-- Wiki Under Construction --

Safety First

Each piece of equipment has it own unique safety rules. Reading and understanding all safety documents is a must. Everyone should be taking personal responsibility for his or her own personal safety in the wood shop. With so many new woodworkers joining it is important to reinforce the things that may seem like common sense to an experienced woodworker. Even experienced woodworkers can always use a refresher on these key safety attitudes:

1. FOCUS – A good safety attitude means that you focus on the task. How well are you concentrating on the job? If you have other things on your mind, you may be distracted.

2. STRENGTH – No, this does not mean muscle strength. What it means is the strength to do the right thing, even when you are under time or other pressure to take shortcuts. A good safety attitude means you have the strength to follow the safety procedure.

3. TIME – A good safety attitude means taking the time to do things correctly and using the right guard or personal protective equipment. Is saving a few minutes worth a lifelong injury?

4. RESPONSIBILITY – If you care about yourself and others, YOU will have to take responsibility, follow the safety procedures, and not take short cuts.

5. RISK – We all take risks. A good safety attitude means being smart and avoid taking unnecessary risks. A one in a thousand risk is not worth the possible cost. Do not play the odds, always follow the safety procedures.

Additional safety guidelines can be found here. 

Tools & Status

General Info & Rules

Questions about anything shop related should be directed to the Wood Shop Resource Manager, Mathew.Marulla@makeitlabs.com, or posted in the resource-wood-shop channel on Slack.  General woodworking discussions, not specifically related to the shop or its tools, should go in the general-woodworking channel.

Anyone wishing to use the Wood Shop needs to be a member in good standing and must complete the MakeIt Labs Wood Shop Safety & Orientation Class.  This is conducted once per month, generally on the first Wednesday, but additional classes may be scheduled based on demand.  You can sign up in the MakeItLabs Class Schedule.  Note that the bandsaw and lathes are not covered in the orientation - there are separate classes which are scheduled aperiodically.

Before leaving the Shop, it must be returned to as-found or better condition. This includes, but is not limited to, sweeping the floor, vacuuming dust from tools, putting hand and power tools back in their proper homes, etc.

Any work on reclaimed material will not be done without prior approval of the Wood Shop Resource Manager.  In determining if the work can be done on MakeItLab's equipment, the Wood Shop Resource Manager may consider:

• Removal of any prior finish

• Visual inspection of boards to assess foreign objects

• Use of a metal detector to confirm whether nails, screws, or other metal objects are present.

Shop users agree to follow Wood Shop Resource Manager's directives, including leaving the shop if not following the shop rules.  Repeated violation of these rules is cause for losing shop privileges and other membership privileges pending Board of Directors decision.  The user may be responsible for any equipment or shop damage due to negligence.