Guides/Giving a Tour

Tour Suggestion Guide

olde audio tour by mattp and a930913 at http://hack.rs/tour/ if anyone feels like making a new one based on this.

A suggested general structure

No idea what to say to someone on a tour? Try working from this template.

1. Introduction
   1. Who you are
   2. Ask them what they're interested in! This will help engage them and interest them in joining. If they're interested in a subject you don't know about, try to point them to someone who does if you can. Tours get very boring and dull if it's full of uninteresting (to the people involved) stuff.
   3. What the Hackspace is
      1. London Hackspace is a member-run organisation where like-minded people can create things, adjust things in interesting ways, repair things, and use shared tools and facilities to achieve their goals.
   4. What the Hackspace is not
      1. London Hackspace is not a bureaux service for getting other people to do your work for you, it has no salaried staff, and it is run by members.
   5. The etiquette that helps it run
      1. The space and organisation:
         1. We need everyone's help to keep things organised. Everyone is expected to help with maintenance and cleanliness.
         2. We do welcome your donations! (Show the donation tin.)
         3. If you start using the Hackspace more regularly you're encouraged to become a member. The size of your monthly payment is up to you; recommended amount is at least £20/month, some pay as much as £100/month.
         4. We're currently trying a new monthly Hack the Space Day where experienced & new members come together to work on the space: infrastructure improvements, cleanups, tool maintenance, … whatever we deem appropriate at the time.
      2. The community:
         1. We're very approachable, although sometimes shy. If you are unsure about something: just ask around.
         2. But be aware that the people around you may be busy with project work and may not have time to chat. Tuesday evenings are the best time for a visit if you're new and want to meet new people.
         3. The hackspace has a large social scene that includes many specialists of a wide range of disciplines. The best way to reach them is to post questions on the mailing list.
   6. The general layout (upstairs is mostly "clean" working space, downstairs is mostly the workshops)
2. The Upstairs
   1. Electronics Bench
   2. Radio shack - example of a space allocated to a subgroup, with restricted access to suitably inducted members.
   3. Do-not-disturb Room
   4. Tesla, and other shared workstations.
   5. Hand tools area
   6. Textiles / Craft Corner
   7. Library
   8. Classroom
      1. Regular Events
      2. One-off Workshops
      3. The Events Calendar
   9. Storage and storage rules (boxes etc, storage request, concept of do-not-hack)
   10. 3-Week bins
       1. Events - How they work, how to book
       2. Samples of topics we've presented on
   11. Kitchen/Toilets
3. The Workshops
   1. Safety - If you don't know what you're doing, ask.
   2. Metal working room
      1. Mention how acnode works to prevent untrained people from damaging themselves, others, or the tools.
      2. Machining
      3. Bending
      4. Cutting
      5. Laser Cutter
         1. Training is given by Paddy and other maintainers, sign up on the wiki when a new email post goes on the Mailing List
   3. exposed-air cage
      1. Welding
      2. Grinding (in cage, rather than inside the space)
   4. Biohackers lab
   5. Darkroom
   6. PCB Etching room
   7. 3D printers, training similar to Laser Cutter - sign up on wiki for training sessions announced to mailing list.
   8. Wood dirty/dusty working room
      1. inductions for use of dangerous power tools (table saws, radial arm saw, lathe, etc).
4. Membership
   1. Cost
   2. How to join
   3. Benefits
      1. Access to the space - As a paid-up member, you can open the door to London Hackspace 24 hours a day using an RFID card (such as your current Oyster card), if you're a member - the wiki has instructions on setting this up.
5. Questions, anything else you want to highlight.
6. Finish off the tour by taking them to the Kiosk and recommend that (if they have already registered on the website) they register their card there and then so that once the payment comes though they can easily get access to the space