A suggestion for dealing with hobby machinist posts

[Video_Man]

Possibly the problem stems from newcomers who Google "machinist forums" and join without reading the rules. Perhaps if a popup came up at the signup page that said something like "This is a forum dedicated to industry professionals. Hobby topics and machines are not part of this site. Hobby users might like bbs.homeshopmachinist.net, hobby-machinist.com, and other sites better suited to your needs." That would put people on notice. Post the sites as active links, perhaps.

 

[Limy Sami]

Send them all on vacation - to North Korea? .........or Afghanistan?

 

[Gordon Heaton]

Possibly the problem stems from newcomers who Google "machinist forums" and join without reading the rules. Perhaps if a popup came up at the signup page that said something like "This is a forum dedicated to industry professionals. Hobby topics and machines are not part of this site. Hobby users might like hsm.homeshopmachinist.net, hobby-machinist.com, and other sites better suited to your needs." That would put people on notice. Post the sites as active links, perhaps.

One of the money mongers' prime directives is to never divert traffic to another site. Even when it would otherwise be beneficial.

 

[FredC]

One of the money mongers' prime directives is to never divert traffic to another site. Even when it would otherwise be beneficial.

I liked Video Man's suggestion. If what you say is true also. We should give a helpful comment and politely explain why the thread will be locked and treat the hobbyist like a human bean.

Sort of the way I have been doing things anyway. Now I do not have to feel bad about it.
Thanks.

 

[Video_Man]

I liked Video Man's suggestion. If what you say is true also. We should give a helpful comment and politely explain why the thread will be locked and treat the hobbyist like a human bean.

Sort of the way I have been doing things anyway. Now I do not have to feel bad about it.
Thanks.

Thank you. Notice correction on the bbs.homeshopmachinist.net url. Of course, Mr. Heaton may have a point I had not considered. But, as you say, a helpful comment would be useful and decent. I think a lot of people just sign up at a likely-looking forum and don't drill down into the rules. If it popped up when they reach the sign-up stage it could not but catch their notice. Giving them context and direction might eliminate a lot of entries that rile up the professionals here, who really need a forum that serves their needs.

 

[WakelessFoil]

Lots of good points here, might be a idea worth trying.

I will say as a hobbyist (sort of) that if I post a question that sounds dumb to you as a professional, there is no rule that states you must answer or even read my question. In fact, you can click the back arrow and pretend the question was never asked!

It takes much more time to bicker and demean someone in their post than it does to just ignore them. I think a lot of it has to do with an ugly form of pride. If you have time to write a rant about someone's lack of knowledge, you have time to teach them and help them learn.

 

[rons]

Originally joined about 2003 or a little after. Stopped using it and then later re-joined 2009. In all that time with buying tools, machines, visiting
businesses for custom work; never has anyone I talked to heard about this PM. Went as far out of the area as Santa Cruz, never heard of it.
One place close the guy wrote down the net address of PM. Went back a few months later, "no I have not had time to look at this". Bottom line:
PM is not as popular as you think, but it's nice to dream about it ...

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Originally joined about 2003 or a little after. Stopped using it and then later re-joined 2009. In all that time with buying tools, machines, visiting
businesses for custom work; never has anyone I talked to heard about this PM. Went as far out of the area as Santa Cruz, never heard of it.
One place close the guy wrote down the net address of PM. Went back a few months later, "no I have not had time to look at this". Bottom line:
PM is not as popular as you think, but it's nice to dream about it ...

If you find anywhere better, let me know.

Regards Tyrone.

 

[rons]

If you find anywhere better, let me know.

Regards Tyrone.

I stopped spreading the word about PM worship. Too many heathens out there.

 

[NC Rick]

Lots of good points here, might be a idea worth trying.

I will say as a hobbyist (sort of) that if I post a question that sounds dumb to you as a professional, there is no rule that states you must answer or even read my question. In fact, you can click the back arrow and pretend the question was never asked!

It takes much more time to bicker and demean someone in their post than it does to just ignore them. I think a lot of it has to do with an ugly form of pride. If you have time to write a rant about someone's lack of knowledge, you have time to teach them and help them learn.

I hate to be de bean ing…

 

[eKretz]

Lots of good points here, might be a idea worth trying.

I will say as a hobbyist (sort of) that if I post a question that sounds dumb to you as a professional, there is no rule that states you must answer or even read my question. In fact, you can click the back arrow and pretend the question was never asked!

It takes much more time to bicker and demean someone in their post than it does to just ignore them. I think a lot of it has to do with an ugly form of pride. If you have time to write a rant about someone's lack of knowledge, you have time to teach them and help them learn.

