Is it just me or has this place changed?

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I thought I would chime in here and post a few observations. When my father and I were trying to learn to carve, we sat in awe at several projects that were completed. We approached the artist, and explained we were new, and that we were inspired by his work, and would love to understand how he did it. Needless to say, we were given a big brush off. We ran into another carver at the same show who was very understanding, and walked us through the entire process, allowing us to take notes, and to also show us where we could make changes to incorporate some of our own unique style. I will never forget that gentleman, and my father and I still carve today because of his generous tutelage. He has since passed on, but we made one and only one promise for all of his attention and instilling of knowledge. PASS IT ON.

I have been very fortunate to have the same type of people take me under their wing in many of the other wood working areas, and I am grateful to each and every one. Again, the promise is that I take what I learn and FREELY pass it along.

I take each of those as seriously as any debt I have ever incurred. A daunting task at times, but I approach woodworking and life now in a totally different way because of these folks and their generosity. I have only one policy, if I know it, you are welcome to the same knowledge I have, the only thing is I ask is for you to again, freely pass it along to anyone who asks you the same question.

I remember breaking things, blowing things up, horrible finishes, dull tools, ill fitting parts, and on and on......Some people think that everyone has to go through this in order to "graduate" to a higher level. I disagree. If I can save someone the frustration, and potentially quiting of our hobby by explaining something or showing them something, I am going to do it. We have got to also get some younger folks into this hobby and start with the exchange of knowledge as well (thats a whole nother thread!). Please pass what you know along, inspire someone, and make a difference in thier projects.

I have personally emailed Skiprat for help on one of his projects. He was nothing but curteous and helpful, and coached me through a few of the techniques I was not experienced in. I again am grateful for his knowledge and his patience! I have not seen a level of helpfullness here lowered one bit, but as a matter of fact, the newer members have access to the same "old" members and their knowledge as before, and I am very proud of how the information is given here on this site.

We had a discussion about the 360 degree herringbone blank at the Southeast Pen Chapter just this past weekend. It was fun sitting around the eraser board sharing a process that may or may not actually create a herringbone blank, but I was able to sit around with some very talented folks and "brain storm". We had a ball, but I am not sure we were any closer to a definite solution. But that wasnt really the point of us sitting down to figure something out. We tried, but had a great exchange of ideas. I would have that conversation again in a heartbeat, even if we didnt resolve anything.

As for the herringbone pattern, some folks made a promise, and that should be respected as well. If they are willing to share it offline or through other channels, so be it, but as a person who respects the wishes of the others who the knowledge came from, we have to respect those wishes.

My observations are not meant to start any flame wars, but to offer a view of someone who hangs around here quite often.
 
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wolftat said:
a PM is going to get an answer but I'm not going to answer a question in public
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Niel I took this out of content but I will tell my point.

First I did not read the the whole thread and every post it's too long now and not enough time.

I am one who sits on booth side of the fence. I still think this is a great community. There is much to be learned and much is shared. I am sure there a few that would keep there design secret and I now can understand that. After you spend months and countless hours designing you can understand. On the other hand I myself like to show off my work I get great pleasure in hearing "that looks nice".

I always try to answer questions but as Niel said if you want to keep something not so public do not use the public forum because if you do the whole world knows it now and forever.

But I never had anything that big to hide :rolleyes:

This place is still great and as far as selling. Buyers can make there own choices. I think most sellers here beat the major suppliers in cost and design. There are a few that mite try to raise the price but the competition keeps that in check. And like they say you get what you pay for.

Enough said probably too much I tend to do that:foot-in-mouth:

Thanks
Bruce
 
George,

I have to say that like so many here I have never run up against this issue. I have found that many have gone out of their way to provide assistance, guidance, and information. For this I am eternally grateful.

Recently I got a private PM with invaluable information that prevented me from making a somewhat costly mistake. I am indebted to that person (those people) and hope to repay in kind. Kind of a pay-it-forward, karma, or what ever you want to call it. I believe many live by that creed here on this forum.

