Forum sections - suggestion

[reible]

Hi again,

Have you taken a look at either of the other shopsmith sources, one being the yahoo group and the second the ssug.org group?

If you do the seach on pen turning and change the www.shopsmith.net to www.ssug.org there is some stuff there as well.

Many many years ago I made fishing lures and even then I cheated by using a strip of emery cloth to do the tapers... it seem the hard part was to get the square blank round without it catching and taking a hunk out of the bass wood. At the time I was interesting in fishing and high school shop class need me to have some cheap projects I could do up fast. A perfect fit so to speak.

Anyway I wish you well on your adventure.

(See how this thread is now a pen turning and lure making thread, it was just that easy).

Ed

[a1gutterman]

.........I also see that there are 2768 members. However, out of that "large" membership, only 83 have posted more than 10 times. That says that 2.998% of the members are active contributors while 97.001% have only registered and posted up to 10 times with the vast majority at 0 or only a few posts since joining. The question that needs to be asked is why is it there are 2768 members but only 83 who participate on a regular basis? Is it because they don't find anything here that interests them? Is it because they can't "find" anything that interests them? Or, is it something else that keeps them from joining in on the conversations or asking questions themselves?..........

__________________
Don - W3DRM - Minden, Nevada --- SS 510

Hi Don,

When you are at the main page of the SS Forum, you can scroll down and see a section called "What's Going On?". You can see a list of users that are currently reading forum posts. I frequently click on unfamiliar names to see user profiles and I have noticed that even though users may not be posting, they are sure reading posts. Most of the time when I view the profile of an unfamiliar name, they are users that have never posted. There are even users that "hide" from us while they "lurk" because they have chosen to do so. If you click on the shortcut or link called "Currently Active Users", you can see what anyone (except those who are hiding) who is logged on to the forum is currently looking at.

I know that there are pen-turners here, such as m1garand . You could send him a private message if you so desire. If you have a specific question concerning pen-turning, post it. The chances are good that someone here will help you. If you have had a bad experience turning a pen, share it-it may help someone, or someone may see it and tell you how to avoid it. If you do not have a specific question...where's the beef?

[charlese]

Okay, I'll have to agree that simple is better. But, as you said, if you don't visit the forum on a daily or regular basis, it can be daunting to try to catch up when it's been a week or more since you last visited...

I also see that there are 2768 members. However, out of that "large" membership, only 83 have posted more than 10 times. That says that 2.998% of the members are active contributors while 97.001% have only registered...

If I were running this forum (and thankfully, I'm not), I would be actively probing the membership to find out what could be done to make it more useful and informative for them....

EDIT: I just did a search and found that this was done back in July of this year. However, the lively discussion that followed clearly shows there are many different opinions on the topic. I would suggest that this topic continue to be discussed so the Admins can come to a decision that all can live with....

I came to this forum to find information about how the SS was being used for pen turning. While it's obvious there are few pen turning posts here, it is one of the many facets of the Shopsmith world - they even sell a pen turning set of chisels and have a sawdust session on pen turning. Pen turning is a growing hobby. I have just started turning pens myself and am in search of more information from those using the SS to turn. I must admit,....

Don - I just cant resist commenting on the above quoted post. We agree on several of your thoughts--- & are on different pages for others.
We do agree that simpler is better.
We do agree that only a small fraction of members enter posts.
We do agree (I think) that there were almost an ad infinitum number of subjects members had suggested to "Simplify" the forum.

As I remember, in the discussion of possible subjects, I believe I mentioned, as you, there are only a relatively few that submit posts. When it was pointed out to me that many members (and guests) enjoy the Forum by only reading, I had to change my mind about trying to urge more folks posting. If a person enjoys the Forum by reading alone. How in this world could this person be talked into posting? In fact, it is probably a better idea to allow everyone the dignity of their own choices. Their own choices are what they are going to follow anyway!

