A couple of minor changes to the forum

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Chris Pyle
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Tue Feb 14, 2017 1:16 pm

Chris Hall wrote:Jon,

appreciate your comment. I do sometimes think that as I have progressed from kitchen to 'shop with many large lumps of iron', I have moved away from relatable content for a certain cluster of readers.

I imagine some people are annoyed I enjoy using a milling machine so much these days to do woodwork. But I made a decision early on that I didn't want to be one of those blogs which produces content for the sole purpose of luring readers and cranking up page views. So I skipped entirely the use of keywords and stuff like that, and don't do posts along the lines of 'Woodworking 101'. It may end up that what i am doing and blogging becomes of interest to a smaller and smaller group of people. So be it.

I find myself wondering a lot these days if moving to a video blogging format might be something to look at. I personally do enjoy a few different video blogs on Youtube. But I also find myself liking the ads on youtube less and less every day, and subjecting others to that is kinda lousy. Producing videos well is also a heap of work and time, much more so than writing, and that's something to weigh for sure.

Anyway, i'm glad my blog has been of usefulness to you over the years.
Video blogging - vlogging, would be a very welcomed addition. It's incredibly useful to see how something is done. The ads are something we all agree to based on the free-tier of usage. A free video hosting platform that requires a 5s add teaser with the occasional 30sec add is a small inconvenience for the rapid access to information. There are plenty of things I dislike about capitalist culture but I do my best to worry about the things I can control.

The work is the sticking point. Video recording/editing is no small task but even an unpolished video from you is magnitudes more valuable than most of the well-produced drivel in circulation.

One I really like watching is: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCworsK ... 6-BnIjS2MA It's a very well-produced metalworking vlog. There is always something along the lines of Patreon, if you commit to the vlog idea. People can support your video making efforts in exchange for the content. I don't know how you imagine your potential vlog? Capture the steps in your projects, ie - layout/cutout? Willing to start from the rudimentary to help people work up from the basics? That may not interest you but that'd be an almost sure fire way to find supporters. Joinery studies through the vlog format would be incredibly valuable. Especially if you were willing to show cutout with a few different methods (as you said, not everyone has a milling machine handy). Same with the Carpentry Study group. It'd be very valuable to either watch you work through a drawing or work through the cutout, assembly.

A large amount of information can be transmitted through the written word but video can really fill in the details, especially for people like me who have no family members or friends working with wood (barring my father in law, a devout Norm Abram disciple. Not meant to be derisive).

If you decide to do any of the above, tell me where you'd like the recurring payments sent.
durbien
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Tue Feb 14, 2017 4:08 pm

I'd love to see you vlog.. We could all benefit from seeing you work on your skookum tools. :p
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Chris Hall
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Tue Feb 14, 2017 5:40 pm

Chris,

if you would like to take the lead with dealing with some of the forum admin stuff, I'd be open to that. The current version of phpbb we are using is extremely out of date and I don't know how to upgrade it, and neither does the hosting service.
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Brian
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Tue Feb 14, 2017 9:30 pm

Chris Hall wrote:Jon,

appreciate your comment. I do sometimes think that as I have progressed from kitchen to 'shop with many large lumps of iron', I have moved away from relatable content for a certain cluster of readers.

I imagine some people are annoyed I enjoy using a milling machine so much these days to do woodwork. But I made a decision early on that I didn't want to be one of those blogs which produces content for the sole purpose of luring readers and cranking up page views. So I skipped entirely the use of keywords and stuff like that, and don't do posts along the lines of 'Woodworking 101'. It may end up that what i am doing and blogging becomes of interest to a smaller and smaller group of people. So be it.

I find myself wondering a lot these days if moving to a video blogging format might be something to look at. I personally do enjoy a few different video blogs on Youtube. But I also find myself liking the ads on youtube less and less every day, and subjecting others to that is kinda lousy. Producing videos well is also a heap of work and time, much more so than writing, and that's something to weigh for sure.

Anyway, i'm glad my blog has been of usefulness to you over the years.

Thats probably true, but mostly because there are fewer people who can find the information immediately useful. I would imagine your blog is mainly traveled by experienced readers and those highly interested in design and woodworking at a very capacity.

I would imagine the key to success in wood-blogging would be woodworking 101, tool setup, sharpening stone musing, and posts specifically about hand tools and likely only commenting on the few Japanese hand tools that are interesting to a broad audience.

However, that would be boring as hell to the mid-advanced woodworker, so I'm glad that you have taken the approach that you have and have detailed your process, whatever the process may be.

I do short videos myself, and it really gets in the way of doing the work much more so than taking a photo here and there. I don't even bother with putting advertisements except on a few videos, the income is so low it is barely noticeable.

You'd probably get a really good response from online carpentry classes, setting up a time and having everyone join in and pay whatever fee per class.
Matt J
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:36 pm

But I also find myself liking the ads on youtube less and less
If you're tired of ads on youtube get you some Firefox and adblock plus! I haven't suffered through youtube ads in years, I don't think I could go back. Dunno if other browsers have similar ad block options.
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Chris Hall
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Sat Feb 18, 2017 7:14 pm

I'm going through something similar to Chris Pyle, and seems like a lot of people in this area are having the some thing. I starting feeling a glimmer of better in the past couple of days, but today I am back to sore and achey joints and 101˚ fever. I'm so tired of this as I near the 3-week mark.
Gonzalo
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Thu Feb 23, 2017 5:47 pm

I hope you soon get better :)
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Chris Hall
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:30 pm

Thanks -appreciate the concern. I thought I was starting to get better late last week, but then on Sunday I was in bed with a high fever all day, temperature peaking at 103.6˚F (39.8˚C), which was, well, not the best kind of day to have. The fever broke in the evening. I saw a doctor again on Monday, and I'm continuing on, no antibiotics. Managed a few hours at the shop today, and feel am starting to get better. I thought that last week though....

Seems like this 3~4 week nightmare is going around the region. Lots of people have been struck by it, and the hospitals are stopping visitor hours altogether I heard.
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john verge
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:19 pm

Chris, take that oil of oregano! It's been a tough winter on the wet coast as well.
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Chris Hall
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Re: A couple of minor changes to the forum

Fri Feb 24, 2017 12:28 am

I do, and have, extra strength. But if you take too much of it, it can upset the balance of bacteria in your gut, causing other problems.

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