My recommendation would be to inventory the tools and mark each with permanent ink. We could get started with this soon and I’ve discussed this with facilities as well.
There’s an inventory committee that’s supposed to handle this. They’re scheduled to meet this Wednesday, although I’m not sure if they currently have any active members or not.
Putting tools in an inventory and marking them still won’t prevent theft. Any solution will require security and leadership to first acknowledge there is a theft issue.
1 Like
Permanent ink is not as permanent as people think.
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I see several shortcomings with this idea. First is the inconvenience especially when you have to do a lot of work going back and forth between the two shops. Second in my mind is the fact that none of the doors automatically close every time. Third and maybe this should be first is that we already can tell who’s coming and going from the space. There is nothing to stop a person from leaving the woodshop with a tool. And with multiple people going in and out throughout the day, there’s no way to say which of those people might have walked out with one.
2 Likes
Its sad to think people walk away with items in a shared space. Brad nailers are relatively cheap.
Couple additonal suggestions -
- Paint them in a very distinct color maybe fluorescent orange.
- Engrave makeict logo.
- Have cameras pointed to monitor people exciting.
-Organize them in a way they can be seen by a camera. This would make it much eaiser to track down when they went missing.
2 Likes
I am all for more cameras. But there are those who don’t want big brother watching them. I say don’t join a space with camera then. Anyway, as far as organizing goes, have you seen the threads about people not putting stuff away or cleaning up their mess? 
4 Likes
Honestly for as against big brother as I am, if we have a theft problem, then I’m all for more cameras. If we can’t rely on our “be excellent” motto, then maybe it’s time for “trust, but verify.”
5 Likes
Wasn’t there a significant amount of money approved at the last board meeting for security upgrades?
What are those funds being spent on/what are the specific upgrades that security is doing? Is there maybe something already in the works to address this?
···
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 8, 2023, at 8:10 PM, Mandee E. via MakeICT Forum noreply@talk.makeict.org wrote:
| Emme MakeICT Member
October 9 |
- | - |
Honestly for as against big brother as I am, if we have a theft problem, then I’m all for more cameras. If we can’t rely on our “be excellent” motto, then maybe it’s time for “trust, but verify.”
Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.
In Reply To
| whateg01
October 9 |
- | - |
I am all for more cameras. But there are those who don’t want big brother watching them. I say don’t join a space with camera then. Anyway, as far as organizing goes, have you seen the threads about people not putting stuff away or cleaning up their mess?
Previous Replies
October 9 |
- | - |
I am all for more cameras. But there are those who don’t want big brother watching them. I say don’t join a space with camera then. Anyway, as far as organizing goes, have you seen the threads about people not putting stuff away or cleaning up their mess?
| BrianD MakeICT Member
October 9 |
- | - |
Its sad to think people walk away with items in a shared space. Brad nailers are relatively cheap.
Couple additonal suggestions -
- Paint them in a very distinct color maybe fluorescent orange.
- Engrave makeict logo.
- Have cameras pointed to monitor people exciting.
-Organize them in a way they can be seen by a camera. This would make it much eaiser to track down when they went missing.
October 8 |
- | - |
I see several shortcomings with this idea. First is the inconvenience especially when you have to do a lot of work going back and forth between the two shops. Second in my mind is the fact that none of the doors automatically close every time. Third and maybe this should be first is that we already can tell who’s coming and going from the space. There is nothing to stop a person from leaving the woodshop with a tool. And with multiple people going in and out throughout the day, there’s no way to say which of those people might have walked out with one.
October 8 |
- | - |
Permanent ink is not as permanent as people think.
| gemma MakeICT Member
October 8 |
- | - |
There’s an inventory committee that’s supposed to handle this. They’re scheduled to meet this Wednesday, although I’m not sure if they currently have any active members or not.
Putting tools in an inventory and marking them still won’t prevent theft. Any solution will require security and leadership to first acknowledge there is a theft issue.
Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.
