(Created page with "== Things you shouldn't do. Especially Not Twice == Everybody using equipment in the space is expected to look after that equipment. That means finding out how to use it properly. If you break something and there were guidelines here that would have avoided it, that's not just an unfortunate accident, it's YOUR FAULT. Take responsibility. If the warnings were wrong or insufficient, correct them. That's your responsibility too. If you see someone misusing tools, appli...")
 
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== Things you shouldn't do. Especially Not Twice ==
[[File:Screen Shot 2023-04-18 at 10.16.13 PM-min 2.png|left|frameless|810x810px]]




Everybody using equipment in the space is expected to look after that equipment. That means finding out how to use it properly. If you break something and there were guidelines here that would have avoided it, that's not just an unfortunate accident, it's YOUR FAULT. Take responsibility. If the warnings were wrong or insufficient, correct them. That's your responsibility too.




If you see someone misusing tools, appliances or someone unaware of how their actions might damage a tool, please tell them directly, explaining the potential consequences and how it could occur. And write it up here, '''at the top where new entries will be read''', in the hope that someone else will learn, too. Be gentle, but don't keep quiet. It isn't helpful to let someone else suffer their own mistakes, and even less helpful to cause other people to suffer your mistakes.


=== The 3-in-1 lathe/drill/mill (no longer in use) ===


* The motor drive is stuck on. The motor drive will not stop turning. Beware.
== Location ==
* That lever with a clamp-like icon on it? The one on the lathe saddle? That means "engage the saddle with the motor drive", not "lock the saddle from moving." See the above point.
''<span style="font-size: 24px;">1102 E Michigan Ave,<br>Kalamazoo, MI<br>49048</span>'''


([https://goo.gl/maps/ppBnNoTSgWHGJk3L9/ Google Map Location])


==='Small' Mill (no longer in use)===
=== A Makerspace for Kalamazoo  ===


This mill tends to vibrate a great deal whilst in motion - consequently, you need to ensure you LOCK THE Z-AXIS if you wish it to be fixed (ie, if you're not holding / moving it), as the vibration of the machine is easily enough to plunge your bit through your job, through your wood, and into the table or vice.


Likewise, ensure that the collet chuck is tightened sufficient to hold your bit in place; the tightness should be somewhere near the mid-point between a firm business handshake and a 'okay you're starting to hurt my hand now' handshake.
KzooMakers is a Makerspace, also referred to as a Hackerspace, which is a workshop / laboratory and community of people who are interested in designing things, learning new stuff, and generally being creative! Makerspaces like ours have a set of community-owned tools to share involving elements of a machine shop, woodworking tools, lasercutting, 3d printing, electronics bench equipment, and other fabrication devices. We host classes and events to help encourage people to enjoy learning and creating. Many members typically join to work on individual projects while being able to ask others about their insight on a subject and use tools that otherwise would be out of reach to a typical hobbyist. It’s a great chance to meet other people who share these interests, and expand your own skills.


===Floor and benches===
=== What Kzoomakers is  ===


Are for working on, not storing stuff. When you've finished, please put away all the tools, throw away any rubbish and put useful leftovers in the storage. Leave the work area better than you found it.
* A place for people to work on projects they're interested in - We provide a space for members to work on almost any project that interests them and provide the tools to help them do so.
* A place to socialize with like-minded people - We have open evenings which also provide a social venue for members to meet up and discuss what they're working on.
* A place to repair, improve or re-purpose things - We keep an extensive collection of tools that can be used to repair and hack equipment to make it last longer or be more useful and our members often help each other with repairs.
* A group to share knowledge and experience - We can find an expert on almost anything technical (and a lot of other things) within our membership, and most of them are very willing to share and teach
* A way to learn and teach new skills - Our members provide inductions and other training on most of our equipment, as well as workshops to demonstrate and teach new skills we don't have technicians etc
* A place to work collaboratively on projects with friends - We provide a venue for groups of members to meet up and work on projects that would otherwise be hard to arrange.
* You need to be a current paid up member to use makerspace resources this includes tools, internet and materials.