Having said that I believe you and a few other seem to live on the cutting edge of pen design and may have a slightly different perspective than those of us in the throngs of the masses. Your peer audience is significantly smaller than ours.

Maybe someday when my skills have improved beyond my current level I can be more of a positive influence in the forum.
 
Sunshine required!!!

Spats139 said:
Disclaimer: This post is in no way meant as a criticism of the opinion offered by skiprat. If you get that impression after reading I have failed in making my point. "IF" you agree to this... read on.

Hello, my name is Dale, and I'm a lurker. (Now you all say "Hello Dale" to your screen.)

I have been following this site since just before last Christmas. I stumbled upon it, and penturning for that matter, more by accident than by design; and I am thankful that I did. The members of this site have opened up for me, an activity that I might not otherwise have pursued (not that my wallet would have complained!) and that would have been sad for me. I have found an unexpected pleasure in crafting scores of pens, almost all of which have been gifted to family and friends to this point.

I have spent countless hours following threads that were meaningless to me at first; but the more I read, the more I understood, and the more I appreciated what was being offered. As I absorbed the information being offered in response to questions posed by other "newbies", I could reap the benefit without posting those questions myself. And by searching through past topics, I often found the answers I wanted without having to bother you by asking the same question again for the umpteenth time.

My point is that "lurking", by my definition at least, is a natural stage in the learning progression. As a group you have taught me turning and finishing techniques; provided health and safety tips; made me aware of the nuances of kits and platings; and other things too numerous to mention. Most importantly, you have allowed me to participate, albeit quietly so far, in a community rich in talent, generosity, and humour. I thank you all for that.

More than a few decades ago, as a fledgling member of a high school band, I spoke to my father about getting me a better instrument. His reply, roughly translated, was that I didn't need a hundred dollar horn when I only had a two-bit lip. Well, when I look at the craftsmanship and artistry of people like skiprat... that's the hundred dollar horn. As soon as my skills transcend the two-bit lip level, and I think I'm just about there, you'll start to hear my toot coming from the back rows.

Thanks for reading,
Dale :musical-note:
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Hey Dale!!!

Get OUT of the SHADOWS!!!! If you can write like this, we NEED your input ---- Keep it coming!!!!
 
Alex Stewart

Hi,
I was interested in the thread "things aint what they used to be " Well I can,t go far back in history so I can't quote,But one guy said he was a lurker I am sure there is a better word for it ,But I would like to stay a lurker a little longer. I have made made pens for some time ,but nowhere near the quality I have seen on this site I think I will learn a lot just by lurking.
A keen Scottish lurker.
 
I would like to thank Dale for his insight into this discussion. I think his analysis of "lurkers" is spot on. I have been turning pens for about a year and a half now. In that time my skills and techniques have improved tremendously and at a rate faster than I could have imagined. None of this would have been possible without the wealth of information available on this forum. I am truely grateful for the skilled craftsmen here who have always shown a willingness to help those of us trying to learn the craft.

I have only recently begun to take a more active role in the forum. Frankly, this is because until recently I have felt that I had little to offer. So, I "lurked" until I reached a level of skill I thought qualified me to post my thoughts on a particular suject. The point to this needless rambling is that new members often feel intimidated by the wealth of knowledge possessed by longtime members. However, these "lurkers" often become valuable contributors. This, I think, is something we should all keep in mind.

From a former "lurker" let me just say that I sincerely appreiciate all of the help I have received from this forum. I hope that our spirit of sharing and friendship continues.
 
Trevor said:
The point to this needless rambling is that new members often feel intimidated by the wealth of knowledge possessed by longtime members.
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Their knowledge doesn't help you unless you ask them to share it. I don't have a problem with lurkers, but you learn more if you interact.
 
