Purpose of some posts / blogs?

I joined this forums as an incentive to actually get back into building models again.

The first thing I did was join a group build of a model I had as incentive and as a way to force myself to actually build something.

This is where posting pix of my builds comes in.

For the most part the "ata-boys" seem superfluous but in reality it helps give encouragement to go on building.

Many times I may like something but don't post or at least not right away since I'm not into padding my post count, but other times I see as mentioned a post that goes unnoticed or a new person and make a comment to boost their confidence.

Many times this will encourage others to do likewise.

I also like the full build ups as it gives incite as to how things are done, just mentioning a style or method really doesn't help without a walk though with pictures if you are to understand what the person is talking about. 

As one example is Doog's step by step of the dot weathering, I had no idea what everyone was talking about until he did it in pictures and text to show how it's done. 

I'm still hoping someone will do a tutorial on beard lines on subs instead of a brief description and a before and after pic since I have some AM parts on the way for my Gato I need to start on.

Eric... 

What you say is entirely true, Doog.  When I pause to think about it, I guess that I notice my so-called hierarchy of personalities here more than in real life is because I haven't interacted with many here very much.  I try to restrict my posts here because mainly, I tend to make inane, pointless drive-by posts.  The sort of things that get under folks nerves after a while; perhaps you've read something I've posted at some time and wondered "Wha?"

<pause to acknowledge a complete thread hijack...sorry.>

I'll just send a PM to you, Doog.

Dre wrote:

the doog wrote: For newer modeleers, it's a nice way to make them feel welcomed here. I hate the type of forums where there's a snobbish "in crowd" mentality where you are made to feel liek you have to "prove yourself" to be accepted and recognized. There's none of that here. Not in an obvious sense, no.  But there is definately a heirarchy of personalities that do garner more attention than others if given the same subject.  I'm not complaining per se, just pointing out something that seems apparent to me.

I have come to form the opinion that those who feel somehow alienated here sometimes are the posters who really don't participate much themselves. They "lurk" a lot, and so feel ike they "belong" to the forum somewhat, but they don't really participate per se with the "social banter" and "attaboys".Then when they post up something, the "attaboys" and "banter"-style comments don't come so much, and they wonder why?

"hierarchy of personalities"?-that's everywhere, in real life. I can't think of anywhere where that doesn't hold true? But if you compare FSM to some of the other sites out there, there really, sincerely is a warmer, more welcoming "groove" to these forums than many others--maybe not all, but many...

the doog wrote:

For newer modeleers, it's a nice way to make them feel welcomed here. I hate the type of forums where there's a snobbish "in crowd" mentality where you are made to feel liek you have to "prove yourself" to be accepted and recognized. There's none of that here.

Not in an obvious sense, no.  But there is definately a heirarchy of personalities that do garner more attention than others if given the same subject.  I'm not complaining per se, just pointing out something that seems apparent to me.

Well, aside from the obvious didactic purpose of posting pictures to show your progress or share with others the techniques I use, I'm also unrepentantly guilty of posting "That looks great!" posts with frequency.

The reason? Respect, and the social lubrication that keeps the forum flowing. Nothing is worse than posting up some photos of what you're working on and having it slide right down the page into the "Twilight Zone" of the dreaded "second page" where unanswered posts go to die.

After you're here a while, you get to know the "regulars" pretty well. It's really kind of an unspoken matter of respect --for me anyway--to recognize their efforts and give a hint, suggestion, or just an "attaboy". 

For newer modeleers, it's a nice way to make them feel welcomed here. I hate the type of forums where there's a snobbish "in crowd" mentality where you are made to feel liek you have to "prove yourself" to be accepted and recognized. There's none of that here.

Yeah... Chucks WIP was amazing..  He drew the figure?

One guy on the forum created another post with all of chucks updates in one post.. Without all the interfearing with replies and such.. I bookmarked that one

I do like WIP's myself. And I lie sharing. I'm not skilled at all either.. And the closest modelstore from here is Trondheim. Nothing less than 160km away......  That is also the closest club.