About the Admin. coming to a decision that all members can agree to: I think no one will ever get everyone to agree on any reasonable selection of subjects. Even it we had a selection based on all Special tools - where would one find a discussion for use of measuring devices, or clamps, or workbenches, or bench hold downs, or glues, or routers, or router accessories, or different sanders, or hand planes, blade sharpening - on and on? You are interested in pens. Although I am not, I applaud your interest, knowing that someday I may join your interest. I have found that if a subject that I am interested in is not being (or has not been) discussed in the detail that I like there is only one way to fix that. And that fix is a real roll of the dice! No one may reply! Perhaps the fear of being ignored or disagreed with, is a major reason why more don't post.

The way to inspire discussion is to start a thread, or to add your personal thoughts about a subject in another thread. Your posts here for example) I have not yet found a real shortage of subjects in the Forum.

If a person wants to further discuss pen turning, is my suggestion to ask about the subject. Questions could range around pen turning, or selection of pen wood, or pen parts, or pen tools, turning speeds, pencil turning, different leads, what kind of pen inks are available, or something else. I don't know a darn thing about pen turning, but if I wanted more from turners on this forum, I would ask! You say you can't find what you want about pens - Start a discussion or two - you'll have the start of a subject base. Making your Thread titles unique will help you to find them in the future.

In another post you asked about the purpose of this Forum. I think it is pretty obvious that it is for the enjoyment and interest of Shopsmith owners - and by the fact they allow guests, it is to inform and possibly attract prospective new purchasers - and it is also a great marketing tool for the company. Let's face it - if the company didn't benefit from the Forum, they would have to charge for its use.

You also asked if a person can't find what he/she is looking for, what good is the forum? - - I think the above Paragraph and comments of others have answered that question.

Here's hoping your participation in the Forum continues and you are successful in getting the participation you would like to see.

[dusty]

Don

Maybe you are the one who is going to turn this sight into (amongst others) a place to come for pen turning info.

I don't turn even though I have had my Shopsmith for many years. Who knows. When I can no longer handle the big sticks maybe I'll start using all that cutoff I have stowed away.

SWMBO accuses me of saving the shavings. If I start turning, she'll know that's not true......at least I think it's not.

[W3DRM]

Don

Maybe you are the one who is going to turn this sight into (amongst others) a place to come for pen turning info.

I don't turn even though I have had my Shopsmith for many years. Who knows. When I can no longer handle the big sticks maybe I'll start using all that cutoff I have stowed away.

SWMBO accuses me of saving the shavings. If I start turning, she'll know that's not true......at least I think it's not.

Dusty,

Save those shavings - I understand you can use them to make pen blanks! Just encase them in an acrylic mold and then turn away! Who knows what the outcome will be??!! They already have "recycled paper" pen blanks so why not wood shavings or sawdust, or...?

[RobertTaylor]

i am retired and since it is winter here in ohio i spend more time on the computer and unfortunately less time woodworking. i come to this site several times a day. in most cases a members question has already been answered by the time that i have read it. i therefore see no need to say the same advise. occaisionaly i do get a chance to throw in my two cents worth. i do find that i learn quite a bit though just by reading and find the site a valuable resource. i hope the regular contributors keep up the good work. thanks guys, bob

by the way i will be attending a pen turning class at a woodcraft store in cleveland on thursday in the evening. i attended a shopsmith ta class last november also in cleveland and looked forward to attending more this year only to be disappointed in there now non-existence.

[RobertTaylor]

my pen turning class at woodcraft was a success. i have been playing on the shopsmith this week. here are some of my first pens, bob

[RobertTaylor]

my pen turning class at woodcraft was a success. been busy this week making a few. here are some of my first pens, bob
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[dusty]

bob, the pens are beautiful. Be proud, you get more out of your efforts than I do. I get mostly sawdust and chips. I do very few projects that I would photograph and show around.

Do you make the cases also.

Question, you list a number of Shopsmiths in your profile. Do you have all of these or is this the historical trail from greenie to upgraded 510?

[greitz]

Nice pens, Bob! I hope the recipients use them as intended. My mother won't let my father use their pens- she just shows them off. I guess if I make them a couple of dozen more, maybe the novelty will wear off.

I like the classes at Woodcraft also, I just wish they had Shopsmiths to work on as well. At least my turning instructor did concede that Shopsmith makes a pretty good lathe!

Gary