Some tools are marked Checkout Required. A checkout is a hands-on safety session with a trained volunteer (an approver) so you can use the tool without hurting yourself, others, or the tool. Depending on the tool it can take anywhere from 15 or 30 minutes to a few hours. Each shop's Resource Manager decides what the checkout involves.
You must be checked out on a tool before you use it. Most checkouts are quick, but some tools need a longer class, which may have a cost. The shop's page on this wiki or its Slack channel will tell you what to expect for a particular tool.
You can request a checkout when all of these are true:
- You have an active membership that has not expired.
- You have completed any prerequisite checkouts for that tool (for example, a shop's orientation checkout).
- You do not already have a checkout for that tool, and you do not already have an open request for it.
- The tool and its shop are available (not disabled or hidden).
The tool list in the portal only shows tools you can request right now, so if a tool is missing, see Troubleshooting: checkouts.
- On your phone, scan the Checkout Required sign on the tool.
- On the tool's page, tap Request checkout.
- Sign in to the member portal if you are asked to. You land on a page titled Request checkout showing the tool.
- If you cannot request this tool yet, a blue message explains why (for example, a prerequisite checkout is missing). Otherwise tap Request checkout. A box titled Request Checkout: (tool name) opens.
- Optionally, add a Note for the approvers (up to 128 characters), for example when you are free.
- Tap Submit Request. You will see Checkout request submitted.
- Sign in at members.manchestermakerspace.org and open Tool Checkouts from the menu. You will see the tabs My Checkouts, Requests and Shop Map.
- Open the Requests tab. Under Available Tools, use the Shop selector (it starts on All shops) or the search box to find the tool.
- Check the Prerequisites column. If you have what you need, the Status column shows a blue Send Request button. Click it. (If a prerequisite is missing it says Missing Prereq, and if you have already asked it says Request Pending.)
- A box titled Request Tool Checkout opens, naming the tool and shop. Optionally add a Note for the approvers (up to 128 characters), then click Submit Request.
- Your request now appears under Open Requests on the same tab.
Use /checkout request. See the /checkout command.
- The shop is told. If the tool announces requests, a message appears in the tool's channel. If your Slack account is linked to your membership, you also get a Slack message confirming the request, and your shop may add its own note to it.
- Approvers see it in their daily summary and arrange a time with you. They may also contact you directly. The fastest way to get a checkout is to message the shop's channel, or ask in person at an open house.
- If nothing happens, we nudge. An open request is reminded about in the Resource Managers channel at 5, 10 and 15 days.
- After 20 days with no checkout, the request is closed automatically and you are told by Slack message. You can contact the board on Slack or visit an open house, or just submit a new request.
You can edit the note or delete your request any time before it is closed: select it under Open Requests and use Edit Note or Delete.
You get a Slack message naming the tool, the shop and the approver, plus any private notes for the tool (such as a lock combination). If the tool has a users channel, you are added to it. The tool now shows under My Checkouts.
You get a Slack message with the approver's reason. A decline does not block you: once the issue is fixed you can submit a new request for the same tool.
If you were already checked out in person, an approver records it in the portal and your request closes by itself.
Open Tool Checkouts > My Checkouts. It is titled My Active Tool Checkouts and lists everything you are checked out on. Use Filter by Shop to narrow it down. In Slack, /checkout active lists your active checkouts in the current shop channel, and /checkout active all lists them across shops.
See Troubleshooting: checkouts.