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+-- Thread: Back in the Day (/showthread.php?tid=7351433)
RE: Back in the Day - Big Dave - 11-29-2019
What I miss the most are the project threads. It's nice to watch a project progress during a build (I love Derek's posts...), but I would be just as happy with pics & stories of completed projects. There used to be a lot projects posted here and it was a pleasure to see the the styles & techniques used. Most of the comments were complimentary, and the questions created some good conversation...
I try to look at every project post. I don't get on here as often but when I do, those are the ones I look for. It seems the only forum that regularly sees pics of projects is in Woodturning - and there's some amazing stuff going on in there! I admit, I haven't posted all the projects I've completed either, though there have been a few. But it makes me wonder how many of us are actually doing any woodworking?
As for the flame wars and name calling - I turn off a thread pretty quickly when I see that. I don't need it, and I sure as h*ll don't want it. I never saw the point in arguing in an online forum...
Yup, what I miss is the actual woodworking....
Dave
RE: Back in the Day - bandit571 - 11-29-2019
Been here almost 10 years, I think.
Remember a long time ago, IF I wanted to post pictures of my projects...the process was too restrictive..think Photobucket. 
Drifted away for a few years...
Got an "invite" to come back....said things were better now. Thanks, Arlin!
Now? More known for the "Build-along" projects I do.....
RE: Back in the Day - cputnam - 11-29-2019
Hay Big Dave -
"One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyrany, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways." Lazurus Long in Time Enough for Love - correct? I've probably read that book 10 times over the years.
RE: Back in the Day - Big Dave - 11-29-2019
(11-29-2019, 08:12 PM)cputnam Wrote: Hay Big Dave -
Lazurus Long in Time Enough for Love - correct? I've probably read that book 10 times over the years.
He may have said it, but it's a quote from Bertrand Russell, English mathematician & Philosopher...
RE: Back in the Day - joemac - 11-30-2019
Everyone danced around age. Woodworking for the most part is practiced by fellows far beyond their prime. So when wondering where everyone went, take into account that many of us are well past our expiration date. Injury, illness and a visit from the Reaper accounts for a fair number of MIA’s. Hard to count tails n’ pins when you are counting doctor appointments.
RE: Back in the Day - cputnam - 11-30-2019
(11-30-2019, 04:52 PM)joemac Wrote: Everyone danced around age. Woodworking for the most part is practiced by fellows far beyond their prime. So when wondering where everyone went, take into account that many of us are well past our expiration date. Injury, illness and a visit from the Reaper accounts for a fair number of MIA’s. Hard to count tails n’ pins when you are counting doctor appointments.
Unfortunately too entirely true. I'm also guilty of being past my prime.
RE: Back in the Day - Mike Brady - 11-30-2019
(11-30-2019, 04:52 PM)joemac Wrote: Everyone danced around age. Woodworking for the most part is practiced by fellows far beyond their prime. So when wondering where everyone went, take into account that many of us are well past our expiration date. Injury, illness and a visit from the Reaper accounts for a fair number of MIA’s. Hard to count tails n’ pins when you are counting doctor appointments.
Joe, does John Clifford still work wood? Both of you guys added a lot here.
You know there is a bit of a mystery here: Hand tools still sell readily in the S&S, which tells me that many hand tool guys still lurk, but just don't post. Honestly, I don't blame them.
RE: Back in the Day - Derek Cohen - 11-30-2019
(11-30-2019, 08:49 PM)Mike Brady Wrote: ....which tells me that many hand tool guys still lurk, but just don't post. Honestly, I don't blame them.
Well, I wish they would, especially those that do not lurk. A big part of the reason I post pictorial of my builds is to encourage discussion: about design, construction, technique ... not an 'atta boy'. Without participation, I have no idea whether anyone is interested. It is very disheartening. There are enough members here to build a good thread ... and this will encourage others to join the forum.
Regards from Perth
Derek
RE: Back in the Day - joemac - 12-01-2019
(11-30-2019, 08:49 PM)Mike Brady Wrote: Joe, does John Clifford still work wood? Both of you guys added a lot here.
You know there is a bit of a mystery here: Hand tools still sell readily in the S&S, which tells me that many hand tool guys still lurk, but just don't post. Honestly, I don't blame them.
Mike, I don't really know. It has been two years since I spoke to or heard from John. At that time I sold him a Clark & Williamson plane that I had made and just didn't use any more.
RE: Back in the Day - jstraw - 12-01-2019
I was posting on this forum early on. As there were limited hand tool community options on the web at the time, I watched the knowledge base skyrocket quickly. Realized that I was out of my league on many subjects talked about on this forum. So, I became a giant sponge, absorbing knowledge as much as possible.
What has contributed to the decline in activity on this forum is the growth of options in the hand tools community. All the new hand tool companies started since this forum’s creation is testimony to the improved popularity. There is just more options now, that are easier to share through videos and pictures, I agree that the popularity of WoodNet took a hit with the “upgrades” that made it even harder to tell your story with accompanying pictures and video. I participate in other non-woodworking forums that are still going strong because of their software.
I’ve always considered myself a hybrid woodworker. Shop time is limited, so I’ve always focused on the most efficient and safest method that provided the best and most consistent results. Hand tools often win out in the building process over power tools, especially when you consider the setup time and which option is the safest.
A recent move has forced me to divide my shop space between a power tool area and a hand tool space. I find that over 50% of my production time is in the hand tool space. Some tasks just give better results with hand tools. A basic picture frame is a good example. Sneaking up to four perfect and tight miters is just easier with a handsaw and shooting board, vs a power miter saw or table saw. Used to hate making small frames on the power saws, with my hands so close to the blade and all the setup and test cuts necessary to get a perfect miter. Because of the knowledge gleamed from this forum, a small, mitered picture frame is a stress free 10 minute task at the workbench. That is just one minor example of how hand tool work has improved my enjoyment and results.
All that said, I took the approach with this forum of not waisting everyone’s time by me preaching to the choir. The vast majority of my hand tool posts have been in other forums, pointing out hand tool options to specific questions when I feel there is a safer, cheaper, or better woodworking method with a simple hand tool.
This thread has made me think that I should post more in this forum. Just don’t ask me to post a bunch of pics because that takes the enjoyment out of it for me.