When does the fiscal year end, and what’s considered a “large purchase”?
What’s the real difference of buying it now vs later. It’s not that expensive and won’t effect our day to day operations either way. Is it really more important to put off a purchase just to see our bank balance grow? How many months/years of reserves is enough?
idk. I mean a $2-3k welder is a fairly large purchase.
I just got the impression from some other members that we have spent a lot of money this year and we need to slow down.
Personally, I think an AHP tig welder will be sufficient for most of our needs. Especially if we can get one for $100-200.
Tiffany
Didn’t realize it was 2-3k but still don’t think there is a reason to wait if members will use it. Membership is up as far as I know and we have more than enough in reserves. How much is enough?
idk. I mean a $2-3k welder is a fairly large purchase.
Oh, okay, I agree, that does sound like a major purchase. I had a couple hundred in my head because of the earlier discussion.
I just got the impression from some other members that we have spent a lot of money this year and we need to slow down.
I think we should always be prudent about how we spend our money, but at the same time it doesn’t do a us a lot of good to have a nice bank account and have large holes in our tool line up, making the hive less useful. Last number I heard was $30K, which means the Hive can probably sustain itself for a year or two without any further income.
Personally, I think an AHP tig welder will be sufficient for most of our needs. Especially if we can get one for $100-200.
Sounds reasonable, I must admit to being very ignorant of welders. A basic unit might also be handing for newbies like myself to learn on, without risking damage to a more expensive unit.
This sounds like a great topic for a meeting.
Basically if someone has a desire to upgrade or bring in a new tool they just need to do the research and present it to the membership.
Be prepared for some rocks to be thrown at your suggestions (everything from “only buy the best <cough, Dave, cough>” to “why are you spending so much money”) but hang in there and present it for a vote. I see it as a bit of a screening procedure. If you aren’t willing to present, and suffer the comments, then you probably don’t really want to get it. 
Try not to take any comments personally, people tend to forget that they might actually see that person in real life next week.
I think this scares off a lot of people but this also stops us from buying a $10,000 Stratasys 3D printer.
We definitely are in a growing phase and I see us spending some money to get more official. I don’t think we want to be the first makerspace to have $1M in the bank and still using Harbor Fright tools, but I also don’t want us to go nuts and buy Snap On tools for everyone. It comes down to balance.
Enough soapboxing, I have some Civ VI to play. Damn barbarians. . . . . .
Basically if someone has a desire to upgrade or bring in a new tool they just need to do the research and present it to the membership.
Yes, but it seems like Tiffany is suggesting yet another criteria, which is a bit hazy, the idea of a financial year (not sure why that matters particularly) and not spending too much in it.
Be prepared for some rocks to be thrown at your suggestions (everything from “only buy the best <cough, Dave, cough>” to “why are you spending so much money”) but hang in there and present it for a vote.
Like “Why don’t you give us classes on how to use a flat surface and a vise?” I seem to remember something like that getting thrown around 
I see it as a bit of a screening procedure. If you aren’t willing to present, and suffer the comments, then you probably don’t really want to get it.
Try not to take any comments personally, people tend to forget that they might actually see that person in real life next week.
I think this scares off a lot of people but this also stops us from buying a $10,000 Stratasys 3D printer.
Seems to have worked so far. Definitely keeps me focused on presenting things in a pretty well planned out manner, and trying to keep costs down.
We definitely are in a growing phase and I see us spending some money to get more official. I don’t think we want to be the first makerspace to have $1M in the bank and still using Harbor Fright tools, but I also don’t want us to go nuts and buy Snap On tools for everyone. It comes down to balance.
Agreed. Sometimes it’s hard to know which side to come down on, Horrible Freight has some great deals on things you don’t need to spend any more money on, while sometimes the only way to get anything useful is to buy the Span On version.
Thanks,
Brad
P.S. Give me the part number or Amazon link for the jointer blades and we will get a fresh set.
I can’t seem to find them on Amazon, but these guys claim to have them for exactly the right model jointer.
https://mywoodcutters.com/HSS_Blade_Set_for_Craftsman_Jointer_103.23900
P.S. Give me the part number or Amazon link for the jointer blades and we will get a fresh set.