I also want to make my writing better, as with Hans, to get published one day myself.... And to make my writing better so more people will reply

I post my stuff for many of the above reasons as well... I also post them to practice writing, since my ultimate goal is to get an article published someday...  But the MAIN reason is to get other sets of eyes on my projects to spot things I may have missed, or to showcase a technique...  I don't particularly care about completed builds if the poster doesn't include at least SOME information on how he accomplished that project, although there's a lot of them I enjoy seeing anyway, even if the info is lacking... On the other hand, completed works are good for getting critiques that can be applied to future builds...

My .

It really makes no difference to me why these members post the way they do. The only thing that matters is that they continue to post (with pics). I have only been on the forum for a short time, but I have learned so much from them. I used to build strictly OOB using the cover art as my only reference. Now I do a lot of research and add as much aftermarket and scratchbuilt parts as my wallet, arthritic hands, and poor eyesight allow. I have gotten better at building.

Gentlemen, please continue building and posting. I still need all the help I can get.

Jim

cwalker3 wrote:

Speaking only for myself, I find it much easier to learn through watching. Gerald's analogy of the New Yankee Workshop hit the nail on the head (no pun intended!) for me as I got into woodworking as a result of watching that show. And being a modeler without access to a modeling club, or any friends that are modelers, I find build logs (blogs) to be a great help. For example, I am currently building an aircraft and had come to a step that I didn't quite understand. I googled the kit and found a blog that answered my questions.

I watched one episode of him building a workbench...I even ordered the plans at the end of the show....Never built the darn thing though I still have those plans around here somewhere.

It was a posting of a vacform build that got me to purchase my first vac kit. After limited success I now avoid them but it did teach me a great deal which I now use on injection kits.

as you said bronto you do this as a profession where many many many of us simply do this as a hobby. therfore the need to post many pictures helps those of us who need it and also i suppose it lets all the other modeler's live vicariously through the builder. with each new "added piece" brings a sort of "closeness" that allows other modeler's to interact throughout the build. kinda lets us all think "what would we do or how would we do this different or what would be a better way to make this."

i dont know, i enjoy seeing the builds that way (even if it is 98% ww2 builds ). as far as the kudos or "great job" for putting a tire on that humvee or whatever...everyone wants to post something and you want to educate as well as be educated so posting an "atta boy" is better than posting a "whoopie, now do something we might really enjoy". please dont mistake my words, there is NO animocity towards you or your question...it's really nothing more than my .  

All that Gerald said above.

There have also been many an occasion where sharp-eyed members have picked up on a construction error made by someone posting a "step by step" of his/her build, thereby saving them from problems that would have been encountered later in the build, had the error not been caught.

There are many out here who don't have any other connection with like minded folks. No hobby shops or modeling clubs anywhere close to where they live. Their only connection is through the internet. If you have zero experience performing a task, its nice to see someone demonstrate it from start to finish.

Did you ever watch "The New Yankee Workshop" on PBS? Norm taught a lot of wannabe woodworkers how to do it as well as sell millions of dollars worth of equipment for his sponsors.

I write my blog to satisify the writer in me as well as help fellow modelers findanswers to their questions as well as form a community of like minded people. It is a social thing that crosses vast geograhical regions as well as demographical.

Those who are working outside their comfort and skill set zone use their progress posts to get help to improve their builds. When you can see something going terribly wrong you can show them their errors. We as modelers must be willing to give constructive critism, not just say good job even if it looks like a kid with ten glue soaked fingers put it together...you can not improve if you don't know how and where to make the improvements.

Besides as you watch a particular build you might have one of those DUH moments...why didn't I do it that way! Remember this forum is for all levels of modelers. Don't stiffle someones creativity and expression.

I like "work in progress" treads the most because they show me how other modellers work, which techniques they use, what is the effect of that technique etc.

I can not learn by watching post of the end result, I want to see the proces.

And there also is a social sapect to WIP treads, modelling with a community instead of modelling solitary.