Studio and Shop

Equipment Damage Policy
Storage Policy
Prohibited Projects

Equipment Damage Policy

Overview

At Protohaven we aim to provide a safe and collaborative environment for all members to work on their projects. We encourage responsibility and accountability amongst our members, and we are committed to providing high-quality tools and equipment to help you bring your ideas to life. We trust that all members will show respect for the equipment and for the Protohaven community as a whole.

Sometimes, machines or parts of machines may stop working due to normal wear and tear. If you encounter a problem while using a machine, you are responsible for informing the shop tech on duty and filing a tool report using the QR code on the machine or going to https://protohaven.org/tools right away! This link can also be found in your NeonOne Dashboard.

Scope

This policy applies to all damage that may occur to the equipment or facilities at Protohaven. The staff members of Protohaven have the authority to assess the extent and cause of the damage and determine the appropriate course of action.

Reporting self-caused damage

However, some machines may break down due to improper use. Anyone found responsible for equipment damage will be billed for the cost of repairs. This includes any unintended accidents caused by neglect, misuse, or lack of experience.

If a member causes damage which makes the item unusable, the member must report it immediately by informing the shop tech AND by filing a tool report using the QR code on the machine or going to https://protohaven.org/tools.

Failure to report will incur additional charges. See “How charges are calculated” below.

Restricted use, repeat violation, and policy refusal

Any member who causes damage to a machine and it is found that they do not possess the required clearance for the machine will have their membership revoked.
Members who repeatedly cause damage to equipment may be temporarily or permanently suspended from accessing Protohaven or specific equipment areas of which they have caused damage, per the discretion of Protohaven staff.
Any member who refuses to pay for damages they caused will be held responsible by Protohaven staff. This may result in legal action to recover the full cost of the damage.

The staff will calculate the cost of repairs based on the current market value of the equipment and the availability of parts and labor.

How charges are calculated

The repair cost is a sum of the following:

The cost of parts needed to bring the equipment back to proper working order. For example, this could be the cost of a new table saw blade and SawStop cartridge if the brake fires on improper material and destroys a blade owned by Protohaven.
The cost of labor to make the repair. This is $30/hour if the damage is reported, or $100 if it is not reported, with a minimum of 1 hour charged. Damage that takes considerable repair time will cost more even if the parts cost is negligible.

Damages caused during a course offered by Protohaven will be assessed by staff on a case by case basis.

Example

In the case of replacing a blade and cartridge on the table saw that was duly reported by the member, the charge would be calculated like so:

$50 for a new blade
$95 for a new brake cartridge
$30 for 1 hour of labor

For a total of $175.

Commonly damaged items

Commonly damaged items include, but not limited to:

Wood Shop
- Table saw blades: $50
- SawStop cartridge: $95
- SawStop dado cartridge: $115
- Dado Blade Stack: $115
- Damaged table saw fence face: $50
- Table saw throat plate or ‘insert’ $60
- Bandsaw blade: $20
- Resaw bandsaw blade: $50
- See the Sawstop Specific Policy

CNC Router
- Collet: $15
- Locking nut: $13
- Spoil board damage greater than ⅛” deep: $45 + $15 sq/ft

Metal
- Chop saw blade: $90
- Shear blade: $600 ($100 to resharpen)
- Vertical bandsaw blade: $30
- Horizontal Bandsaw Blade $120
- Angle grinder damage: $60

3D Printing
- Replacement nozzle: $15
- Damaged Print Sheet: $40
- Extruder Damage from Detached Print: $70
- See the 3D Printer Specific Policy

Rabbit Lasers
- Laser lens: $40
- Laser Bed Damage: $295
- Belt Damage: $100
- Laser Tube: $700
- Fire Damage: Repair or replacement price to be assessed

Textiles
- Serger upper looper: $25
- Serger lower looper: $10
- Upper blade: $15
- Lower blade: $10
- Neele plate: $10
- Feed dog: $10
- CNC Embroidery Needle:

Closing

By joining Protohaven as a member and using the equipment owned by Protohaven, members acknowledge their commitment to respecting the equipment and holding themselves accountable to any damage caused.

Thank you for being a responsible member of our community!

Storage Policy

Updated 2024-03-24

Protohaven provides overnight, weekly and monthly storage options as a convenience for members.

See the Shop Tech on duty to purchase storage.

If you ever need to cancel storage, please see the Shop Tech on duty or reach out to Camdencamden@protohaven.org.

Options

Short term

Carts are movable and have a bottom shelf. Use them during the day to assist with projects, or rent them for overnight storage.
Tables can be found in the studio and the main aisle of the shop. They're ideal for medium to large glue-ups, drying, or curing.

Long term

Parking spaces are marked floor spaces, ideal for storing large builds or pieces of personal equipment.
Board and bar are ideal for storing longer lengths of wood or metal.
Sheet storage is for standard sheet goods up to 4'x8'.
Locker storage includes a locking door for tools, small projects, and personal belongings.
Cage storage provides secure storage with plenty of room for projects, materials and tools.
Rack storage is ideal for horizontal storage of larger materials or tools, up to 4'x8' in size.

If you need storage beyond these options, please reach out to membership@protohaven.org.

