Another way to enjoy your hobby

Patrick: Back to your original question no I don't waste my time on social media sites I would prefer to be in my workshop making swarf. I do participate in forums such as this.

As for competitions: no thanks. Give aways: in the 20 years I subscribed to Model Engineer I never actually received one of their give aways or free gifts...

I think you need to understand your audience. Most model engineers are not teenagers. And we are not very good at making our hobby accessible to those who are: For instance when did they last teach imperial measurements in school... but most of our new designs are still using those measurements: the kids just struggle to get it.

The kids also find website/forums which have functionality challenges a turn off....

Jo

Patrick

Re Jo, I thoroughly agree, this site is for model engineering not social networking, re freebies I havent seen one for years as I regularly renew my subscriptions and anyway I probably have it already or a better quality one, you would be better off listening to the people on here instead of wasting time and money trying to give people stuff they dont need or want, I agree that we should encourage youngsters into engineering but as the respective goverments have concentrated more on trying to save money instead of using it to train the next generation of mechanical engineers all they are taught now is that we live in a land of cheaply made throwaway products that grow on trees or are sourced from third world countries.

Think ive said enough, time for my cocoa and warm slippers. ( make that a large malt and a good book )

Dick

Hi

"Hmmm..... I do not have a Facebook page or a Twitter account"

Same with me...no Twitter....no Facebook....

But I do have a workshop with a lathe and a Milling machine

Well Patrick

From the tone of the majority of comments you've got an uphill struggle to persuade any of the posters here that a social media presence is desireable. Very discouraging for you I suspect. The thing is though that for many, myself included, the likes of Facebook and Twitter have a bad name. I'm appaled by the foul and vindictive posts and on line bullying made by some younger folk and equally dismayed by our elected representatives sitting (at our expense) in the House of Commons tweeting mindless comments.

The thing is too that both these methods of "communication" are of the quick, short and instant quote / reaction variety. Model engineering is not like that. It is an activity that requires thought, consideration, patience and care. It is not a process that can be mastered quickly but one which takes much time to develop the necessary skills and to aquire the necessary knowledge. That is its attraction.

This site is a gem where pretty much any question gets an answer and the quality of advice is good. "Social media" - no thanks.

Norman

I agree absolutely with NJH and most others.

I am long retired and I don't have time, or I don't want to use the time, for more than a quick evening visit to about 6 forums.

There seems to be a nation-wide obsessional need for re-assurance by contacting other people over the most trivial things, as though we have unlimited time.

Newspapers must be desperate for readers because they invite them to write in or email to tell us their opinions. We are invited to 'like'.

Where are we going?

Perhaps the layout of this forum could be improved but it is good enough for me.

Still think the kippers and black pudding is well worth following up..................

Patrick,

As has already been said, how about getting the site working before trying to change it yet again. It always seems to be "year zero" with this site and also the old 80/20 rule ie 80% of the MHW people know nothing and 20% know something but finding those 20% is always the problem.

When is the

Latest Model Engineers' Workshop

going to be updated on the front page ??? almost the end of August and July issue still showing !!.

OH!! and when the "person" upgraded the hardware on the 8/9th August do you think he/she should have gotten around to removing the upgrade message or are we going to have to look at it for another couple of months.

You seem to have (temporarily ??) gotten the PocketMags function working for at least ME and MEW but it doesn't work for other mags that I subscribe with MHW for !!

That's all I can think of right now, as someone has said "bah humbug" to FB, Twitter and whatever else just give us a functional website.

AH!! just thought of another one....When you attempt a "global" search of the site for a subject, you are only actually searching in post headings, bit useless.

Sorry if this is your new job Patrick, think you may have been sold something that "fell off the back of a truck" as ideas go.

Regards

Brian

Edited By Brian in OZ on 20/08/2013 00:51:15

Patrick,

I think you have been given the proverbial poisened chalice, and If my comments are also posted onto one of these brain dead places like twitter you will not see me just dust. Have you ever done any ME work I ask... How long have you worked for this company and what did you do to upset them as to give you this post. my commiserations. We used to do it in RR to some people.
Now down to business;
If you are tasked to sort this site out please do so.
If you are tasked to get us all to use the kids sites well as the man said "NUFF SAID"
The bulk of us on this forum have no interest in these children’s sites, we use it to exchange ideas, problems and general ME information.
Good luck in your new post
Bob

(I have no idea why the number of posts doesn't come up under my name. I'll find out)

Patrick
As we all say sort out this site first.

