Ben's Rules

• DRILL BITS: When using the drill press, I typically find a couple drill bits in the chuck or by the drill press. It's difficult to know what size these are--without careful micrometer measurements--and what set they belong to. Once a set of drill bits has a few empty spaces, it rapidly becomes disorganized because the bits are put in the wrong holes. So please make a policy of remembering where you got a bit and immediately returning it to the proper place when you are finished.
• TOOLS: Tools seem to find their way onto the benches, but not back to the tool cabinet. It's much easier to find tools in the drawers, which have some semblance of organization, than to go hunting around the lab. My exprience is that locating tools often takes more time than performing the actual task. Please return tools to their proper place when you are finished, at least at the end of the work day. Also feel free to return stray tools as you move around the lab.
• TRASH: I realize that eating is an important and enjoyable daily routine for many of you. Unfortunately, this habit seems to generate lots of cans, bottles, plates, wrappers, etc. which tend to be unsightly, and sometimes olfactorily unpleasant. This stuff can give the lab a particularly unprofessional appearance. Please dispose of trash promptly--i.e., within the hour not the month--and clean up dirty cups, dishes, etc.
• SHOPPING LIST: We should have a shopping list for tools and materials needed for the lab. This should include things like missing drill bits; hand tools that have disappeared or new ones we'd like to have; tape, glue and other such supplies; etc. I'm happy to put in an order to McMaster or MSC every couple weeks for things like this, if a list is available. The list could be on a whiteboard or piece of paper somewhere, or on the wiki. When you add an item to the list, be as specific as possible, even with a part number if you know it. (Maybe we already have such a list?)