I especially appreciated the comment about needing younger people to become involved with the hobby. I would consider myself a "young guy" and sometimes I get impatient to know what only experience can teach. I try to keep in mind that many of the skills that we see showcased are the result of years and years of trial and error. But I also agree that this process of trial and error isn't some right of passage. Imagine our world if inventors had been stingy in sharing their inventions or if scientists had been reluctant to share their discoveries because they were afraid that "big business" was going to "rip them off". The fact is that we all benefit every single day from people who have been willing to "pass the knowledge on", so why not emulate that here? I think that we all do pass the knowledge on here with the exception of an extremely rare instance.

Here's what I think about the 360 herringbone pen. I think that public tutorials are great and have contributed greatly to my learning curve. However, there is something to be said about learning by doing. Neither Chip or Neil have been unwilling to share anything, they just aren't willing to give more than is necessary for people to figure it out for themselves. I think the point here is that this isn't just a freebie, it's going to cost you something. Not money...time and effort. If you make a genuine effort to figure this out, Chip and Neil are willing to help, but they're not going to just give you the answer. "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime." If we LEARN how to figure this particular thing out, than we're likely to have the ability to figure out other things and maybe even come up with unique things of our own. That's far better than just having a set of step by step instructions for everything. Who knows, one of us might discover a more efficient way to do it and have something to teach Chip and Neil.
 
Yeah, I've noticed a few things over the years here. For the most part, I've seen many techniques shared here. I disappear from time to time because of the cliques that were on here. You couldn't be critical of something without all that persons buddies jumping on you. As far as sharing though, I've learned enough to be slightly dangerous behind the lathe, because of the wonderful sharing attitude that was here. Maybe I'll lurk a little here to see what the attitude is now.
 
Being a new member here I want to say a big thank you to all of you who have answered all my questions. I have been a wood worker for the past 25 years, and I just recently ventured into pen turning., and I really enjoy it. I like to work with wood and always have and hopefully in the near future I plan on experimenting with doing some segmented blanks. I just recently dicovered making rifle cartridge pens and the first two pens that I sold were cartridge pens. I am one who has always loved just making things and passing them on to friends and family members. It is a way that I can give presents that will have a lifetime meaning to the ones that recieve them. I am very thankful for all the ideas and help that i have gained from you all. This is a great forum and I check it out daily. I too, love to hear encouranging words and comments as well. So if I post a pic of something i come up with and anyone wants to know how it was done, just ask me. I do have full respect for those of you here that make these pens to sell, and if I do ask how it was done for my own use, and you respectfully decline, i am not affended. I trually understand. I used to make solid cedar chests to sell to the public. I was once asked for a pattern by a gentleman who wanted to make one for his daughter, so I gave him the demensions and wrote down the instructions for him to make one, he then just looked at me and said, I will just let you make me one. That is more time and work than I want to do. With this said I do understand that it takes alot of time and work to come up with something that is different and new. And now knowing the basics of pen turning, there is a whole lot of experimenting that I am going to be doing. Again THANK YOU for all your kind words and encouragement and very knowledgeable information. I am sure I will have some questions in the future. I think I have said enough. Sorry for being so long. Keith
 
babyblues said:
Here's what I think about the 360 herringbone pen. I think that public tutorials are great and have contributed greatly to my learning curve. However, there is something to be said about learning by doing. Neither Chip or Neil have been unwilling to share anything, they just aren't willing to give more than is necessary for people to figure it out for themselves. I think the point here is that this isn't just a freebie, it's going to cost you something. Not money...time and effort. If you make a genuine effort to figure this out, Chip and Neil are willing to help, but they're not going to just give you the answer. "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime." If we LEARN how to figure this particular thing out, than we're likely to have the ability to figure out other things and maybe even come up with unique things of our own. That's far better than just having a set of step by step instructions for everything. Who knows, one of us might discover a more efficient way to do it and have something to teach Chip and Neil.
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Thank you, I am looking forward to the day someone can come up with a more efficient way of doing these. The 8-10 hours of prep and build time that goes into each blank is being cut down by special fixtures that allow me to make the components quicker and more accurately. One of the many reasons that I will not teach this, is that I am still a student who is still learning myself.
In the past I have looked at pens that others have made and have spent weeks trying to figure them out, usually I can get it down rather quickly. It took me about 3 days to figure out the spider web pen and then I noticed it was in the library as a tutorial. I had fun for those 3 days and made a lot of mistakes. One of the mistakes is being made into a whole new design and if it works out, I will have it done as soon as I am back turning. This is how new designs are developed, try it for your self and make something new that is yours, then you can decide if you want to go public or if you want to keep it quiet.

