We seem to be the anomaly (or at least in the minority) within the makerspace community when it comes to our member size, pricing, and 100% volunteer orientation.
I remain very surprised that we don’t have a material corp. sponsorship/grant presence, given our size and member pricing approach. In a metro area the size of ours, there’s considerable corporate donor dollars available.
I remain an advocate of paid positions in key roles, notably in public relations/membership/marketing; finance; and facilities/asset management. I believe DMS would greatly benefit by applying focus in those areas. Volunteering only gets you so far.
One other item that resonated with me in the interview is their BoD size. It’s been considered at DMS before, and with many makerspaces chairing a 8-9 person Board, I see that as an opportunity to apply increased focus on several additional key areas (see above), without overloading the Board members.
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I liked this part of the story. I joined makerspace to get access to tools I don’t have at home, but its the fun social interactions that keep me coming. I think we need more social events, especially for new members to make connections with other people
"That is what’s cool about NoVA Labs. Not the equipment we have, it’s the people and their skills and their dedication to helping members and non members alike that makes it cool, right? So that’s a personal story. "
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Whether or not they’re diving into a swimming pool full of gold bullion Scrooge McDuck style, that CNC program is more established than ours. I can cut aluminum and MDF on the same machine, and they already have policies for cutting composites. Plus their training resources are already uploaded. Check out these links, especially the linked document downloads:
CNC Machining
May I cut composites on the ShopSabre?
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I’m sure we could set up a program where CNC instructors personally pocket $120 of the $180 and there would be several volunteers.
Metal isn’t allowed in the woodshop on any machine.
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I volunteer!
Edit update: Before someone says, “Brady is not a CNC instructor”, I will point out that in 2017 I ran several classes for the old PlasmaCam. My back could not handle standing in the shop so I moved to electronics.
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Be careful what you wish for … 
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Looks like we are at 1,559 now.
https://accounts.dallasmakerspace.org/member_count.php?total
It’s actually more than that. There is an apparent error in that system that counts it low.
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Reading this makes me appreciate DMS even more. We are very fortunate indeed!
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Don’t forget the highly vocal contingent who do not want our instructors “making a living” teaching…
What could that be?
The only thing I can think of is that one or more new membership categories have been added after those scripts were written.
https://accounts.dallasmakerspace.org/member_count.php?text
Is there a way to see the actual count?
I don’t recall the full details.