Thread: quiet around here

I’m finding this thread a little ironic, an no disrespect,but this thread has gained a bit of feed back,about the lack of feedback.

I myself, like others have said, and it seems to have started about the same time the world went sideways a few years ago now.

A bit flat, I’m struggling to find motivation,yet have plenty to do.
From a personal point of view, my own plate is very full at the moment, but I lack an appetite.

It was just the other day I was looking at our local “High street” thinking wow everyone looks flat.

It seems too me since the pandemic hit us, an upset the status quo, we seem too have fallen off the horse.

Cheers Matt.


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This subject comes up every year or two even before covid. Someone posted that people had left in favour of Facebook groups last time. Not being on FB I can’t confirm or deny. I think age has probably taken it’s toll on a lot of woodworking experienced members - either health or they’re possibly retired and travelling ? Some interesting younger members popped up awhile ago but their Instagram pages seem to be where they post what they do now. Probably making a few bucks out of it? Is there less woodworking tool innovation latey than the last decade ? That used to always get everyone going.

Reddit and Instagram get most of my woodworking internet time.

Anyway I guess that’s thank you and goodnight. I’ll be back to check up on the chisel group buy thread periodically!

Originally Posted by Simplicity

I’m finding this thread a little ironic, an no disrespect,but this thread has gained a bit of feed back,about the lack of feedback.

I myself, like others have said, and it seems to have started about the same time the world went sideways a few years ago now.

A bit flat, I’m struggling to find motivation,yet have plenty to do.
From a personal point of view, my own plate is very full at the moment, but I lack an appetite.
It was just the other day I was looking at our local “High street” thinking wow everyone looks flat.
It seems too me since the pandemic hit us, an upset the status quo, we seem too have fallen off the horse.

I wonder if a lot more people have contracted Covid and do not even realize it and now they're still recovering.
I agree about being flat - but I've been feeling that way since 2017 when I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis.
Usually Sarcoidosis leaves you short of breath but the only other listed symptom for this I've experienced was tiredness and I was at one stage having 3-4-5 naps a day.
During my last check in Sept last year the doc said that tests indicated that the sarcoidosis burning out and sure enough I am now down to 1-2 naps and sometimes I dont even have a nap - just a rest with a book or audio book but I dont actually sleep.

I'll find out more in a couple of week.

The "Toymaking" and Model Making" used to be well patronized but over the last few years has almost died in the backside, all except a very few regularly contribute, very sad indeed.....

Originally Posted by crowie

The "Toymaking" and Model Making" used to be well patronized but over the last few years has almost died in the backside, all except a very few regularly contribute, very sad indeed.....

There was a plane making competition recently, maybe if someone knows a charity, preschool, etc... that might want them, then a toy making competition could be next?

Might need a few pointers to plans for people like me who have never tried, but it could be fun and provide some motivation to others.

Originally Posted by taz01

There was a plane making competition recently, maybe if someone knows a charity, preschool, etc... that might want them, then a toy making competition could be next?

Might need a few pointers to plans for people like me who have never tried, but it could be fun and provide some motivation to others.

G’day Taz,
I’ve just recently finished a HotRod for an auction to raise funds for the SuperTee Organisation
Children's Charity | Medical Garment for Sick Kids | Supertee

Plus I did a Farm Truck for the local community clubs Easter Egg Guessing Competition fund raiser.
Both projects are on the forum in the “Toymaking Section”.

On the plans side, I collect toy plans, my current database is about 16GB, though never really follow plans much these days doing scratch built projects. Also offer assistance to all and any seeking ideas for toymaking.
Cheers crowie

Below are a few very basic stats.

