Talk:Teaching Classes

Certification Issues:

12. How do you know if I'm certified - how can I check if I was certified on the most current equipment? - Paul Tiger

So what is the answer? Does Ron keep track? Who keeps a list, who do I tell that Joe B. is certified? - Paul Tiger

13. Can anyone use the soldering tools whether they are a member or not? How does one know if a tool requires certification? - Paul Tiger

Good questions. The easy answer is to ask the shop captain. Anyone can use the electronic soldering irons. (Gas fueled soldering torches always require certification.) - Paul Tiger

This is mistaken information - which I will edit, except that the example given was intended to be universal (I think). Soldering irons are POWERED equipment. Rather than dice and slice which soldering irons are available, the broad brush stroke would be you need to be certified. However, the JBC soldering stations were procured under a city grant and we're supposed to permit use to non-members. These JBC solder stations are precisely the ones we want certification on. The tips are $40 each and easily destroyed if not certified. I argue that all POWERED equipment should require a certification (member or not). - Paul Tiger

No, this is correct information. The certification and member status issue has nothing to do with city grant funding. For example, both the laser cutter and the Klein screwdrivers were purchased with city grant funds and only the former requires certification. As a public charity, TinkerMill is a community resource and our our equipment and machinery should be free and open to the public whenever possible. Certification is required for those machines for which untrained usage would prove dangerous to persons or the machine itself. While expensive, the JBC soldering iron tips are consumables. The JBC soldering irons remain certification-optional equipment. The "powered" distinction is NOT sufficient criteria for certification requirements. --Ron.Thomas (talk) 11:20, 25 November 2016 (EST)