Received: by 10.142.251.10 with SMTP id y10mr680274wfh.23.1285986329543; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:29 -0700 (PDT) X-BeenThere: bellinghamhackspace@googlegroups.com Received: by 10.142.6.9 with SMTP id 9ls4016030wff.3.p; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.142.213.3 with SMTP id l3mr2424386wfg.9.1285986329109; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.142.213.3 with SMTP id l3mr2424385wfg.9.1285986329076; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:29 -0700 (PDT) Return-Path: Received: from mail-pz0-f47.google.com (mail-pz0-f47.google.com [209.85.210.47]) by gmr-mx.google.com with ESMTP id x13si1867759wfc.1.2010.10.01.19.25.28; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:28 -0700 (PDT) Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of paulfs...@gmail.com designates 209.85.210.47 as permitted sender) client-ip=209.85.210.47; Authentication-Results: gmr-mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of paulfs...@gmail.com designates 209.85.210.47 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=paulfs...@gmail.com; dkim=pass (test mode) header...@gmail.com Received: by pzk37 with SMTP id 37so1053729pzk.20 for ; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:28 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:received:received:date:message-id :subject:from:to:content-type; bh=Dt2AijkmIiCAp/apnh4cjTdrNfXZG4t5AWILcqAzDb8=; b=khepFnh8PXEcVIeCLy034jM2xPDUj+r16JCr74aHX060pCBS9zy8CoUU9F22V8jotK I6t5dHZ67QxAmp5E75HwFaUvh9oxYY9AM7GzugajtBOyEVYKOwEok7uvuyB6l0iRH+xK /Fc+l75FrZJaLG6isGyL7MYUfyFdd4orFDXIo= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; b=ulm6yphQvmXHe9U3pjYK/FoLRvgr7awThVr3gv2P4Q+krOSKRs5DDN33+ZZ85/SWXR 3sDiOPN4gmHrnTHFqA8/q6Pj72Tun30cOS7fqitZfjhNoWwuvE6DRaXbx8tz9RgMRny9 1JQHf7LTMJkdeUAx7w5yJ/SRXHREedbLvcCf0= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.142.192.9 with SMTP id p9mr5562986wff.165.1285986327798; Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:25:27 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.143.160.8 with HTTP; Fri, 1 Oct 2010 19:25:27 -0700 (PDT) Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2010 19:25:27 -0700 Message-ID: Subject: Visiting Metrix From: Paul de Armond To: bellinghamhackspace@googlegroups.com Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=000e0cd23b84412ffa049199062b --000e0cd23b84412ffa049199062b Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable My trip to Metrix and what I found there On 10/1/10 I had to go to Seattle on some personal business. I had some time in the afternoon, so I dropped in on Metrix, the Seattle hackerspace a= t the north end of Broadway. It=92s literally under the Deluxe Tavern, where= I consumed a burger and brew. Metrix is a small place. It=92s about 12=92 x 25=92. There is a small wor= k area near the door where they are setting up a small hobby-type lathe mill that might get CNC controls added to it. On the wall is a pegboard with various wire, cables and various electronic bits for sale. There is a glass front counter with more small parts for sale underneath it. Behind the counter are several shelves of mostly technical books. On the north side of the space is a 8x10 walled in space with a glass sliding door that houses the laser engraver/cutter. It is down, pending the installation of a new laser tube that just arrived. The laser is very much the heart of Metrix - more about that later. Past the laser cutter, a very small room, barely a walk-in closet has the soldering station. It is a single-place work bench with a hot air station and a temp controlled soldering iron, power supply, various meters, an oscilloscope, etc. It has city-required ventilation for removing fumes. Returning to the front of the space, the south side opposite the front counter is filled with an L-shaped workbench with seating for about a dozen people. The entire space is very full and cozy but not crowed. Just past the workbench is the famous vending machine which is stocked with a variety of snack, electronic kits and parts. Food seems to be important because many