I have to say that half the fun of making these is having people say "how did you do that, I am going to have to figure it out" I have been in contact with many of those people annd have offered to assist if they wanted my assistance.
 
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Well, I guess I need to throw in my $.02 here too. When I first saw this thread come up I was very apprehensive, thinking "this could get ugly fast!!!". Having read through all of the replies thus far I am very glad to see that it has stayed very positive and upbeat!

I have not been on here long and have no ideas of the good ole days. I never knew Eagle though I certainly have heard things about him. I guess you could say that my train of thought as far as teaching/showing are very much in line with his. Refer to Hanks reply earlier in this thread. There is an absolute wealth of information available on this site and we all owe a great debt of thanks to those who were willing to share. I think that at one point or another we have all gathered very valuable information from them.

All of that having been said though, I think that a man will learn far more and improve his skills to a greater level by actually working through those things that he does not know as opposed to having them placed in his lap. I will certainly speak for myself and I know that this is also shared by some of my counterparts that we are more than willing to help someone out and coach them along through a process. This is by no means a "Right of Passage". There is nothing to be gained by any such nonsense. The human mind is a constantly growing/diminishing phenomenon. The majority of us get to choose which side of the fence it will be on. Yes, doing what we do helps to keep the mind active. Add a new routine, still more activity. Feed a new process to that person and there is hightened activity. Walk with that person as THEY work through that new process and there is HYPER activity!!! And it is that hyper activity that not only helps their mind through that new process but in wanting to try and develop new ones from there.

Certainly, the 360 HB seems to be somewhat of a hot topic in this thread, so I might as well chime in on that one too. It took me 4 overly obsessive days to figure out the HB. All I did was eat, drink and sleep HB!!! Needless to say I was very proud/relieved when I finally figured it out. True, there is a part of me that says "I worked too darn hard figuring that out just to give it away!!!". But, I know that there is far more to it than that. I have had plenty of people PM me about the HB and I am willing to help each and every one of them, but I also tell them up front, they are gonna have to do it and I am just there to help guide where I can. I know that they will be much better off that way and then they can be PROUD of what THEY have accomplished! I don't feel that there is much being done on this forum or at least by myself that cannot be done by everyone on here. But, not having everything blurted out helps to keep some processes fresh. We are all at different levels of both skill and creativity. If we were all Picasso or Dali then those two would have been an absolute bore. Not to say that they could not have been copied, but can something new have been added to their work to make it that much more of a masterpiece.

Ok, I don't know if I am boring all of you, but I am certainly boring myself at this point. So, I will leave it at this. I am still constantly amazed by all of the helpful souls that I see offer assistance even when assistance is not asked for. I certainly appreciate those that are willing to help but also have a desire to help that person to grow.
 
I have not noticed hardly any change at all. Seems to me we are all mostly trying to help each other. There's a few instances where we hesitate to procede too much, but we have that right. You come up with something extra unique and special, you try and hold on to it awhile. I can appreciate that. Look at all the new blanks all the big sellers are now carrying that where developed by people here and taken back by them for big proffits...circuit board pens, herringbone pens, abalone pens...just to name a couple. I bet they watch the classifieds and see what sells best. If anything should be private, it sure should be the classifieds. Coming soon...Berea carbon fiber blanks for $5 made in china...you know it's coming.
 