Some of the benches are for general use (metalwork, painting, gluing up, wood work) and others are for specific use.  For example, one of the benches in the basement is for wood work only.  This is because metal filings, glue and paint do not go well with wood.  Please respect the signs!
=== Kzoomakers is not ===


===Mill Vice===
* A pay-as-you-go workshop - Although we're very flexible on membership contributions and require no long-term commitments, we do expect that being a Kzoomakers member is an ongoing process of contributing to the makerspace. Contributing only when you want to make use of the makerspace facilities is discouraged.
* A co-working space – whilst you may be able to sit down and do some work on a small scale you will very quickly find it is not suited to having meetings, conference calls etc the network may drop out, there will be noise and interruptions
* A laser cutting/CNC machining/etc service - We do not provide commercial services to the public, and we have a shared machine that many members will want to use
* A charity - Although we very much welcome donations and assistance, we are not a registered charity and are structured more like a social club.
* A storage area - We have a small amount of space to store ongoing member projects and we're happy to have tools that are being regularly used, however we are very space limited and do not provide long-term storage.
* A business incubator - We're happy to support local businesses where we can
* A tool hire centre - Our tools are kept at the makerspace and are not loaned out to members.
* The Repair Shop  wanting to repair stuff are very welcome to become members and get full access to our facilities. If you join up, we may help you fix it, if someone is around and they have time but we won't fix it for you.
* A source of free materials – You should bring your own materials if people have useable materials left over they can leave them for other member and other members should make a donation to the space to the value of the materials – it is one of the ways we support our selves
* A waste disposal service – Because it does not fit in your bin at home does not mean the space will find it valuable or useful


Is not a consumable, it's part of the tool. Please don't drill into either the jaws or the base. You can avoid this in a number of ways :
== Other things ==
* Be careful. Don't overhang the jaws, place your work at the top, and the bit will go nowhere near the vice.
* Place a piece of scrap wood below the work, so that the drill enters that when it passes through.
* Set the depth stop so the bit can't reach the vice. This is inadequate if the vice metalwork is directly below the work as a drill bit has to come through the work to complete the hole. So use care or scrap wood as well.


Lest you think that damage to a vice is just inevitable .. it's not. The vice we have isn't enormously expensive but a [https://www.kurtworkholding.com/product/kurt-versatilelock-8-manual-vise/ top quality industrial vice] is, very. It's a precision instrument that's essential for accurate work. Treat ours like it cost £1700 too - it's the right way to keep tools in good condition.
=== Guides and Rules ===
* [[Rules]] - Know the rules!
* [[Guides]] - Find out how things work and how to safely get involved.
* [[Faceplant]] - Common mistakes. Don't inadvertently destroy our equipment!


===Grinding wheel===
=== Core Material ===
Is for steel. It is only for steel and not for anything else. Steel is the only material it should cut.
* [[Library]] - Useful reading material. Update this when you borrow, return or contribute books.
 
* [[Maintenance]] - The space doesn't improve itself. Know how you should be helping.
Aluminium, plastics, wood will clog the surface of the wheel very quickly and stop it cutting, it can also overheat and explode when used on incorrect materials. Use a file for these materials - they're soft enough to cut easily.
* [[Suppliers]] - In the local area and online
 
* [[Equipment]] - Incomplete list of the stuff we have and its status.
===3D printers===
* [[Pledges]] - Does the space lack something you want to use? See if others will combine efforts to get it.
Are an expensive, delicate piece of equipment - get training for it!
* [[Consumables]], [[Wishlist]] - We try stock cheap little things for convenience. Donate or restock to help maintain.
 
===Drill Bits===
 
There are various types of drill bit depending on what it is you want to cut a hole in: masonry, wood or metal. The 'Space has examples of all three. In general metal drill bits are a simple spiral and often labelled HSS (this is often engraved, along with a diameter on the barrel of the bit, don't always trust the box). Masonry bits will have a blunt 'spade' on the tip. Wood bits tend to have a small point at the tip and spurs, they can also be used for plastics.
 
