Saskatoon TechWorks Forum

Rylan here

First off thank you Techworks Members for all your suport, friendships and good will!
Communtiys like this are wonderful and Im alwase thinking about how I can help out!
Which brings me to this topic.

Yesterday I purchased this laser cutter:
http://fslaser.com/products/lasers/mast ... d-dual-two
Now the question is where shall I ship it to? ( I have many options, tech works being my favorite!)
I must decide by late Tuesday night! October 22nd


I would like to make the techworks community an offer!
1. I offer to put the laser in the current space
2. I offer to train a couple of techworks members to use the laser cutter ( a full spectrum tech will be flying in to give a work shop)
3. I offer all members reasonably large amounts of time on the laser cutter! However only people that have been fully trained can actually operate it.
4. SaxMachine Has made a promis of his own, If the space has this new laser cutter then members get full access to his small hobby laser cutter.
Having mentiond that Ill let him fill in the details of that!

What Im not offering:
1.I am not giving the laser to tech-works, I / peachy still owns this laser cutter.

2. By "reasonably large amounts of time" I mean, you will still need to ask for permission to use the laser cutter to go into production of a product or start doing custom laser work for money, but producing 1- 10 of something
or any amount of tinkering is fine!

3. I reserve the right to not train more than a few members, Laser cutters are dangers, they can start on fire and they can really hurt people.
It would be a mistake to say that just any one that pays for a tech works membership is responsible enough to use this powerful machine on there own.
Training is a privilege. Doing things this way should prevent full body tattoos, blindness and arson caused by negligence

4. Any material that could damage the laser cutter is forbidden.(I don't know what these are)
5. Peachy Printer production and r and d takes priority.
Having said that this laser cutter is VERY fast and it will only take about 57 hours for it to cut all 5000 peachy printers currently ordered.

Ok so a bit more information you may need to help out with your decision :

1.The laser cutter take up 6.25 feet by 4.5 feet of flore space.
2.This laser cutter plugs into a 120 volt wall soket and typicaly draws 6 amps.
3.I have talked to the land lord and he approves putting in an exost vent threw the wall.
The laser cutter has a 4 X 3 foot cutting aria and is on wheels, the back of the machine has a removable
panel allowing you to hand feed a 4X8 sheet right thure the machine.

features of the cutter:
Apart from what you can find out from the full spectrum page here is a bit more info about the laser cutter.

1. I have upgraded the cutter to dual 150 wat laser tubes(allowing the cuter to cut some metal)
2. The cutter has dual heads .. it can cut 2 identical objects at the same time(cloned cuts) or it can use just one head,
3. The cuter can do 3d engraving
4. The cutter can engrave on cylindrical objects ex a glass wine bottle( with the lathe attachment)

Timing:

All this comes at a very odd time, tech works is moving shortly after the laser cutter arrives, so will the cutter be available to go to the new space?
The answer is I don't know! It may or may not make sense for me or for the tech works community to move this laser to the new space.
It will depend on the volume of orders for peachy printers( i have no intention of running mass peachy printer production from within the techworks community space)
and Just where peachy printer inc sets up its headquarters ( possibly peachy headquarters will be taking over the soon to be old tech-works space on 44th st)
I do enjoy doing peachy printer R and D from tech-works, as I and other members have been doing for the last year, after all the peachy printer is an open hardware, freedom respecting software,
community project!

Ok having said all that I call for a vote!
What say you techworkicians ?

A. Ship the new cutter to the current space?
Or
B. Ship the new cutter to some other location?

I personally think it would be great for Techworks to have access to a professional quality laser cutter and I totally understand your limitations with training and time. I think that's a very fair tradeoff.

There are a few things that I think need to be considered first:

• What happens if it gets damaged? That could leave Peachy on the hook and cause significant delays. It could also leave Techworks and/or its members up for liability for the damages. You should make sure both you and Techworks have agreed on this so that it doesn't come down to an argument later.
• How much extra will it cost you if you have to ship it to 44th St. and then again to Gray Ave.? We should make sure it won't be too onerous and figure out who will cover the cost.
• Where will it go in the existing space? We should make sure we know where it's going so that we can properly evaluate what we have to give up to fit it.

All these concerns aside, I think it would be a great benefit to Techworks and I support it.

Awesome. I think this would be of great benefit to the space and would love to see it come with us to Gray Ave too.

JamesCooper wrote:I personally think it would be great for Techworks to have access to a professional quality laser cutter and I totally understand your limitations with training and time. I think that's a very fair tradeoff.

There are a few things that I think need to be considered first:

• What happens if it gets damaged? That could leave Peachy on the hook and cause significant delays. It could also leave Techworks and/or its members up for liability for the damages. You should make sure both you and Techworks have agreed on this so that it doesn't come down to an argument later.
• How much extra will it cost you if you have to ship it to 44th St. and then again to Gray Ave.? We should make sure it won't be too onerous and figure out who will cover the cost.
• Where will it go in the existing space? We should make sure we know where it's going so that we can properly evaluate what we have to give up to fit it.

All these concerns aside, I think it would be a great benefit to Techworks and I support it.

Great thinking James
1 There is no way that techworks can afford to fix a machine like this, it would be my problem if some one broke it! that's a risk I accept
although If it happens I may want to renegotiate the rules to prevent it from happening again. I have already set some rules that mitigate this risk.

2 I will have to cover to cost of moving it to the new space if we move it, I want this to be all gift and no burden to techworks.

3. I suggest moving the lathe and the vending Machine to a garage for the time being, I have some shop space I can put them in about 20 blocks from here if that helps.
Dont get me wrong I think there both great additions to the space but untill there actually working or about to be worked on they could go to this storage space.
The new laser would then go in front of the big door and could rolled out of the way on its wheels when necessary

I agree that access to a larger format laser cutter would be great. I don't mind moving the lathe, the problem is that the garage the it came from no longer exists (it was torn down for a new one to be built, but it's not done yet.

Just regarding shipping from space A to B, I think the plan is for us to rent a big truck for the move, it would likely fit no problem.

fantastic idea, I think this is exactly the kind of arrangement I was hoping for when we first established techworks. I'm pumped to see projects becoming successful on this scale, and want to do anything I can to help move things along in the right direction.

I am all for this.

I would like to be one of the one's who is trained on the machine. With my background in manufacturing and CNC programming/operation, I believe I am a good candidate.

If there is anything that my knowledge of manufacturing and/or CAD design could contribute to the project I would be more then glad to help out.

This sounds great.

Rylan, I'd also like to be one of the people trained on the laser. I've been full of ideas to bring more people to the space, many that involve the laser - workshops on greeting cards, jewelry/accessories, packaging, costumes and props.

Hi

sounds for me also very good, and I would also like to be a member to be trained on the laser.

Rainer