George,
I saw the post you referred to, about the herringbone, and I ignored it. I ignored it because I don't have a clue as to how it's made. Couldn't offer any help so went to the next topic.
Just my thot's,
Vern
 
Hi George,
I'm the culprit who originally asked the herringbone question. Our threads seem to have inspired a bit of activity on the site and I'm pleased to say that I think I may have sorted it out. I'll let everyone know in about a year when I've actually done it.:wink: Many tips and suggestions have resulted from my question so perhaps the place hasn't changed that much.:)
Many thanks to all those that have thrown some thoughts and clues in my direction.
Ian.
 
The 360 herringbone has always been a hush hush don't tell how it's made pen from the beginning, so that hasn't changed.

I understand and respect those who have learned the secret with help of others who request it not to be posted publically. I don't agree with this policy which is why I haven't asked any questions on how it's done.

I'm just glad this is a rare occurance on the IAP.
 
The one I was looking at this morning at the Captains house was a 6 sided herringbone he caught with something called an Akbar! :eek: hmmmm...so I sit here and reflect, and this is my so called answer to the puzzle, maybe I'm right, maybe not..I think I am. You cut several strips of the same width, lets just say several 3/8 wide by 7/8 thick and you glue them all together into a panel. Sand the panel flat. Make a 30 degree crosscut at the end of the panel with a chops saw. Set the fence on the tablesaw to 3/4" wide. Set the angle against the fence and make as many rips as you can from the panel. Flip every second panel and glue them back together in pairs only. Now you have a flat herringbone..like Bruce Robbins avatar, but only in pairs, not every single one together into a new panel. Now go back to the tablesaw and tilt the blade 45 degrees for a 4 sided or 30 degrees for a 6 sided herringbone. Now you rip the pairs so they become long triangles. oh...that is scary! Now I change my mind. Glue all the herringbone pairs together which I said not to do. Now go back and rip them..this gives you some meat to play with for safety. The last piece left you can throw away or make an angled pen from. With 6 uniform staves, you glue them together, being sure to alternate and match the seams all the way around the blank. I would use normal extended wood glue. Hold them together in your hand like a bundle with all the seams lined up, then put a dab of thick CA near the ends at each seam and spray with a shot of accellorator...the CA will help hold them in alignment. Use several round hose clamps to clamp it together and let it dry. This is what I think the answer on 4-6 sided herringbone is. May be more than one way to skin that cat too, but this way I believe will do it. You could even make it have 8 sides..but the more sides, the harder to keep it lined up. If I remember right, Malcolm Tibbets has something very similar to this he does with bowls, and I believe it's called the "ring of fire"..but don't quote me on that, but he does have this in his book, just not so many verticle peices, because it's an open ring of staves rather than a closed one.

Oh..Gary didn't tell me this is how it's done. I don't think he has any idea, or maybe he does. This is just my theory and it seems to work out well in my brain anyhow..I'm just too busy to try it right now.
 
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Jeff, God bless you or anyone else that tries to do it that way!!!!! No, that's not it and please people, DON'T RISK YOUR PRECIOUS LITTLE DIGITS TRYING IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I must say though Jeff, if you get to stare at Gary's that certainly puts you at a better advantage than most! Was he kind enough to take the pen apart for you? It is a Sierra after all, nice and easy to take apart ;)
 
Sorry, but you forgot to add Grueling! It's an GRUELING annual race across the African Sahara carrying baskets woven from bullrushes full of pickled herring. Total distance = 360 kilometers.

babyblues said:
It's an annual race accross the African Sahara carrying baskets woven from bullrushes full of pickled herring. Total distance = 360 kilometers.
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No, I didn't see the ends of it Steve. But I've read the Malcolm Tibbits book and used several of his things in pens, and he has something really similar to this, but it is done just like I describe, but using a vacuum fence setup which I don't have. It's scary cutting staves, but I still believe that way would work. I'll be sure and plan a trip to Florida for the hands on...maybe next year. Would be great to take the kid to Disney world or land, whatever.
 
I guess until I have a super special technique, my comments are worth what you paid. But I've always been unafraid to share knowledge, however it's gained. Trade secrets are fine, but to me if something is a trade secret, don't flash it around on a site dedicated to learning such things and expect folks to not get bothered. (I can only think of one instance where I felt the poster was doing a "NEENER NEENER" to us.)

