Well, I tend to get bargains on much heavier machines. I am allowed all I can stuff in the outbuildings. You know how many of those small printers I could gather? Goodness. Ah well. If there is just one working 3d printer, another sounds like a really good idea. But if down equipment is a continual concern, why not make a sub committee, or have a fix it party? Soda, Pizza, stuff to fix and friends? What could be better?
The laser needs a compressor that is quiet… Man, I can likely swing a deal at the recycling center, pick up ten compressors and test em, return the ones that don’t work for credit. The two metal working cnc’s have no home or are under repair, well, programing wise not my cup of tea. But I likely could follow the 20’s era instructions on how to make a collet, it’d just be unhardened and polished instead of ground. Or, research buying a reamer to convert the custom to say morse 0, or something not unobtainium. Heck, a Er series stub might be able to be machined down to 3/16, and that might solve it. The wood guys are going at it… all that needs be done is pick a two projects a month and organize some help for the wardens. I’m a horder of tools, but the suggestion of selling the unused collectors cnc towards a more desirable one is a good one. I saw a surplus tormach style machine sell for under 3 grand. A used Bridgeport style cnc mill is often under 4 grand, just 4 hours away. Heck, Tormach might trade us the old one for the publicity… They now have models of a similar size and work envelope… worth a shot?
I’m an outsider looking in, but to me it seems that a brainstorming session, and some ranked voting on tools and priorities might be the thing to do. The activity and the people are there, The budget is manageable. I think the focus just needs to be sharpened a bit, and then the teamwork will be facilitated.
Besides, bring crock pot and build can be fun. Whose Cuisine will reign Supreme! Theme is “Cinci chilli !!!” Gotta attend work day to enter the cookoff man!