Month: August 2022

Week 584 – Framework Laptop, FutureGazing, Low Poly Cockerpoo

15th August 2022
"Week 584 – Framework Laptop, FutureGazing, Low Poly Cockerpoo"

Each week we’ll endeavour to publish some details of the interesting things that members of DoES Liverpool have been up to over the past seven days. You can find out a bit more about them in our introductory post.

And remember, if you’re involved with DoES Liverpool at all, let us know what you get up to so we can include it here!

Boost Membership

We’ve launched our next Boost membership campaign – click here to find out more and for the application form. On offer is one six month workshop membership and one six month allocated desk and workshop membership. The closing date for applications is 11th September, we’ll be holding the draw on 13th September and the membership will start on 1st October. We’d like to spread the message even further this time, so if you’ve know any groups or individuals who would benefit but might not know about DoES Liverpool, then please tell them!

Things of Note

Coming Up in the Next Week

Monday 15 August, 7:00pm-9:00pm 7pm-9pm Socialist Alternative discussion group
Thursday 18 August, 7:00pm-9:30pm Maker Night

Our free regular evening meetup where you can find out about our space and all the making equipment in it, get a laser cutter or CNC embroidery machine induction, and work on projects from physical computing and electronics to 3d printing, routing and sewing. Just pay for materials used.
Sunday 21 August, 11:00am-3:00pm Repair Café

Find out more and get your free ticket via EventBrite

Somebody Should

The DoES Liverpool to-do list is stored in the issues of our Somebody Should repository on github. Head over there if there’s something you’d like to report, or if you want to help out fixing things.

See all the issues…

Issue counts: 362 open, 1358 closed

1 new issue:

Featured issue: The laser head appears to be randomly moving to other parts of the bed between cuts. Can we move this on or close it?

4 issues closed:

Thanks DoESsean, Knottyashcreative, johnmckerrell!

Launching the October 2022 Boost Membership

15th August 2022
"Launching the October 2022 Boost Membership"

Again just over a month since we welcomed Sorrell and Julie it’s time to open applications for the next boost membership starting in October.

If you already know what you’re doing then head over here to apply otherwise read on for more information about Boost membership.

The DoES Liverpool Boost Membership was introduced to celebrate the 10th anniversary of our opening DoES Liverpool, the amazing coworking and shared workshop space in the Fabric District of Liverpool. Boost membership gives two people the opportunity to use the space free of charge for six months either with an allocated desk or by having 24-hour access to the workshop.

As things get increasingly difficult for people due to inflation, fuel prices and all the economic woes we’re dealing with at the moment we thought it would be worth pointing out that boost membership is open to anyone, even existing paying members. If 6 months free membership would help you out at the moment then feel free to apply, of course if you’re not already a paying member you are still welcome to apply.

We’re also really interested in getting some feedback on the Boost Membership scheme, especially to find out what might put people off applying and any suggestions for what we might change. If you have any thoughts to share please fill in this form.

Applications are welcome until 11:59pm on 11th September, any applications received after this point will not be considered. We will endeavour to announce the winners within 48 hours.

We’ve now created a dedicated page with lots more information about Boost Membership so if you want to find out more just head over to there and take a look!

Week 583 – FutureGazing

8th August 2022
"Week 583 – FutureGazing"

Each week we’ll endeavour to publish some details of the interesting things that members of DoES Liverpool have been up to over the past seven days. You can find out a bit more about them in our introductory post.

And remember, if you’re involved with DoES Liverpool at all, let us know what you get up to so we can include it here!

FutureGazing

Join us this Wednesday 10th August 2022 in the Event space, DoES Liverpool, 6.30pm-8.30pm to think about our future, how we can keep supporting people to do their best work, grow into the lives they want to lead, and to explore and create ways of working and living for the modern day in a just society. See this blog post from Adrian for more ideas.

Pies, drinks and air-conditioning provided.

Things of Note

Coming Up in the Next Week

Monday 08 August, 7:00pm-9:00pm 7pm-9pm Socialist Alternative discussion group
Wednesday 10 August, 6:30pm-8:30pm FutureGazing

Join us this Wednesday 10th August 2022 in the Event space, DoES Liverpool, 6.30pm-8.30pm to think about our future, how we can keep supporting people to do their best work, grow into the lives they want to lead, and to explore and create ways of working and living for the modern day in a just society. See this blog post from Adrian for more ideas.

Pies, drinks and air-conditioning provided
Thursday 11 August, 9:00am-6:00pm Jelly Liverpool
Thursday 11 August, 7:00pm-9:30pm Maker NightOur free regular evening meetup where you can find out about our space and all the making equipment in it, get a laser cutter or CNC embroidery machine induction, and work on projects from physical computing and electronics to 3d printing, routing and sewing. Just pay for materials used.
Saturday 13 August, 10:00am-5:00pm Maker Day

Our free monthly daytime meetup where you can find out about our space and all the making equipment in it, get a laser cutter or CNC embroidery machine induction, and work on projects from physical computing and electronics to 3d printing, routing and sewing. Just pay for materials used.
Sunday 14 August, 2:00pm-5:00pm In a world with mountains of plastic and molehills of play, let’s get our spades out and shift the balance.

