Events

"Accessing DoES Liverpool During COVID-19"

A lot has happened since our last update on how we’re handling the pandemic at DoES Liverpool (including the community helping to keep NHS staff and key workers across the North-West safe by supplying over 24,000 visors!).  We hope you’re staying safe and keeping well.

With the visor project winding down (although still supplying visors to anyone who needs them) and the Government starting to slightly ease the lockdown we’ve been looking at how to reconfigure the space for better social distancing.

Our recommendation is still to work from home wherever possible, and only visit the space if you need to use the equipment which isn’t available elsewhere or collect post or other items.

Our landlord, Jason, has installed hand sanitizer stations in the communal areas for people to use on arrival.   We have handwash in the toilets and handwash and disinfectant in the kitchen area.  You should wash your hands immediately on arrival at the space, and wipe down any desk areas or equipment that you use at the start and end of your visit.

To help with social distancing we’re restricting access to some areas of the space.

Restricted Occupancy Areas

Everywhere is still usable, but certain areas where there is less room should only be used by one person (or people from one household) at a time.  These areas are marked with signs, like this one on the CNC room:

Door with "COVID19 maximum occupancy 1 person" sign

The restricted areas are:

  • The laser-cutter room (we have taken Sophia off the bookings calendar for now so that the room doesn’t get double-booked, but either cutter can be used)
  • The CNC room
  • The kitchen
  • The recess with the vinyl cutters and sublimation printer
  • The corner workshop desk and textiles area
  • The corner workshop desk and electronics workbench

These last two areas are marked out with tape on the floor, and are chosen so that you can either use the workshop desk or you can use the equipment (knitting machines, soldering irons, etc.), but there shouldn’t be someone at both at the same time.

Hot-desking

Given that our desks are too close together to allow people to maintain a 2 metre separation when sat at adjacent or opposing desks, people should stagger the desks they use relative to others.

To make that easier for people hot-desking, we have taped off some of the desks which shouldn’t be used.

Desk criss-crossed with tape to show it shouldn't be used

And have marked out the desks which are available for hot-deskers to work from like this:

Desk with a "Desk Available" sign

People with permanent desks are welcome to use their normal desk, and in most cases this fits in with the marking out of hot-desks that we’ve done.

However, in some cases you’d end up sitting next to, or opposite, another person at a desk.  If that happens, please work with each other to work out a sensible option.  Either using one of the other available hot-desks, or asking the person if they can move instead.

Finally, where possible open the windows to keep the space well ventilated.

If you have any questions about access, or any other issues relating to this, email hello@doesliverpool.com.  We are responding to communications, but only staffing the space on an ad-hoc, only-when-necessary basis.

As part of our preparation of the space, we developed the DoES Liverpool COVID specific risk assessment, which is reviewed on an ongoing basis as the situation evolves.

"DoES Liverpool COVID-19 Plan"

Following the updated government advice regarding COVID-19, and the need for social distancing, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel all DoES Liverpool Events, including Maker Nights and Maker Days, starting immediately and until further notice. We will not be supporting external events as we will not have staff available to supervise them.

The space will still be available for use, although it will no longer be staffed and we cannot guarantee that access will be possible without a fob. Anyone who has a fob can access the space as usual.

We realise that many of our members use the equipment at the space to do their job and so we need to support them at an already tricky time.  That means that if you come in on an ad-hoc basis and don’t have the out-of-hours access but do have a fob, you’ll still be able to come in as you do now.  As there will be nobody around to take payment, please email hello@doesliverpool.com with details of what you need to pay. 

You should only come in if you need to work on something or to collect something from the space.  Please do not attend purely for social reasons.

The membership of our community encompasses a broad spectrum of people, some of whom fall into the “high risk” bracket posed by this virus. Please do not continue operating business as usual; we all have a duty of care to manage the threat this virus poses, if not to you specifically, to other more vulnerable members of society.

Please do not attend the space if you are unwell, especially if you have got a new persistent cough or a fever.  

It is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that the space is kept as clean as possible; as such we are requesting that you wipe down all surfaces before and after use, as well as other areas such as the fridge door handle.  Surface cleaning spray is available by the workshop sink in the kitchen. The space will still be cleaned as usual, this is an additional precaution.

It goes without saying that one of the best ways to protect yourself is to regularly wash your hands and avoid touching your face, especially when you have been interacting with other people and spaces.

If you have any questions about access, or any other issues relating to this, email hello@doesliverpool.com.  We will be responding to communications, just not staffing the space itself.

