Now that we have more space for the arts/crafts/maker activities, I'd like to work with anyone who's interested to make the classroom more of a hacker space.

This means power and network improvements, bookshelves, etc. so that "clean" (low-dust, low-smell, etc.) activities are more comfy. We've done a great job supporting shop-centric activities, now it's time to improve our tech-hacker space!

I'm basically thinking a "Noise Room" that's like a mini noisebridge...

What about putting shelves up in the new space and making a library? The couches and familyroom could make way for more permanent soldering stations ...just an idea

a lot of folks were thinking more along the lines of flexible space, where events like HMMM, cabaret and classes can happen and moving the lounge stuff into the front lobby area. a number of people have tossed around the idea of co-working space in one of the front offices as well.

can you explain more about what you're thinking of in terms of tech/hacker requirements? i suspect that either or both of those could work well depending on what you're thinking.

in theory we're having a space planning meeting to get some notions bubbling around before the annual meeting... how does this tuesday evening strike folks for an first go round?

A library area is definitely a good fit, though I think a couple of classroom walls could be a really cool location for them if done slick.

I had a couple ideas about soldering support; doing this well requires a little thought about what electrical is where, as some irons will draw around 1kW... We might have to make soldering a more flexible config.

I second kicking the lounge into the office area, it would simplify things. I don't think a Noise Room would conflict with a flexibility that allows for events and classes - in fact, if we do it right, I think it will be even better for those types of things.



I was thinking of a few things:

[li]Get the tool builds out of there (e.g. The FrankenPlotter in the corner)[/li]
[li]address some of the dust issue - maybe a filter, secondary door, or something?[/li]
[li]move the rack into the outside corner, and run power and Ethernet strips from there. One of our newer members already agreed to help me with this part.[/li]
[li]relocate audio gear. The lounge is a better fit for some of it, and some could go in the Maint office?[/li]
[li]build a better projection screen/system[/li]
[li]improve the A/C[/li]
[li]build a library area with some soft seating and the house PCs[/li]
[li]create a "small projects" storage area[/li]
[li]general clean/paint/texture/decorate[/li]

These are just my ideas, of course: I really am hoping to find a few people who also want to up the hacker-friendliness to contribute their ideas (and,hopefully, some of the work!)

dm I like you!

well, on the dust, if we actually keep the door closed it's pretty good. but it's most often propped open, and then folks grinding or sawing gets dust in. we'll have another door to the back of the cage area. i'd LOVE to have a decent air cleaner filter in the shop (or two) which would dramatically cut down on that, and improve the safety of things out there in general. dust collection gets a lot of it, but unless you leave the collector on for ~10 min after you're done cutting the fine stuff in the air just hangs out.

the idea behind the audio gear in there was that it's used for events that happen in there like cabaret and hmmm, it's easy to provide music to the shop and classroom, and it's less dusty than in the shop. there's a decent amount of talk about getting some video/streaming stuff set up so that classes and events can be recorded/webcast and again, that would need the gear in there. a secondary receiver, and a few channels of surround sound in the lobby would be nice, in an ideal world with a line dropped from the mixing board, and a return to it, so that stuff happening up front can monitor or feed the main console.

we've a second less awesome projector which would be awesome in the lounge area. we've been asked by our landlord to clear changes to wall finish, and mountings to walls in the front section of the building before doing so (they're nice old plaster) (i suspect they'd want to be consulted on big changes to the walls in the classroom too)

judeling will know the most about the a/c possibilities, but the rooftop unit in theory only needs a new (1-3K) compressor to be operational again.

I like this much.

I think all the stuff being described would make it a nice hackery space, and a better classroom / multi purpose space.

Moving some of the stuff out that doesn't get used would help. I haven't seen anyone touch that huge plotter/ wants to be a laser cutter thing. (of course, I haven't been looking)

Shelves in that room make great sense for all those books. The lounge out of there, and in the new office space (not in one of the doored offices) would be wicked.

Would hanging transparent plastic strips, like you see in some walk in coolers, have any impact on dust getting in when the door's open?

Since woodworking stuff is most likely going to be moving into the cage space, I for one would like to see some sort of doorage between that area and the rest of the space. It strikes me that this would help with dust migration.

Also, maybe some walk off mats of some kind outside the door to the classroom.

As far as the cyberoptics CNC/potential-laser-cutter-thing goes, that project definitely stalled a bit. I'd still like to try and work on it, but it's sort of packed full of boxes and crap right now. If at least one other person is still interested in making it do something, I think it should be moved to a better working space, and I'll help get it functional. If there's not enough interest, perhaps it should simply be parted out.

Steve, I'm still interesting in helping to get it functional also.