Forum Support Time?

[kwgeorge]

Well, I am in..

[Ken Weaver]

Sam - thanks for all you do, and Adele, thanks for putting up with him while he's doing it. I'm back for another year - check coming next payday. This is the greatest place on the web. I've been away for a while lurking due to family issues, but this is home and I'm glad you decided to stay with us Sam.

[movnup]

This was a letter I was going to send with a check to Sam but I thought it would be of more value posted here as follows:

January 28, 2007
Sam Condor
Head Honcho
BT3 Central


Dear Sam,

First of all I would like to thank you for your vision and hard work in putting together an on-line community that is very unique. As I have been involved in the software / dot com industries for most of my career I can really appreciate what you and others have built. If you do ever decide to pass the baton I also would be happy to assist in finding a low cost hosting solution or work with Holbren on what they offered for free. I am also volunteering my time as a career long marketing person if you ever want to upgrade the brand, usability features, etc.

I have thought of a couple of site improvements for you and the rest of the forum to consider as some of the posts over time become somewhat redundant (never boring, just different variations of the same theme). My ideas for consideration are as follows:

1. Modify the information on shop safety – threads I read with interest include glasses/ hearing protection, the saw and saw blade itself / riving blades / the shark, shop dust and air circulation, lighting needs, electrical needs, etc.
2. Consolidate the threads on the following and try to create an article(s) out of them – dust collection and improvements to dust collectors themselves, router cabinet / router table, the great thread on the different type of clamps, miter station, band saw and resawing, jointing / planing, air compressors, the different type of saw blades and what is the best for each application.
3. Have an easy way to post tool reviews – maybe create some type of form that people fill out online or download and then re-upload e.g. just click the dots with a comments section and have five major headers – table saw, jointer / planers, band saw, drill presses, and hand power tools – routers, jig saws, sanders, cordless drills, etc. I personally haven’t purchased any new tool without looking at this and other sites for review.
4. Wood / finishing – this whole topic is very much like learning a new language and it would be great to have some type of guide explaining the different species and attributes of each, how wood is sold and the different terms involved, the different finishes and how they are used e.g. 5/4, shellac, techniques to apply, etc.

The main question that arises out of a site usability upgrade is how to get this all done??? The answer in my humble opinion is that this is a great community and if people have graciously given their time and talent to answer thousands of questions on numerous topics we should be collectively smart enough to consolidate our individual expertise and take the site to the next level!! With peoples time commitments become ever tighter there could possibly be a standing committee of volunteers that work on these types of projects on a on-going basis. A great example of this is Wikipedia, they have over 2 million articles that are posted by the community and the site is self governing with a wonderful wealth of knowledge.

Once again I would like to thank you and all the other visionaries who helped to create and maintain this great site. As an advanced home handyman relatively new to true woodworking, this community forum has freely given incalculable levels of advice and expertise that I personally truly value. I will never be a Rod Kirby but I can appreciate his talent and others like him that are members of this forum. I would welcome the opportunity to be an active participant in assisting you and others in bringing the site to the next level in its on-going evolution.

Sincerely,

Jim Zimmerman

[Tom H]

I haven't posted much since I decided to buy the Craftsman BT copy, but I look often, and would definitely not have bought the saw without learning what I've learned here. You are all correct, it really is a cool piece of equipment. This is a great site, definitely worth contributing to...check's in the mail!

Tom

[lrogers]

As the old saying goes, "check's in the mail", Sam! Only this time it really is!!!!

[scmhogg]

Sam,

I'm in. Best $100 I spend all year.

Steve

[cabinetman]

Broke into my piggy bank and sent this enclosure with a donation today.

[WayneJ]

Sam,
Thanks for all you do to keep this forum up and running. My check is on its way.
Wayne

[SARGE..g-47]

Wearing many hats I seem to have to hurry through forums most of the time. I just noticed the Fund Drive thing at the top late this evening (now AM in Atlanta) and clicked on it. Sometimes I might go for a day or so and not see a prompt for a private message.

Sorry for the delay and in-attention as a check's in the mail tommorrow to keep the site up and running. I don't need a subscription.. icon.. any perks.. it would just be sad to see this site go down as so many seem to enjoy it. Someone has to pay the bills, so count me in with a collective group of someone's.

If you were to come up short.. ya can count me in again if you PM me as I might miss that also as I have to hurriedly come and go...

BTW.. ain't got no paypal (whatever that is).. but the check won't bounce! ha.. ha...

Regards...

[MikeR]

Ain't it terrific...?

....to see how quickly the $ got subscribed?

My first instincts were correct about this group. Glad to be part of it.

Cheers,

MikeR