Inductions
Open lab at The Edge is currently open during the following hours (except on public holidays): Wednesdays 1:30 – 7:30pm for Open Lab Thursdays 1:30 – 5:00pm for Open Lab & 5:00 – 8:00pm for Hack the Evening Saturdays 12:00 - 6:00pm for Open Lab
To help you get creative, a selection of resources is available for use during these sessions. Please note, equipment bookings are required for Open lab sessions.
To find out the latest, keep an eye on the Whats On pages on our website and sign up for The Edge enews here to stay up to date with the latest changes.
There's also a Pop Up FAQ with answers to the most commonly asked questions.
To book and use a specific equipment during open lab hours, you need to have successfully completed an induction for using that equipment. Our Inductions are designed to ensure that people use our space safely, both for their own wellbeing, and to ensure the equipment stays in working order for all to benefit from.
To use the Fabrication Lab at The Edge during our public hours, you will need a General Induction, which teaches you about the safety aspects of the space in general and using hand tools.
We also have some further inductions that are required for specific equipment at the Edge. These include:
- Laser Cutters/Engravers
- 3D Printers
- Electronics Bench
- Sewing Machines (+ Overlocker)
- Recording Studio
Some equipment doesn't require a specific induction, just check in with the supervisor (staff member) when you wish to use them. These include:
- Vinyl Cutter
- Digital Media Lab
- Desktop Computers
- Laptops
Cost
Our general (hand-tools) inductions is free, all others are $35 (unless they are covered as part of a workshop). In each workshop you will complete a small project, and any materials are covered as part of this fee.
Booking
The best way to find out about all our upcoming inductions is by signing up to The Edge newsletter. In the newsletter we announce upcoming inductions, along with the date and time they will be available to book via the State Library Qld Eventbrite page. They sell out quick, so be sure to get in quick to secure your place!
Another way to complete an induction is through our workshops. Most workshops will contain a general induction and an induction for at least one of our pieces of equipment, e.g the laser cutter. The equipment will vary depending on the workshop content. Like our Inductions, our workshops are advertised through The Edge newsletter and booked through the State Library Qld Eventbrite page.
The Induction Workshops
Most inductions have 2 main components, a practical hands-on activity that we guide you through, and a theoretical component which is completed online as part of the workshop.
Theoretical Assessments
The theoretical assessments are eLearning modules, hosted on inductions.slq.qld.edu which is the front end of an instance of Acorn, our learning management system.
Before moving online we used these paper forms for our theoretical assessment, we keep them here in case they're handy for other spaces:
* 3D Printer Induction
* CNC Induction
* Electronics Bench Induction
* Handtools Inductions
* Laser Cutter Induction
* Power Tools Induction
* Sewing Machine
Practical Assessments
The practical assessments/activities can be found below:
- Sewing Machine (+ Overlocker)
Using the Equipment
After you are inducted you will be able to book in to use the equipment via the booking form on the SLQ website, to use the equipment for free (only paying for materials where appropriate). Staff will always be present to help you during these times.
