Policies and Procedures

Maker Station Policies

We are a volunteer run organization, and the space is the labor of many people. Please respect our space, its resources, and the members who helped build it.

Shop Policies

• Rule #0: Do not be on fire.

• All members of The Makerstation must be over the age of 18.

• All minors MUST be accompanied by their guardian, or

• Know where the fire extinguishers, exits, first aid kits, eye wash stations and other safety equipment are located. If you have any concerns, questions, or notice any issues, please raise it in #safety so it can be addressed.

• Eye protection should be worn in the workshop at all times.

• Hearing protection is available and recommended when power and air tools are in use. They can be found at the front of the shop, near the office door.

• Do not wear gloves, loose-fitting clothing, unsecured long hair, ties, scarves or other articles that could become entangled when using any tool with a spinning or moving blade or bit.

• Do not use any tools while intoxicated, under the influence of drugs, or while tired.

• If you’re working alone, make sure someone else knows where you are and when to expect you. Keep your phone charged & close by.

• Closed toe shoes are required in the workshop. Pants with cuffs, open toed shoes and sandals should not be worn while working. If working with very heavy objects, proper protective footwear, like steel toed shoes, are recommended. Reach out in #safety on Slack if you have any questions.

• If you break a tool or find one broken, fix it, or seek help from someone who can. A broken tool is a dangerous tool. NEVER attempt to use damaged or malfunctioning equipment.

• Disconnect power before adjusting, changing blades, repairing or moving any tool. Do not attempt to repair a tool without prior understanding or approval. For questions, please post in #maintenance on Slack

• When in doubt: Ask. If you don’t know how to use a tool, find someone to show you how first. Channels like #3d-printing, #woodworking, and #metalworking are available in Slack

• Read manuals, signs, and wiki pages for tool and machine specific rules. If you are interested in contributing to shop educational resources, please reach out to Ryan Seals or Randy Farmer on Slack for access to add to and edit the wiki.

• Only use tools for their intended purpose. Tools that have been modified for different/additional purposes must be clearly labeled and documented.

• Keep a safe path clear to all exits and emergency equipment, including all fire extinguishers. Questions can be raised in #safety on Slack.

• All spills must be addressed immediately. Spill kit, paper towels, etc. are available. If you are working with something that could potentially spill or drip, please work over brown paper, or use a catch pan. For hazardous materials, attempt to contain, cordon off the affected area, and post in #safety to seek help to properly clean it up and alert membership.

• When you finish working on a project, please return all tools to their proper locations, place cordless tool batteries on their chargers, and ensure any projects or excess materials are put away. Please be courteous and help ensure our other members have a clean space to work. Questions can be raised in #general or #maintenance on Slack.

• Please label projects that need to be left out. If you come across a project that is left out, please leave it alone, or reach out in Slack to try to get in contact with the owner.

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• Please clean up after yourself, and be mindful of the dust/debris your work can cause. Dust collection should be used if available, and work areas must be cleaned when finished. Vacuums, brooms, and dust pans are available to assist in this. Sanding of medium to large resin projects MUST be done with some form of dust collection. Please reach out in #maintenance or #safety for questions or suggestions.

• Proper welding PPE is required when using the welders or plasma cutter. All welding must be done outside the back door, and with UV curtains or solid barriers shielding the entrance to the shop, and the backlot behind the space.

• Spray painting (and other aerosol work) must be done outside to avoid overspray damaging tools and equipment and to minimize health and flammability issues. Please be mindful of overspray with our neighbors, as wind can carry it further than expected.

• Do not place food, drinks, in-progress projects, excess materials on tools or shop equipment.

• The shop is for use by Makerstation members. Guests may use the shop only under the direct supervision of a member, who is responsible for ensuring that all safety rules are observed. Specific exception is made for attendees of classes, who must sign the safety waiver.

• Tools and equipment can not be removed from the space without the prior approval of the Board of Directors.

• Do not make any modifications to shop infrastructure, including walls, electrical, plumbing, tools, and storage shelves without prior approval. Please reach out in #modifyingourspace if you're interested in making changes, and to get approval to do so

• Flammable, poisonous, or caustic materials MUST be properly labeled and stored. Any containers of resin or solvents larger than 1 quart are not permitted in the office spaces, and should be stored in the shop flammables cabinet. Radioactive, biological, or other hazardous materials not covered above ARE NOT permitted in the space without expressed approval from the Board of Directors.

• Excess materials in the wood racks or material storage should be labeled. Unlabeled materials may be assumed to be available for general use.

• Do not use the kitchen or food prep areas for chemistry or biology work. Never store any non-food items in a food container.

• You are responsible for the safe AND LEGAL disposal of all waste materials from your projects.

• Please dispose of any food trash in the dumpster, and take out and trash cans where food was placed. Only you can prevent drain flies.

• Alcoholic beverages are not allowed at the space without specific exception. For questions on this, please contact the Board of Directors.

Automotive Work

• Work involving automotive fluids, including oil, hydraulic oil, and coolant is not permitted in The Makerstation per our lease.
• Automotive work that does not involve fluids is permitted, but vehicles may not be left at the space overnight. Failure to comply with this may involve the landlord towing any non-permitted vehicles. This is not a policy within our control, and is a condition of our lease. Please reach out to the Board of Directors for questions.

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Membership Subscription Info

The Maker Station makerspace membership subscription payment system is handled via Gumroad.com Inc, a 3rd party payment processing company for independent creators and makers. By joining the Maker Station, in parallel you are creating an account with Gumroad.com. To manage your account such as changing credit card info or canceling, you will need to log into gumroad.com directly

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