Oh, while you’re ordering stuff, the metal vise on the bench has messed up jaws. I think this will fix it:
https://www.amazon.com/Tools-Record-Replacement-Mechanics-T6D/dp/B0002JT60E/?ie=UTF8&qid=1477710270&sr=8-2&keywords=6"+vise+replacement+jaws
Seems likely they do, but I don’t know how we could try them without ordering them and attempting to install them. They do NOT list the same jointer we already have, which is a 103.23900, but rather the 922995. Might work, might not, I don’t know what subtle differences there might be, if any. https://wiki.hive13.org/view/Jointer
The tig is something I have been looking at for quite a while to have one at the hive. Not to go into many of the features needed to get one up and going which would include the welder and consumables. For something to be a good teaching machine high frequency start, ac DC output, variable pedal, and different wave forms would be what we are likely looking for. With tigs you get what you pay for to a fair extent. Then being able to source parts/repair is a must if at our space. I am hoping to possibly have a company work with us on price if not donate come the turn of the year.
Here’s the issue that makes me think we should be conservative with spending for a month or so:
We are accounting using the cash method. This has made sense in the past, but is now keeping us behind in our book keeping. We risk falling further behind and over-committing without realizing that we are doing so.
Looking through the meeting minutes here is an item from Oct 11th:
- Make a projected budget for next year in the next few months
- Make a physical inventory for value
Also, there are many areas of Hive that need updates or replacement of broken equipment.
So, yes, I agree a TIG is doable. I agree with Dave and Kevin emphatically that this is a purchase than must be “buy right, buy once”. In my experience, TIG welders start at $1800. The cheapo versions are really very different animals and aimed at folks who require minimal performance at minimal price for a single or couple projects. If we buy one, it’ll probably be a waste of money, no matter how little money that is.
Can we do just a little financial catch up and some planning before we commit?
At that point, I predict it will be totally doable and we can get a great machine. If we plan well, we can even get supplemental funding, discounts, member contributions, etc.
Lorin
Yes, just confirmed the dimensions on the knives on the jointer, those fit, please order it/place it on the Warden’s sheet.
Good layout Lorin I agree, it’s not worth draining down to a level cash wise if a few things needed decent repair we would be in a bad spot cash wise.
I agree Kevin, we should always have healthy reserves to take care of unexpected items. On the other hand buying this wouldn’t put us anywhere close to that level IMO . I don’t think anyone would say we should put ourselves at financial risk by overspending. Anyone making that assumption without giving real facts and a clear thought process as to what levels are appropriate seems irresponsible.
Unless we are purposely saving for something it doesn’t make sense to have close to 2 years worth of reserves/savings that cover all our costs with zero income if we have tools that our members would use. I have zero interest in using this item but as long as people have been talking about it I don’t see why we would have to wait. If someone gave a clear and concise reason with actual facts and numbers my opinion could be changed.
“people” have been talking about getting a tig welder for 2-3years and nothing has happened. I have been wanting one for at least that long. And yet no one has done anything about it. So I figured if I could get one for under 200$, wth. Itd be worth getting and see if people down here even have things they would do with it.
just my 2 cents. I agree that it wouldn’t break the bank. I also think if we are doing that and we are discussing other upgrades for the hive, another few desktops make sense (seeing as when I brought one in the other day there was mention of multiple places we could put one).
But, having a budget also makes sense. Especially since for a few years there has been talk of upgrading to a different space (or potentially buying a space). Just having at least a 5 year plan (if not a longer term one than that), is something we really need to sit down and figure out. Do we have a contingency plan (and money set aside) in place for if we need to move to another space? etc. Just some random thoughts I had and wanted to get written out. Sorry if it doesn’t make a ton of sense. lol.
Tiffany
I have about 4 modernish computer shells that I have been hoarding. I can bring em for evaluation, straight home or purgatory if they are crud. Most will be missing hard drives, most do have license stickers. Maybe they’d be enough to web browse if on the edge of barely adequate. Dunno… But I will part with my computer hoard 
If we can find a cheap tig with high frequency start at minimum at a cheap price say less than 300 go for it. The main reason I’m saying for a full fledge tig to hold off is that a lot of the welding companies were at the maker faires. Most already allocated donations for this year. However if we hit them up after the first of the year it would be dam nice to get a miller, hobart, Lincoln, or even a Eastwood for free/donated.
I’m full go for a tig as all know but 2 to 3 months won’t kill us to hopefully get a donated one or a decent discount possibly. If that does not pan out I fully think it’s something that we should move on and go to a vote. We do have a very very basic tig already at the hive that needs s lil work and possibly hooked up however it is a scratch start with no pedal which give pretty poor results and has a decent learning curve.
I’ve always wanted to visit HGR. It’s a bit over budget, and needs a new lead… but check this out. https://hgrinc.com/?all=1&view&aisle&from&to&markdowns&newarrivals&sort&kw=TIG&per_page&min_price&max_price&pn=1
and for the cnc guys
Check their item number 0816-136-0002 microkinetics cnc mill on discount.
Ehhhh those have seen some heavy use for welders and it looks like most of them don’t have the torch handles and cords are cut