Had enough......

[John Rudd]

Just quit the Mod Engineer forum.....
Just a bunch of pompous know it alls, spouting from their arm chairs with little practical knowledge...
'Nuff said....

[S. Heslop]

I feel very lucky to have found this forum, there's alot of knowledgeable and helpful people on here. It's very refreshing, considering that there's a terrible amount of people on the internet in general who like to pretend they know more than they do. Or worse, people who might know some stuff but would rather mislead you to hold up the illusion that they're more able.

It's not so bad in engineering though. When I tried getting into digital drawing (just about any vaguely artistic field is equally terrible) about half a year ago I kept getting sent to websites with stuff like this.



Which as you can see is very helpful and vital to learn before you ever put pen to paper. After about 2 weeks of digging I eventually found out that most drawing packages come with tools built in to help with the perspective and that's what all the experts use.

The other mantra I hate hearing is 'practice!'. It's a good way to effortlessly shoot down anyone that needs help.

It's just a shame that all the crap ends up drowning out the people that actually want to help.

[John Rudd]

I feel very lucky to have found this forum, there's alot of knowledgeable and helpful people on here. It's very refreshing, considering that there's a terrible amount of people on the internet in general who like to pretend they know more than they do.
It's just a shame that all the crap ends up drowning out the people that actually want to help.

And this us my point.....
We try to help one another only to be drowned out by the background static......

Its not very often I post, but only to help...

I just hope my posting in here doesnt offend folk that post elsewhere....

[Fergus OMore]

I must be different because following your comments, I had a look.
One recent article was overhauling a Myford ML7 and having done much the same in the past, had to agree.

Again, there was an article about the Quorn and again having built one- a million years ago- found little to criticise but importantly, had to agree the writer had agreed with my findings.

Armchair stuff, indeed?

What you all missed was yesterday's news= yes, yesterday's news from Hong Kong with tens of thousands in revolt about something or other. The obvious question is - will it spread and the classic follow up is -will the mainland lot start agitating - and  ramp up the prices of machine tools.

All it means to me is that I will have to sit in my armchair instead of having another trip there.

It should be sufficiently exciting to for a future topic on how keep a Chinese lathe or whatever going when spares are no longer possible.

I'll get my pipe, smoking jacket,  reading glasses and slippers!

Cheers

Norman

[doubleboost]

You will always get people who (talk the talk) never any pictures)
Those who (walk the walk) they even post pictures of there mistakes
It is all part of "forum life"

I post vids of my mistakes 

John

[John Rudd]

Well, DB,John
If there's one thing I like about this place, the folk are a lot more forgiving and friendly ....to boot

Oh, and another, I just lurve your sense of Geordie humour....

[doubleboost]

Life is far to short to be a pompus smart arse
We must try to have a laugh and enjoy every day

[S. Heslop]

I post vids of my mistakes 

The mistakes are often my favourite part of your videos!

[S. Heslop]

I just hope my posting in here doesnt offend folk that post elsewhere....

I wouldn't worry too much about it, I feel stuff like this needs to be called out or it'll keep on going.

[awemawson]

I think that many people have gravitated to this forum precisely because the members tend to be helpful, and many are very knowledgeable

[Pete W.]

A neighbour of mine has built a replica steam traction engine, no particular prototype and I guess about 6" to the foot.  It's not propelled by steam but by a small diesel engine from a ride-on mower.  He's fitted it with a 12 volt to 230 volt inverter to power a disco smoke generator so smoke comes out of the chimney (funnel ??) and he has a whistle, though a compressed air whistle sounds different from a steam whistle.  The paint job and general finish are amazing.  It's been a labour of love but, in a frank moment, he once described it to me as a 'toy'.  (Some toy!!)

[I tried to put in a photo or two but I can't get Photobucket and I can't work out how to embed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Here's the point: he's taken it to lots of steam rallies and model engineering events.  He was apprehensive about the sort of reception he might have got from people but says that the full size steam folks have been very welcoming and appreciative.  The model engineering community, on the other hand, have been very snooty and dismissive.  He included a reference to 'rivet counters'!

[doubleboost]

I would think the people who don't like it have built nothing
The bloke who BUILDS a little oscilating engine
Gets more respect from me than the bloke who SAYS he has built a Stuart triple
As long as you are having fun

[S. Heslop]

I would think the people who don't like it have built nothing

I don't think that's always the case. I think it's more down to why people are building stuff. Model making looks quite romantic, and is partly about showing off abilities, which attracts pompous people who want to show off more than just enjoy building a thing.

I remember when I was a kid watching a TV show that had some old lady model maker who was really stuck up her own behind. She'd make working engines, test them on compressed air, and then fill them with epoxy so they'd never work again, insisting that they 'weren't toys to be played with'. It really horrified me at the time since she seemed like a lady who knew more about engineering than I ever would in my lifetime. Although thanks to the internet and websites like this, I can now just laugh at how silly she was.

[John Stevenson]

Well I actually moderate on there and have to agree with you to a point.

They have many members but it's always the same few mole skin trouser brigade that's welded to armchairs that make the most noise. Roughly abbreviated to the flat earth society.
I know for a fact that many members don't like me on there as a moderator, there has even been calls to have me removed. So guess what in typical non PC, non H&S, non painting and decorating and non ironing they can all go f@## themselves.

