Encouragement, futur and my opinion

[spkrman15]

Over the past while, i have seen several instances where individuals discourage, critize and mock others efforts. I am not taking aim at anyone on this board or another, but rather a GENERAL comment on the type of people in mechanically related feilds. Mechanics, engineers, etc.

Why? Why do we do this to each other? I am always seeing comments as to "They are cancelling the millwright program @ such school" OR " It is being manufactured in X country. So there is no work for local engineers". Why should people enroll. Society is not rewarding financially those who are mechanically inclinded and then we as a group allienate them further.

As an example I was reading some posts on another board, and there was someone asking for help. He wanted to learn how to balance rotating assemblies. A member replied

"Most of us learned these little details over a period of many years and many alignments that often didn't go well. Mistakes were made, techniques were developed. And it wasn't easy.

I wish I could tell you exactly how to do an alignment, and how to do it "the easy way", but I can't, and also.... I won't.

We can help, but you have to do the work. Figure it out. Learn by doing.".

These kind of posts help no one. They also push away those who might have an intrest. The spirit to fix / repair / get dirty is a rare one in these times. We should encourage it. I know for a fact that some individuals are not surrounded by someone to mentor them. We need to be that mentor.

So, if you can, the next time someone asks how to cut threads, PLEASE don't post "It has been answered before...do a search" just say, "the best way is like this, or i have had success doing it this way...etc." Make them feel welcomed.

I was lucky, Everyone here did that for me....now i earn my living thanks to the advice i recieved here.

Rob

[vpt]

These kind of posts have been made many times before, did you search before making this post?

[becksmachine]

These kind of posts have been made many times before, did you search before making this post?

I don't know if he made a search or not but it seems that some folks need periodic reminders, so it seems relevant to me.

Dave

[tdmidget]

Damn vpt, that was GOOD!!

[garagemark]

Unfortunately, all the "let's get along" threads in the world won't change the way things run. Most of us have the demeanor that we have. You will not change my mind. You will not change my views. You will not change my politics.

When I post questions or inquiries here, I kind of expect a certain amount of snobbery. A lot of time it never happens, but once in a while....

There is no such thing as one big happy family on the Internet. People contribute writings to a given group from all over the globe, and things like language barriers, poor spelling, poor grammar, and so on can easily contribute to someone else's attitude toward that individual (we have had many threads on just such issues).

Bottom line is- post your thoughts and questions.... and then stand back. Flash over the a-rod answers and take in the legitimate ones. I have found that through all the replies to my various posts, including the ones that pisss me off, I eventually get good solid information.

And the rest of you can bite it.

Mark

[Elninio]

This is just a normal everyday thing in the technical fields, but you may enjoy reading my friend's experiences in the IT industry and academic industry. He must have some 500 hand-crafted pages addressing the issue.

http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/paradigm.html (note this is for computing)

[J. Randall]

Over the past while, i have seen several instances where individuals discourage, critize and mock others efforts. I am not taking aim at anyone on this board or another, but rather a GENERAL comment on the type of people in mechanically related feilds. Mechanics, engineers, etc.

Why? Why do we do this to each other? I am always seeing comments as to "They are cancelling the millwright program @ such school" OR " It is being manufactured in X country. So there is no work for local engineers". Why should people enroll. Society is not rewarding financially those who are mechanically inclinded and then we as a group allienate them further.

As an example I was reading some posts on another board, and there was someone asking for help. He wanted to learn how to balance rotating assemblies. A member replied

"Most of us learned these little details over a period of many years and many alignments that often didn't go well. Mistakes were made, techniques were developed. And it wasn't easy.

I wish I could tell you exactly how to do an alignment, and how to do it "the easy way", but I can't, and also.... I won't.

We can help, but you have to do the work. Figure it out. Learn by doing.".

These kind of posts help no one. They also push away those who might have an intrest. The spirit to fix / repair / get dirty is a rare one in these times. We should encourage it. I know for a fact that some individuals are not surrounded by someone to mentor them. We need to be that mentor.

So, if you can, the next time someone asks how to cut threads, PLEASE don't post "It has been answered before...do a search" just say, "the best way is like this, or i have had success doing it this way...etc." Make them feel welcomed.

I was lucky, Everyone here did that for me....now i earn my living thanks to the advice i recieved here.

Rob

I don't think you gave that guy a fair shake, if you are going to copy from his answer word for word, you should at least give his entire answer, not just cherry pick a paragraph you did not like. Or for that matter post a link to the whole thread. I went and read the thread, and I just did not see what you are seeing.
James

[Black_Moons]

Odd, I really like how this forum acts. I think everyone is very well behaved. Some arguements at times, but they usally remain civil (Since the last banning anyway)

I do wish people would search the forum a little more first, but then, im guilty of that too.

Maybe we need referance sticky thread?

[Your Old Dog]

When the topic has come up in the past I always made this point...and will continue to make it. People move in and out of these forums. If you only rely on a search you only get an old answer. It's just possible that a new member has a better way of accomplishing something then the archives would suggest.

Threading questions will continue to be popular around here as this is not the Professional Shop Machinist forum but the Home Shop Machinist. The more questions we get on threading the better the proof that the craft and our host's product are useful and productive to perspective customers.

[justanengineer]

The comments you speak of often come from people searching for a single answer when in fact there often is none but many multiple ways of doing things. Call me crazy, but suggesting someone get out and try something that might have a bit of "black magic" to it is about the best advice you can often give IMHO. Example = Ive read many books on auto bodywork along with watching both videos and live professionals in the shop. I could get descriptions all day long, yet until I started actually hammering on tin I only learned single processes and not how to tie them together.

Regarding suggesting using the search tool, I think that is often to encourage people to read and research, in addition to limiting the number of pointless repetitive threads. I cant count the number of people I personally know who have wanted me to teach them to operate machine tools, but know very few who actually have due to their unwillingness to put in the necessary reading time. Could I take the time to teach them every little thing including precision measurement, fixturing, and machine operations? Yup. But why should I have to? Ive never known a teacher that was required to teach you 100% of the material, the impetus is on you to read on your own, learn, and do the necessary homework. Expecting anything else is just plain ridiculous.

I too think this forum is rather well behaved. I am a member of several that arent half as civil or understanding/tolerant of others.