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Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 2:14 pm
by MadRussian
MontuckyMadman wrote:
MadRussian wrote: Where old MM when you need one lol
Meh. I gave up.
don't give up we need you


you used to drive me nuts. In reality those not answered questions drive me to find my own way of doing things instead of waiting for someone throw you a bone

I believe those people who contribute NOTHING to the site and asking same stupid questions over and over again sometimes using multiple threads about their "problem" should be IGNORED

Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 7:55 pm
by sammer
Ya, I thought about this the other day as I was responding to one.
Don't know what got into me. :|

sam

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 10:39 pm
by LifeisRiding
There is so much great info on here, and every once and awhile when the same question comes up again there is some new information added, like a new take on a process a new supplier or such.

I agree that the site is getting harder to navigate to find what you need, but there has got to be a better solution then just letting it build up this way and referring newbies to google searching

It *could* probably work out alright if there were more stickies at the top of the forums. These threads could each address all the questions that come up again and again. When someone makes a new post asking the same question, a moderator could move it to being a reply post in the proper sticky thread. Then delete the new thread.

As new topics become recurring, new stickies could be made to condense them all into one thread so that only truly new posts are listed below.

Keeping the clutter down while at the same time allowing for open dialogue and continued conversations is a great goal.

This would be nicer then just shutting down any question asking. Sometimes there are new questions that sound very similar to old questions. Sometimes there are new answers. Obviously we all know how hard it can be to try and find that thing you read 6 months ago on this site so its not totally the fault of newbies who have to sift through thousands of post to find their answers.

I would be happy to volunteer some time searching through whats already here and helping to compile stickies for the worst repeat questions.


In other news... I saw this pic today and got a total snow hard on.



Hitting Fernie first chair tomorrow morning for my first day of the season! Its been a dismal snow situation up here in BC so far.

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 12:57 pm
by pmg
LifeisRiding wrote:I agree that the site is getting harder to navigate to find what you need, but there has got to be a better solution then just letting it build up this way and referring newbies to google searching.
Well spoken :)

The idea with the stickies ain't bad.

Another thing that causes more work at the beginning but surely is the premium solution is to add a Wiki to this site, where the most frequent topics are covered well. Just the important info (why? and how?), without a lot of discussion that is more confusion than help to newbies.

The discussions in these long threads are surely one of the reasons why questions are re-asked even if those threads are found. So much discussion around the facts that its just too much for someone not familiar with the topic.

Perhaps some eager newbies can be found that gather the information and write it down in an article - would be nice, wouldn't it?

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 11:01 pm
by twizzstyle
I like the idea of more organization/stickies. The main SkiBuilders.com website has a pretty great how-to section that Kam/Kelvin put together many years ago. It was great then, but lots of the methods many of us old-timers use now have evolved over the years and that website doesn't really reflect the current status-quo for home builder methods.

There are a few things that could be done:
- Sticky threads that act as "indexes", with links to valuable threads that either contain lots of discussion, or maybe just some basic valuable information
- Sticky threads that are newly-written "guides", something similar to the How-To section on the main SB site, just updated - this would need to be a slightly collaborative effort, maybe initially done outside the forum and once polished up posted, as every one of us does things slightly differently.
- Or the easy cop-out, sticky threads that inspire/encourage people to do their research and reading before posting with very basic/rudimentary questions.

Of course this all assumes I can figure out how to make a thread a sticky?

Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 11:05 pm
by twizzstyle
pmg wrote: Perhaps some eager newbies can be found that gather the information and write it down in an article - would be nice, wouldn't it?
Problem is eager newbies don't understand why certain methods are done the way they are, so they may leave out very important details because they don't have the experience/tribal knowledge to back up the process. I think this would need to be headed up by the more experienced folks. Problem there is most of us don't have time!

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2014 3:30 am
by pmg
Well,

what I can think of is more like having the article framework madee by someone experienced, and then let it be filled up by different persons.