It is all about helping people, the worse are the model engine brigade with there look at me , see what I've done, pat on the arse type posts that must put more people off than anything else.

A while ago I even started a Bodgers Lodge post showing some of the $hit and crap I have to put back in service every day. It came about because one former member emailed who he though was a friend and complained that I ran a back street bodging shop. Unfortunately that 'friend' wasn't  and I got a copy of the email.

OK I admit and do so freely, many have even visited my place and I admit that it isn't the most pristine establishment but hey I do turn some good work out, enough that the bastards won't let me retire and play.

However what this thread did was actually get fresh faces out of the woodwork saying things like "Great, real world engineering " " keep it up " etc

[bp]

I visit both sites with varying degrees of interest.
For what it's worth I always read the posts of JS, especially the Bodgers Lodge.  Doubleboosts videos are also a class act, and always good value, sometimes for humour, always for tech. interest, sometimes for both.
The people that float my boat are the rivet counters and the pompous gents who will argue about the shade of sky blue pink that Myfords painted their stuff in November 1943.
As someone said, we do it for fun, and forums like this can spread the fun far and wide.
cheers
Bill

[SwarfnStuff]

Then there are blokes like me, Absolute novices in the model making arena who still get to add our two cents worth occasionally and always get helpful suggestions should we have a question. This is my favourite go to site. I am always amazed at the skill and work a-rounds of people who are not afraid to show their oops moments and how they got around it. Me, I love this joint. 

[Pete W.]

Hi there, all,

I've managed to overcome my difficulties with Photobucket and, rather than clog this thread, I've started a thread called 'Simon's Engine' up in the 'Neat Stuff' department - there are some photos of the engine there.  (That particular 'Simon' is my neighbour - guess which one is him!  You won't see me - I'm safely behind the camera.) 

I also browse the ME site (I have a different alias there) but if it's a 'serious' thread I only post when I can do so with confidence.  It's a bit galling when my post seems to be ignored but two pages later someone quotes a British Standard Spec or some similar authoritative document that confirms what I'd posted!          

I've received lots of help and advice there and I've tried to do the same for others when I can.  If it's a lighter hearted thread then I might post a teaser with my tongue in my cheek.  If a thread bursts into flames, then I just log-off and come over here.

As regards 'arm chairs', one can reach an age where it's sometimes difficult to get out of the arm chair and into the workshop.  I'm often champing at the bit to get some workshop time.  But whether I'm in the workshop or in the arm chair, I've still been to the places I've been to and I've had the experiences that I've had and learned the lessons I've learned and it's from those that I draw when I post, in good faith, on the ME site or on here - I hope it's the same for all of us.   

[DavidA]

Pete W,

I find it easier to avoid photobucket altogether.

When I need a picture I click on 'attachments,  browse to the location of the picture on my computer,  then open the one I want.

As long as it is a .jpg it will appear on the thread.

At least it works for me.

Dave

[Manxmodder]

   Indisputable fact  .......OZ.

[Stilldrillin]

Good here. Innit! 

David D

[Kjelle]

I have visited or may be a member of a few forums, both in this genre and in others.... But I have found this place to be like your favorite pub or bar, a place to retire to when others try to rain on my parade, or as Sir John said "F" it up for you... I do remember someone start a rather racist attac on any and all users, importers of Chinese and Indian tools back at ME... An I do remember Sir John standing up and telling the guy to quit...
I like this place, I do check others, but always return here for guys like Sir John, Awemawson, Doubleboost to name a few... There are others too, I can't remember you all!

 
Kjelle

[dsquire]

Good here. Innit! 

David D

Darn right it is. None better.

Cheers 

Don

[Eugene]

I access both sites, and as a complete novice get something out of each of them.

The archived magazine material in ME is great for beginners, but the $hite software makes it a pain to download and read an article at leisure. Howsomever there aren't many laughs over yonder, it can all be a bit too po faced for me; I even got marked down for spelling by one (explosive delighted) chap.

I think the geographical spread in MM adds a lot to the fun, Aus, NZ, the US, Canada, Scandinavia, and, well, Durham. Also the "interest base" is wider here, making it more a broadly based home machinists site than the relatively introverted world of model engineering.  Just in the last few days, we've had a major rebuild on wire EDM machinery, two car restorations, diesel replica traction engine, and new V twin engine building: I like that.

Eug 

[John Rudd]

I access both sites, and as a complete novice get something out of each of them.

 Howsomever there aren't many laughs over yonder, it can all be a bit too po faced for me; I even got marked down for spelling by one (explosive delighted) chap.

I think the geographical spread in MM adds a lot to the fun, Aus, NZ, the US, Canada, Scandinavia, and, well, Durham. Also the "interest base" is wider here, making it more a broadly based home machinists site than the relatively introverted world of model engineering.  Just in the last few days, we've had a major rebuild on machinery, car restorations, and new engine building: I like that.

Eug

Well, I've resisted replying thus far.....

Can't say I've ever gotten anything useful from the aforementioned site apart from grief or being shouted down....

As for the po faced comment, yep entirely agree, it,all seems very clique based....You dont fit in unless you have a Myford are building a loco or some other steam based project with wheels....

Well back to the nursing home for me...Nurse! Nurse!.......

[Spurry]

John
So it's just Indoor Electrics for you then, or are you still partaking of outdoor aviation?
Pete