At our shop we usually only have one Head Mechanic per shift, with two
Shop Assistants who may or may not have enough knowledge to guide
people through repairs (and one SA has to always deal with incoming
people and the cash so really only two folks available for instruction
at most). We've seen a large increase in the numbers of users of our
shop (over 5,000 in 2010) and I find myself once again pondering
having video instruction at each station for those that might want to
use it.
These would be touch-screens that have, at the very least, a web
browser with the Park Tool repair page as well as Sheldon Brown's info
(especially for working on 3-speeds and other old bikes) plus whatever
might be useful. The technology for this is getting cheaper every day,
and more and more people are used to getting their info from a screen.
I floated this idea by our group a few years ago but it got voted
down. I'm going to try again, but first wanted to see if anyone else
is using or has tried such a set-up.
Thanks,
Mark Rehder - Coordinator re-Cycles Community Bike Shop http://re-cycles.ca
Hello As we are very small, I use my laptop on my desk to query for a part or a procedure. There are a growing number of videos out there that cover tech issues. I also have my old standby manuals handy. Given the right set up, I can see how Mark's idea has a lot of value. Running from one person to another can get to be difficult. Angelo
--- On Thu, 2/10/11, Mark Rehder mark@re-cycles.ca wrote:
From: Mark Rehder mark@re-cycles.ca Subject: [TheThinkTank] video screens for tutorials? To: "The Think Tank" thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Date: Thursday, February 10, 2011, 12:33 AM
At our shop we usually only have one Head Mechanic per shift, with two Shop Assistants who may or may not have enough knowledge to guide people through repairs (and one SA has to always deal with incoming people and the cash so really only two folks available for instruction at most). We've seen a large increase in the numbers of users of our shop (over 5,000 in 2010) and I find myself once again pondering having video instruction at each station for those that might want to use it.
These would be touch-screens that have, at the very least, a web browser with the Park Tool repair page as well as Sheldon Brown's info (especially for working on 3-speeds and other old bikes) plus whatever might be useful. The technology for this is getting cheaper every day, and more and more people are used to getting their info from a screen.
I floated this idea by our group a few years ago but it got voted down. I'm going to try again, but first wanted to see if anyone else is using or has tried such a set-up.
Thanks,
Mark Rehder - Coordinator re-Cycles Community Bike Shop http://re-cycles.ca
Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org To manage your subscription, plase visit: http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o...
Instead of going with a touchscreen, you might be able to save money by going with a regular computer, monitor, and mouse (and possibly keyboard) setup. We have this setup for our sales computer system, and it works quite well. Mechanics are also able to access this computer to look things up without having to run upstairs to our volunteer workstation. (But the public isn't encouraged to do use this system, since they'd then have access to our sales records.)
We also plan to install a "welcome to our shop, these are your mechanics for today" screen by our entryway.
The basic setup is this:
- A desktop computer, tucked out of the way. This could be behind
shelving, up on the ceiling, or whatever (in our case, we have one inside a wooden box, and another upstairs, away from our shop floor). It's really easy to get old desktops for free (I have 6 in the other room that I'm currently setting up), and they're perfectly good for running a web browser. If you've got money and want to go upscale, you can buy a mini PChttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=55865&vpn=XS35-702&manufacture=Shuttle ($240).
- An LCD monitor. We bought 19" and 21" monitors off Kijiji for between
$40-$70. You can frequently get non-widescreen LCDs of Kijiji for about $20, and if you have limited counter-space, these smaller LCDs are often preferable anyway. We mounted one of ours directly onto a wall so it doesn't take any counter space.
- An optical mouse. Send an e-mail out to your volunteers. You'll get a
bunch. Or you can buy one for $5.
- A keyboard (optionally). With the right bookmarks on your browser, you
won't need the keyboard. But these are also essentially free.
- A video extension cord for your monitor ($25 for
25fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=40939&vpn=MXT101HQ_25&manufacture=Startech.com%20Ltd, $10 for 15fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=16289&vpn=HD-15MF-15C&manufacture=nGear%20Technologies%20Inc., or $6 for 10fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=53141&vpn=MXT10110&manufacture=Startech.com%20Ltd -- don't forget that the monitor's existing cable already adds about 5ft).
