Woodworker's Journal 1983-7-5, страница 35

Working Wood Co-operatively,

(continued from page 33)

other people ruining my S90 double-ground, carbide-tipped blades. And what would happen if my tools or materials were stolen? How did 11 people work together? Who decided who worked where? My list of apprehensions went on and on. Acknowledging these as genuine concerns, 1 signed on anyway and told myself 1 would leave after two months if I didn't like the way things turned out.

Well, more than two years later, things have indeed "turned out", although not always as smoothly and not always the way I might have wished them to. However, the view from the inside is considerbly different than the one from the outside looking in. First of all, as a Co-op member each person shares equal responsibility for the shop. We all agree to operate within established, written guidelines when we become a member. When a member doesn't abide by the guidelines it is usually with good reason and it frequently points to some need for change. And in the two years that 1 have been a Co-op member a number of changes have been made. Dues were increased, guidelines clarified and storage space reapportioned. Also, whatever problems have arisen, we have been able to co-operatively resolve. For example, several times my tools have been broken and either the responsible individual or the Co-op entity has seen to the repair. As for 11 people effectively utilizing the work space, only rarely is it a problem. The most members I've ever had to work with in the shop at any one time (except for pre-planned c!ean-up days) has been five, and that number only rarely. Once in a while, depending on how 1 might be feeling on a particular day, even two people in the shop feels like too big a crowd. On those occasions 1 simply come back at a less busy time.

By and large, the mood and spirit in the shop is a light one and truly co-operative. In part I suspect this is so because the Southbay Woodworker's Co-operative has a fairly loose structure. Briefly it's set up like this: There are a maximum of 11 equal members who pay a security deposit of $70 and the first month's rent of equal amount. Each member completes a registration form with his home address, phone number and person(s) to be contacted in an emergency. Additionally, a $5 key deposit is tendered, and then each person is given a key and the guidelines to read. This completed, he or she becomes eligible to use the shop at any hour, day or night. Here's how the $770 dues (S70 x 11 members) are generally spent each month: rent- $655, liability insurance- $40, phone- $15, gas and electricity- $35 average, sandpaper, glue, repairs and miscellaneous purchases- $25, All major power tools in the shop (e.g. table saws, planer, drill press, etc.) are individually owned and available for any member's general use with the Co-op being financially responsible for maintenance and repairs. Special, individually owned tools, such as routers, electric or manual hand planes, diamond blades, etc. are kept under personal lock and key in the shop, but are usually available for other's use with the tool owner's permission and/or supervision. Some items have been bought and are owned by the Co-op as an entity, such as a vacuum-powered dust collection system, a large (60 gallon) air compressor, and a number of air-powered tools (nailers, staplers, and orbital and dual-action sanders). These are all available for general use by the membership.

A treasurer and an assistant treasurer volunteer to sign the lease, sign checks, make needed shop purchases, deposit dues and generally be responsible for the month-to-month operations. Members pay their dues in the following manner: In January every year, each member gives the acting treasurer 12 persona! checks for $70, dated the 20th of each one of the months to come. As the 20th of, say. May conies along, the acting treasurer simply deposits the 11 checks previously dated May 20th into the Co-op's account.

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