In general use the right type of drill bit. If a bit is carbon steel it is probably too brittle for metal.
 
More info can be found here: [[http://www.diydata.com/tool/drillbits/drillbits.php]]
Also see the speed guide here: [[http://www.ibiblio.org/twa/info/drillSpeedChart.pdf]] which has good schematics of the drill bit types
 
===Cutting Speed/Teeth sizes===
 
The URLs below are very useful references:
 
# http://www.raygirling.com/dpspeed.htm
# http://www.ibiblio.org/twa/info/drillSpeedChart.pdf
 
but do keep in mind that some of the numbers are relatively high - a lot of our (semi pro) tools do not quite have the power (or are rigid enough) to hit that (nor do we have sludge cooling). So aim a bit lower and go slower.
 
===Bandsaw===
 
There are various sorts of saw blades for the bandsaw intended for wood or metal. Using the wrong kind of blade will, if you're lucky, just break the bandsaw. If not then, well, all kinds of bad things can happen when a fast rotating sharp edged band of metal snaps under stress. For the same reason - be sure to use the adjustments on the guiders.
A simple rule is to check the blade against the kind of straight saw you'd use on your chosen material.
If it looks like a hacksaw blade, it's for metal (maybe check against a tenon saw as some of the hacksaws may have wood blades).
If it looks like a woodsaw blade, it's for (normal) wood. (Verify what to use when using exotic/harder types of wood).
Changing the blade on the bandsaw is possible, but should only be done by someone who has the training.
 
===Laser cooler===
 
Don't run the laser with the lid off the cooler and a fan blowing on it. Sure, it will increase the cooling rate. It will also blow dust & muck into the system and it's supposed to be distilled water. BTW, the dead bee was probably there already.
 
===Servers===
 
Physical and virtual servers providing services in the space (including [[Doorbot]], [[Equipment/Landin#Chomsky|Chomsky]] and the [[Equipment/Boole|router]]) are shared. Do not restart them because you want to do a dist-upgrade or because something is running at high load.  A large number of people use Chomsky as an IRC bouncer and for playing with code, so you'll be killing their sessions.  Doorbot and the router are sensitive and important to every member, so you should have a very good reason to touch them.
 
===Soldering===
 
You don't need to have the soldering iron in the solder station at full heat, it will melt the plastic bits on components, 270ish is good for leaded solder, 300 for unleaded.
 
Think about the plastic used in connectors before putting boards in the reflow oven. They may have a low melting point, and youĺl end up having to replace the connectors having carefully peeling the mess from your tiny surface mount components.
 
===Mill===
 
Please put some wood under whatever you are drilling, don't drill down into the bed of the vice!
 
===Network===
 
Please don't go over the top when torrenting (or other p2p service) in the space, we have limited upload, reduce your upload bandwidth to e.g. 50Kbit. Don't expect high bandwidth or p2p services to work on unauthenticated networks. We value our network connection so any dubious behaviour by users of our networks upon the Internet at large is a problem for all of us.
 
===Electronics===
 
It's not simply good enough to read the datasheet carefully, you also have to be reading the ''right'' datasheet carefully.
 
===Etch Tanks===
 
Today I lost a pcb in the bubble etch tank and tried to dredge it out by hand. It doesn't hurt at the time but the next time you wash your hands it will hurt LIKE HELL. Wash your hands after using the chemicals, maybe even wear latex gloves. Don't be a pillock, that's my job - alecjw
 
===Appliances===
Treat appliances with care. People use these without caution as a matter of routine, and don't expect them to be hacked, damaged or immersed in water. Similarly, beware of the kettle, because it's kept in a drip tray that can hold a decent amount of water if bent.  Friends don't let alecjw near toasters.
 
===Freebies===
If you find something abandoned, please don't bring it to the space, and definitely don't hack it until you've determined from the original owner that they're happy for you to have it.  The more valuable something is, the less likely it is to have been abandoned.
 
===The Plague===
Don't bring anything to the space that might be infected, infested, radioactive or toxic, without checking first.
 
