TheLab.ms Wiki

Board Meeting Minutes Summary: May 14th

Health and Safety

• COVID-19 Reporting: The CDC's website changes made it difficult to find original COVID-19 data. Regional weekly volume changes and low bulk deaths (1-9 for the last reporting period) suggest a very low level of concern.
• Future Reporting: The board will decide after elections whether to continue reporting on COVID-19, with the current sentiment being that it's “basically done” and has become “background noise.”

Facilities Updates

• Trogdor (Laser Cutter) Rebirth: The laser cutter has been significantly upgraded with an Arduino Uno brain.
  • All functions (chiller, air handling) are now controlled through Trogdor's power switch.
  • The Z-axis is now firmware-controlled, eliminating the need for manual red buttons.
  • An upgraded, higher-wattage power supply requires users to adjust previous cut settings.
  • An arcade button functions as a software e-stop, stopping the tube and motion without cutting power.
  • Future improvements may include using “gerbil howl” (likely GRBL) with a Pico microcontroller for faster raster processes.
  • The Z-Pro touch sensor still needs installation for automatic material height detection.
  • The project was completed under budget, and Jordan and Chris were acknowledged for their efforts, with Chris specifically for cleaning the internal components.

Financials

• Current Standing: The organization is financially stable, with over $20,000 in the bank after May rent was paid.
• Revenue Contributors: Mr. Rayburn was thanked for hot sandwich plates, which contributed to over $850 deposited on April 20th from item sales, memberships, and the hot plates.

Upcoming Event: Any Trainers

• Opportunity: A three-day event at “Any Trainers” was highlighted as a good opportunity for engagement with landlords and other attendees.
• Preparation: Flyers can be created using the working color printer for the event.
• Atmosphere: The event is anticipated to be enjoyable, featuring live music and food trucks.

Other Business

• Lightsabers: Mentioned as a popular interest, particularly for “Star Wars folks.”
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for June 4th, with the member meeting at 8 PM and the leadership meeting at 8:30 PM.
• Voting: Voting will be open from 7 PM to 9 PM, with a process for validated members to submit ballots early if they cannot vote during the designated time.