Community workshop.

[Tonyz]

This is a ramble but bear with me.................................

Adelaidians ...if you live in Holden Hill area do a check on SANE Makerspace. A private dude has set up this community workshop with woodworking & metal work machinery, plus spray booth going in, plus a vinyl cutter, Laser cutter, all sorts of hobby stuff, 3x3D printers etc etc. you pay $19 week membership or $30 a day.

Ive been there several times and love it but 8 hours drive makes it difficult to be involved.

Now because of our current living situation, I have a stack of woodwork machinery my wife has just about every type of craft hobby you can think of and they are all packed away not being used.

In Pt Lincoln there is a Mens shed, that does zipp all, run by grumpy old sods that should be shown their used by dates and not friendly to visitors.

So the wife and I are toying with setting up similar to Adelaide, will bring in couple of others with other tools etc, and to off-set long hours working there.
Whats your thoughts...I know it goes against the grain of mens sheds but these days both/all sexes what to try something.

[bueller]

Would love to see something like this in Perth. There are some hack spaces but none of them are set up for woodworking and the men’s sheds are mostly open during the times I’m at work.

Good luck with it, I know some similar spaces are quite successful overseas.

[BobL]

I think it's a great idea and don't worry about mens shed - they are in a different league - they are primarily a mental health oriented organisation.

Just be aware that supervising/managing and watching others make complete garbage and ruining your equipment can at times get really frustrating, real quickly.

[Tonyz]

Ive spent enough time in the Adelaide place to see monumental stuffups and the pitfalls.
This is a great story from them though, a couple of younguns wanted to upgrade the interior of their camper so bought a swing machine to redo curtains etc, then realising they didnt have a clue how to use it, went on line looking for teaching classes. They come across SANE (South Aust North East):cool: Makerspace and 3 months later had rebuilt the whole interior cabinetry, upholstery, a vinyl map of the world (to fit the whole inside roof) and they recently left on their journey.

[BobL]

I'n probably telling you how to suck eggs but you would have to develop a Worksafe rated physical setup and user training and licensing policy/process, and of course you will need insurance.
It would simply not be good enough to say or have a user sign a document that says "I use stuff at own risk".
I couldn't bear the thought of especially one user injuring another and then have their lawyers on my doorstep
This is why I stopped supervising at the mens shed even though we are not regulated by Worksafe.

It would be interesting to know how the Adelaide place deals with this?

[Tonyz]

They have mentioned they have it covered but need more info from them, sigh another visit :D

We will be approaching the council for assistance so will need to have all boxes ticked and our butts covered