Average daily threads and posts:

Dates	New THREADS	Av Daily Threads	Biggest day(s)	Smallest day(s)	POSTS
1Mar - 1Apr 22	423	14	22	6 x 2day	3,003
1Feb - 1Mar 22	456	16	24 x 3days	9 x 4days	3,017
1Jan - 1Feb 22	564	18	29	9 x 2days	4,071
1Jan - 1Feb 21	619	20	29 x2days	14	4,493
1Jan - 1Feb 20	582	19	33 x 2days	13 x 3days	4,040
1Jan - 1Feb 19	484	15	32	7 x 2days	4,121
1Jan - 1Feb 18	581	18	32	7	4,346

Back in the heyday before Renovate Forums and Metalwork Forums were split off to their own sites The entire forum was averaging between 14,000 to 21,000 Poast per month. Since then, the biggest monthly Post count was 7,923 in August 2013.

There have always been some wild fluctuations in numbers of posts/threads etc on here including in the heyday where the posts could be down 10,000 on those of the previous month.

The loss of many thousands of photos back around 2013 also caused a loss of posts for some time.

Anyway, the last few years have been similar to what they are now with a fluctuation of few hundred posts up or down per month. Our moderation is stricter now and we are not being hit with thousands of spammers per month anymore that he had to endure in the past.

The biggest drop in numbers came after we introduced the Thanks, Likes etc links as many members found it easier to hit the link rather than to respond to posts with a comment.

Hope this is of some interest and shows a little of what has happened.

Cheers - Neil

Perhaps I should say "Thanks Neil" in person to bolster the numbers instead of just clicking "Thanks."

thanks Neil, quite interesting.

Guess I need to spend more time doing other stuff instead of 'visiting' her 5-6 times a day.

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

Perhaps I should say "Thanks Neil" in person to bolster the numbers instead of just clicking "Thanks."

Ditto

Yvan

We used to post a lot more on Fridays

Originally Posted by ubeaut

Below are a few very basic stats.

Average daily threads and posts:

Dates	New THREADS	Av Daily Threads	Biggest day(s)	Smallest day(s)	POSTS
1Mar - 1Apr 22	423	14	22	6 x 2day	3,003
1Feb - 1Mar 22	456	16	24 x 3days	9 x 4days	3,017
1Jan - 1Feb 22	564	18	29	9 x 2days	4,071
1Jan - 1Feb 21	619	20	29 x2days	14	4,493
1Jan - 1Feb 20	582	19	33 x 2days	13 x 3days	4,040
1Jan - 1Feb 19	484	15	32	7 x 2days	4,121
1Jan - 1Feb 18	581	18	32	7	4,346

Anyway, the last few years have been similar to what they are now with a fluctuation of few hundred posts up or down per month.

Thanks for the data Neil.

I started to plot a few graphs but then realized they are not necessary.
My reading of the numbers is as follows,
Comparing the average number of threads between Jan 2018 and Jan 2022, with the average of Feb/Mar 2022, there is a 29% reduction
A comparison of posts between the same two periods, the reduction is clearly more than "a few hundred" - more like a "1200", which is also a drop of 29%
Both are consistent with what I'm experiencing.

However I'm not exactly comparing apples with apples and to be fair we need to see the data for Feb and March for 2018, 19, 20 and 21. It may be that kids going back to school etc at those times always leaves many folks with less time to post at this time of the year.

Forums still have many fans but from what I can gather younger people are starting to (or for some time have) favour other forms of social media. I even know a few older pharts who are starting to dabble in these other forms. My son thinks forms are clunky even though he spends a fair bit of time on Redit.

Getting back to the point I made and from a long term poster POV those who used to post on a regular basis has noticeably changed and you only have to look at the post counts to see that. There was a group that came together in Sydney for some years that used to meet on an irregular basis for a BBQ or other reason and just about all those do not post here any longer or if they do on a very irregular basis. Things change and fora use on the net has changed due to the take up of FB etc. I suspect a lot of those who no longer post here have a passing interest in reading but their ned to post has gone away. My participation up to now has been for business reasons and I will be more a reader than a contributor from now on.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

. . . . . Things change and fora use on the net has changed due to the take up of FB etc.

I think this nails it.

People I know who only got onto the internet in the last few years are more likely to look for answers on youtube or elsewhere. People who have stuff to show off are increasing more likely to use instagram or snapchat or similar.