E.g. "Flame treatment of plastics"
- Why to flame treat plastics
- How to:
* What can you use for flaming
* when to flame
* how to test if flame treatment worked
- See how other builders do it (links to posts/threads)
- Useful web resources (e.g. the crown plastic videos)
- Interesting discussions in the forum

This is a rough structure, but imo has a place for all information you would want to find on that topic. Then some people would just have to invest a bit of work once, and this could partly be newbies (I am a newbie on flaming, thats why I took this topic).

Cheers

Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2014 7:40 am
by OAC
When I started in 2007, I loved the "HOWTO-section it really gave me the kick to start building. I realized pretty quick that it was just ONE way of doing it and register to the forum and found a lot of other ways of doing things. Sometimes you find it by searching the forum and sometimes by asking and sometimes by figuring out by self. That should be the case even now. :)

I have to admit that I have been a jerk in some posts coming with idiotic questions and suggestions. But this ski building bizz have gotten me carried away several times....in all directions :D

I now have a setup that I'm very pleased with and needs very little adjustments and everything has evolved from here!(more or less...;) )

Happy new building year!

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 6:51 am
by MadRussian
I think sticky is a great idea. It will take a lot of time and effort to write new "how-to" and imo not necessary. Original "how to" can be used as a guideline.imo beginners sometimes take how to section literally and unknowingly start to recycling old problems.

IMO best and simplest way would be to start separate sticky on different subjects which will compile over time similarly to sticky about layup/factory tour video" or "DIY silicone blanket" where everybody contribute over time. Also can be compiled links to threads or individual posts related to the subject of the sticky.

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:24 am
by twizzstyle
Do you think it would be better to write the sticky threads as fairly detailed guides, and then lock them so there are no discussions? Or leave them open for people to discuss/question/argue/etc?

I'm wondering if only admins can make threads stickies? I can't seem to figure out how to do it as a moderator.

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:54 am
by MadRussian
how to have enough information to get understanding what involved in process to make the skis. I think not necessarily in form of "beginners guide how to make skis" lol but more important to have references resource for ALL of us to use (thread about silicone blankets good example) including beginners. Detailed guide is nice but I believe is not necessary and time-consuming to make. IMO ski maker is a skill which take time to develop and no guide can help develop needed skills

I think open forum where people can discuss and contribute the best. again this should be done not ONLY to help beginners but most importantly as a references for ALL builders

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:13 am
by pmg
The thing is: If you are new to anything here (not just skibuilding in general, but maybe also a part of skibuilding like building a press), you find so damn much information by searching that its very easy to get confused. And after hours of reading and more and more confusion happens what? Yes of course - a new thread is started where the newbie can clear up all his confusions.

So I would try to build stickies that gather basic information (why? what different possibilities to do this are there?) and link a lot of additional information there.

E.g. building a press:
* 2 ways to do it
- vacuum
- pressure
* Pros and Cons of both methods
* links to threads where you can see how others built vacuum presses
* links to threads where you can see how others built pressure presses

Discussion may be needed but if there is too much it destroys the clarity of such a thread.

IMO the confusion when finding too much information is the main reason why people search little and ask a lot.

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:20 am
by pmg
When creating information to help people that have (much) less experience its always useful not to think in information that you could provide but in questions. This will lead to a clear view on which information is important and which is not.

Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2014 12:45 pm
by MadRussian
Press is unique subject once it constructed properly there are no need to make modifications. Everything else constantly evolving.
Beginner sometimes don't understand if not familiar with anything what's involved to make skis namely woodworking, welding, toolmaking and metal fabrication. First they should familiarize themselves with those or at least have a friend who can help.


pmg wrote:When creating information to help people that have (much) less experience its always useful not to think in information that you could provide but in questions. This will lead to a clear view on which information is important and which is not.
I believe sometimes people fail to understand in the beginning. this is expensive and VERY DANGEROUS hobby. they need to learn how to operate equipment and operate it safely.

This 2 subjects alone will cut number of questions probably in half

Overall I like your framework.

Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 6:47 pm
by sammer
Bump for M.R.

You're starting to sound like me!

sam