Rules

You must purchase storage for any items stored overnight or longer.
Stored items must remain within the dimensions of the storage unit (see the Cost table below with listed dimensions). For items stored on table tops and cart tops, the height of stored items cannot exceed four feet.
Items stored on the floor must be on wheels or a structure movable via our pallet jack.
Maximum 7 nights of short term storage over a 14 day period.
Max of 3 carts and 1 table at one time for one member.
Do not store living, perishable or other prohibited project item(s).

If you aren't sure if your storage is in compliance with these rules, ask a Shop Tech to verify.

Violations

When we discover a lapse in following any of the rules above, we will:

Attach a physical Storage Violation tag to the item(s) involved
Record the violation and owner in our digital system
Email the owner of the items (if they are known)
Post the violation to #storage on Discord
List all relevant details on https://protohaven.org/violations, including pictures and notes.

Violations are tracked for every member. If you violate Protohaven policy 3 or more times within 3 months, your membership will be suspended. Suspensions begin at 30 days, and increase by 60 days for each subsequent suspension.

If you use storage without paying for it, we will issue a violation fee that roughly matches the shortest-term rate for that storage type.

If you do not resolve a violation within 14 days, Protohaven staff/admin will resolve the violation for you by moving, disposing, or utilizing the violating items. If at this time resolving the violation requires paying any fees, your membership will be suspended until you have paid.

We will immediately take action if any items pose an active risk to the health and safety of Protohaven inhabitants. In extreme cases, we may also immediately revoke your membership.

If you receive a storage violation, or if your membership is suspended or revoked as a result of the violations, you may appeal the action to the board of directors. Appeals should be made in writing within 30 days of receiving notice. Appeals are to be submitted to board@protohaven.org.

Cost

AMP members receive a 20% discount on storage. This does not apply to violation fees.

Storage Type	Rate	Violation Fee	Dimensions (W x D x H)
Cart	$5 overnight, $30/week	$5/day	2’ x 4’ x 4’
Table	$10 overnight	$10/day	3’ x 6’ x 4’
Parking Space	$5 overnight, $30/week, $75/month	$5/day	2’ x 4’ x 6'
Board & Bar	$5 overnight, $15/week, $25/month	$5/day	1’ x 7’ x 1’ or 1’ x 2’ x 10’
Sheet	$5 overnight, $25/week, $50/month	$5/day	4’ x 8’ x 1’
Locker	$10 overnight, $25/month	$10/day	23” x 23” x 26”
Cage	$10 overnight, $50/month	$10/day	35” x “35” x 43”
Rack	$10 overnight, $75/month (upper), $150/month (ground)	$10/day	~96” x 41” x 24”

Terms and Conditions

Members who acquire storage agree to the below terms and conditions and to adhere to all of the policies and practices outlined above.

Storage is a privilege of membership and is only available to current members in good standing. Protohaven reserves the right to cancel or revoke a member’s storage privileges at any time. Should a situation occur where Protohaven needs to cancel or revoke storage for any reason, the organization will attempt to contact the member to coordinate retrieval of their belongings. In the event of storage or membership cancellation or revocation, no refund will be provided for any storage fees that have been paid for that time period.

Once a member leaves the premises for the day, any items that are not properly stored will be considered abandoned and may be moved, disposed of, or utilized without notification. This includes items that are stored outside of a storage receptacle and any atypical storage that has not been previously approved by Protohaven staff.

Storage fees are non-transferable and cannot be credited, refunded, or pro-rated.

It is the responsibility of members to keep track of the duration of their storage and when payments are due. Protohaven is not responsible for contacting members to remind them that their storage is near expiration or has expired. Unpaid storage will be charged the violation fees listed above. Refusal to pay late fees will result in suspension of membership.

While Protohaven strives to maintain a safe and secure environment, it cannot guarantee the safety or security of any items stored at Protohaven by its members. Members are solely responsible for their own belongings and assume all risks of damage or loss. Protohaven is not liable for any damage or loss of items stored at Protohaven, whether due to theft, fire, vandalism, natural disaster, or any other cause. By storing items at Protohaven, members agree to release Protohaven from any and all claims arising from damage or loss of such items. Members are encouraged to speak with their insurance provider to discuss any personal policies that might cover their belongings.

Members can choose to share storage, but Protohaven is not able to split storage fees. Members are not permitted to obtain Protohaven storage and subsequently rent it to another member or non-member for a profit.

Protohaven reserves the right to grant exceptions, cancel storage, limit the amount of storage for any member, and to amend these policies at any time.

Prohibited Projects

Projects involving work on, or are derived from, or are intended to produce, any of the below are prohibited on ProtoHaven premises and at official ProtoHaven events, whether on- or off-site:

Firearms, explosives, or accessories thereof (See Firearms Policy)
Drug paraphernalia
Taxidermy
Used liquid propane tanks and compressed gas cylinders
Gasoline canisters and tanks
Radioactive metals and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and chromium
Hateful, obscene, sexually explicit or harassing objects, items or prints
Objects, items or prints that could reasonably be considered inappropriate for the Protohaven community
Items prohibited by local, state, or federal law
Projects which are harmful/dangerous to others/self or pose an immediate threat to the well-being of others.
All other projects and materials not expressly listed here but deemed unacceptable by Protohaven staff