Member Meeting Minutes for October 4, 2017

Minutes by Agenda Topic

• Attendees
  • Chad
  • Geno
  • Dave Coakley
  • James Hyde
  • Adam Casto
  • Eli
  • Adam Longwill
  • Justin
  • Bob Berger
  • Jesse
  • Logan
  • Rob Martin (hangouts)
  • Joachim (hangouts)

Called to Order

Called to Order At: 7:32pm

New/Potential Members

• Logan
  • System Engineer for UPMC

Learning Tracks / Classes

• Basic Electronics class
  • Geno

• Soldering Class
  • Sometime in November

Potential Events/Talks/Classes

• Edge Lit acrylic class, first sat in Nov, Rob Martin
  • Need to test laser cutter, order new tube before class

• Fidget Spinner class for kids
  • Dave Coakley and Rob Martin

• Intro to Biosignals
  • James Hyde
    • November or December

• Intro to Czech and Mandarin
  • Becky

• Learn to Tune Your Piano
  • Chad

• Intro to CPR
  • Becky and James

Shop Projects / Updates

• Autonomous Power Wheels
  • Did great in New York Maker Faire, only team on track, did many successful laps
  • Preparing for Pittsburgh Maker Faire

• Power Wheels
  • Lego car did really well, won 2nd place, 2 third places, see videos and photos

• Wood Shop
  • Got large Dust collector
  • Need new 220V line

• Automatic dues payment system
  • Wild Apricot is currently being used for dues
  • Chad had meeting with Milwaukee makerspace, RFID boards coming in few weeks

• Vending Machine
  • Coin and bill reader added
  • Chad and Jacques and Geno working on it
  • Not buying snacks until vending machine project is finished for security reasons

• Laser Cutter
  • Currently running at 70 watts.
  • We have the $ to buy a new tube. Need to buy ASAP

• Safety Report
  • Need to test alarms!

Old Business

• James: Discussed finances, showed some graphs.
  • Currently we can't differentiate between revenue streams. Swithcing to Wild Apricot will fix that.
  • Chad: We've been losing (some) money on snacks and/or the laser cutter.
  • Going to be adding a log book to the laser cutter.
  • Not going to be buying any more snacks/drinks until vending capability is in place.

• Revenue needs to be constant in order to expand
• Raising dues to $50 sooner than later would put us on a better footing
• Looking at some different memebership tiers for supporting/sustaining members
• Discussed some of the details of a supporting membership level, day passes, etc...

New Business

• Eli suggests making a hybrid between full access to shop immediately and 30 day waiting period for purposes of security
  • Open for discussion
  • 2 people vouch for new member, come into shop twice, ala Milwaukee makerspace?
    • Eli motions to amend current new member induction process to have board take a government issued ID, or use board's due diligence
    • James 2nds
    • 2 abstained, 1 voted no, 10 in favor
    • Eli withdrew previous motion

• Jesse wants to build new shelves
  • All agree to wait until we expand to new space

• City wants us to laser cut other side of the tree ornaments
  • Chad and Jesse will work on this

• Need to test alarms

• We have 3 fire extinguishers, we should make sure people know how to use them, and they work

• Alex loaned a foundry to the shop
  • Will melt aluminum, bronze, brass, some cast irons, 475,000 BTUs per hour, we would need 500 gallon propane tank, $300 to fill the tanks
  • All agree that we need better solutions to use the foundry
    • Plan in a month, implementation in another month. By Dec 4.

• Dave and Joachim working on forge

• Chad reminds everyone to put parking permits on projects you want to leave in the shop

• Craftoberfest this Friday in Garfield, Mini Maker Faire type thing with beer
  • HackPGH can have table if anyone wants to help

• New Space
  • Move next door
  • Chad made verbal agreement $1600 first 6 months, $1750 for next 6 months
    • Discussion needs to happen between present tenant and Avenu

Move to Adjourn

• Eli motions
  • Dave seconds
    • Adjourned 8:44pm

Meeting notes by Geno