 
[[Category:Guides]]
[[Category:Safety]]
[[Category:Infrastructure]]
[[Category:Update Needed]]

Revision as of 02:25, 19 April 2023

Screen Shot 2023-04-18 at 10.16.13 PM-min 2.png




Location

1102 E Michigan Ave,
Kalamazoo, MI
49048'

(Google Map Location)

A Makerspace for Kalamazoo

KzooMakers is a Makerspace, also referred to as a Hackerspace, which is a workshop / laboratory and community of people who are interested in designing things, learning new stuff, and generally being creative! Makerspaces like ours have a set of community-owned tools to share involving elements of a machine shop, woodworking tools, lasercutting, 3d printing, electronics bench equipment, and other fabrication devices. We host classes and events to help encourage people to enjoy learning and creating. Many members typically join to work on individual projects while being able to ask others about their insight on a subject and use tools that otherwise would be out of reach to a typical hobbyist. It’s a great chance to meet other people who share these interests, and expand your own skills.

What Kzoomakers is

  • A place for people to work on projects they're interested in - We provide a space for members to work on almost any project that interests them and provide the tools to help them do so.
  • A place to socialize with like-minded people - We have open evenings which also provide a social venue for members to meet up and discuss what they're working on.
  • A place to repair, improve or re-purpose things - We keep an extensive collection of tools that can be used to repair and hack equipment to make it last longer or be more useful and our members often help each other with repairs.
  • A group to share knowledge and experience - We can find an expert on almost anything technical (and a lot of other things) within our membership, and most of them are very willing to share and teach
  • A way to learn and teach new skills - Our members provide inductions and other training on most of our equipment, as well as workshops to demonstrate and teach new skills we don't have technicians etc
  • A place to work collaboratively on projects with friends - We provide a venue for groups of members to meet up and work on projects that would otherwise be hard to arrange.
  • You need to be a current paid up member to use makerspace resources this includes tools, internet and materials.

Kzoomakers is not

  • A pay-as-you-go workshop - Although we're very flexible on membership contributions and require no long-term commitments, we do expect that being a Kzoomakers member is an ongoing process of contributing to the makerspace. Contributing only when you want to make use of the makerspace facilities is discouraged.
  • A co-working space – whilst you may be able to sit down and do some work on a small scale you will very quickly find it is not suited to having meetings, conference calls etc the network may drop out, there will be noise and interruptions
  • A laser cutting/CNC machining/etc service - We do not provide commercial services to the public, and we have a shared machine that many members will want to use
  • A charity - Although we very much welcome donations and assistance, we are not a registered charity and are structured more like a social club.
  • A storage area - We have a small amount of space to store ongoing member projects and we're happy to have tools that are being regularly used, however we are very space limited and do not provide long-term storage.
  • A business incubator - We're happy to support local businesses where we can
  • A tool hire centre - Our tools are kept at the makerspace and are not loaned out to members.
  • The Repair Shop wanting to repair stuff are very welcome to become members and get full access to our facilities. If you join up, we may help you fix it, if someone is around and they have time but we won't fix it for you.
  • A source of free materials – You should bring your own materials if people have useable materials left over they can leave them for other member and other members should make a donation to the space to the value of the materials – it is one of the ways we support our selves
  • A waste disposal service – Because it does not fit in your bin at home does not mean the space will find it valuable or useful

Other things

Guides and Rules

  • Rules - Know the rules!
  • Guides - Find out how things work and how to safely get involved.
  • Faceplant - Common mistakes. Don't inadvertently destroy our equipment!

Core Material

  • Library - Useful reading material. Update this when you borrow, return or contribute books.
  • Maintenance - The space doesn't improve itself. Know how you should be helping.
  • Suppliers - In the local area and online
  • Equipment - Incomplete list of the stuff we have and its status.
  • Pledges - Does the space lack something you want to use? See if others will combine efforts to get it.
  • Consumables, Wishlist - We try stock cheap little things for convenience. Donate or restock to help maintain.
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