Shop Upkeep

This is all about how to maintain the spaces for members and volunteers.

Basic Principles

1. Try to leave you workspace cleaner than you found it
2. Put tools and items back where you found them
3. If others leave a significant mess, inform the manager

Taking out garbage: Every Sunday night

There are garbage cans in most of the main shops. These should get emptied when full by any member.

The trash needs to go out to the street on Sunday evening. Trash pick-up is Monday morning.

• Auto Shop/Bike Shop - 50 Gallon Barrel
• Classroom - 13 Gallon Can
• Electronics Lab - 13 Gallon Can
• Metal/Machine Shop - 42 Gallon Barrel
• Textiles Lab - 13 Gallon Can
• Wood Shop - 42 Gallon Barrel
• Wood Shop 2 - 42 Gallon Barrel

New trash bags can be found in these locations:

1. 42 Gallon bags - Above utility sink in Wood Shop
2. 13 Gallon bags - On top of bookshelf in Electronics Lab, and in a cabinet in the Bathroom

Dust Collectors

The Wood Shop has many dust collector units. It is up to members to empty these out when they notice they are 1/2 to 3/4 full.

• Clear plastic bags can be found on the large JET dust collector.
• Take any full bags outside and set by the trash bins. Someone will take it and use it for compost.

Vacuuming and Sweeping: As often as possible

At the end of every work session, members are expected to clean up their work area. Below are notes for volunteers and how often the shops need a larger cleaning effort.

• Wood Shop always needs cleaning. If people habitually don’t clean up after being in the wood shop, kindly remind them that the dust adds up even if they were doing something small and to clean up after themselves.

• Metal Shop needs weekly cleaning. Any sharp metal on the floor needs immediate clean up. Same goes for every area, but the metal shop is more likely to have sharp things on the floor. Additionally any flammable items (paper products, rags, spray paint, etc) that have been abandoned should be removed from the Metal Shop IMMEDIATELY.

• Auto Shop and Bike Shop need weekly cleaning, and should be as clean as possible. If any parts or fluids are left behind, notify the person that left them they need to take them and get them out of the shop.

• Warehouse or Storage space needs monthly cleaning. A simple run through with a filtered shop vac to get dust should take care of it. Any debris on the floor should be picked up or swept up. If it looks like it belongs to someone, put it in the lost and found bin unless you know exactly where it came from. If there is anything blocking the corridor, it must be moved due to fire safety.

Clean up tables and workbenches

Any clutter that is clearly not a project or has been sitting for too long should be cleaned up and either put in the lost and found bin, or put in the appropriate waste bin (trash, recycling, metal scrap). Tools go back to their homes in whatever shop they originated from. Not sure where it goes? Ask

Clean up equipment

Machines should be left in a state that is clean, safe, and ready for the next user. If it has a blade guard, it should be covering the blade.

• Spills: Clean up immediately. Do not let water or chemicals sit on metal surfaces.
• Steel or iron surfaces:
  • In the Wood Shop, many tools should have their tables coated with paste wax to reduce friction and prevent corrosion.
  • DO NOT USE SOLVENT-TYPE CLEANERS. Alcohol is ok, but other cleaners may be corrosive and cause rust.