DoES Liverpool Online

DoES Liverpool was set up to stop people feeling lonely from having to work on their own at home. As such we want to continue to help you feel less isolated during this situation. We have a few ways in which you can stay connected to the DoES Liverpool community and we’d love to hear your suggestions too!x

Obviously that’s just a start.  We know that the DoES Liverpool community will be working out all manner of ways to connect and cope and have interesting things to share.  As always, there’s the #weeknotes hashtag for letting others know what you’re up to, and let us know if there’s anything you’d like us to share.

Finally, look after yourselves and keep an eye out for any vulnerable members of the DoES Liverpool Community as well as in your local community.

  • john
  • Events
  • Comments Off on DoES Liverpool are hosting a foodbank drive this Christmas
"DoES Liverpool are hosting a foodbank drive this Christmas"

Over the next 10 days, DoES Liverpool will be hosting a foodbank drive to get some collections together in time for Christmas for people in Liverpool who will be struggling to make ends meet.

According to Trussell Trust statistics, demand in December is consistently high as people are struggling to choose between heating their homes and eating.

This year is expected to be particularly busy as Universal Credit has now been rolled out across every area of Liverpool, as of this month. Areas with Universal Credit rollout have been linked to a 52% rise in demand for foodbank provision further down the line.

The Central and South Liverpool foodbank is looking for the following items in particular:

  • Tinned fruit
  • Long-life juice cartons or bottles of squash
  • Packets of rice (microwave / boil)
  • Coffee
  • Tinned rice pudding / custard
  • Tinned fish
  • Toothpaste

but any items are welcome. Other, more festive items that are suitable for donation are Christmas puddings and cakes, boxes of biscuits, selection boxes and large bars of chocolate.

Simply bring your items into DoES Liverpool over the next 10 days and we will take them into the foodbank on your behalf. Let’s spread the Christmas cheer a little further this year! 🎄

"Maker Brunch on Sunday 1st July"

The main room at DoES Liverpool

A couple of months back, when he was visiting to help us fit out the new DoES Liverpool space with a stint of floor-scrubbing, Jo Hinchliffe and I were discussing the wider maker community and reckoned it would be good if there were more opportunities for us makers to just meet up and hang out.

With Liverpool MakeFest coming up that gave us a perfect chance to host a get together.

So, on the Sunday after MakeFest (let’s hope heads aren’t too sore after the Saturday evening after-party here at DoES too) we’re going to have a Maker Brunch.

It’s nothing grand, just a chance for anyone who fancies getting together with some fellow makers.  No presentations, no obligations, all deliberately  low-key.

I’m not sure exactly what we’ll do for food.  There are a few cafes round the corner from DoES Liverpool which do bacon butties and the like; the bakery in the nearby Lidl does a good range of pastries; there’s also been the suggestion of scones.  I’m sure we’ll work it out on the day.  As ever, there’ll be good coffee and tea.

We’ll open the doors at 10:30am (I’m assuming that’s early enough – if you need to check out of your hotel before that, let me know and we can work something out) and be there until at least 3pm (and probably a fair bit later).

If you’re worried that you won’t know  anyone, you should come anyway, find one of these four people and say “Hi, I’ve just arrived.  Can you show me round?”  They’re all friendly people who’ve agreed to welcome any newcomers

Chris Huffee Jo Hinchliffe
Adrian McEwen Steve Upton

See you on the 1st!

"DoES Liverpool Has Moved"

 

DoES Liverpool has now officially moved to The Tapestry building.  When we re-open following the Easter holiday, on Tuesday 3rd April 2018, our new address will be:

DoES Liverpool
1st Floor
The Tapestry
68 – 76 Kempston Street
Liverpool L3 8HL

Thank you so much to everyone who has helped so far. There’s still plenty of cleaning and arranging to be done but if you don’t mind a bit of dishevelment then you’re welcome to come along and take a look. Our internet connection is active and the coffee will be brewing so you should be able to get some work done, although there’s a decent chance someone might offer you a paintbrush or mop!

This does mean that from this point our new pricing scheme is in action, as mentioned previously that is as follows:

Description Price Member Price
Single Day
(Workshop* or Desk)
£12/day £10/day
Out of Hours Workshop £35/month £25/month
Monthly Workshop £65/month £50/month
Flexidesk £80/month £70/month
Monthly desk £180/month £165/month
Registered Address/Mailbox £99/year £79/year
Storage per cubic feet per month £3 £3

* – Gerald surcharge of £2/usage still applies

If you are interested in receiving the discounts mentioned above, or simply supporting our efforts, this page will show you how to become a member.