- A mouse extension cable ($7 for
25fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=43304K&vpn=KXT102_25&manufacture=STARTECH.COM%20-%20DT%20SB, $4 for 15fthttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=39675M&vpn=09469&manufacture=CABLES%20TO%20GO -- or, if you have a USB mouse, you'll need a USB extensionhttp://ncix.com/products/?sku=56103&vpn=USB-MF-1504A&manufacture=Bafo%20Technologies [$5 for 15ft]).
- A wireless N network adapter, if your computer doesn't have one and you
don't want to run cables ($16http://ncix.com/products/?sku=53115&vpn=11N-US300EX-L-020R&manufacture=MSI/MicroStar or $10http://www.dealextreme.com/p/super-mini-usb-2-0-802-11n-g-b-150mbps-wifi-wlan-wireless-network-adapter-35897 ).
- I also built little extension cords for the power buttons on the
computers. It's just two wires and a momentary pushbutton switch that plug into the computer's motherboard, where the normal power button usually connects. This is just for convenience--if you don't mind reaching around to wherever you stashed your computer to turn it on at the start of the day, it's not necessary. You could gain bike cred by building the switch into the body of a dead bike light.
- I installed Windows XP Pro and used the standard pro features to lock
the computer down tight. It's been running for the better part of a year, I think, and I haven't had to do any software maintenance whatsoever. In terms of sustainability, you may prefer to go with a Linux OS. It depends on who you think is likely to maintain the computers in future years: if your group is full of Linux gurus, great, but if not, it'll rot and someone might come along in 5 years, blow away your work and install Windows anyway. Or vice versa....
So, assuming you can stash the desktop within 20ft of the workstation, and that someone you know has an older computer kicking around, you can set up one of these workstations for about $35-45. And you don't have to worry about cleaning bike grease off of your expensive touchscreen monitor.
Perhaps your group might be more amenable to your idea if you present them with an under-$50 pricetag? And the bonus of reusing otherwise-unwanted electronics?
As I said, EBC doesn't have publicly access computer stations, so I don't actually have experience with using computers for that purpose, or how effective it is. We have a bookshelf. It has the Parktool Big Blue Book, Bicycling Magazine's guide to Bicycle Maintenance & Repair, and some other goodies. Our mechanics, however, are able to look up stuff using the computer on the shop floor (e.g. spoke length calculator).
Cheers,
Chris President Edmonton Bicycle Commuters' Society http://edmontonbikes.ca/
On Wed, Feb 9, 2011 at 10:33 PM, Mark Rehder mark@re-cycles.ca wrote:
At our shop we usually only have one Head Mechanic per shift, with two Shop Assistants who may or may not have enough knowledge to guide people through repairs (and one SA has to always deal with incoming people and the cash so really only two folks available for instruction at most). We've seen a large increase in the numbers of users of our shop (over 5,000 in 2010) and I find myself once again pondering having video instruction at each station for those that might want to use it.
These would be touch-screens that have, at the very least, a web browser with the Park Tool repair page as well as Sheldon Brown's info (especially for working on 3-speeds and other old bikes) plus whatever might be useful. The technology for this is getting cheaper every day, and more and more people are used to getting their info from a screen.
I floated this idea by our group a few years ago but it got voted down. I'm going to try again, but first wanted to see if anyone else is using or has tried such a set-up.
Thanks,
Mark Rehder - Coordinator re-Cycles Community Bike Shop http://re-cycles.ca
Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org To unsubscribe, send a blank email to TheThinkTank-leave@bikecollectives.org To manage your subscription, plase visit:
http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.o...
This wouldn't work for all people, but I was recently introduced to QR codes (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/*QR*_*Code) * You could post QR code images with links to Park and Sheldon Brown at each work station. People could use a smart phone or other device to access the info.
I don't know how well it would work in your shop, but it would be a free way to try out the concept of work station internet solutions.
participants (4)
-
Angelo Coletta -
Chris Chan -
Mark Rehder -
Scott TenBrink