could someone please explain!!!

[Dalboy]

Hi guys,
I have noticed recently the lack of turnings that
appear on the forum, out of 30 posts, maybe only
3or 4 serious turnings !!

This is nothing new as on many forums I find this is the case there seems plenty of questions which is great for the turner as this is one of the reasons for forums.

Another thing that I have noticed is that when someone does post a piece for Comment or just to show their work that many will not make a comment for a couple of reasons first I think people are afraid to say that a piece is wrong just in case they offend the poster so they either don't post or just say "That is good" or words to that effect, I believe that if someone makes a negative comment it should be accompanied with a short piece on why.
Secondly I think the "Like" button gets used to much instead of leaving a comment and should be disposed of all together. Yes I have been guilty of using it as well

Also something I have noticed is that turners who seem to move up the scale and start producing better than average work(I use that term loosely) seem to move from one forum to another to stay in that group who also produce that level of work.

I am guilty of not showing a lot in this section as I have been playing with casting my own blanks and turning pens as well as following things in the toymaking section.

[TrickinWood]

I haven't been a poster on the forums in a while (and to be honest I've completely missed all the unpleasantness, but I usually put it down to the usual keyboard warriors if I see it) but I don't post pictures of my work simply because it's easier to do on Facebook. I usually use my phone to take photos of things in the shed and it's much easier to upload from there than to put it on the computer, re-size it and then post online. That's pretty much the only reason for me.

Josh

The one good thing with this forum, is you have TapaTalk to help you out with this. You can take a photo on your Phone/iPad and using the + symbol, upload a photo straight into the thread you want, and I believe It Auto Resize's for you. Happy this forum uses Tapa because there are so many I venture into that don't.
This is another avenue for you and many others, if they didn't realise TapaTalk is around

[pictureman]

I am new to this forum as well and I can say that what is happening here is nothing new. I will say this that when something is written you can never hear the tone in which it was meant, so some may take it the wrong way. Just my 2c worth, as you were.

p.s I will post up some pics of my latest job when finished.

[smiife]

Hi guys,
Oh wow, I didn, t want to stir up a hornets nest or drag up
previous hostilities, i personally have been on this forum
for 6 yrs and in all that time have never received any unpleasent
PM, s. I received lots of information and help which i think has
helped me become a better woodturner, also I have made some
friends who have given not only there time but also freely given
wood blanks and lent tools and asked for nothing in return!
I think the point of posting photos for others to see helps all
of us to get ideas and improve our skills as we go along the
woodturning journey !
It would be great if everone could move on from past problems
but life ain, t that simple is it,
I think there is a problem with the rules around the AWTEX
posting photos on this and other forums and FB. I also
think that has had a negative effect on this forum, but I
understand the need for the rule too! If we want good quality
work on the forum how can we view it?
Thanks to everone who has responded to this thread
I appreciate your thoughts and respect them too!

[powderpost]

I don't think that AWTEX is a big problem. It does affect me personally, but I am only one. How many forumites only make stuff for AWTEX?

I don't often comment because I often come on line late in the conversation and can not see the point of adding to what I has already been said unless I disagree. Over the years we have all seen clubs, groups, internet "groups", "clubs" and forums come and go, as the novelty wears off. I do agree that a small group of "senior" members can tend to form a cliche at the expense of inadvertently putting off newer members. I am not sure that that has happened here. Many get what they came for and leave.

In times past, a simple post "Now kiddies, play nicely", usually calmed things down. There has been comments and I often wonder if I have contributed to that. Type written words do not show any emotion, and can be miss interpreted.

I wonder if a "file cabinet", or an index, or some thing similar where new members can go to, to find threads about which lathe, tools, chucks etc. to buy?

Any body in for a heated debate on sex, politics or religion?? Just kidding.... really.

Jim

[Mobyturns]

Any body in for a heated debate on sex, politics or religion?? Just kidding.... really.

Jim

How about tool steels, gouges grinds or skews? That should be enough.

One comment I will make is that generally I have found the members I have purchased items from through the market place to be very honest & helpful to the point of going above & beyond and that 98% of exchanges I have had with members through the forums have been very positive. I find the WWF to be a pretty well controlled forum and a credit to Neil and his moderators. Moderating is a tough gig that will never please everybody all of the time.

[Big A]

An interesting read all of that. I too have wondered what has happened to this part of the forum (as I compare it to the Metalworker part) and have noted the downturn in postings and display of work.

Recently a member put up some work and suffered for it, and that alone would put people off, but to me the "problem" goes back a bit and is not just one thing. The kerfuffle about the judging of AWTEX last year was somewhat less than edifying, the departure of an "old" member because he seemed to have had a gutful, at least one contributor now puts his efforts into his own website, and some seemed to have moved on to other things.

When one asks for C & C, you would reasonably expect constructive posts, but some of can be destructive. And I am pretty sure that I could critique a piece without causing offence. Except for the time I said that "only it's Mother could love it" - post that binned.

Some of you may recall that about this time last year I had the temerity to post a work in progress about a Murray River Redgum "brakedrum". That attracted some good comments and advice, but also unwarranted criticism from a prince of bombast. I stayed on though.

I have simple tastes and turn simple things that would not attract much attention here, so I do not post about them.

I do not have a problem with Mobyturns safety and I would not want to be a moderator.

Cheers,
Alister.