As for the 360... Something I've wondered about, haven't been able to pull off yet, but now have it figured out thanks to one tip in that other thread. I have no problem with the way that thread was handled. I thought it was great. Without having made the attempt, the tips wouldn't have made any sense. I love that sort of thing, since I'm the kind of fool who tries to do stuff first, THEN asks how after the pile of broken tools gets too big.
 
I wanted to make a quick comment about the part of the thread where the "Lurker" issue was brought up. I have been a member here for over three years and early on was very active. But as life sometimes does, it diverted my attention away from penturning for nearly two years. I don't share this information often only because I don't feel very comfortable in doing so, I do it now only to illustrate a point.
In November 07 my Father passed away, he had been in declining health for nearly a year before. Then on Christmas day 07 (only a month later) my brother (younger) passed away very unexpectedly. And boy I can tell you that was a blow.
As a result I had most of 08 trying to take care of my Father's estate, my Brother's estate and my Mother.
Then in November of 08 my Mother became very sick and had to have open heart surgery to replace two of her valves. She finally came home in Feburary 09 and I guess will never fully recover and will always require some of my time.
Then in March this year my wife could not go any further and had to have her knee replaced. She is now about 70% recovered and will fully recover in time.
I guess what I am trying to say is that, sometimes we not "Lurkers" by choice but are forced into that roll. I can only hope that I would not be allowed access to talent and resources because of lifes events.

Life is starting to settle down for me somewhat and I am starting to spend more and more time in the shop. And you should start seeing me around more and more .......at least until I have to take another break later this year for my hip replacement.

Please don't take this as belly aching or anything like that, I know we all have obstacles and challenges in life to deal with and I am not implying that mine a worse than anyone elses. Thanks for allowing me to share this.
 
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If you don't like Lurkers" maybe you should have a privet forum. Some people just don't have a lot to say so they just look and learn from other people.

Sorry for being just a "LURKER":eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
wolftat said:
I have had severral people contact me privately and ask me for the instructions and I tell them all the same thing, All I ask is that they make the same promise that I did and that they show me what they have done so far in working at it. I will not give instructions for the build, but I am wiling to help someone that has attempted to make a blank and is stuck. I have even gone so far as to send one member a blank that was in the middle of the build so they could use it for reference.
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One thing I have valued in this forum is just what Neil said . . . I can't even begin to say what I've learned from the wonderful and ingenious people in this group. As I stated in another thread, I think it was aa brilliant idea to present a kind of "brain storming" thinking about it thread. When the emphasis is on fostering creative process and encouraging another turner to exercise their grey cells, we all can grow more.

And as for the "tutorial" thing . . . there was an incident some weeks ago that was a wake up call to me - that this really IS an "open forum." There is an entire internet world out there with zillions of people we don't know who can eavesdrop in here with a simple search engine.

I admire Neil's integrity as well as his generosity.

And I think it's time we all recognize, yes, George, some things have changed. but we who are members of IAP valule our combined knowledge and curiosity of turning in many forms. And we value our fellow members, their talents and skills. Though there may never be "a tutorial," if you want to learn and have the drive and curiosity to grow in your skills, theres still no better place to be.

That's all IMHO.
 
Lurk if you want, but trust me it is much faster to post a question and have someone answer it right away. You might get a little flak at first if you're completely ignorant, but as long as you're honest about your ignorance you'll get plenty of help here. Clearly, I'm not a lurker, and I've learned more than if I was (and others may have inadvertently learned from me too!). :eek:
 
I have to admit that I was a lurker for about a year before I joined and became active. I was busy working and didn't really have a lot of time to get involved in things, but I enjoyed reading about a subject that I was interested in. In my opinion, it's not the lurker that is a threat here, it is the corporate spy that is here to learn what people like so they can copy it (poorly usually) and mass produce it and cheapen it. I for one like a one off piece a hell of a lot better than a massed produced piece.
 
