Below is a summary of the August 2025 member meeting:

General Updates and Member-Led Initiatives * Member-Run Meeting: The meeting was organized by members for members. * Member Projects: There was a lot of member-led activity in the makerspace recently, including sewing, woodworking, metalworking with the fiber laser, and a lot of different laser crafts with both wood and other materials. A member named Brady created a bunch of cards for his church's kids. One member made a ring box. Another member discussed making a pen that works like a BIC pen, using a design by “bearded printer” from Twitch. * Building and Maintenance:

• The member's insurance was renewed, but the policy requires five signatures and an inspection of the smoke detectors.
• There is frustration with the cleanliness of the space, especially the overflowing trash cans in the woodshop and pieces of wood extending out of the barrels. Members need to chop wood sticks shorter so they fit within the trash can.
• The restrooms have been malfunctioning again, with toilets that don't shut off properly. A screwdriver has been placed in the men's room to allow members to adjust the valve to prevent water waste.
• The makerspace has additional dust collection. However, most of the airflow from the new dust collector is coming out of the slot in the front of the table saw where the blade height crank is. A side fitting also has a poor seal, causing suction loss.
• A member is planning to work on the table saw on Saturday to clean the threads so the blade can go all the way down, which is necessary to use a new 3D-printed insert.
• Upgrade parts for the lathe station are coming. This includes a new handle for the Luna and two new carbide blades for the long-handled chisels, which are dull and dangerous.

Projects and Proposals * UT Dallas EPICs Projects: Two projects are kicking off with UT Dallas for the EPICs program.

• Filament Press: This project will involve making a filament press to turn old, unsorted filament into solid plastic bricks for use in other making techniques, like multi-axis CNC or forming wet leather.
• Tabletop Vacuum Former: The goal is to continue developing a tabletop vacuum former to create a hobbyist-sized tool that other non-profit makerspaces could build using commercial off-the-shelf parts. The project aims to eventually build it up to about a sheet of paper kind of size.

* Open House Pitch: A member proposed holding a “makerspace vendor open house” to attract new members and give current members an opportunity to share their work. The suggestion was made to hold this event at the next location, possibly on Small Business Saturday, to avoid advertising the space just before a move.

Future Planning * Search for a New Location: The search for a new makerspace location is officially on. The desired space is between 2,000 and 4,000 square feet.

• Geographic Preference: The preference is to stay on the east side of Highway 75, within one to two miles of the current location. The city of Richardson is also preferred due to its easy code enforcement for industrial and warehouse buildings.
• Broker: The makerspace is working with a commercial broker named Greg Fails. He is paid by landlords and does not cost the makerspace anything. Members are asked to report any potential locations they find to the Discord channel.
• Financials: The rising costs of rent and other expenses, such as internet and insurance, will likely require a dues increase. The organization is primarily supported by member dues. The plan is to have a couple more scheduled meetings to approve the move and affirm new rates before the landlord can double the rent in November.

* Corian Material: A member has Corian countertop pieces from a home renovation that they are offering to other members. It was noted that Corian is not suitable for the laser cutter because it contains aluminum hydroxide, which can create a fine aluminum dust when vaporized. This dust can damage the laser and other machinery, so it is recommended that members take the material home to work with it.