Although i get the sentiment, no. It takes WAY longer to teach someone anything even remotely meaningful about this trade than it does to write a sentence or three. Some of the questions I see on here literally would take a book to answer because the askers have almost no foundation of knowledge or experience to stand on and wouldn't begin to understand a short answer. Some of the guys here have time and patience for that, some don't.

 

[john.k]

One time I advertized for a machinist,one of the applicants had the job on his application,but he brought a suitcase to the interview,and started getting out some of the small steam engines and other models he d made ,and pictures of all the big ones ....he must have spent lots of work time and materials on his models.

 

[FredC]

One time I advertized for a machinist,one of the applicants had the job on his application,but he brought a suitcase to the interview,and started getting out some of the small steam engines and other models he d made ,and pictures of all the big ones ....he must have spent lots of work time and materials on his models.

Inquiring minds wanta know, did he get the job?

I guess my worry would be he would be building models on my time. Maybe he did not have a TV and made all the models with the machines in his garage on his time? That might be a plus.

 

[Zeuserdoo]

One time I advertized for a machinist,one of the applicants had the job on his application,but he brought a suitcase to the interview,and started getting out some of the small steam engines and other models he d made ,and pictures of all the big ones ....he must have spent lots of work time and materials on his models.

Did you hire him?

 

[rons]

There is isolation in this PM. A new plastic with no real shop job should not be in the Management Section.
If signup were based on backgrounds the Management Section would be read only. (In this example)
It sounds complicated but in computer system software it is something like Access Control Lists. (ACL)
UFS filesystem uses these if you want them. Each user has a ACL. The ACL list is defines what kind of access you are allowed.
For example 100 users would be in the Management Section and 400 users would be read-only. Crude example.

If there is that one new guy with the brilliant idea in the 400 group. Can't save the day for the dude who is in a pinch.
Low probability events, they do happen.

 

[michiganbuck]

I'm fairly sharp on some grinding stuff, and OK on that watchamallcallt thing that goes roundy round.

Guess I should keep my question and answers on them.

 

[plastikdreams]

I'm fairly sharp on some grinding stuff, and OK on that watchamallcallt thing that goes roundy round.

Guess I should keep my question and answers on them.

You work with merry-go-rounds? Sweet gig!

 

[trevj]

There is isolation in this PM. A new plastic with no real shop job should not be in the Management Section.
If signup were based on backgrounds the Management Section would be read only. (In this example)
It sounds complicated but in computer system software it is something like Access Control Lists. (ACL)
UFS filesystem uses these if you want them. Each user has a ACL. The ACL list is defines what kind of access you are allowed.
For example 100 users would be in the Management Section and 400 users would be read-only. Crude example.

If there is that one new guy with the brilliant idea in the 400 group. Can't save the day for the dude who is in a pinch.
Low probability events, they do happen.

So, if a guy is a competent Manager, but not a great Machinist, he should not be allowed to share his opinions?

I understand the desire to limit access to those that participate, but from my view (pretty limited, but confirmed by guys I know and knew who were working in the field), some guys are actually decent managers, without knowing that much about machining, that they can add to any of the other forums in order to get, say, their post count up, to any particular level.

I would suggest that leaving the option open to participate and contribute, may be a better choice, lest it turn in to an echo chamber of the "My Way, or the Highway!" type.
Standard Internet Rules apply. What you read online, you can take at face value, or doubt, but in any case, you gotta sort what applies to you, but may not apply to another outfit!

FWIW, I have no Shop. But I have experienced a lot of bad, and some good, Management. Even a bit of genuine leadership, on a few happy occasions!

 

[rons]

So, if a guy is a competent Manager, but not a great Machinist, he should not be allowed to share his opinions?

I understand the desire to limit access to those that participate, but from my view (pretty limited, but confirmed by guys I know and knew who were working in the field), some guys are actually decent managers, without knowing that much about machining, that they can add to any of the other forums in order to get, say, their post count up, to any particular level.

I would suggest that leaving the option open to participate and contribute, may be a better choice, lest it turn in to an echo chamber of the "My Way, or the Highway!" type.
Standard Internet Rules apply. What you read online, you can take at face value, or doubt, but in any case, you gotta sort what applies to you, but may not apply to another outfit!

FWIW, I have no Shop. But I have experienced a lot of bad, and some good, Management. Even a bit of genuine leadership, on a few happy occasions!

I worked at a job where another guy found that he could complain about his manager and have me listen.
One day I said "I thought you would be more mature". He looked a little startled and then settled down.

 

[michiganbuck]

I have worked with a few bosses who knew little about the skills but who would direct you to the shop expert on that particular subject, plus they would get what was needed for the task PDQ. Poor bosses are those seeking to put themselves above the subject of doing the task/work, or the ones who make a point of favoring some workers over others. IMHO.