Policies
The BDW is a student-led community makerspace. The BDW working space is open 24/7, but only Monitors have keys to unlock tools and logins to provide computer access for the tools that require it. The BDW Staff reserve the right to prohibit access to the space if a member is found in serious or repeated violation of the following Policies and Honor Code.
Under 18 Policy: The parent or guardian of any BDW member under the age of 18 must sign a waiver expressing explicit permission for the member to enter and work in the space. This excludes current students at Brown and RISD. Any BDW member from the age of 13-16 will be given a special BDW ID that identifies them as a “highschool partner” to allow for visibility by our Monitor staff. Children under the age of 12 are allowed to access the space only if they are accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian; the parent would hold a BDW ID, not the child.
General Safety:
Everyone entering and leaving the space must swipe in and swipe out in order to maintain an accurate evacuation report. Members must wear BDW IDs at all times visible on their person so that Monitors know what training has been completed.
Safety glasses are required to be worn at all times behind the yellow-and-black safety line, except if passing to an exit, the Prince Laboratory spaces with entrances behind the line, or PL222A (classroom).
The use, or being under the influence, of drugs, alcohol, and/or medication that impair vision, reaction time, or judgment, is strictly prohibited in the BDW at all times.
No animals are allowed in the BDW, with the exception of service animals.
Sharp objects — those that might puncture garbage bags or injure custodians — must be placed in designated Sharps containers.
Any rags, towels, or gloves that were used with a combustible substance (oils, solvents, etc.) must be placed into a designated combustible storage container.
Hearing protection use is voluntary, but the BDW provides hearing protection at the woodworking safety station.
Using N95 masks is voluntary, but it is available for all members. Before using a N95 mask, you must sign a waiver to confirm that N95 masks do not provide the same hazardous substance protection as respirators. Similarly, the use of dust masks is voluntary and available for all members, under the disclaimer that dust masks do not provide adequate protection against the spread of SARS-CoV-2 or other airborne illnesses.
Machine Safety:
Using equipment unsupervised at any time is prohibited — always make sure a Monitor is within sight.
Wear long pants and closed-toed shoes that provide good, firm grip.
Loose or dangling clothing/jewelry should be removed or secured.
Hair must be securely tied back.
Gloves should be removed, and long sleeves should be rolled up.
Machine and Tool Usage: We do not accept machine training or prior experience from elsewhere on-campus or off-campus as an alternative to completing one of our workshops. To use the tools in our space, you must attend a BDW workshop. Our current workshop schedule can be found on the workshop calendar. Members without appropriate training or without a certification to prove they have completed a BDW workshop will not be allowed to use the associated machinery.
3D Printing: 3D printing jobs are limited to 6 hours during Monitor hours. A 3D print may also be started during the last two hours of each day’s Monitor hours (8-10pm or 4-6pm, depending on the day) if it will finish before the BDW opens the next day. Members must provide their own filament if:
The print runtime exceeds the above time limits.
The print (regardless of time limit) is for a Brown class or research laboratory.
Our printers use 1.75mm PLA filament, and we recommend brands like ELEGOO, Polymaker, MatterHackers, or Overture. Personal Filament should not be left in the BDW unless it is stored in a cubby you have reserved. We do not allow for the use of glue sticks on our printer beds.
We do not condone the use of our printers to create objects that are:
Prohibited by local, state, or federal law (including individual parts or components of prohibited objects)
Unsafe, harmful, or dangerous
Obscene or inappropriate for a classroom environment
BDW Monitors reserve the right to cancel a print if it does not abide by these policies.
Material Usage: All materials in the Material Circulation Station and in the laser cutter material shelf, if clearly unmarked, are free for use.
We do not allow the use of:
Epoxy
Spray paints
Resin
Leaded solder (or any solder not provided by the BDW)
ABS & ASA filament
Pressure treated wood
Painted wood
Wood containing hardware
Any other material that requires a respirator or a well-ventilated area.
When in doubt a, ask a Monitor or send us an email at designworkshop@brown.edu!
Storage: The BDW provides cubby storage for personal projects, which can be checked out using the form displayed next to the cubbies. Projects left in the space without documentation or in violation of policy will be dismantled and added to the Material Circulation Station. Courses that are taught in the BDW and BDW Maker Grant Recipients are given designated storage space. We also share space with Brown Formula Racing and Brown classes/clubs on occasion — please be mindful of signage and/or ask a monitor to check where the BDW starts and ends!
Tool Checkout: Tools can be checked out for up to 48 hours by BDW members. Before checking out a tool, ask a monitor whether it is eligible. Consumable items, cordless impact drivers/drills, and tools that the BDW does not have multiples of cannot be checked out. Please come prepared to provide collateral, such as a valid government-issued ID, in exchange for the tool. By Brown University policy, we cannot accept Brown IDs as collateral.
Workshops: Note that all workshops are first come, first served— each workshop has a maximum number of participants as indicated on the calendar, and monitors will often create a waitlist for highly sought-after workshops around 15 minutes prior to the workshop beginning.