Any hot desk days you’ve previously bought are still valid in the new venue. If you have a permanent desk then we will work with you to determine where your new desk location will be. If you have monthly workshop membership then your storage box has been transferred and your membership continues in the new location.

If you have a registered address with us, please now update any records you have to use the following address:

Your Company
c/o DoES Liverpool
The Tapestry
68 – 76 Kempston Street
Liverpool L3 8HL

For the time being we will still be able to receive post at the Gostins Building but this will only be available for the next few months so we advise that you update your records as soon as possible.

As mentioned there’s still much to do so we don’t yet have glossy photos of our finished space, but below should give you a taster, together with the last moments in Gostins!

End. Of. An. Era. Goodbye Gostins, it’s been a fun 7 years. #weeknotes

A post shared by DoES Liverpool (@doesliverpool) on

"October at DoES"

It’s shaping up to be a busy month at DoES this October. After the success of our rocket building workshop on Thursday 12th, we’ve got lots more open events coming up.

Saturday 14th October, 1200-1800 – Liverpool Open Studios event

DoES is participating in the Liverpool Open Studios event all day on Saturday. This showcases homegrown artistic and creative talent in Liverpool by opening up 19 art and design studios across the city. See Twitter for more details (#lost17).

The Open Studio tour also coincides with the DoES monthly maker day event, where anyone can come along and find out about our workshop, tools, and how to use them.

Saturday is also Social Saturday, a national day of celebration and support for social enterprises, so that’s an extra reason to come and visit us! Find out more about our social enterprise structure here.

Wednesday 25th October, 1900 onwards – Internet of Things Meetup

Regular monthly event about the Internet of Things, with guest speakers, pizza and beer. Look out for more details on Meetup and Twitter.

Saturday 28th October, 1000-1700 – Make : Shift : Do

Make: Shift: Do is a ‘nationwide programme of craft innovation workshops’, taking place up and down the country to help get the public involved in craft and maker spaces.

We’re opening DoES between 10am and 5pm on the day and there will be lots of activities for people to get involved in. See the Crafts Council site for more information.

We’ll also be holding a free workshop event “Sublime Heartbeats” where you can build a simple pulse reader using an ESP32 board, and then use dye sublimation to print images onto mugs and bags. You can also book this through the Crafts Council site.

And don’t forget our regular Maker night every Thursday, and Wearable Tech on Monday evenings.

 

"Looking back on Liverpool Makefest 2017"

 

DoES Liverpool had a great time at Liverpool Makefest on Saturday. We showed off what we do and make, made new friends and got back in contact with some old ones. Thanks to everyone who helped out as exhibitors, volunteers, and behind the scenes. Also to the Makefest organisers, especially Mark and Jen who worked so hard to make the event a success.

For those who couldn’t be there, here’s a selection of DoES-related photos, mainly from Twitter and Instagram …

The Electric Liverbird (on the 2nd floor):

Made Invaders:

The DoES stand:

Repurposed Tosca screen with large DoES Liverpool logo and work by Hexceramic and SilentBelle:

See you at Makefest.

A post shared by DoES Liverpool (@doesliverpool) on

We’re right at the top left in this photo:

#LivMF2017

A post shared by Liverpool MakeFest (@lpoolmakefest) on

Paul Geering’s unique Nixie clock:

 

… and as you can’t see it in the previous photos, here’s a picture of Andy Goodwin’s ROV:

Autonomous rover prototype testing.

A post shared by Andy Goodwin (@franticuk) on

From the Fomocam:

vivian/00:14:30.jpg

Some official pictures with official watermarks(see more at https://www.facebook.com/pg/liverpoolmakefest/photos):

 

DoES maker day regulars visiting Laura Pullig’s stall:

After party:

 

Looking forward to next year.

  • amcewen
  • Events
  • Comments Off on To all members of the DoES community – Liverpool Makefest 24 June 2017
"To all members of the DoES community – Liverpool Makefest 24 June 2017"

Preparations are underway for this year’s Liverpool Makefest on 24 June 2017 at Liverpool Library. For anyone who hasn’t been before, this is the north-west’s biggest Maker event and features “over 200 makers showcasing science, technology, crafts, creations, inventions and gadgets … with hands-on activities, ranging from coding to crafts” https://lpoolmakefest.org.

DoES Liverpool will be playing an important role in the event and it’s an ideal opportunity to show off all aspects of the organisation.

We’ll have 4 tables, a screen showing videos and still photos, and a display stand for 2D work, as well as posters explaining what happens at DoES.