Who wrote your opening announcement sounds like one of your PR people gone mad.
Bob

Thanks again for your responses.

I think some of you have hit the nail on the head:

It's an ageing interest group and as such we need to get more people interested rather than shutting them out. As a business we're looking for ways to do that, and this is one of the ways - as is updating the website.

Springbok: One of our PR people? Yes, there are banks of us here tap-tapping away on press releases!

Hello Patrick

I believe you may find fertile ground if you embrace The users of Men's Shed's, this is a world wide movement, there must be thousands by now in every country. A men's shed is a community workshop set up with tools for the free use of the local community. (When an new member joins a group they, must prove their competency with tools and machinery before they can us it. some members choose to be supervisors to do this work) the type of equipment available varies between sheds. Wood, metal, or other depending on the shed.

The name "men's shed" is unfortunate. Women do get involved, maybe one day it will be changed, it should be. Community workshop is more appropriate. unfortunately different countries use different names.

Another fertile patch Is the so called "Hackerspace", at least it is not gender specific. And no I am not referring to smoke filled dimly lit rooms with piles of take away wrappers and empty coke cans in the corners, with overweight ghostly complexioned computer nerds trying to crack the CIA head mainframe!

These Hackers tend to be a well spread mix of young (from late teens) to seniors, often but not always educated, electromechanical inventors, quite a number are women, User built 3D printers were nurtured and are now continuously being improved by this movement. CNC routers, robotics, electronics and hundreds of other gadgets have been developed also.

The hackerspaces sadly need more access to practical engineering knowledge, and metalworking equipment. I see a great opportunity for a symbiotic relationship to form between the the Engineers that form the readership of MEW and ME and Men's sheds groups and the hackerspace groups, each has something unique to offer.

And there must be other movements I have not though of? Come on forum any Ideas?.

So there you are Patrick, work out a way to directly contact these people, It will be a lot more rewarding than Tweeting......

Regards
John

Mmm. Would make a nice change from coffe and croissants.

Russell.

No no no!

A mixture of jumbo oats, muesli, corn flakes, coffee creamer, sugar, salt, hot water, bung into the microwave for exactly one minute, no longer, then consume whilst listening to Radio 4.

Geoff - A cup of freshly ground coffe afterwards.

Edited By OuBallie on 20/08/2013 10:02:11

Edited By OuBallie on 20/08/2013 10:04:44

That's absolutely right. The hobby needs new recruits as does your business but I don't see how not going on Mugbook and Twaddle shuts anyone out. If, however unlikely, it does attract new readers they are likely to be those with the attention span of a knat.

What you (we?) need to do is come up with a way to attract new recruits who are likely to be hands on and remain in the hobby at least long enough to complete a simple project. Many clubs hold open days which are very popular with youngsters. How about things like school visits with demonstrations? Free copies of the magazines for the school library?

Yes these "Men's Sheds" and "Hackerspaces" are a great idea and I'm sure there are many more ideas out there.

Russell.

Unlike Maggie T I am for turning. I have changed my mind since this thread started.

I still don't want to participate in these social media but do recognise the part they play in those with still developing brains as well as those who have none. It probably would be beneficial to them to be able to 'like' some form of ME site and declare their interest in the hobby.
Perhaps we could influence and 'seed' it in some way. Everyone with a nubile female relation should persuade them to put in a few comments like "My favourite uncle is a model engineer and I love visiting him to see what he's up to ." "Model Engineeering is so kewl" etc to make it socially acceptable for young lads to admit to an interest.

Mens Sheds seem to be uniquely antipodean, MakerSpaces of various sorts exist in the USA, but HSE and insurance make them impossible in the UK. Anyway there are about 10 times the density of ME clubs here instead.

???

See **LINK**

Russell.

I spent the last 3 days (Fri, Sat and Sun) getting kids and adults trying to use a lathe, everyone loved it when they seen metal flying off, even the mums and dads had a go all enjoyed so will twitsville et all; give that hands on to them. (This was at the Bristol BSMEE Thornbury exhibition)

ME and ME Workshop people were conspicuose for there absence maybe they were all playing on Twitsville...
Sorry but this idea is a no brainer.

Bob

Springbok: One of our PR people? Yes, there are banks of us here tap-tapping away on press releases!

That answers it all