Why is DMS such a mess?

DMS General
#104

First, I’m not a DMS member. I contacted Chris, wanting to donate “stuff” from my shop in Ft. Worth. We are selling the house. She was kind enough to drive over and look; took a few things but didn’t spend enough time to know what was there. I tried several other maker spaces but could not get anyone to bite. We DID get Habitat for Humanity and Salvation Army to take some “stuff”. Finally in exasperation, I hired a junk company to dispose of it.

Reading this lengthy and terrible thread makes me glad I didn’t join! Your politics are out of control; perhaps the issues shown hourly on CNN have spilled over and you people are emulating the people that run this country?

I have a home shop. It’s not nearly as well setup as DMS, but I can leave a project and go to lunch. Currently, I’m waiting for some epoxy to cure so I can do the next step. I don’t have to worry about someone disturbing the project and causing the pieces being glued to move. Or someone complain about me leaving it in the vice.

DMS seems like a great idea until you watch the human interactions, which are caustic. Cultures are about people and unless the people get along, it doesn’t matter how many machines you have!

I have two close friends. One is a retired HS shop teacher. He built a nice shop in the backyard. He makes wonderful wood toys. Before I was disappointed by DMS, I mentioned that he might check out DMS. He lives in Farmers Branc and is quite nearby. The other is an electronics guru. He had already checked you out and decided not to be involved; not sure why.

I think your culture is the source of many of your problems. I also think that mandating every work-space be cleaned immediately will limit what can be done.

10 Likes
The poison of talk
The poison of talk
#105

Thanks for your external viewpoint of DMS. We should take it to heart and improve what we are doing in many aspects of the space.

2 Likes
#106

I am beginning to remember why I left a few years ago…just sayin’

#107

You are spot on. For (at least) a couple of years now, the ‘leadership’ here at DMS has emphasized an unsettling vision of some supposed manifest destiny, i.e. growth of membership numbers and/or square footage so we can claim we are the biggest at something…anything!!! This push for growth at any cost has come at a significant and demonstrable cost to the quality of experience for existing members. The truth of this observation was, I am sure, part of the genesis of this thread.

The hardest thing to explain, IMO, is that people who have become so disgusted with the way things have been trending at DMS, and the ever-escalating politics and politicking, and the “popularity contest” nature of our elections, that they simply don;t come to the 'Space any more somehow seem to be unable to do the single most effective thing they can do to communicate their displeasure: vote with their dollars. After all, they can simply rejoin again at any arbitrary point in the future – for instance, when there is a decent chance of coming in and not finding the place a typical state of disarray – with virtually no barriers or consequences.

#MalthusianCrash

1 Like
#108

My solution to the fire cabinet is to remove the burden from logistics and place it on the committees that need to store materials. Those committees can have smaller cabinets sized to their needs that resides in their own space with rules that they enforce. Having a gigantic oversized cabinet with no clear guidelines just invites anyone to throw stuff in it with no consequences. So the system just grows and grows out of control. By removing the oversized cabinet instead of perpetually managing other people’s toxic waste you improve general use space and create a sustainable system.

I’m not interested in working on problems that I was in the middle of solving that have now regressed due to short sighted actions in the past to maintain the status quo.

See my previously linked logistics ideas thread for what I was trying to accomplish before being fired from my volunteer position. Other approaches to improve everything included rebuilding work tables so that pallets could be stored underneath the tables to increase large project storage.

1 Like
#109

You can do that here at the space by leaving a note on it, but that’s not the issue here. Messes are being left not projects in progress with intent to finish the next day and or in a few hours. It’s a Makerspace not a trash can. Folks come in to abuse the space use it for their own intent, then leave it trashed once they have finished their project. Tools are left out, or not put back where they picked from. Neatly stacking things etc, leaving things in a better place before they even started the project isn’t whats happening currently.

If I’m a new member, i would take one good look and be look nah i’m good, unless your coming from chaotic workspace yourself and just need use of a new tool that you dont have.

I’m failing to understand how getting along enforces just cleaning up after yourself and taking ownership in the organization that you are investing in monthly. There are a few people i might not see eye to eye with, but that doesnt give me the right to trash the Makerspace.

This is why is looks the way it does today, nobody is mandating anything, just referring back to bylaws etc. Clean up when you’re done working for the day, leave your project if glued or in a vice in a respectable state.

I challenge you to let these same disrespectful folks work in your shop and then say its about culture, its individual accountability. Culture and politics are used as blankets to shade the real issues.

People need to be held accountable until that happens, the friendship ring will continue to work in filth.

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#110

It’s because we don’t just randomly throw away peoples projects or committee supplies.

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#111

One solution is to RFID lock that cabinet. It’s for Committe Use Only and individuals shouldn’t be placing their own crap in there.

We DO need another cabinet for member use along with a ticketing system and cash deposits that go towards disposal if the chemicals are left too long. We’ve discussed this in the past and I’ve recommended chemical cabinets more than once that were on CL but those with purchasing power didn’t purchase.

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#112
#113

So I’ll see everyone who participated in this thread for the next logistics workday. We will be posting it on the calendar and thank you so much im advance.

@Team_Moderators please close this thread, thank you.

6 Likes
#114

Buddy I didnt attack you , but your comment is unacceptable in my opinion

Here is the difference I am active now, you arent

#115

I will send @NickWebb tomorrow to represent my house.

2 Likes
#116