Check out on lapidary equipment; particularly interested in cutting and polishing equipment. Thanks in advance you for your time.
Thank you. How do I contact @BrianBaldwin? Is this a user that I can send a message to on X? I am not very familiar with X.
As far as I’m aware, an SOP has not been created to give checkouts on the lapidary equipment & there has not been a plan to do so, at this time. I apologize that we aren’t able to offer this to you & other members in our community.
Heather, you stated that there is no standard procedure for checking people out for the equipment in the lapidary area. Your reply says: we have lapidary fabrication equipment, but no ability to make it available to new or existing members who would like to use it. Only the people currently using it can use it. This response raises 2 questions:
1. If that is the case, then why is the group supporting it as part of our
offering to our members and prospective members?
2. If there is no checkout procedure, how did you and the other members
currently using the lapidary equipment get checked out to use the equipment?
As the manager for the section, is it your responsibility to develop the checkout procedure for the equipment in you section? If not, who is responsible for developing the checkout procedure? Why has no procedure been developed over the years?
How can we tell members and prospective members that we have the equipment for them to fabricate jewelry and not have the ability to make it available to members?
At the meeting on Oct 30th there was a discussion on how to attract and keep new members, which we need to continue to exist. It is my understanding that without new members, we may not be able to continue to exist as a group or maintain the space and equipment. the inability to get members checked out on equipment in a timely fashion is a real disincentive to becoming a member or staying a member. this seems to be a problem that exists in all areas. Do you have any ideas for how to improve the ability to get checked out in the jewelry and other areas? I am willing to help resolve the problems with the checkout procedures.
I can be reached at : Mike.Fraleigh@Fraleighlaw.com
Your Reply to the Checkout Request:
As far as I’m aware, an SOP has not been created to give checkouts on the lapidary equipment & there has not been a plan to do so, at this time. I apologize that we aren’t able to offer this to you & other members in our community.
Hi, Mike! I understand your concerns. I will try to answer what I’m able to. Please remember that all our volunteers & volunteer staff, myself included, are…& have been…volunteering countless hours of our personal time. We each care about the LMN community, it’s growth & it’s survival. Many are dedicated to continue making this creative space possible.
That is correct; there is not a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the lapidary equipment. It has been removed from the area. No one is or has been using it…not even myself. The lapidary equipment was to be an adjunct to the jewelry/metalsmithing area. It is not needed to fabricate jewelry or to fabricate other metalsmithing projects. Our jewelry area is quite well equipped & available for the members to use. Some tools do require a checkout, & some tools are currently for teaching classes; such as, the kilns & the casting equipment.
LMN does have a procedure & system in place for creating new SOP’s. It does require time, work & volunteers to do this. If you would like to help w/ creating new SOP’s please message @brian.adams for more information.
Most areas have multiple people who can give checkouts. As volunteers, we do our best to accommodate checkout requests as quickly as possible. I’m not aware of anyone not being able to be checked out in the jewelry area, concerning the jewelry equipment.
If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please message @Evelyn for more information on where we need help the most.
~Heather