Hello Fellow Crafters,
It would be fantastic to meet up, have a chat, and get a few things moving again. So how about we aim to meet next Tuesday at 6 pm before the Inductions get underway.
Things to go over-
Next steps in the refurb
Outstanding wiki work
Next thing/s we could get in the next grant application
If you can’t make it PLEASE submit a proxy so that we might have enough voices to get things done.
Warning: Incoming Mental Dump
We need to replace the vacuum pot that was on loan from Mike. If anyone knows a supplier/suitable replacement, or even a suggested budget, please reply so we have it to vote on!
I would still like to consider buying/making a better table/station for the jewellery making machines on loan from @Eris
Jaimyn has created tool pages for us on the wiki, and Josh put together a wiki template for machinery, so it’s a case of filling in the blanks, not writing from scratch.
Josh has mentioned that his partner may be interested in taking on the kiln as a project, but I think we should consider doing what Metalshop did and paying someone to get it prettied up, I think we could turn it into a money-spinner, as kiln time is expensive and hard to get.
I recently attempted to make a rag rug using the two sewing machines we have, but they both need a good servicing. @Boo suggested some time ago on Discord that for the cost of servicing, it’s probably better to purchase new machines. We could look into something that’s more robust/workhorsey than what we have.
We still have the Craftpunk boneyard in the Stockroom, but Josh pointed out to me that it’s a bit unfair that Craftpunk gets to keep stuff in a general storage area, and it’s not good practice to have consumables so far away from where they’re being used. I can’t argue, he’s got good points. I’m open to suggestions on how we manage and store consumables, we may need to find space in the room?
I had a couple of suggestions for leather working machines from Para (Can’t tag him here) as grant items. I’ll copy/paste the emails below. Opinions?
Tl;dr
"Hello Emily,
Please find attached the email correspondence with Metallic Elephant, UK for the stamp machine as requested. They seem to be the best in business albeit expensive. Alternate is to buy a High Grade Chinese machine and also a Korean made is available ( I feel better then Chinese). Metallic elephant however supplies to many top end brands in Australia. However I feel $5000+ (KFS Series 2) for a stamping machine is too much and we can have (2-3) machines for that price if we go the High end Chinese way. Perhaps we can have skiving machine and leather splitter as well, all together for roughly $5000
Regards,
Param
Forwarded email:
Hi Parampal
I have been give your details by my colleague after your contact through facebook.
Below is a breakdown of our personalisers.
Please find attached details of our press. The KSF 1, 2 and 4 are used for primarily personalisation with individual brass letters or small logos
KSF Series 1 £1495.00(MINI or Standard) - 50 x 75mm - £385.25 shipping
KSF Series 2 £2750.00 - 50 x 100mm - £595.25 shipping
KSF Series 4 £2554.99 - 50 x 100mm - £457.85
Videos can be found here - https://vimeo.com/metallicele
We produce magnesium and brass blocks for uses on the press, we also produce the type required for personalization, we can make bespoke to order as well as per the link attached https://www.instagram.com/p/BZTgSNwBZP8/?hl=en&taken-by=hot_foil
A set of brass letters costs as follows;
A font with letter height between 6-9mm is £495.00 for 110 pieces, the font will be reduced by 10% when purchased with a press.
A font with letter height between 10-15mm is £650.00.00 for 110 pieces, the font will be reduced by 10% when purchased with a press.
Additional characters are priced at £4.95/£6.50 respectively.
We can provide dies as alternatives to brass type, this gives you the ability to brand with a logo or similar, we can offer these at a fixed cost of £12.50 for Magnesium or £20.00 in brass. £17.50 and £25.00 with the KSF 2/4 respectively.
IF you have further questions then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Regards
Vincent"
I have a base, somebody broke the top. It’s a matter of lasering out a new carbonate top for it. Let me know if you want the donation. Its a little bigger than Mike’s one.
Only the grinder and ultrasonic bath are on loan, the space owns the rest of it. Proposal: $120 for a mini grinder for the space, it comes with a flexi-drill too.
$60 for an ultrasonic bath
$200 for wood/steel to build a jewelry workbench.
Mini Bench Grinder 3" Variable Speed Rotary Flex Shaft | eBay
I’m still trying to log in … “user not found”
Kiln needs ~300 in maintenance sooner rather than later, and $100 to upgrade it to work like the reflow oven (web based, can select temperature ramp-soak profiles etc) and do a new pretty faceplate (once laser is up and running)
install an attic?
Tl;dr
You might be confusing me with the vacuum pump that I had on loan to the space but took back a few years ago; I’ve never owned a vacuum chamber (but I’ve been meaning to buy my own for a long time). I don’t have links right now and it’s been years since I looked so this knowledge might be very out of date, but 3-ish years ago eBay had some good deals on them (from people buying cooking pots on the cheap & adding their own lid/valves). Maybe they’re still good? Don’t know!
Unfortunately polycarbonate isn’t suitable for laser cutting; it doesn’t ablate or cut cleanly, but instead it smokes & smoulders, catches fire, and drips flaming droplets of melted polycarbonate inside the machine. Acrylic could be used, but I don’t think our machine is capable of cutting thick enough acrylic for what you’d want for a decent sized vacuum chamber (plus acrylic tends to fail catastrophically into an explosion of small sharp bits thrown everywhere if/when it breaks under vacuum). It might be easiest to cut the polycarbonate in the wood shop. 
Just found another email from Para with a grant suggestion for leather-working machinery: Consew DCS-S4 Industrial Skiving Machine
The Vacuum Chamber is an item I’ve seen mentioned often. I’d suggest we buy one as mucking about with cutting and fittings will be very de-incentivising.
Propose $133.90 to buy one
ex Sydney. 5gallon/18 ltrs - 32cm diameter.
We could look at a smaller one, but this should be large enough for wood stabilisation application as well. Might need to get some hoses and couplings. I’ll try and price those before Tuesday night.
FYI 3 gallon/11 ltr - 30cm dia $105
I’ve also found the operating manual for the Axiden vacuum pump so it’ll go on the wiki once I remember how to wiki…
Sublimation Ink Jet Printer
For consideration in the next round of grant applications, I’d like to suggest a purpose made ink jet printer for sublimation printing, and retire the refurbed Epson printer.
The most readily available is the Sawgrass. Comes in 2 sizes SG500 -A4, $990 - and SG1000 - A3, $2,490 I think the SG500 would meet our need. ex Tingalpa QLD.
seeing as it needs thread tapping anyway, I’ll make it from polycarbonate in the wood shop.