TTFN

A few days ago there was a thread (now closed) started about abuse and intolerance within posts. Rather ironically there were a couple of derogatory posts made, one of which was directly aimed at me, apparently because I use, and talk about, ex-industrial machinery rather than "hobby" machines. I suppose I should at least be grateful that I wasn't excoriated for having a CNC mill.

I understand that the offending post has been removed, but I can't be doing with the attitudes expressed. Consequently I have decided to leave the forum. Time will tell whether my absence is temporary or permanent. If it does turn out to be permanent I will not be deleting albums and asking for my account to be deleted as that will mess up many posts in which other people have posted in good faith.

In the short term at least I will be reading and responding to PMs.

Andrew

PS: The title of this thread is an appropriate acronym, although I'm not old enough to have experienced its birth first hand in WW2.

Your leaving the forum would be a significant loss to the helpful and well thought through contributions to solving the problems of others. At least stay online for a while to monitor the evolution of the forum. There are many of us who would not wish the forum to degenerate to the level of the lowest common denominator as seems to happen in so many other aspects of our modern society.

Sadly your withdrawal harms the benefit that most of us derive from this forum. It only benefits those who believe they can ignore good manners when expressing their opinion. 

Edited By Dennis WA on 18/07/2019 15:32:42

Edited By Dennis WA on 18/07/2019 15:33:53

[This posting has been removed]

Sorry to see you go, Andrew

It will be the forum's loss, not yours !

Hopefully things will settle-down again, to a state where diversity of knowledge and experience amongst members is seen as a benefit.

... I, for one, have learned a lot from you ... 'though you do much bigger work, on much bigger machines, than I ever shall.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 18/07/2019 15:56:55

Please, Andrew,

Don't let the trolls win!

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

Andrew, I am saddened to hear you are leaving the forum, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about your gliding exploits, your pair of traction engines and your CNC and manual machining methods, I think your work is an inspiration to a lot of people on this forum. It is totally wrong to criticise you for using and talking about ex industrial machines, it just proves how narrow minded some of the contributors on this forum are. I wish you all the best with your engineering exploits and thank you for the pleasure you have given me in reading about them. Please consider posting on another forum where people seem to be better mannered.

Andrew,

Likewise, I would be sorry to see you go - even temporarily. Your posts are informative and helpful on occasions (I don’t benefit a great deal from CNC (computer numerical control) discussions, for instance and are appreciated by the OM (overwhelming majority).

Most assuredly there are some whingers on the forum. Perhaps it might be better for them to go elsewhere? Or perhaps they might be confined themselves - to ‘the tearoom’ ? - ‘for a few weeks, maybe. That should straighten them out a bit, if at all possible.

BTW (by the way), was it an acronym that caused the derogatory comments? You can PM (personal message) me if you wish.

Andrew, I understand your decision but I do hope you will reconsider in the future. I did the same thing for the same reasons and came back after deciding my contributions were perhaps more pertinent than those of the dumplings who cant mind their manners.

It's a great site, spoiled by some who really would fall out with themselves in a phone box.

Some clubs I've been at are the same, there's always someone who spoils it for genuine folk.

Whatever you do take care and enjoy your work.

Very best regards, Mick

Andrew, I too will miss your input and analysis.

BR
Simon

+ 1 to all the above sentiments.

I always enjoy your input into pretty much any thread.

You are an interesting and knowledgeable contributor, the absence of which would render the forum poorer.

Hopefully you might reconsider.

ATB (All The Best),

Daniel.

BTW (By The Way), I also like acronyms & emojis.

I, too, echo the sentiments expressed by all those above. Keep reading and I'm sure you'll be back before long. I want to know when your traction engines are finished, at least.

I seem to remember a forum member by the name of John Stevenson used some mighty industrial strength machines ( and industrial strength words, on occasions! ) but no one lambasted him for that! I think he would have had short shrift with them, had they done so.

Best of luck, whatever you decide and keep away from the "cumulo-granite".

John

That's a shame, I have learned a lot from your posts down the years. Easy for me to say but why not just ignore those posts?

Andrew. You are a big boy now

..

You need no ones permission to withdraw your contribution to the forum.

I will miss it but share your lack of need for the drama.

I come here for the engineering

If some (one) doesn't understand the contribution that "production" techneques bring to the hobbyist then more fool them.

Edited By jason udall on 18/07/2019 17:15:08

Andrew,

Hopefully you will reconsider.

Remember: "ILLEGITIMOS NON CARBORUNDUM"

If you leave, the very small minority of naysayers, flat earthers, takers of offence at nothing, stirrers, etc, will have won, and the rest of us will have lost.

Not everyone on here agrees with me, nor I with them, but we try to co exist.
Some may envy my kit, as I envy some of yours. Hopefully that does not make us want to silence / insult each other, (Sometimes a strong temptation, but bitten tongue or fingers! )

No one drove off John Stevenson, and there must have been plenty of feathers that he ruffled from time to time with his no nonsense, practical responses.

You will not please all the people all the time, so please yourself, and hopefully most of us!

Howard

Andrew - don't go please - your advice, experience and ability to communicate via the written word and pictures is as welcomed, as good and as sage as it was in 1975...

...even though our ability to build a 100Mhz amplifier (with the results either being, IIRC, zero output or 100Mhz oscillation) was unfortunately beyond us at the time

Martin

Andrew, the forum will be a poorer place without you, you will be missed by many thats for sure. I for one will miss your help and answers to my often daft questions plus I have learnt a lot from your replies to other members threads.

I didnt realise that there is a size limit to the machinery we are supposed to use in model engineering, maybe someone could explain how you produce parts for a pair of large scale traction engines as you are with small hobby machines..?

I understand your decision but it really makes me mad that you have been made to feel like you do.

Best regards

Ron

A sad loss when rude or unthinking words cause a valued member to leave a forum.

I am a member of an unconnected (shooting) forum where anybody who is out of order is immediately binned by the moderators and their posts deleted - just saying!

Andrew,

I must add myself to the list of members who are hoping you will reconsider.

I thoroughly enjoy reading your exploits as you make your traction engines (large engines need large machines). How you manage to find the time for the workshop, household/family chores, gliding/gliding club chores, etc. and achieve what you do amazes me.

I hope we will continue to see your input regarding your workshop time and also your input to the problem/issues/questions that others raise.

Colin

Bye for now Andrew - enjoy your "vacation" and we'll look forward to your return, refreshed, invigorated and ready once more to join the fray and contribute as per your usual.

Rik