Member Meeting Minutes Summary: July 12th

Upcoming Events

• Fiber Frolic: The first monthly Fiber Frolic in the Stitch Lab is scheduled for July 13th. Jen, the new Stitch Lab area host, will provide more details. This event will be like “office hours” for the Stitch Lab.
• Other Events: Other upcoming events will be announced.

Member Updates

• Stitch Lab (Fiber Lab): The Stitch Lab has been reorganized to create more space, and there are plans to decorate and paint the walls, including a design wall, for displaying projects. Jen is now the area host.
• General Activities: Various members reported on their activities:
  • Many are working on lasers (Trogdor and Dremel).
  • Brady is helping with classes for Arduinos and microcontrollers.
  • Olivia is working on a booth for fairs.
  • Linda has been doing dye sublimation and is making tumblers and t-shirts.
  • A member is working on a resin 3D printer.
  • One member is working on 3D printing for cosplay.
  • A member is working on “Fascinating,” a cold work glass process.
  • Lucas is focusing on knitting machines and crochet.
  • Chris is teaching leatherworking classes.
  • Michael (Mr. D) is working on robotics and teaching engineering and CAD.
• New Member: One new member joined due to interest in the website.

Facility Updates and Improvements

• Tool Usage: Discussions included how the Cameo vinyl cutter can cut patterns and score leather, and the laser can cut veggie tan leather.
• Access Controller Board (EPICS Project): A new access controller board is being developed for the space. It will allow for 32 endpoints on one set of wires and support various authentication methods (NFC, 125kHz chips, fingerprint readers). The goal is to allow smartphone access instead of key fobs. Initial team meeting is January 18th.
• Laser and X-Tool: The X-Tool is closer, and there's a new XL setup for 3D printing. The laser (Trogdor) is still being worked on for better rastering and an automated Z-probe.
• Space Organization: The vinyl cutter will move to the atrium wall. Donated equipment (laser, vinyl, rolling plate engraver) is at the back of the classroom.
• Kiosks: Student-developed kiosks are functional for answering common questions.
• Website: Work is ongoing to improve the website's functionality and visual appeal.

Financials

• Current balance: $19,300.
• Last month: $1,100 in new member income, but higher expenses due to rent and insurance ($2,500 for insurance).
• Goal: Be financially stable with $25,000 in the bank and a $5,000-$10,000 reserve for large purchases/repairs.

Leadership and Governance

• New Board Members/Roles: John has joined the board as the new treasurer, taking over from Bob. Tim is the new president.
• Board Meeting Schedule: The leadership meeting time will now officially serve as a board meeting.
• Motions Passed:
  • Nicole is the new area host for Fiber Lab (Stitch Lab).
  • Simone received a free month of membership for lending a long-arm quilting machine.
• Elections: Elections are ongoing, with Tim running for president. Straw polls showed an overwhelming lead for Mr. Rayburn for president.

General Operations

• Clean-up Day: A highly successful clean-up day involved 15-20 people, moving 1.5-2 tons of material.
• Heavy Equipment: The Bridgeport, laser, and new CNC were moved.
• Laser Table: The laser table is now perfectly flat.
• Ventilation: The exhaust problem in the front of the laser is still pending a solution.
• Signage: The organization is looking into acquiring proper signage.
• Electronics: The electronics area has been reorganized.
• Guest Check-in/Showcase: A dedicated guest check-in area and a showcase area are being set up.
• Robot Fund/Scavenger Hunt: The Fin Con robot fund activity will be updated for ongoing use as a “get to know your local makerspace” activity this fall.
• Support: Doug and Chris are donating their time to finish the moving process and clear yard sale items, and members are encouraged to assist.