Ongoing Projects

Kwartzlab is always in a state of flux, with new tools, areas, projects, initiatives, facilities, processes, and so on and so forth. As a fully volunteer-run organization, all members are expected to help out. If you're keen on making the lab a better place, consider helping out with one of the projects below.

If you are adding a task that does not have an obvious owner, please indicate the owner/contact point of the task. If you are looking to complete a task, please connect with the area leader or contact person indicated.

Ongoing Projects

• empty various garbage/scrap bins/chip pails/dust bags located throughout the lab including wood shop, metal shop, and laser areas

Expansion build-out

• see #discuss-expansion in Slack
• assisting with the expansion build-out in whatever areas are needed during the project

Drink Fridge and Snack Cabinet

• see #drinks-and-snacks Slack channel, post if you'd like to assist
• purchasing stock and/or restocking the drink fridge and/or snack cabinet
  • Wholesale Club, Costco, and A1 Cash & Carry are the usual restocking points to date
• building organizers for the Snack Cabinet or replacing the cabinet with other shallower cabinet or shelving

Smelly Booth

The Smelly Booth has a location and roughed-in ventilation, but does not have a champion yet. If you would like to be able to do large epoxy pours, have a resin printer, or work with chemical processes that require ventilation, consider putting in some effort to make this a reality. See #project-fume-booth on Slack.

Vending Machine

The Vending Machine needs to be returned to functionality, so that it can start dispensing not only snacks but maker materials (Arduinos, Raspberry Pis, etc). There is also a proposal to develop an internal KwartzCoin digital currency that the vending machine could tap into via a member's Key Fob.

One-Time Projects

• washing machine:
  • troubleshooting why it won't spin
  • determining a permanent location for it with decidated pluming and drain
• find more accessible home for Loanable Tools
• re-mount bike storage hooks for bike parking (see #bikes on Slack)
• listing donated items on eBay (see Andrew N)

Metal Shop

• purge ducting from metal shop (after sending notice in #general that such a purge will happen)
• swap low rack at entrance for disassembled tall rack
• move lights: long light over grey worktable, short light centered over rack aisle
• put all hammers on peg board on rack
• determine what other tools would make more sense to go on a peg board
• move power drop over grey table
• create vertical plate storage on a rack shelf
• create chained vertical storage area for material lengths (possibly using the short rack as a basis)
• go through the machine tools and machine tool accessories to determine which we can use and which are surplus
• organize machine tools and accessories into one of the three steel fastener storage racks
• install the single metal door in the opening to the Grinding Room
• remove the printing on the chip scrap pails and label 2 for steel chips only and 2 for aluminum chips only

future Metal Shop, pending materials

• remove the wooden cabinetry and replace it with metal shelving
• install double metal doors to the Welding Room and close up the remaining gap
• once both Grinding and Welding have doors, mount the air filter in the grinding room (see Andrew N)

Electronics

• modify two of the work tables to remove the back brace in favour of a middle brace (to permit seating from both sides, see Jim R)
• determine where the third work table will be going and move it
• get all wire spools stored up in the rafters on rods/tubes
• build guide tubes for wire to go from spools, down the wall, to a reachable height