Based on what I’ve heard and last nights turnout would it be better if we had leather work nights just once a month? It seems they are getting lightly attended.
Could be for a variety of reasons
people don’t know about them
people don’t know what to do
intimidation of a new media
Talk to me people - let’s figure this out. The people that did attend last night had a great time and it turned into a class really. Bitta reorganized the cabinets so they actually are functional (you all are messy) Thank you Bitta.
I realize the cabinets aren’t the very best thing ( it would be nice to have rooms associated with supplies) it’s what we have. Let’s keep this nice and organized for each other don’t you think.
I don’t make the Leather nights because I have other things I’m doing on Thursday and Sunday. In any case, I’m glad that leather is still popular and I’m especially thankful for anyone who teaches leather craft. It is a diverse hobby with lots of different things you can make. I’m teaching a knife sheath making kit on May 9th. We will be putting a basketweave on our knife cases.
I like the carts because I can roll them into another classroom if needed, but when they are “messy” it is difficult to find things. I try to put things back in an orderly fashion, but I had help from my home school students so some of it may have been put back in who knows where. My apologies.
Drive by enthusiasm here. I have a leather project I wan’t to do once I have the STALLED Hatcher’s Table finished. I wish I could tell you why the work night is dwindling, I’m sure it is a mix of all three points you suggested, as well as for me personally I’m taking a bit of a break from DMS Meat Space.
If it was a business, I would say the issue is first marketing, you have to get eyes. Once you have the eyes you need to tell them what they are missing. This post helps in the marketing push, "You guys see what you are missing?"
I would suggest whoever runs the event or wants the event to be a success make a post about it 1 or 2 days before the class on talk. Make sure to use pictures. To push eyes even further, I would suggest linking that talk post in a DMS Facebook post. The trifecta would be then linking the talk post to meet-up. Then rinse wash repeat before each work night. Marketing never ends if attendance is the goal. My two cents take it for what you paid for it.
Just FYI, I sorted the tools by function…stamping & tooling; punches; cutting and skiving & skiving for now. The hardware setting tools are in a bin with the hardware. Putting bladed tools loose in a plastic bin is a NO NO…the blades get damaged and the tools are useless, if you don’t cut yourself of the open utility knife or loose razor blades when you’re looking for something else. I am talking to some folks about helping to get some more tool blocks made and some more organizational elements to make the storage more efficient. Don’t knock 'em…I think the cabinets are great, Nic!
Nic & I have a plan to get the hand press and the strap splitter functional soon as well.
I went through the scrap bins and sorted the clean veg tan from the oil tan/upholstery/misc scrap, so there are two bins now.
If any of you have metal shop experience or know someone who does, I’d like to know the possibility of (in house) getting the splitter blade sharpened and making an adapter so the hand press can be used as a small arbor press for doing hot work.
So there’s lots going on and lots of random interest, so I don’t see it dying out. But, I’d rather have one moderately attended meeting/work session than two poorly attended ones and Thursdays are pretty crazy anyway, so I vote for keeping Sunday.
