Suggestions for New Co-Moderator to South Bend Lathes

[texasgeartrain]

I'm pleased to announce that I will be a co-moderator here in the South Bend Lathes section.

I think most of you that hang out in this section have probably seen me around here quite a bit the past several years. I've been moderating the Cincinnati/Heavy Iron section for about a year and half, and will now be helping out here also.

Thankfully we have a pretty laid back and easy going crowd here, so it makes my job easy. It's never really been an issue here, so just informational purposes I'd say politics and verbal attacks are a no-go here. Should it arise, I'll just delete the remarks, and lock the thread in a worse case scenario. Again, not really an issue here, and we all have been pretty good about respecting each other. Good natured ball breaking and self-deprecation is always welcome.

Just a reminder, when starting a thread, have a well thought and relevant title to the topic. This helps future generations search info on similar issues.

For the most part, this section runs itself. I expect that I'll clean up and update the stickies a bit. As well as editing some thread titles etc.

The current stickies are a valuable resource and contain so much great information. However, at 10 stickies, its quite a wall to scroll past during daily browsing. In my opinion, 1-4 stickies is enough. My current thinking is to place all the current stickies into one sticky, then when opened, you can find this original list.

Any comments or thoughts ? I'd like ideas or opinions on the sticky list.

Also what updates to stickies would you recommend ?

Are there particular rebuild threads, or other threads you might add to existing lists ? Post the links.

Any other ideas for improving the section ?

I'll most likely wait a few days before making changes, in order to get some feedback. Here's your chance, let me know.

 

[SLK001]

Update the sticky on posting pictures.

 

[Anatol]

congratulations on your new position!
My suggestion is - there's so much knowledge and expertise in some of these threads, its a treasure. But its not always easy to finds what you're looking for. I wish there was an easier way to search - and finds relevant threads, some sort of keyword or index system...
just my two cents
A

 

[texasgeartrain]

congratulations on your new position!
My suggestion is - there's so much knowledge and expertise in some of these threads, its a treasure. But its not always easy to finds what you're looking for. I wish there was an easier way to search - and finds relevant threads, some sort of keyword or index system...
just my two cents
A

Currently the in-forum search tool is not too good. My very best results come from using google, and usually the practical machinist threads are at the top of the list. If not, or I want to see slightly different results, type the same query in google, but add "practical machinist" to the end of what you are searching.

An updated version of the forum has been in the works for quite a while, hopefully the search tool there works better. Speaking of which. . .

 

[texasgeartrain]

Update the sticky on posting pictures.

Speaking of which. . . I do intend on letting the old thread of that sticky float off in time now, but I will link it in a new thread and sticky for those who may want to revisit. My intention was to link or copy me, you, and homebrewblobs instructions to the first posts of the new thread. To the best of my knowlegde, nothing has changed in relation to our respective instructions.

However. . .soon it may be irrelevant. How soon ? I don't know, but word is its close. The site has been working on the back end for a while, and it looks pretty good. A few bugs to work out I think, and a little more testing. But I'm thinking its not too far off.

One major upgrade, posting pics. Its nice and its easy. And it appears they fixed the format issues some have between jpeg etc. so the pics will post to a nice size.

Just scrolling past the last reply in any thread, a dialog box is there to post something if you choose. Just below it is an "attach file" box. Just clicking that, its real easy to find your pic and choose to post it as a thumb or full image:



With a full sized image posted it will look something like this:



Scrolling down forum sections will look something like this:



The South Bend Section with the current wall of stickies:



And scrolling down to latest threads. The test site currently works off an image from 2021, so dont mind the dates :

 

[jmm03]

Thanks Texas, moderator is pretty much a thankless job that sometimes requires diaper changing... Jim

 

[FTF Engineering]

Everyone stepped back, huh?

So when I first read the title:

"Suggestions for New Co-Moderator to South Bend Lathes"

I thought you were soliciting input to nominate someone for the position of co-moderator.

 

[paulsomlo]

Any other ideas for improving the section ?

Increase the size of your profile picture!

 

[Kevin T]

Congrats! May you never have the need to swing The Ban Hammer! lol

 

[texasgeartrain]

Increase the size of your profile picture!

Getting Another South Bend 16x6 Operational

 

[texasgeartrain]

Congrats! May you never have the need to swing The Ban Hammer! lol

Its the strangest thing, the ban button was keyed to the space bar, and nobody told me. After a really long post, turns out I accidentally wiped out like 50 guys.

 

[500mpxlcameraguy]

Another Congrats.

Having read the posts, I agree about the search tool not being very good, good tip though about using google with PM in the search.

Also it would be less irritating when finished reading a post to go back to the same place in the Forum instead of going back to the beginning of the stickies when you get back to the main Forum page.

 

[Ranchman83]

Congratulations!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[texasgeartrain]

As time permits, I will be editing and re-sticky some of the previous sticky threads. It will not be a wall of stickys at 10, but perhaps 4 or 5.

The next one I am working on will be this thread:
South Bend Links: Sources for Parts, Info, etc.

The South Bend section has had potentially 4 previous moderators that I'm aware of. Most likely milicron to start, then Jimk, Paula, and Brad Jacobs. All doing very nice work. Paula just happens to be one of those highly detail oriented people, in both actual machine work and how she posts.

This next thread needs some serious editing though. Some information has changed, about half the links are dead now, plus there's about two pages of people asking "i need xxx".

My intention:
1. is to clean out those two pages of comments
2. wipe out the dead links
3. I will re-write a small portion in her opening statement, though she will remain author.
4. Add new and current links.
5. Replace photobucket images, with non-photobucket images.

6. Maybe flip flop the "parts" portion with the "information" portion of the opening post. Currently the parts links are at the top, and info at the bottom. Just my opinion, but natural progression is I want info first, then I look for parts.

I will also add the links to "serial numbers wanted" and "recommended lubes" here.

Any opinions ? Suggestion ? Including Paula, I know you are lurking out there somewhere !

Also if you have links to add, post them here. This could include material supply, metal retailers.

 

[4GSR]

Tex,

You are doing a super job. I like your thinking.

I wish they would create a new forum for Clausing-Colchester, Rockwell, and Sheldon lathes. Not to include the "cannot talk about" stuff. Or maybe make it part of the South Bend Forum? Just some food for thought.

Ken

 

[4GSR]

Maybe call it "USA Light Duty Iron" ?

 

[texasgeartrain]

Maybe call it "USA Light Duty Iron" ?

I swear to God, no joke, I had that exact same thought after your first post yesterday.

And you are right, we are missing that section totally. Even think of lighter stuff like drill presses, Rockwell, Walker-Turner, etc made really nice and industrial stuff. As well as the machines you mentioned.

I have not dismissed the idea, I just don't personally have the power to create new sections. Traditionally, PM is slow or reluctant to do so. We do have a new super moderator, that has been real nice to deal with. I'm trying not to bomb them with too much all at once, but I will run it up the flag pole. I think its a good idea, and can't see a reason why not.

Give me some time and I'll try to present it nicely.

 

[michiganbuck]

Will you be allowed to keep the post after Texas quite the union?

Can the USA arrive without Texas?

 

[SLK001]

Will you be allowed to keep the post after Texas quite the union?

Can the USA arrive without Texas?

Don't you just hate "auto-correction"?

 

[texasgeartrain]

Will you be allowed to keep the post after Texas quite the union?

Can the USA arrive without Texas?

If Texas quits the Union, we'll most likely absorb the Union not long after. Either that, or we'll rename it to Canada 2.0.