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Welcome to the

Collaborative Research Association of Social Hacktivity

aka Crash Space: a Los Angeles-based hacker space

 

This is the Public Crash Space Wiki.  Any and all interested and interesting minds are free to access and alter this information.

 

Blog | Discussion List | Calendar of EventsTwitter | Flickr | Contact Us

 


Member Meetings: Every Tuesday night @ 8PM

Open House: 2nd Tuesday of Every Month @ 8PM

 

(Previous Meeting Notes)


 

// Why "Crash Space"?

 

  • It's a space where anything can happen

  • Crash is a cool movie about LA

  • When you try new things, they often crash many times before you get solid results. We look forward to many many crashes.
  • Crash is where things come together, like hydrogen atoms colliding to make an explosion, or light from the sun.
  • With any luck we'll be there really late sometimes and have to crash on a couch.

 

 

// Where We Are & How to Visit

 

10526 Venice Blvd, Culver City CA 90232

Google Map | Street View | A photo of the front

What else is in our neighborhood?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not a Crashspace member, but I would like to visit. When can I come?

  • Open House: 8:00pm on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. (Most exciting meeting of the month!)
  • Regular weekly meetings: 8:00pm every Tuesday of the month. (Less exciting sometimes but still pretty ok!)
  • Any public class or event. (Be sure to RSVP if required!)
  • Whenever our online sign says that we are open. (However, you must be a member to use the shop while you are there. The public may only visit.)

 

I am a non-keyed Crashspace member.  How can I know when the space is open?

  • Check our online sign to see if anyone is here.
  • We have an iPhone app and an Android app that will tell you when someone is in the space. 
  • You can also look at the events page and see if anything is scheduled.  Members may come use the space during classes and events, as long as they are respectful of the needs of the class.  (Please keep noise low and only use tools that the class is not currently using.) 
  • Send a message to the Discussion List and ask if anyone is planning to be around. Some members live nearby, and will gladly come open the space and hang out with you if you ask.

 

NOTE: If you show up and knock on the door and no one answers, try going around to the back.  Sometimes people are in the back rooms and can’t hear you.  We'd hate for you to be stuck outside just because a loud bandsaw is running.

 

Can I watch the Crashspace weekly meeting online?

We are in the process of setting up a Livestream, but currently meetings are held only in person. You may follow along with the notes live via Google Docs, however. Each Tuesday before the meeting, we send a notice out to the Discussion List with a link to this week's notes.

 

May I bring my friend to CRASH space?

They are allowed to come and hang out in the front room, but the shops are special, magical places which are reserved for Crashspace members only. If your friend would like to sign up for membership, we would love to have them!

 

When someone knocks on the door while I'm at CRASH Space, how do I know if they are really a member?

We're working on a better process, but for now ask another member to help you confirm.  After a while you will start to recognize the regulars.  But seriously, this process needs help.  If you're interested in helping us improve this process, we are all ears.

 

 

// Who We Are, How We Work, How to Join Us, and Why to Join Us

 

How we work

  

How can I sign up for Crashspace membership?

You can sign up here!

 

What is the Crashspace Membership Agreement?

It is this!

 

Is there a list of currently active members we can reference?

Not currently, although you can see the officers here and many members have chosen to fill out a profile about themselves in the Member Pages section of the wiki.

 

Who are the board members?

You can find out more about the board here. 

 

Besides being able to use the CRASH Space and interact with a group of amazing people, what are some of the other benefits of being a CRASH Space member?

  • Discounts on CRASH Space events & classes
  • Discounts in the CRASH Space store
  • Discounts at Sparkfun and elsewhere (add or link to list) 
  • Opportunities to attend/staff various cool external events
  • Networking with other hacker-related groups
  • Informal access to other hacker spaces
  • Access to members-only sites & lists

 

What member-only lists and sites are there?

There is a members only email list.  If you are a member and did not get an email inviting you to join after making your membership payment, please send email to membership at crashspace.org. We are a volunteer-run organization 

 

How do I take advantage of the Crashspace member SparkFun discount?

CRASH Space does an occasional purchase from SparkFun. Members get distributor pricing. Email is sent out to the members mailing list about a week before the order will be placed and purchases are distributed at the following member meeting. The process is described on the member wiki.

 

Discounts on classes and events at CRASH space: Where are the codes?

They are here! 

 

I see there’s food/drink here! Is any of it for member consumption?

Yes! The non-alcoholic drinks cost $1 each, and all of that money goes either to supporting CRASH Space, or to buying more drinks. Munchies are free - which is why they don't last very long.  If you see we are low on drinks and snacks, please bring more.  We love drinks.  We love snacks.

 

 

// What We Have

 

What kind of tools are at Crashspace?

All these and probably more.

 

I heard that there are spare parts available for me to use in my projects.  Where are they, and how do I tell them apart from the tools?

This can be confusing, since "spare parts / eWaste" and "tools / useful objects" can be hard to tell apart.

 

GENERALLY speaking, the things on the work benches and the shelves in the shops are TOOLS.  The things under the work benches in bins are spare parts.  Much of Shop 1 is labeled with blue painters tape in an attempt to make this more clear.  