Ok for all the lurkers out there . NO one is picking on you for lurking but you should chime in once and awhile to let us know you are out there and give us a neighborly "Hi" . This forum is about more then just pen making , it's about "Other things we make" and "Finishing" and "Casting" and..... you get the idea .
Even if you know less then nothing about pen making , you might have the answer to the question that someone here needs . We all have other hobbies and talents besides pen making . Maybe you know about Jewelry making and could give some insight into casting a clip or center band , or maybe Model making and you could help with information about casting resins or mold making , or ...??? well you know what I'm getting at .
You joined this forum to learn about pen turning , maybe it's time you kicked in with something you know about and help someone here with a problem that your other hobby has an answer for .
This forum was founded to help advance the hobby of pen turning , which has become much more diverse then just turning a pen .
 
I have been a member for a little over a year. I have never asked a question that wasn't answered with generosity. Even though I still consider myself just a beginner I find myself sharing because it is a good way to learn and some things I do might make it easier for someone else.
I like that everyone shares their ideas, their different ways of doing things, and their enthusiasm for all aspects of turning, not just pens, but mostly.
I have met people from all over the world, who share a common interest, and have formed a community that reaches out to each other with support and friendship. I have even had the opportunity to meet other pen turners in Northern California and Nevada. I have had people PM me with answers and received lots of encouragement in what I have been able to create.
 
I belong to another forum on the web related to magic, some topics require at least 50 posts. since this site is fully moderated, just signing on and posting "I agree", or "good idea" does not build your post count (usually, I know people find a way around rules) . Unitl you become an active participant . 50 posts areas of the site are blocked to you. Lurkers still exist out there but its harder for them to get to the "meat and bones " areas. This might be something for moderators to consider. john
 
Continuing my thoughts, I'm at the stage where I'm learning ( teach HS and as of Friday have time to spend in shop) and have lots of ideas and things to try out and learn. Consequently I will post to ask questions and download tips and ideas. One of these days I'll think I have something worth showing and I'll upload my work.

Thank-you to all who have helped me, will help me and especially all those who give me a standard to work up towards. T- 48hrs and schools out! john
 
I too was/am guilty of lurking. It took a few months to come out. I am still a lurker on quite a few other forums. I read it all and take it all in but just don't have time to participate in all the other forums.

Some I don't know who but I see a few that show up all the time in this and other forums. I wounder how do you get any work done. this darn computer takes up so much of my time. I guess some of you have your computer rite next to your lathe. I must admit my computer is on-line all the time and I do check the email every time I walk past it.

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Guess I have been a lurker too, but man...have I learned a great deal from all of you. It seems that I just don't come up with any New ideas that haven't already been posted. I really do appreciate your devotion to this site and hopefully I will do a better job of being more proactive in the future (especially after I retire from my full time job). Thank you all for being so helpful and supportive. This is a great forum!!!
 
In the short time I have been a member here I have learned just about everything I know about pen turning from this community. I don't have to ask alot of questions because answers to those I do have can usually be found by searching the forums or the Library. Those I have asked have been answered by members who are more than willing to help. If I can help someone, I will.

From the moment I posted on the Introduction forum I have felt welcome. No one has ever denied me any information. What's more. the members are not only helpful, but friendly. GAD5624 (Grant) lives near me, contacted me and we plan on getting together soon. Next month I'll be in Curtis' (MesquiteMan) city and looking forward to taking him up on his offer of a visit.
You are always going to have some people who, for whatever reason are all take and no give. But overall I think this is a very giving community that I am glad to be a part of.
Mike
 
leaycraft said:
I belong to another forum on the web related to magic, some topics require at least 50 posts. since this site is fully moderated, just signing on and posting "I agree", or "good idea" does not build your post count (usually, I know people find a way around rules) . Unitl you become an active participant . 50 posts areas of the site are blocked to you. Lurkers still exist out there but its harder for them to get to the "meat and bones " areas. This might be something for moderators to consider. john
Click to expand...
....sooooo... you're saying we should make the good sections so you can't see them?:wink:
 
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