What should I bring to my first shop session?
A plan, your materials, safety glasses, sensible clothes and enough time for setup and cleanup.
Start here
Bring a clear plan, your own materials if allowed, basic protective gear and a way to take your work home. Leave rings, loose clothes and big ambitions behind.
Pack list
- A drawing or sketch with key dimensions
- Your stock, cut roughly to size if possible
- Safety glasses that fit you well
- Closed shoes and clothes you don’t mind dirtying
- Hair tie if needed
- A notebook for settings that worked
- A bag or box for the finished part
Leave at home
- Rings, watches and dangling jewellery near rotating tools
- Loose scarves or hoodies with drawstrings
- Expectations of finishing a big project in one go
Plan your time
Allow time for setup and cleaning. A one-hour cut can easily fill a two-hour booking. Running over into the next member’s slot is one of the fastest ways to lose goodwill.
Ask early
If you’re unsure about a setup, ask before you start, not halfway through. Members almost always prefer a question to a crash.
See finding shop time for the full path.