Tutors
We call Makers who are willing to share their knowledge about tools, machines or even entire sections of the CoMakingSpace "tutors" - please do not hesitate to talk to them prior to attempting something for the first time, they are glad to help you out!
Do not be afraid to admit when you do not know something yet and make use of literature (including this wiki!), YouTube tutorials or the help of other Makers rather than trying potentially dangerous new things on your own.
When to Talk to a Tutor
Certain machines are "tutors only", i.e. you may only use them if you are already a tutor or have asked one to accompany you. This could be the case for especially dangerous, complicated or experimental setups.
Others, while not quite as complicated, should only be used upon having received a tutor's introduction to prevent damage to the machine or your workpiece.
To make finding help easier, we will add some photos of tutors in the vicinity of the respective machines soon.
Become a Tutor
To be called a "tutor", you should always be aware of the current wiki articles of "your" tools and try to add more information whenever you notice something is missing. You should also be willing to keep learning from others and be able to carry out maintenance tasks. That means you should also watch the corresponding label on our issue tracker to be aware of new issues or progress on maintenance tasks.
As meeting all requirements can be quite difficult to complete without guidance, we will offer tutor briefings in the future. Let us know if you want to become a tutor!
3D Printing Tutors
Being a tutor for 3D printing requires knowledge of all the following:
- the current versions of the wiki pages for each printer and the 3D Printer Farm
- posibilities and limitations of FFF/FDM
- properties of PLA as our main printing material and the few special materials we have
- how to properly prepare the print beds
- how to safely & efficiently change colors on the different printers
- how to carry out recalibration and other simple repairs
All of the above will eventually be documented in this wiki, but hands-on experience is also required! Ask another tutor to guide you if you are interested in attempting something for the first time.
Workshop Tutors
Workshop tutors need to know
- about work safety and first aid
- where everything is stored
- which tools are appropriate for which materials
- at least some basic wood- or metalworking techniques
Power Tool Tutors
Since the various power tools are quite different, each has distinguished tutors. They should be workshop tutors already.
For each power tool a tutor should know
- where it is stored
- how to assemble it and change moving parts (e.g. bits or saw blades)
- special safety measures, e.g. against unplanned tool movement
- how to properly prepare the workpiece (clamping or similar)
- everything else that is mentioned in the tool's manual or on its wiki page
Milling Tutors
Milling tutors need to know
- how to create G-code from SVG, STL or other file types (e.g from Fusion360) and send it to the machine
- how to zero the workpiece position without breaking a bit
- how to change milling bits (and have their own bits)
- how to protect the valuable motor from dust (while running and afterwards)
- how to simulate G-code execution before the job
- what to do when the job still goes wrong
- everything else about safety when using this machine
