Hobby machinist - Is it worth starting?

[john.k]

If someone asks a question thats been asked before.....its "why dont you check the archive before bothering us"........when they do this its"resurrecting an ancient thread." Is three years really forever,is 2015 really ancient?

[oldred]

If someone asks a question thats been asked before.....its "why dont you check the archive before bothering us"........when they do this its"resurrecting an ancient thread." Is three years really forever,is 2015 really ancient?

Telling someone who has asked a (common) question to "do a search" has nothing to do with digging up old threads, they are telling them the question is common and has already been answered many times so he does not have to post the question.

The problem with old threads is, for example, (and there are MANY other examples!) someone asks, I want to buy a xxxxx and then after someone else digs up the old thread someone else says I found one for you on Craigslist -THREE years later.

That's the type of thing that happens, and it happens often, when old threads are dug up without pointing out the fact, such as the example of the guy on the machine shop forum posting a detailed reply to HIMSELF because he missed the fact the thread was ancient, that really did happen! And for what? Sure you can sometimes add info to an old post but few will see it because old posts that have been dug up almost always die quickly for the same reason it went away in the first place, the subject had by been covered from about every angle at the time!

This one is still here because it got sidetracked onto a different subject but once again, NO ONE is telling anyone not to dig up old posts, sometimes something of special interest can be added and rarely an old post can even revive discussion, but please, just acknowledge it is old so we aren't, for example, telling the OP who may not even still be here where he can find that widget he was hunting for 5 or 6 years ago!

[alamogunr]

I'm sure I have missed something about the "Search" function. Whenever I use it, the answers returned may start out with threads that are 5+ years old. If I am looking for a recent thread, it may be 4-5 pages into the search results. I can't blame anyone for not checking that far down.

[oldred]

I'm sure I have missed something about the "Search" function. Whenever I use it, the answers returned may start out with threads that are 5+ years old. If I am looking for a recent thread, it may be 4-5 pages into the search results. I can't blame anyone for not checking that far down.

Just because a person finds an old thread doesn't mean replying to it as if it was recent is a good idea, it very well may be but it depends entirely on the circumstance and even then just point out that it is old! If someone tries to help someone else solve a problem they were confronted with 5 years ago then I suppose it won't cause anyone any harm but what good does it do?

For the umpteenth time NO ONE is telling anyone NOT to reply to old threads, just don't dig them up and post as if they had just been started without acknowledging they are old! This most times just results in irrelevant (and sometimes even silly cases such as the guy replying to himself) replies to what by then is a dead subject by someone else who inadvertently takes the time to reply because they didn't realize the thread was from long ago.

[john.k]

The first thing a hobby machinist needs to learn is how to keep swarf well away from the domestic situation.

[EDG]

Start out by taking a vocational machine shop program at a comunity college. After learning to run the equipment a little you will know much more about what you can do with it.
Machining for me is not something I would call a hobby.
It is more like driving. It is a way to get where you want to go.
When you have an idea you can make it real.

[Clark]

Since this thread started, youtube has exploded with machinist videos.
It really helps me fall asleep to watch some giant transmission shaft get cut to within 0.001" at the bearing journal.