Regular Member Meeting 2013 12 10

Time and Location

December 10, 2013

Called to order at ______ by ______

Members present:

Others present:

Quorum?

Quorum met?

Approval of Previous Meeting's Minutes

Regular Member Meeting 2013 11 12

Regular Member Meeting 2013 10 08

Regular Member Meeting 2013 09 10

Regular Member Meeting 2013 08 13

Recognition

• Ahmed Aden. Retrieving our myDAQ and myDSP from Eric, as well as introducing me to an instructor trying to learn and share electronic design expertise.
• "condew". Sorting through the LCD panels in the workshop.
• Zach. Brought all the right expertise, tools, materials and enthusiasm to build the basement shelves.
• Various members on the mailing list for constructive criticism regarding the new shelves.

Director Reports

Treasurer's Report

Here is the financial summary spreadsheet for November 2013: File:HacDC Financials 2013 11.pdf. We gained one new member, Griffin Boyce, and lost no members, though a number of members failed to pay dues this month.

Project Awesome

Here is the Project Awesome spreadsheet for November: File:HacDC PA Projects-2013 11.pdf. I'm able to declare a $300 Project Awesome dividend and add $137.87 to our un-earmarked reserves for the month of November. There were 16 Project Awesome votes.

Secretary's Report

Nothing significant to report.

(unable to attend meeting, probably traveling atm)

Project Awesome Reports

Project SUPPLIES

Financial Outlook

Awaiting spreadsheet.

Recent Purchases

• 2 1kg PLA Filament Spools
• Glass cutter, several glass sheets.
• T25 Torx Bit

Prusa Mendel

Bed leveling issues became an increasing nuisance, due to a lack of suitable glass and clamps. Using dremel tool, glass cutter, and laser cutter, I have finally finished a multilayer through-hole mounted glass bed.

This took weeks of experimentation and shattered glass that would have been much easier if we already had a wide-area CNC built on the optical table.

Future Plans

After cleanup at HacDC, can consider improving generic supplies like mill stock, electronic components, laser cutter stock, and hardware (ie. screws).

Project EXPANSION

Financial Outlook

Awaiting spreadsheet.

Future Plans

As noted on the Project Tracker, Vertical Bandsaw and Server are top-priority items.

Vertical bandsaw has been specifically cited as an example of the kind of metal/wood/plastic working tool required at HacDC.

High-end VM server will be used to PXE boot the WYSE terminals into high powered computers.

Member Reports

mirage335

Basement Shelves & Cleanup

Members are encouraged to discuss floor plan options with mirage335 after the meeting.

The Debate

Despite a full CAD model, lengthy comment period, and general consensus that the shelves should be built, all well in advance of their construction, suggestions have emerged to cut down the new shelves, among other things.

Please consider:

1. If the shelves were not built, we would still be doing nothing effective about lack of storage, cleanup, or equipment workstations, probably for several more years.
2. Cutting down the new shelves could delay cleanup and equipment workstations more months and years. Every project risks non-completion.
3. Alternative uses for the basement are going nowhere at that rate anyway.
4. Smaller shelves will not give us any unused storage space, leaving no room for growth.

Also, it is worth noting:

1. AFAIK, HacDC is paying very little rent for that basement, among other things I might say on that point.
2. About $300 and four person-days of effort have gone into the shelves. Jeopardizing that needs something to show for doing so.
3. Those who want something dramatically different can build it, demonstrate that it works, and THEN propose removal of older solutions.
4. Personally, I have put in at least several hundred hours cleaning up the space as well as maintaining HacDC's 3D printer and laser cutter. At least half that time was wasted due to lack of maneuvering room, a problem these shelves are needed to solve.

On the positive side, there are some more reasonable ways to address concerns raised in the debate, outlined below. Also, next time I propose something like this (if ever...), dimensions will be included in the render image.

Wheels

At a cost of approximately $43.17, we can add wheels to the shelves capable of supporting 1.6 metric tons. Additional wheels or fixed supports can be fitted later.

https://raw.github.com/mirage335/OpenBuildings/master/Units/Shelves/Render.png

Since some concerns have been raised about placing more than a metric ton on wheels, this should probably be done only if members absolutely insist on pushing the shelves against a wall.

