I was talking with Woodshop chair @azalaket yesterday and a few ideas started forming during the discussion. One that seems promising is that of offering “Office Hours” in the Woodshop. Time(s), day(s), duration, and frequency TBD.
The concept, while not completely fleshed out, is relatively straightforward: offer regular opportunities to those recently completing WSB to come into Woodshop when a SME is available for questions, guidance, and general oversight.
The main goal/objective is to offer secondary help and training, rather than just letting members with the equivalent of a learner’s permit out loose on the highway. Secondary goals could include: act as an oversight presence in the Woodshop while there, and ensure that shop rules, dust and cleanliness issues, and any other safety concerns are monitored and addressed. In other words, this is a small step toward the “Shop Steward” approach I have advocated for here at different times and places. Think “Shop Steward-light”.
Twice a week (one during day, one during evening?) for 3(?) hours at a time seems reasonable to me…? More than one SME can attend/participate. Would probably need a sign-up/waiting list approach, like Laser queue, and offer chunks of time in “up to” 30 minute slots.
Some items the “Office Hour” program should not do or provide:
- Does NOT replace or substitute for WSB
- Does NOT guarantee you any specific project results
- Does NOT guarantee you time and attention of participating SME(s)
- Does NOT entitle you to time and attention of participating SME(s) outside of office hours
Who’s a SME? Like being designated an instructor, that’s probably ultimately up to the relevant committee chairperson. But as far as Woodshop goes, I think good litmus test questions would include:
- Can you confidently answer questions like "where is this [tool | item | consumable ] located or stored for all things Woodshop related?
- Can you confidently point members to DMS related online information resources like DMS Wiki, Talk forums, tool information & status pages, and classes/events calendar?
- Can you confidently tune (align) a table saw?
- Can you confidently change the sandpaper on the various powered sanding tools?
- Can you confidently change the cutters on the planer and jointer?
- Can you confidently take a length of greenwood log and turn it into a mountable bowl blank for the lathe?
- Can you confidently sharpen chisels, planes, and lathe gouges
- Can you confidently plane and joint a board square, and/or cut dovetails, and/or cut mortise-&-tenon joints by hand?
These are intended to be general guidance questions, and neither proscriptive or comprehensive. E.G. if one is not trained or comfortable on the lathes, that wouldn’t preclude one from being an SME based on other expertise.
Thoughts, pro or con?