This page is intended to answer many of the common questions that people have about Chattlab and our various areas.
If there is an area or question that you have that we have not addressed we really would like to hear it so we can address it here. If you have a question not addressed, please send it to info@chattlab.org.
We also have a section at the top that addresses Covid-19 related questions.
| Question | Answer/Reference |
|---|---|
| Is PPE required while in ChattLab? | We follow FDA guidelines, which currently have a relaxed policy on masks. They are optional. |
| Where can I find more information on ChattLab's COVID-19 Policy? | Refer to the COVID-19 Policy. |
| Question | Answer/Reference |
|---|---|
| What is the procedure for becoming a Chattlab member? |
Steps for JoiningHere are the general procedures for joining Chattlab Makerspace. You are able to cancel at any time.
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| Where can I get details on membership including cost, etc? | Please see See our Membership section for those details |
| Can I join for a week or two or possibly one month to do a project? | We are more interested in long term members that want to socialize and be part of the maker community, rather than a low cost resource for one-off projects. Member set up and orientation takes a lot of efforts from our volunteers, and we try not to burn out our members for someone that just needs a short term solution. That said, our Tuesday meetings are always open to the public, and we welcome you to come visit us. |
| What are the general rules/policies of being a member? | Please refer to our member manual for this information |
| Are the Chattlab bylaws spelled out anywhere? | Yes. Go here to see our bylaws |
| Can I come by an open meeting and do a woodworking project? | Unfortunately, only our members can use the power tools as a condition of our liability insurance. Besides, our open meeting nights we don't really allow the really loud tools (planer, jointer, routers, saws) to operate due to the noise while people are socializing. |
| What are your normal hours? I stopped by the other day and there was nobody there to show me around. | We are essentially a “club” and do not have any staff. Members have 24/7 access to our space. The best way to see our space is to attend an open meeting (see meetup.com for how to attend an open meeting. |
| Can I join and co-loc my business from your space? | No, that would be a violation of our 501c3 rules, and frankly we don't have the room to facilitate a dedicated area to one member. |
| My teenager loves computers. What activities do you have for him/her? | We are a social organization for adults, but we encourage you to bring your child and make something with them. See our policy regarding children for more information. |
| What is my membership fee used for? | Our revenue helps pay rent, insurance and equipment repairs. No one in our organization gets paid. We do sometimes pay workshop instructors out of workshop fees. |
| Does ChattLab receive government funds? | We are self sustaining from membership dues. We do not get any government revenue. |
| Who owns ChattLab? | We are a public corporation that consists of members. We do not have a single or collection of owners other than our members. See bylaws for more information. |
| If ChattLab is public, why can't I use the equipment without membership? | We are a private organization defined by a public corporation. It's owned by the membership, and membership is conditional on acceptance by the rules we define as an organization. |
| Is ChattLab a makerspace or a hackerspace? | We are a hackerspace variety of makerspace. See About Chattlab for a deeper explanation. |
| If I join, can I leave my tools there? | Yes, but if they are in the space they will be available for general use by other members. This doesn't include tools that you may store in your personal storage bin, but don't bring a drill press and get upset if others use it. 90% of the tools you use there are other peoples' tools. See Member Equipment |
| I want to do a kind of “making” that you currently don't have tools for. What now? | As a member, we encourage you to bring this up with other members and see if there's any group interest in the idea. It could very well be a direction the club wants to take, or you can also use our space for this new method provided it fits in our space. |
| I stopped by during the day and no one was there. Are you closed? | We're not a business, nor do we have employees. We're a group of nerds that share the costs to rent a space and do cool things in it. Every member has a key to the space to use whenever they want. We don't have staff to man a desk. However, you can check out our place during our open meeting nights on Tuesdays |
| Question | Answer/Reference |
|---|---|
| Where do I take out the garbage? | There are dumpsters just outside our space in the parking lot. There is a padlock on the dumpsters and the code to open it is “0100”. Please lock the dumpster back when done, and thank you for helping take out refuse! |
| I need to open the rolling doors in the loading dock. How do I do so? | During normal operating hours, the rolling doors can be opened via push buttons to the right of each door. However, the door buttons don't work after 5pm or on weekends without a special RFID key that only Jeff or Jason has. Using it during off hours needs coordination with Jeff or Jason. |
| I locked my key fob in the space and can't get in. What do I do? | Reach out to Jeff, Jason or Chris for instructions how to find the emergency access key |
| I'm a member in good standing. How do I get a log in to the members only area? | Just fill out the Wiki Sign-on Request form. |
| How do I let someone know that we are out of something (materials, paper goods, snacks, etc)? | Please fill out the Equipment Request form. |
| How do I access the shared drive at ChattLab? | Go here to get more information on that: ChattLab Share Drive Access |
| Question | Answer/Reference |
|---|---|
| Question | Answer/Reference |
|---|---|
| Where can I find the general rules of what I can and can't do in the Woodshop/WoodLab? | We have a list of WoodLab Rules posted here, and on the wall in the shop. |
| What if I have a large project? | We have limited space, so when this happens, you need to contact the WoodLab area manager and they will advise you where to put it as you work on it. You'll be asked how large, how long you need space, etc. We try to work with you, but it's not allowed to tie up tables for long term as it's not fair to the other members. |
| Does the Woodshop have a (planer, jointer, etc…) | Look here for what equipment we have in the WoodLab |
| How do I know what nails to get for the nail guns you have? | Check out our WoodLab workshop materials guide where we list what nailers we have, as well as links to where you can buy nails that fit these guns |
| Do you provide wood glue and screws so I can make my project? | No, those are considered consumables and you have to supply your own. Please see our Materials Guide for more information. |
| Is there safety equipment for me to use? | Yes, we provide eye protection and ear protection. |
| Question | Answer/Reference |
|---|---|
| Does ChattLab monetize it's youtube channel? | We don't monetize our content at this time, as we don't have the time or resources to dedicate to this purpose, though if a following gets large enough we might, but currently we do not. |
| Should I subscribe? | If you are a member, or interested in our makerspace, you are encouraged to subscribe, as new videos that we submit will appear in your youtube feed. It's not a requirement, but highly recommended. |
| How do I subscribe? | You can go directly to our channel and subscribe, or you can hit this link: SUBSCRIBE |
| Can I submit a video to the ChattLab channel? | If it falls within the guidelines of our goals/mission of the channel and is approved by leadership, certainly. |
| Who is the youtube video manager? | Currently we don't have one. If you are an active member in good standing and would like to take on this role, please contact the president to ask about the benefits of this. |