Hey friends! I just approved a request from Gretchen for the laser cutter calendar (https://makeict.org/lasercutter/) but honestly, we never use that thing any more, I’m not sure it’s really needed now that we have two laser cutters. When I do remember to talk about it in class, I open it and there are no other reservations. So if nobody uses it then nobody checks it and nobody uses it - that cycle. It was really great when we had ONE laser cutter but since getting two, I can usually just jump on one.
I’m thinking of just getting rid of it and replacing it with something easier to see - like a physical little white board with 4-5 lines on it where a few folks could write reservations on there. I realize the downside of having to be at the space to write on it, but you probably don’t need a reservation unless you’re AT the space, wanting to cut, and can’t cut - so just reserve a time tomorrow. I’d write classes on it. Keep it small.
We did have a bit of a waiting line for Luigi on Monday and I had to tell the people “Sorry, class is next” so they didn’t get a machine.
I have only reserved it once since the new space… to make sure I could cut out parts for Ren faire. Every once and a while I see one guy using both lasers for what looks like a business…
I agree with this. I have never had to wait and understand that it is common courtesy. If you are using both machines and someone comes to use one, you compromise and go to one.
oh definitely. I’ve used both machines at the same time before but if someone came in I told them they could have the other one as soon as my cut was finished.
If I have a group coming in (kids making ornaments, etc) we might use both machines but that’s the kind of thing I’d use the reservation markers for.
I updated the wiki to get rid of the link to the laser calendar. I added the interesting bits that the page had about reservation guidelines (10 hours per month, kinda arbitrary but nobody’s complained). I also added some clarification around leaving scraps, because omg some stuff has been there a long time.
Then I made these signs dry erase signs. They are stuck on each machine with magnets, close to the computer so you can’t miss them.