Floor Plans

https://github.com/HacDC/FloorPlan/raw/master/FloorPlans/BasementBackRoom/BasementBackRoom_ShelvesAsideLeft.pdf

Floor plans are still in progress, derived from the Solidworks 3D models published on github. Other members are invited to explore alternative layouts using these files.

Also, the tables and carts modeled are not only speculative, but intended to be shared with both rooms in the basement. At any time, members could push the carts out of whichever room is most in use, or perhaps even temporarily outside.

Policy Changes

Some have objected to HacDC storing anything at all. While this probably is not a growth-oriented viewpoint, the need for a more effective, well publicized disposal policy, may be. I have been attempting help out by drafting such a policy.

ExcessDisposal

Features include:

• Specific "Stays at HacDC Criteria" with time limits.
• Going-out-pile and rotation processes.
• Disposal processes.
• Conflict resolution (BOD approval).

However, it has been suggested that policy changes should wait at least until January, which seems reasonable.

Flex Replicator / Optical Table CNC

Soon as the Optical Table is on its feet, will outfit it with gantry hardware and a variety of tools. This is compatible with the Flex Replicator, but much larger and more accurate.

We will then be able to mill out the kind of large parts that have been hand-crafted at great expense and labor for our 3D printer and laser cutter.

This is urgent. Lack of a large area CNC has recently cost at least 75 hours of my time at HacDC while maintaining 3D printer and laser cutter, and more projects are waiting.

Biohacking

Imagnus

We may need to recruit more participation from other HacDC members soon, and the compensation structure for me and HacDC is still being worked out.

Also, a lot of interesting progress is being made on a really cool product.

Biosignal Amplifier

All the hardware is in place, usage will soon be simplified to a USB plug-and-play device. GNURadio has proven insufficiently flexible, and a new rapid prototyping environment called SigBlockly is under construction.

This environment will allow graphical 'drag-and-drop' development of DSP C programs, similar to, but much more powerful than blocklyduino.

Thursday Meetings

The Thursday biohacking meetings have been getting quiet, but the core members still occasionally drop by and express interest. With the biosignal amplifier nearly finished, and hopefully more tools deployed at HacDC, we should be able to resume other projects.

WYSE Terminals

Created persistent USB stick image for the WYSE terminals, documented at Linux_on_Wyse_Winterm_S10_Thin_Clients. Trick is to use an old version of syslinux.

Tested about two dozen units. Surprisingly, all are functional, capable of USB and presumably PXE booting.

myDAQ and myDSP

Special thanks to Ahmed Aden for making a special trip to bring the myDAQ and myDSP back to us.

Projector/OpenDisplay

Still need 3 more giant fresnel lenses from old projection TVs craigslist.

Also, a modular pallet-and-rail will be used for the optics this time. The prototype frame that has been taking up space in the workshop is no longer useful, and will be disassembled immediately.

Occupancy Sensor

Working reliably.

Old Business

Shelves

$600 for shelves to mirage.

• Quorum not met, could not vote.

Honorary Memberships

The Doctor

The Doctor is one of the founding members of Project Byzantium and one of the largest contributors to the project. He has made numerous other contributions including donating time and equipment to improve the space, and helping us to network with other individuals and organizations with shared interests.

Bradford Barr

Former President of HacDC. He is also headed off the SF. Brad has been a long-time supporter of HacDC's mission. He donated a lot of time to HacDC over the years including teaching a number of classes on a variety of topics from Python to lockpicking to yo-yos.

R. Mark Adams, PhD

Long time member and contributor to the space.

New Business

• Zach purchased materials for basement shelves, and should now be reimbursed up to $400 (exact receipt value is not known to mirage335).
• Approving another $75 will allow wheels to be added to the shelves. That is not to say the wheels will be added just because their budget was approved.
• Katie proposes we allocate $100 for our traditional holiday gift to the security guard.

Adjournment

Adjourned at ________