Faculty Request Procedures and Expectations  

Makerspace Staff offer sign-up based trainings each week, however these trainings are not meant to accommodate entire classes. Course-related trainings and workshops should be coordinated with us using the following guidelines.

Requesting Makerspace Course Integration:  

  • Planning begins one month prior to the upcoming semester (i.e. December for the Spring, August for the Fall). Fill out this form to get started.
  • Reservations for trainings, orientations and any studio equipment use must be made a minimum of 14 days in advance. This timeframe is based on shop availability, staff availability and student reservations. 
  • A Makerspace Safety Orientation is required for students to work in the makerspaces. If courses require tool/equipment training, we will aim to integrate the orientation into that training. One safety training now covers all of our shops and can be taken in any shop! 
  • Trainings are required for students to use the makerspace equipment. 
  • Trainings are offered through class reservations. Trainings and equipment/studio use are scheduled during class hours. Day-of requests are not allowed. Class reservations often happen outside of our regular open hours. Please contact us!  
  • Faculty are required to be present for all shop reservations during class time, unless a class must be split in half due to space constraints in our shops.  
  • Faculty are responsible for ensuring their class cleans up workspaces after a training, or before the end of their reservation time. 
  • Across all our spaces, we operate on a self-service model. Makerspace staff won’t produce work for others. Instead, we aim to train our patrons to safely operate the equipment themselves.  
  • As soon as you are able, please share your syllabus with us. We review these to gain more information about your fabrication-specific module.   

Course Materials: 

The Makerspaces strive to break down barriers of entry for students. Thus, stock a range of materials for course-related uses while students are working in the Makerspace shops. Faculty should share project parameters, enrollment and other details in the planning process so that we can ensure sufficient materials for your class. We will often offer suggestions for optimizing material use or reducing project scope. If materials need to be ordered that exceed our regular supply, the lead time for purchasing and delivery of any new material request is 1-3 weeks. We stock consumable for class projects that occur in the Makerspace studios. Out of the ordinary, class-specific consumables may need to be purchased with course-specific funds.  

No-Show Policy: 

  • To ensure attendance, we will send calendar invites and confirmation emails to guarantee your course’s reservation for orientations, trainings and/or studio use. 
  • If you need to cancel or reschedule your orientations, trainings and/or studio use, please contact us at least 48 hours in advance. We will attempt to reschedule as soon as possible, however this process may be up to 2 weeks from the date of cancellation. 
  • We prepare for each session with you and your class. If you do not show up with your course during the allotted time without advance notice, we reserve the right to cancel the forthcoming training reservations for your course.  
  • Occasionally our Makerspace staff may be out sick with little notice. We will do our best to find a replacement. For specialized trainings, this may not be possible, in this case we will do our best to find an alternate activity or reschedule.  

Scheduling your class in the Makerspace Classroom: 

Please contact Director of Makerspaces Oakland, Suzanne Schmidt

Suggested blurb for your syllabus:  

About the Makerspaces: In this class you may be required to work outside of class time in one or more Makerspaces shops. Please note that all shops don’t have the same hours. The best place to find current hours is the Makerspace website, where occasional closures will be noted.  All shops are closed on holidays, including: October 12; November 11, 26 -27;  January 18; February 15; March 31.  You are advised to begin your project as early as possible so that you have enough time to account for mistakes and revisions in your creative and prototyping process. Makerspace staff are happy to answer your questions and advise on your project. Don’t hesitate to ask!  

Web Checkout Policy:  

  • This is where Electronic rentals and utility kits are available for short-term checkout, usually for a day or two, though each category has its own time allowance.  
  • Web Checkout is an online platform that allows students, faculty and staff to request and reserve rental equipment located in Building F in the check-out area. All checkouts are processed through this system and all users must create an account. 
  • Drop offs and pickups from the checkout area are allowed until 15 minutes before building F closes.  
  • Users who do not return their equipment in a timely manner may be prohibited from checking out equipment in the future. There is a feature to renew the return time through Web Checkout if needed.   
  • Equipment located for checkout includes but is not limited to video and picture cameras, tripods, lighting set ups, film cameras, cutting kits, and glue gun kits. 
  • See available equipment in this guide: Checkout Guide 1  

Other helpful links:  

Current Available Trainings & Durations: 

Makerspaces Safety Orientation (Introduction, Policies, Tour, Resources): 20 minutes. Available in any shop and covers all shops, NEW!  

Makerspace Shop AAC 175 Building C 

  • 3D printing : 60 minutes 
  • Laser Cutting : 60 minutes 
  • Sewing machine : 60-90 minutes 
  • Soldering : 45 minutes 
  • CNC Basics: 3 hours 

Woodshop AAC 101 Building D  

  • Wood Shop Tool Training 1 (Drilling, Basic Sawing, Sanding, Adhesives): 1.5 – 2 hours — 5 students max — email oak.woodmetal@northeastern.edu to schedule 
  • Wood Shop Tool Training 2 (Optional) (Tablesaw, bandsaw, miter saw, drill press): 2 hours — 5 students max 
  • If you have a specific project in mind and want to create a custom tool-training please email oak.woodmetal@northeastern.edu to discuss and plan 

Metalshop AAC 103 Building D

  • A maximum of 2-3 users may operate in the space at a time.  
  • Metal Shop Tool Training 1 (hand tools, plasma cutter, chop saw, grinding,) 2 hours: 2 students max 
  • Metal Shop Tool Training 2 (Optional – MIG) 2 hours: 2 students max  

Ceramics AAC 179 Building C

  • Workshop-based only (1 – 2 hours) 
  • Open Studio reserved for 1 Unit course 
  • Wheel Throwing Taster 2 hours  
  • Pinch Pot Handbuilding 1.5 – 2 hours 
  • Paint – A – Pot  (1 – 1.5 hours) 
  • Design A Tile (Using Glazes) (1-1.5 hours) 
  • Planters (Handbuilding) (2 hours) 

Analog Print Lab AAC 165 Building E

  • Print Media Studios Materials Overview (E&F): 10 mins 
  • Letterpress: 3 hours 
  • Etching Press: 1.5 hour 
  • Foil Stamping: 30 minutes 
  • Basic book binding: 1 hour 
  • Linoleum Carving: 30 minutes 
  • Hand Printing: 1 hour 
  • Paper Cutting Machines: 30 minutes 
  • Box building: 1 hour 
  • Stencil making: 30 minutes 

Print Media Building AAC Building F

  • Riso Duplicator: 1.5 hours 
  • File Prep for Riso Printing: 30 minutes 
  • Dry Mount: 30 mins 
  • Polymer Plate maker: 2 hours 
  • Solar Dye Printing: 1 hour 
  • Black and White Darkroom Printing: 90 minutes 
  • Computer lab (Mac and PC): 10 minutes 
  • Large format inkjet printing: 30 minutes 
  • 35mm camera operation: 30 minutes 
  • Film scanning: 10 minutes 
  • DSLR operation: 30 minutes 
  • Editing using Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop : 1 hour 
  • Print scanning: 30 minutes 
  • Silkscreen: 2 hours