 

Try to use common sense. But if you're not sure, air on the side of caution and ask the Discussion List to clarify an item for you.

Examples of tools to cherish and keep safe: drills, oscilloscopes, maker bots, laser cutter

Examples of spare parts for you to consume: resistors, capacitors, spare motors, power supplies, fans, wire

 

What equipment should I avoid until I’ve had training?
 If you don’t know how to use the higher-end / dangerous gear, better safe than sorry.

  • You need to be trained and tested before using the laser cutter yourself. It's easy but it can cause a fire so you need training. No exceptions.
  • The CNC Mill has a training class.
  • The metal lathe.

 

Where did all this really expensive equipment come from? 

Some of it is on loan, some of it was donated, some of it we purchased.

 

How do I get trained to use the laser cutter, makerbot, CNC machine, or other cool piece of equipment?
 Ask someone!  In the future we may have "intro to new member" classes that go over operation of some of the equipment. There is a specific class for learning the CNC machine, which can be found on the calendar.

 

Is there a tutorial video or document on how to use the laser cutter?

 You can download the laser cutter's manual from the manufacturer's website, but that's not a substitution for having someone stand over your shoulder the first few times you use it.  We really want to make sure a human checks people out.

 

Is there a tutorial video or document on how to use the CNC mill and metal lathe? 

 

Some of the equipment uses material such as metal (cnc machine), plastic (makerbots), paper (large format epson printer), etc.  Can I use what I find for free or am I expected to pay for materials cost.

The laser cutter has strict guidelines on what you can cut that won't damage the laser or release toxic fumes.  Scrap acrylic is free, but if you need something larger, there is material for sale (details coming).  There is 3D printer filament that is paid for by the space.

 

 Can I take a piece of equipment home (makerbot, oscilliscope, etc)?
Short answer: no.  The equipment is all shared, and if it is removed from CRASH Space then it is not accessible to anyone else.  At some point in the future we may have the ability to check out equipment when we have more than one unit, but for now, please leave the equipment in CRASH Space.

 

Oops!  I broke something.  What should I do?

If you can't restore it to it's original state, send an email to the facilities manager.

 

I have a slightly used hydrospanner that I'd like to donate to CRASH space.  Do you want it?  Where should I put it?

Bring it to the monthly Mega Take Apart.  Date and time may be found on the events calendar. 

 

 

// What You Can Learn Here (Classes & Events)

 

I have an idea for a class/talk/event I'd like to host at CRASH Space.  What are the ground rules for organizing something?
Any member of CRASH space can run their own event, or invite someone else to come teach/talk. If you are not a keyed member, then a keyed member must agree to be present the entire time.

Here are instructions on how to run an event.

 

I want to invite my friend to an upcoming event.  How can I tell which events are open to the public and which are member-only?

Clicking on the meeting name in the calendar to get more information will usually tell you.  Events like Radio Mondays are free and open to the public. Paid classes are open to the public but limited to paying students. Private events are marked as such.

 

 

// What You Can Do Here (Projects & Funsies & Helping)

 

I bet running Crashspace takes work! How can I help make Crashspace run?

You're right! Crashspace is made possible by the coordinated efforts of many, many people in our community. If you want to help out, the best things to do are to say so on the Discussion List and at the weekly meetings.  Just be like, "Hi! I'm new here, and I want to help!" and everyone will be like "Wow! You are so nice! Here let us help you get started helping."  And then everyone will want to be your friend because you are so nice, and we will help you find a project that you are excited about.

 

I think XYZ at Crashspace could be better. Someone should fix that.

At Crash Space, the phrase "Someone should..." is forbidden.  In fact, it may be the only thing at Crash Space that is forbidden.  If you have an idea, act on it! If you need help acting on it, ask the Discussion List for help!

 

Is there a place where we store publicly available source code for various CRASH Space projects?

There are a few different locations one may find source:

 

https://github.com/organizations/CRASHSpace

http://code.google.com/p/crashspace/

 

 

// What Has Been Done Here? (Projects)

 

Where can I see projects that have been made at Crashspace in the past? I need inspiration!

Our Projects Page!

 

What's this thing called Store Front Music that I've been hearing so much about?

In 2010, CRASH Space created Store Front Music for the Take on the
Machine Hacker Space Challenge sponsored by Scion. To see some of our
members in action, here is a video of us created by the producers of
the Scion challenge:
Part 1: http://www.videoinmybackyard.com/series/take_on_the_machine_crashspace_2/35/6269/
Part 2: http://www.videoinmybackyard.com/series/take_on_the_machine_crashspace_2/35/6268/

 

 

 

// More Resources

 

 

 

// What's Left?

 

  • Legal/ Financial / General Governance
    • The Collaborative Research Association of Social Hacktivity (aka Crash Space) is a California registered C-Corp that has filed for non-profit status.
    • Mission Statement (Needs to be written)
    • Membership Levels (What do you want for your money?)
    • Decisions and Discussions (How we discuss and decide things)  

 

 

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