[hackerspaces] Cost sharing for lasers and 3D printers?

[charlie wallace]

we just supply the machine, space and electricity and knowledge for free,
you supply the materials, unless we have the materials on hand and no ones
care if they're used up but it'd be nice if they were replaced, or added
too.

Then negotiate with suppliers to get everything for $38


On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 4:51 PM, Arclight <arclight at gmail.com> wrote:

> Sorry to post off topic, but I have a hacker space related question.
>
> We just acquired a new 3D printer (used commercial-grade machine) and
> of course lots of people have already lined up to use it.
>
> How do other spaces do cost recovery/sharing for machines like laser
> cutters and 3D printers? We know we need to record what people use and
> get them to pay for materials and money towards upkeep, but what's a
> good system?
>
> My experience in the past has been that some hackers either think
> everything should be "at cost" (meaning materials+0.0% markup of any
> type) and that "the collective" will chip in and pay for stuff when it
> breaks. My experience with this is that someone is always left holding
> the bag when some $300 expense pops up and passing the hat yields $38
> and change.
>
> Other folks (like me) feel that the space should charge members for
> materials, plus money to bank for repairs and hidden costs, leaving
> anything left over as profit/money towards a later replacement
> machine.
>
> What system does everyone use? Money jar next to the machine? RFID
> accounting by user?
>
>
> Arclight
> 23b Shop
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>
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