Make new things from abandoned plastic with us. Plantpots, purses … pedalos?

Shred plastic. Blend it. Meld scraps together with a heat gun. Make sheets. Laser cut it. CNC it. Stitch potato bags together with soldering iron? Make fabrics with a regular iron? What have we got, what can we make? We don’t know – let’s figure it out!

Two rules:

1. No Objectives – this is an aimless and wandering session.
2. Bring Your Own Initiative – this is an active session and we’ll help you get creative.

Every two weeks on a Sunday afternoon, between 2pm and 5pm.

Facilitated by Plastic Tactics – follow on social for the latest updates, and to see what we make if you can’t be here in person:
http://instagram.com/plastacs
http://twitter.com/plastacs
http://facebook.com/plastictacticsliverpool Plastic Playgroup (DoES Workshop)

Somebody Should

The DoES Liverpool to-do list is stored in the issues of our Somebody Should repository on github. Head over there if there’s something you’d like to report, or if you want to help out fixing things.

See all the issues…

Issue counts: 365 open, 1354 closed

1 new issue:

Featured issue: Perform an audit of the small tools, etc in the Workshop. Can we move this on or close it?

2 issues closed:

Thanks Knottyashcreative, amcewen!

What Sorts of Epic Should We Enable?

5th August 2022
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"What Sorts of Epic Should We Enable?"

Two mugs on a table. One shows the DoES Liverpool logo, and the other has a three-step plan for success: 1. Do epic _____; 2. Tell people about it; 3. Go to step 1. It cycles through a list of epic step 1s: startups; CNC; meetups; design; research; art...

DoES Liverpool wants to help people do epic work, whatever that work might be.

It’s a noble aim; but how do we go about enabling and supporting that?

It’s something I was thinking about when reading Bottling Lightning, an essay from Ben Reinhardt thinking about how research institutions should be structured.

DoES Liverpool isn’t a research institute, at least it’s not just a research institute. However, it is somewhere where we collectively play midwife to the future world we want to inhabit.

At different times, and for different people it can ba an art school; a startup incubator; a workshop; a salon; a research lab…

As Reinhardt says:

Context plays a large role, not just in what people think is important, but for the sorts of ideas people have in the first place. Context is a frustratingly nebulous term that I won’t even attempt to circumscribe. When thinking about research ideas, there are two key aspects of context that are worth focusing on: the culture someone swims in and the resources that they believe to be at their disposal.

Culture and resources. Two key elements that make DoES Liverpool unique.

What sort of doing do we want to enable? What is nobody else helping, but that they should? What would that help look like?

What tools should we make available? David Lang talks about supply shocks, where ready access to new tools or supplies unlocks new uses and discoveries because they get into the hands of communities who wouldn’t normally have access. We’ve done a great job of that, first with laser-cutting, and now with an increasing set of other technologies. What should we add to that list? Who else might we take these “supply shocks” to?

One way that DoES Liverpool is radically different from most institutions is that it doesn’t have any funding, and barely has any staff. The only people who can make any of this happen are the community. Naturally, the community should also get to choose what happens.

Lots of these choices happen from the day-to-day doing of work on projects, and the informal (and occasionally more formal) collaborations that come out of being in the community and the space.

Every now and then it’s good to take a step back and look at the space and the community as a whole. At DoES Liverpool we call that future-gazing.

You can read the notes from the last session on the Wiki; it’s a convivial group brainstorming and exploration session.

A printed floorplan of DoES Liverpool surrounded by three concentric circles. On top of the printout assorted building blocks and post-it notes are arranged, explaining different elements of possible futures

We’re gathering again for our next session on Wednesday, 10th August 2022, from 6:30pm, in the DoES Liverpool events space. There will be pies. If you’re part of the community, you should come along. (And there’s probably room for the odd interloper too, if you’re nearby and interested…)

Week 582 – Dangerous Prototypes

1st August 2022
"Week 582 – Dangerous Prototypes"

Each week we’ll endeavour to publish some details of the interesting things that members of DoES Liverpool have been up to over the past seven days. You can find out a bit more about them in our introductory post.

And remember, if you’re involved with DoES Liverpool at all, let us know what you get up to so we can include it here!

Things of Note

Coming Up in the Next Week

Monday 01 August, 7:00pm-9:00pm 7pm-9pm Socialist Alternative discussion group
Tuesday 02 August, 6:30pm-9:30pm Hack the Space Evening
Wednesday 03 August, 7:00pm-9:00pm Liverpool Linux User Group
Thursday 04 August, 7:00pm-9:30pm Maker Night

Our free regular evening meetup where you can find out about our space and all the making equipment in it, get a laser cutter or CNC embroidery machine induction, and work on projects from physical computing and electronics to 3d printing, routing and sewing. Just pay for materials used.

Somebody Should

The DoES Liverpool to-do list is stored in the issues of our Somebody Should repository on github. Head over there if there’s something you’d like to report, or if you want to help out fixing things.

See all the issues…

Issue counts: 366 open, 1352 closed

1 new issue:

Featured issue: Door handle of Room 29 is wobbly. Can we move this on or close it?

No issues closed

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