If you have anything that you’ve made at DoES and would like to display on the day, then get in touch (see organisers on Maker night / Maker day, or email the Google group). We already have lots of stuff to display, including a selection of wearables, a laser-cut and 3D-printed dolls’ house, pinhole cameras, neon signs, moulded clay tiles, Nixie tube clock, Acker’s bell and Museum in a Box, LoRaWAN, helmet cameras, miniature art, 2D stencils …, but the more the better in terms of showing the wide range of stuff that goes on in DoES.

If your stuff is less physical e.g. software, translation, and you’d like to write something about it then that would be great too.

We’ll also need volunteers on the day, and to set up on Friday night. You can volunteer here: https://lpoolmakefest.org/volunteer/ . Make sure to say that you’re volunteering for DoES. People who’ve already volunteered: you’ll also need to sign up here, as it lets you state your food preferences for Saturday lunchtime sandwiches, and you’ll get invited to a pre-event volunteer’s meeting on the Thursday evening).

There’s also a Git repo here https://github.com/DoESLiverpool/Liverpool-Makefest-2017/ with a number of issues looking for additional helpers.

Any queries, please get in touch via the Google group https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/does-liverpool/pYSP-AKB8Io or ask me or one of the other organisers on Maker night / Maker day.

Jackie

"Make:Shift:Do 2016 at DoES Liverpool"

Last Friday and Saturday saw this year’s edition of the Craft Council’s Make:Shift:Do, a programme of workshops, open days and events all across the UK.

We’ve celebrated Make:Shift:Do here at DoES Liverpool for each year it’s run and this year was no different. We put on an open day and a series of workshops.

There was a whole range of things for people to try out: you could design and make your own t-shirt; create a musical LED pumpkin; get your fact 3d-scanned; or build some LED jewellery and soft circuits.

To give a flavour of what went on we’ve collected together some of the tweets and photos from the day.

If you missed out on coming along, or are itching to get on with more making, remember you can always come along to one of our regular Maker Nights (every Thursday evening, 6:30-9pm) or Maker Days (the second Saturday each month, 10am-5pm).

"DesktopProsthetics"

Copyright Jason Abbott

image with thanks copyright Jason Abbott

DoESLiverpool are developing an iteration of the Enabling the Future project within the “Build Your Own: Tools For Sharing” Exhibition at FACT 4 June – 31 August 2015 with the Crafts Council and in association with Norfolk Museums Service and Norwich Hackspace. Ross Dalziel, Patrick Fenner and Adrian McEwen who are permanent deskers at DoES Liverpool are helping facilitate and support a ‘production line’ area in the FACT show within their main gallery 1 on the ground floor to 3D print open source designs of upper limb prosthetics. It’s inspired by a local family the Abbott’s who used our workshop to print hand parts independently. You can see an image of Baylee Abbott above.

Over the course of the exhibition FACT Gallery Assistants and DoESLiverpool will assist the public in testing and building 3D printed prosthetics using the open source design “The Raptor Hand”. The public will have the opportunity to play, experiment and understand what prosthetics are and how access to rapid prototyping and open source digital making tools can help people make the world the way they want it.

By working with Reach in the NorthWest, the association for children with upper limb deficiency, we’ll be helping a number of children (primarily) from the North-West and, when the exhibition tours, East Anglia where Norwich hackspace are assisting. In addition, the exhibition which tours to Norwich will raise awareness within the Reach community and the general public about some of the uses for 3d printing. It’s worth noting that the Raptor Hand is more of a tool rather than a fully functional prosthetic device and has very limited grip strength.  For more details on the design and its suitability check out http://enablingthefuture.org/faqs-general/

DoESLiverpool if you are new to us, as an organisation, do not do projects in a sense; we simply help our community to realise their projects with the facilities we have. Our community is essentially anyone who wants to do something with us. Part of the ‘deal’ of this project is that DoESLiverpool and Norwich Hackspace can keep the new larger 3D printers, Ultimaker 2’s, so that if people do need to print more hands in the future at DoESLiverpool, we will have extended our facilities so that they can. If a group grows and develops around the activity in the exhibition then that group can continue to use DoESLiverpool to support it like the many diverse groups that call DoESLiverpool home.

We are managing the project on github which we hope will aid Norwich hackspace when they help with their side of the tour.

There are a few dates of specific activity the public need to book on to aside from the public launch on the Thursday 4th June at 6pm. Booking details will follow on Eventbrite

Outside of these workshop dates the public can visit the exhibition and see the hands gradually being printed and finished so just like the DoES workshop but a little more formal and with more context and a visual explaination of the process of building the printed hands for DesktopProsthetics. Gallery assistants will be able to explain the process and show some of the completed parts as they are printed and prepped ready for assembly

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