I'd like to suggest that we plan a meetup to repair any broken item that people bring in. We can work as individuals or teams. We can all bring tools and tech to see if we can glue, tape, straighten, sew, solder, hack and cut our way to repair instead of discard. A great way to recycle.
October 20
If we choose a date I can contact the solid waste and recycling coordinator in Chelmsford too. More advance notice is better.
October 1
Since we're planning to officially open on November 1st, it should be soon after that - but before Thanksgiving to avoid the crazy time in people's schedules.
I'm likely tied-up the week of November 4-8, but maybe the week of the 11th or the 18th sometime? Is a weekday evening better you think, or a weekend day?
My sense is weekend day for people to gather their "junk" from their garage, basement, shed, etc. and bring it in. Parking will also be easier on a weekend.
October 2
After meeting with the Building Department yesterday about our occupancy permit, it's pretty clear we won't have one by November 1st. That doesn't mean we can't do stuff in the space, but we are restricted in what we can do.
I'm still optimistic that we could do this workshop the week of November 18th, though I'd like some feedback from this group about weeknight vs. weekend day, etc.
October 11
I have a digital multimeter, tools, tape, glue, soldiering iron, spray paint, duck tape and a sharpie marker. That should cover it!
October 1
I finally connected with the Director of Solid Waste & Recycling with the City of Lowell and he likes the idea, but doesn't have time to do much with us right now since he's in the middle of switching providers for city trash and recycling.
So what do we need to host this event at Lowell Makes? I assume we need some bench space, at least one decent DMM (well, analog could be OK, too) and some tools for disassembly, reassembly, soldering, etc. Some lights and maybe magnifying lenses. Anything else?
By the way, we finally set a date for our official opening: November 1st. We'll get our construction permit in this week hopefully, and then we can start doing stuff in parallel to the fit-out, inspections, etc.
September 29
I love this idea, and had actually considered talking to the head of the city's Solid Waste & Recycling department to see if he might have some ideas and resources.
Repairing, upcycling, hacking and modding before simply discarding or even recycling are far better uses, and it's fun and engaging, plus helpful to those who might not be able to afford the latest and greatest new stuff. Plus why throw away [mostly] good stuff?
It would be best to do this soon after we complete the floor grinding and refinishing so we can work in a clean environment without the mess and clutter we have now during cleanup.
What do you think about doing this just after Labor Day, when people are back from summer vacations and such?
July 29
That sounds great! Let's put it on the calendar and get others involved. From lava lamps to laptops and from toys to TVs, nearly everything can be repaired with the right tools and a little creativity.
July 29
Hi. I live in Billerica and I tinker in robotics, 3d printers, and electronics.
I am a web applications developer looking for new, different & fun ways to use my skill set,... more
My name is Kamal, and I am one of the founders of Lowell Makes. I have lived in... more
I repair just about everything with soldier, sewing, tape and glue.
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Things are still looking good for something in mid-late November (but not the week of Thanksgiving).
Anyone have further thoughts on when we could/should do this?