[Tim Creeper]

Very interesting reading. As one who has only posted a few items I've made. (truth is, I don't make much and delve in different areas when I do). I have noticed less activity in all the areas I hang around. I don't know why but after this little read I think things on the forum are going swimmingly. Sounds like perfectly normal human activity. Some need to say more, some need to say less, some need to toughen up and some need to toughen down. Ain't bein' human grand! Me; well I change mood a lot and at the moment I just trolling mostly and liking cos it's where it is at the moment. Not making nuffin either.
Tim

[ubeaut]

Sixteen years ago these forums were new and something pretty rare.

Because of this and the fact that I knew a lot of woodworkers and let the word get passed around the forums grew steadily and flourished. But that was sixteen years ago when mobile phones were bricks. Computers took two cups of tea to load up and high speed internet ran at snails pace. To include a photo in a post you had to scan it, (if you were rich enough to have a scanner) into your computer with a *TWAIN* connection to get it into the computer then fiddle with it in a graphics program, then upload it to the forums, a couple of hour work, only to find the connection had dropped out or the minute 30kb file was to big, another two hours, half a pack of cigarettes and a few cups of tea later you either got it on line or gave up in disgust. Back then there were no digital cameras. Phones made phone calls and nothing else and forums were something new wonderful and exciting.

*TWAIN* Thing (or Technology) With An Interesting Name was an interface to connect a graphics device to a computer. There was no such thing as USB.

The forums were a way for people to share information, experiences and help with like minded people from all around the world and Woodwork Forums was a breath of fresh air in that we were a lot less stuffy and strict than the other couple of forums that were around in those days. Unfortunately being a little less strict eventually led to some ratbags hijacking threads with drivel (which they thought was fun/funny) and giving others a hard time. Partly because of the perceived anonymity of forums where you don't have to use their own name. We worked long and hard to shut this sort of garbage down and make this a better place to be. We lost a lot of members, many of them really good ones, because of this and I for one am happy to see the end that sort of behaviour. Some say the fun has gone from the forums but it hasn't. Just the drivel, garbage and constant harassment has gone or at least mostly gone compared to what it was.

Today every kid and most adults have at least one mobile device with a hundred times more power and speed and functions than even the best computers had 16 years ago They can take photos and movies better than the best cameras of 16 years ago and they can share that info with their friends and the world on Facebook, Twitter, and a myriad of other social media sited.

Forums to many are old hat but reliable. I doubt we will ever see a time on these forums like we had up until a few years ago when the world went mad with iThings and other mobile devices.

There seems to be a consensus among a <strike>multitude of members</strike> one or two members that the forums are going to wrack and ruin.

Here's a few stats I did at 01:08am 26th August:

Most users on line at the same time 4,180, 1st Jun 2015

It's now after 1:00am and there are currently 1348 users online only 172 members, around 1060 visitors and 116 bots updating search engines.

New Threads:

6069 from 1 January 2015 to 31 July 2015 average 29 per day

New Posts:

54,309 from 1 January 2015 to 31 July 2015

Last 30 days

822 new threads average 27 per day up on previous 30 days
8,114 new posts average 270 per day up on previous 30 days

New members:

69,581 January 2015 to 31 July 2015 - average of 1379 per month

So that means <strike>the droves</strike> one or two people leaving (even at 1 or 2 per day) are being replaced by 44 - 45 new members per day and each of these new members has the potential to become as long standing and prolific as others who have come and gone before them. It's not the war of attrition some make it out to be, it's all in their minds. Some feel that if they leave the whole thing will crumble and fall over. They and their knowledge and friendship, etc, may very well be missed but they will not bring about the downfall of the forums.

At 11:19pm tonight there were 1765 users online. 235 members and 1530 guests. Of the guests a rough count of 65 were Google bots and a further 11 were bots from other search engines. the other 1454 were people interested in the forums for what they are. A valuable resource.

We are sitting on around the same figures across the entire forum now as we have been for the last 3+ years if anything we are slightly up on some of the stats.

Wha's happened to the forums can be likened to the Timber & Working With Wood Show and a lot of shops.
When the T&WWWShows started 26 years ago there was no late night trading, hardly any weekend trading, no internet and for most people no time to get out during working hours to look at tools and equipment etc. So the shows over 3 days (4 days initially) were something wondrous and the crowds flocked to them. Imagine open late Friday and Saturday night and all day Sunday and specifically for woodworking people.... Unheard of.

Now the shops are open 7 days a week and you can flex time off to look for what you want if you want if you want to do it the hard way, or you can do it instantly on your iThing or from the comfort of your home on the old fashioned desktop computer. And people say the organisers have ruined the show. Nup, it's technology, pure and simple.

OK I reckon that's enough reminiscing and rambling on for one night.

Cheers - Neil

[Paul39]

Thanks Neil,

That gives some perspective.

I look at some of the USA turning forums from time to time, but somehow I am most comfortable in this one.

Thanks for running it.

[Oldgreybeard]

At 11:19pm tonight there were 1765 users online. 235 members and 1530 guests. Of the guests a rough count of 65 were Google bots and a further 11 were bots from other search engines. the other 1454 were people interested in the forums for what they are. A valuable resource.

We are sitting on around the same figures across the entire forum now as we have been for the last 3+ years if anything we are slightly up on some of the stats.

Cheers - Neil ]

You were too quick with the stats. I reckon you could have won a few bucks in bets from a lot of members (me included). I am happy to have been proven wrong.
Bob

[DaveTTC]

I consider myself a turner lacking experience and time.

I dont know if i have put any serious turnings on the site but in time i hope to get there.

There is so much on my plate i font get 1% of the time i would like working in the cave

Interesting read. Took my entire lunch break.

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art