people would rather be at Metrix than eating. There were two people there and we talked about the space and their experiences getting it set up. One thing that came up repeatedly was the continuous interference from the City of Seattle planning and licensing departments. The space has to equipped with OSHA-level safety gear, protective enclosures, ventilation, etc. That was not nearly as expensive or as complicated as the process of getting the city=92s ravenous and intrusive bureaucracy satisfied. For example, there were endless delays an= d $500 in fees for the city to determine that the laser engraver did not need to be licensed with the city. Got that? Great trouble and expense for the city to decide that it was none of their damn business. Once the waffle-butts got paid off, they went away. Since then, there hasn=92t been any interference, but initially it consumed more time and work than any other part of putting the space together. In the near future, they will double their space by expanding into the adjacent suite. They also are interested in getting more digitally-controlled tools like a ShopBot and a cnc milling machine. One tool they really wanted was a table saw. They have built a cnc-router for fabbing circuit boards by milling off the copper from a board. It is expected to be up and running real soon now. They don=92t etch boards there because the spent etchant is considered toxi= c waste and they would be buried in bureaucrats if they had any. Evidently, the disposal regulations for businesses are prohibitive for small enterprises. So, no etching. The laser cutter is very much at the heart of Metrix. It=92s a big draw an= d people are cutting all sorts of things on it: plywood, acrylic plastic, paper, cardboard and cloth. People spend a lot of time thinking up new and interesting things to cut up and make. Because of the safety regulations, the laser is in its own room. There is a cctv camera so everybody can watc= h from outside the room. It always draws a crowd when they are cutting, they told me. Because of their location, most of their members get there by foot or bicycle. There=92s not much parking around Broadway and there is a very hi= gh density of young people in the neighborhood. I told them a little about th= e feeble effort being made up here and also mentioned that we were initially = a little old-fart-heavy (at least as far as Martin and myself go.) To which they replied that they very much wished they had a few old farts around the place. At which point, I bit my lip rather than saying the only sage old-fart advice I had was to move far away from somebody who says =93I know what I=92m doing=94 when doing something stupid or dangerous. I asked what pointers they might have about things that worked for them. Here=92s a sampling: * Have long and regular open hours. They are open 12pm - 12am 7 days a week. This is important because a lot of people don=92t fit into a narrow time slot. * Have a cool tool like the laser cutter. It really is the central focus. It could be any neat tool, but the laser serves as a starting point for many different projects. They also get a lot of action around the 3D printers. * Quick classes are a good way to bring people in. They=92ve had good luck with Arduino classes making stuff on prototype shields (which don=92t requi= re soldering.) They are starting classes on 2D CAD for programming the laser cutter. They tried some transistor classes but found that was a little ove= r people=92s heads for starters. They plan on reintroducing the transistor classes later as people get up to speed. Robots are also taught using Arduinos, as is Arduino programming. * Most people are building electromechancial stuff, but some people are finding new crafty-type uses for the laser cutter including jewelry and sewing projects using elaborately cut fabric. They also said they=92d welcome more visits. I promised if there was a gro= up visit in the future, we=92d rattle before we struck. --000e0cd23b84412ffa049199062b Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
My trip to Metrix and = what I found there

