Looking for parts, books, ect. for makerspace - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: The_Welding_Library_Guy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 09:14:57 am
content: Hey all,One of the main projects I have been dealing with at the library I work for is setting up a maker space. Where our community and student patrons can come in and learn new skills and gain a interest in working with their hands. We are calling it the Make IT! Creative Lab. The plan was to just start off with two 3-D printers, a CNC router, a Sewing machine, Creative Suite access computers, and general hand tools. However today I was asked about also having a electronics education center in the lab. I love this idea! Right now the plan is to have a basic lab setup more geared towards making and prototyping, Rather then repair. (to avoid the safety hazards of people bringing in faulty tech and poking around in its high energy innards)I have been gathering equipment for my own lab over the last little bit. So I am pillaging that and donating 2 bench top DMMs, a soldering station, some THD components, and a couple of extra Arduino boards I have. There is also another member who was graciously giving me an old O-scope. I've messaged them to see if they would be ok donating it to the library instead of giving it to me. With all of that I think we are pretty well set equipment wise though I would like to get a function generator at some point and I am defiantly putting in for a digital O-scope in next years budget. mmmmmmmmmm digitalSo that brings me to reason for the post. I was wondering if anybody had any Electronic Books, Components, Arduino compatible modules, Sensors, servos, relays, or anything else along those lines. That they might be willing to donate. It is for a library so you are able to deduct it from your taxes. However I am not exactly sure of that process so if anybody wants to do that just let me know and I will find out what we need to do. I think we will have to set up a phone call and get you some forms and what not.Also just a little CMA I am asking to see if there is any interest in this as a forum member who wants to promote making and knows that the general maker community loves helping with that and can be a terrific resource. Not as a representative of my employer *End of CMA*Also speaking of CMA I am currently working on finalizing the safety rules and policies for the Make IT! lab. I'm going to making another post in general chat. Asking for suggestions. I figured some of the old gamers here have been around a shop long enough to come up with some rules I would never dream off.Thanks all

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 03:14:35 pm
content: Quote from: The_Welding_Library_Guy on February 27, 2019, 09:14:57 amIs it formalized yet? Perhaps start off with the Library name and address regardless, and contact details of who is overseeing the Make IT! Creative Lab there. I'm sure if the library is public they already have a policy set in place of how to receive donations, perhaps ask your boss.As you are fairly new to electronics and are on a limited budget yourself, where is the equipment you described (such as the 3-D printers and CNC router) coming from?Take some photos as well of the space where it's getting setup, as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. What electronics books does the library where you work already have? Do you loan in books from the State Library and have online magazine subscriptions etc?

author: DaJMasta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 07:24:27 pm
content: Where are you located? Odds are good many donations will be older gear/heaps of components, so shipping could be prohibitive. If you give us an idea where it will be set up, there could be some boxes dropped off - it's pretty common for people to prefer donating to a cause like this instead of going through the hassle of selling to make $50 or something.Also, don't know if you've tried, but if you have a little budget for this, you could try looking at ebay and sorting ending soonest, auctions only, in the test equipment section. Especially if they're near enough to pickup locally, you could probably snag some older gear for quite inexpensive prices.

author: The_Welding_Library_Guy
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 08:22:54 pm
content: I worry that I may have handled this post in the wrong way. I just talked to a librarian I work with and he worries that the post is too close to that grey line so solicitation. I am just a peon who builds things and makes videos for the library. Now me and our archivist are overseeing the maker space and I have to think more about bureaucracy and admin then I ever have before lol. So I am going to answer everyone questions and then close the post. I am going to post over in general chat later tonight when I get home probably about 11. There I will explain the maker space and if you guys want to be involved in any way you can comment over there. So sorry for the trouble guys just don't want to risk crossing any linesThe maker space is formalized we put in the purchasing order the other day for the equipment. and hope to be open in 2-3 weeks. The money came out of our budget. I will put the name and contact details in the post i make tonight. likely will be about 11p when i get home and postI asked today because I am personally donating stuff. What our donation process is? It turns out we really dont have a formalized one. If someone wants a deed of gift we well fill one out with them but there is no real set policy. People local just seem to come in and say hey I would like to donate this.Here are some photos of the area we are turning in to the maker space. that me looking goofy by the window

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 27, 2019, 11:37:41 pm
content: There was no solicitation here. Yeah that is the best way to go about it, people are keen to help a good cause regardless and it's great that you want to help set up something, maker/hack spaces are excellent bang for buck and good for community building, just like libraries they open people to new ideas.