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1 Like
maybe limit the tools that are out? keep duplicates locked away, so if it comes up missing we have a spare? or increase the woodshop budget to cover tool shrinkage?
i think better organization might help with things as i believe people have a tendency to put things away whatever. everything has a home and an address.
Until there is an actual inventory of items, serial numbers, etc., there is no telling how much theft there is. I recommend we take the first steps before we try to completely solve the intractable human-history long problem of theft.
2 Likes
Until the upgrades are in place I’m refraining from speaking any more about them. Members that what to get more details on security in general can attend the scheduled security meetings at the space or one of the (probably many) work days security will be having in the coming weeks/months.
2 Likes
I’ve made this suggestion in the past and got a lot of pushback and “this won’t work” feedback but I’ll say it again.
Have a centrally-located tool crib with badge-controlled access and at least one camera overhead. There can be a sign-out sheet that indicates who borrowed what and for which area. If an item comes up missing, review the video feed and narrow down the culprit.
Repeat offenders could have their access revoked or at least be put on notice about their behavior.
The laser cutters in the Fab Lab are badge-controlled so having a tool crib/cage with limited access shouldn’t be that hard. Members already need wood- or metalshop authorization to use the shops so tool crib access could be tied into the badge system the same way.
And if people are wary about “being watched” all the time…welcome to the modern world. There are cameras literally everywhere already. A few more shouldn’t be such a big deal if it keeps people from stealing tools.
3 Likes
I’m for cameras in the class rooms. I don’t like “BIG BROTHER” either but, sometimes we simply need a “BIG BROTHER” to watch out for us. There has been a lot of “MISSING” items lately from multiple departments. It “IS” time to put cameras in the class rooms. Like Savvy said, we are already watched all day long once we leave our house. I seriously think cameras in the classrooms will help a lot with accountability. With all the “MISSING-EQUIPMENT” lately it seems like the theft problem is growing. We need to stop letting problems go in the hopes they will work themselves out, they don’t, they grow into giant tsunami’s that become a huge complicated mess that becomes a giant cluster “BLEEP” because it got so big no one knows exactly what to do. Then the royal screw ups happen, then you get more disgruntled members, then we have situations where members quit and volunteers resign. Makeict needs to work smarter not harder in these types of situations. If we learn from past mistakes maybe we can stop repeating them for a change.
5 Likes
That seems a little odd. Normally we’d hear like, cameras are getting an upgrade or the computer running the show is getting an upgrade or something along those lines.
It seems like there’s plenty of people throwing out good ideas, but ultimately spinning their wheels/wasting time and brain power. It seems a better use of volunteer time would be to direct the flow of ideas.
Ex. “We’re installing new cameras/computer/badge system, but we haven’t considered xyz yet,” or something like that.
Also, how do you expect to recruit people to your work days to help install whatever you’re installing if they don’t know what it is. Different jobs require different skills 
A public forum is not an appropriate place to discuss details of security measures.
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Where is the appropriate place to have discussions? Will the board provide a functional way for the membership to communicate?
2 Likes
As we have a rash of incidents it doesn’t help broadcasting “Hey, we have deficiency X, we’re doing Y and it will happen on Z.” in a public section of the forum.
And the topic is straying from OP so lets get back to that.
its rather hard to state "we shouldn’t talk about this publicly " when its one of the bigger elephants in the room. This, unfortunately, is good, it brings it to light and it creates interest in fixing an issue, rather than shushing it away.
i think a tool crib is a great idea, this is just one of the things that happens with growth.
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Ha - I officially regret asking about a brad nailer! Hopefully I can chat with you guys at the space. I’m at maker Mondays now.
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The shelf of air tools (brad nailers and staple guns) was empty when I went looking a few weeks ago, but I did find one brad nailer in a black case on the back wall. Check there. Matching nails are in the case. Non-matching nails are in a labeled metal drawer.
There are also manual staplers in a metal cabinet, but no matching staples I could find anywhere.
2 Likes