On 10/= 1/10 I had to go to Seattle on some personal business. =A0I had some time i= n the afternoon, so I dropped in on Metrix, the Seattle hackerspace at the = north end of Broadway. =A0It=92s literally under the Deluxe Tavern, where I= consumed a burger and brew.

Metrix= is a small place. =A0It=92s about 12=92 x 25=92. =A0There is a small work = area near the door where they are setting up a small hobby-type lathe mill = that might get CNC controls added to it. On the wall is a pegboard with var= ious wire, cables and various electronic bits for sale. =A0There is a glass= front counter with more small parts for sale underneath it. =A0Behind the = counter are several shelves of mostly technical books. =A0On the north side= of the space is a 8x10 walled in space with a glass sliding door that hous= es the laser engraver/cutter. =A0It is down, pending the installation of a = new laser tube that just arrived. =A0The laser is very much the heart of Me= trix - more about that later.

Past t= he laser cutter, a very small room, barely a walk-in closet has the solderi= ng station. =A0It is a single-place work bench with a hot air station and a= temp controlled soldering iron, power supply, various meters, an oscillosc= ope, etc. =A0It has city-required ventilation for removing fumes.
Return= ing to the front of the space, the south side opposite the front counter is= filled with an L-shaped workbench with seating for about a dozen people. = =A0The entire space is very full and cozy but not crowed.

Just p= ast the workbench is the famous vending machine which is stocked with a var= iety of snack, electronic kits and parts. =A0Food seems to be important bec= ause many people would rather be at Metrix than eating.

There = were two people there and we talked about the space and their experiences g= etting it set up. =A0One thing that came up repeatedly was the continuous i= nterference from the City of Seattle planning and licensing departments. = =A0The space has to equipped with OSHA-level safety gear, protective enclos= ures, ventilation, etc. =A0That was not nearly as expensive or as complicat= ed as the process of getting the city=92s ravenous and intrusive bureaucrac= y satisfied. =A0For example, there were endless delays and $500 in fees for= the city to determine that the laser engraver did not need to be licensed = with the city. =A0Got that? =A0Great trouble and expense for the city to de= cide that it was none of their damn business. =A0Once the waffle-butts got = paid off, they went away. =A0Since then, there hasn=92t been any interferen= ce, but initially it consumed more time and work than any other part of put= ting the space together.

In the= near future, they will double their space by expanding into the adjacent s= uite. =A0They also are interested in getting more digitally-controlled tool= s like a ShopBot and a cnc milling machine. =A0One tool they really wanted = was a table saw. =A0They have built a cnc-router for fabbing circuit boards= by milling off the copper from a board. =A0It is expected to be up and run= ning real soon now.

They d= on=92t etch boards there because the spent etchant is considered toxic wast= e and they would be buried in bureaucrats if they had any. =A0Evidently, th= e disposal regulations for businesses are prohibitive for small enterprises= . =A0So, no etching.

The la= ser cutter is very much at the heart of Metrix. =A0It=92s a big draw and pe= ople are cutting all sorts of things on it: =A0plywood, acrylic plastic, pa= per, cardboard and cloth. =A0People spend a lot of time thinking up new and= interesting things to cut up and make. =A0Because of the safety regulation= s, the laser is in its own room. =A0There is a cctv camera so everybody can= watch from outside the room. =A0It always draws a crowd when they are cutt= ing, they told me.

Becaus= e of their location, most of their members get there by foot or bicycle. = =A0There=92s not much parking around Broadway and there is a very high dens= ity of young people in the neighborhood. =A0I told them a little about the = feeble effort being made up here and also mentioned that we were initially = a little old-fart-heavy (at least as far as Martin and myself go.) =A0To wh= ich they replied that they very much wished they had a few old farts around= the place. =A0At which point, I bit my lip rather than saying the only sag= e old-fart advice I had was to move far away from somebody who says =93I kn= ow what I=92m doing=94 when doing something stupid or dangerous.

I aske= d what pointers they might have about things that worked for them. =A0Here= =92s a sampling:

* Have= long and regular open hours. =A0They are open 12pm - 12am 7 days a week. = =A0This is important because a lot of people don=92t fit into a narrow time= slot.

* Have= a cool tool like the laser cutter. =A0It really is the central focus. =A0I= t could be any neat tool, but the laser serves as a starting point for many= different projects. =A0They also get a lot of action around the 3D printer= s.

* Quic= k classes are a good way to bring people in. =A0They=92ve had good luck wit= h Arduino classes making stuff on prototype shields (which don=92t require = soldering.) =A0They are starting classes on 2D CAD for programming the lase= r cutter. =A0They tried some transistor classes but found that was a little= over people=92s heads for starters. =A0They plan on reintroducing the tran= sistor classes later as people get up to speed. =A0Robots are also taught u= sing Arduinos, as is Arduino programming.

* Most= people are building electromechancial stuff, but some people are finding n= ew crafty-type uses for the laser cutter including jewelry and sewing proje= cts using elaborately cut fabric.

They a= lso said they=92d welcome more visits. =A0I promised if there was a group v= isit in the future, we=92d rattle before we struck.
--000e0cd23b84412ffa049199062b--