Help everyone find what they need at the IAP

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thewishman

thewishman

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Launching a new project, with the approval of both Jeff and Wayne (wracinowski – our librarian). How many times lately, have you seen a post asking for help/guidance/advice on a topic and seen the reply "LOOK IN THE LIBRARY" or "DO A SEARCH" and you cringed a bit?

There is a great deal of information contained in this home of the IAP – probably the most information ever assembled on pen making. With that preponderance of information here, it gets more and more difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. It's even more difficult if you're new here, if you aren't knowledgeable about searching and almost impossible if you aren't fluent in English.

In the past few years we have reorganized the library to make it MUCH easier to locate info, started a wiki – which had the impossible task of gathering and cataloging all aspects of pen making, and the search function has been upgraded (remember how it was before the Google search was added?)

This project is a way to collect the best of the information at the IAP and make it accessible in a logical, helpful way. We're still deciding how best to share the info, but it is time to start moving ahead.

Please help this project by sharing links to the information you have found, both here and elsewhere, that has been the most helpful in your learning. Please add a brief sentence describing the link. All the posts will be checked out and the best and most helpful will be gathered into a master listing. You are welcome to comment on links posted by others IN A POSITIVE WAY. This is not a place to advertise or be mean. The final posting will be locked (still able to be edited) but the info gathering threads will remain open for additional suggestions.


The first subject is one that comes up constantly: How do I price my pens? http://www.penturners.org/forum/f22/how-price-my-pens-ultimate-link-collection-133009/#post1774225

This will be posted in the Marketing forum.

The next is probably even more needed: What does a new IAP member need to know? http://www.penturners.org/forum/f18/what-should-newbies-know-133010/#post1774226

This will be something that Jeff can send (as a link, probably) to each new member when they apply to join the IAP. It will also be posted somewhere in the forums for recent and returning and current members to see.

============================================

Please help this project by sharing links to the information you have found, especially here and elsewhere, that has been the most helpful in your learning. Please add a brief sentence describing the link. Yes this is probably the second time you are reading this – because it is important, and because some people did not see it the first time.

Here is a link to see what I am envisioning:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/threading-using-taps-dies-131653/
 
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hornet406

hornet406

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Thank you for posting this link. Just before this arrived I asked for help in finding info for kitless pens. Coincidence...... I think not!
 
S

Skie_M

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Aug 7, 2015
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Lawton, Ok
Questions I see a lot that hits home for me and many other people who are very NEW to the field .... (Interestingly enough, two of the posts I am referencing here are also made by thewishman.... )


How can I get into this affordably? What are the very BASIC things I"ll need to get started, without breaking the bank?

Starting out-inexpensively what do I HAVE to have?


Along with it's sister thread, dealing with what tools and brands you should be on the lookout to get a deal on that are top of the line ....

Starting out-I only want to buy things once-what is best?


Also .... the thread I like on top of these is the one dealing with the details about how to get a fine shine on a CA finished or acrylic pen ... Started by a new pen turner who was having difficulty with their CA finish, Andyww.

Help with ca finish - International Association of Penturners
 
leehljp

leehljp

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Feb 6, 2005
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Tunica, Mississippi,
I wish there was a discourse on "Search".

I don't understand why - one time it will search and find what I need and the next time it will open into advanced search and give the result that nothing like it exists - when I know it is there.

I can get advanced search to work one time and not the next 3 or 4 times. There is no rhyme or reason for it to work at one time, and not the next 3 or 4 times over the course of a week or month - and "distinguishing patterns" is my forte'. I haven't found a pattern to its "find or not find."

All of these are with words or subjects that I know are here.
 
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jttheclockman

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
This has been brought up before and yes the idea is a good one but when you join a site you have to realize you will have to do some of the work yourself. We live in this have to have it NOW era. That is the way kids are being brought up with the touch of a screen the answers appear. It took how many years to get the information that is here to this point and now you want to click a link and all that appears.

I have said this many many times here and it still holds true. No matter if a person asks a questions and they get answers or not, all the information will not be in that one thread. Can't be and never will be. many times people get tired answering the same questions over and over and this is human nature so don't get your panties in a bunch, but what happens is a water down version of the answer is presented. When a person does a search on a subject it does a few things. It gets that person more familar with the site and learn the search function and what key words are good to use and also opens more threads on the subject and they will get a more in depth look into the answers for their question.

Providing links in replys is always a good thing but what that means is now the person answering is now doing the work. I will try many times to provide at least one link if possible. I have been wrongly accused so many times here of telling people to use the search feature. As I may suggest it I do also help.

Maybe Hank has a good idea and that is provide and it is here already but evidently not in big enough bold enough letters on how to use the search feature here. Maybe this should be stickied at the beginning of each forum. Not a bad idea. Maybe hold a class here like one with photography or something. Today we have people that can do videos very well. That would be a good idea.

The library has been updated a few times and Wayne does a fantastic job and does not in my opinion get enough credit or accoldaes for what he does. That is not an easy thing. But no where else can you find this amount of information on various subjects.

When you do the searches and exploring and you still have questions by all means jump back here and ask away. So many people will help. But the point is do a search is not Taboo words here. get over it and stop taking it as a diss.

Now lets me say and this is a huge petpeeve of mine, this brings this topic full circle. When you get an answer to a question you have, weather it is a PM or on the thread at least acknowledge it and thank the person. So too often I see questions asked and not even an acknowledgement of you reading the answers is posted. That too is forum etiquette. It goes a long way.

By the way these are just MY opinions and I know many will disagree so be it.
 
thewishman

thewishman

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Joined
Mar 9, 2006
Messages
8,182
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
leehljp said:
I wish there was a discourse on "Search".

I don't understand why - one time it will search and find what I need and the next time it will open into advanced search and give the result that nothing like it exists - when I know it is there.

I can get advanced search to work one time and not the next 3 or 4 times. There is no rhyme or reason for it to work at one time, and not the next 3 or 4 times over the course of a week or month - and "distinguishing patterns" is my forte'. I haven't found a pattern to its "find or not find."

All of these are with words or subjects that I know are here.
Click to expand...

Amen! I've been here 11 years and you've been here 12. Searching for the exact threads I have read many times does not always work. Drives me crazy.
 
thewishman

thewishman

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Joined
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Messages
8,182
Location
Reynoldsburg, Ohio, USA.
As I started this thread with the heading, Help everyone find what they need at the IAP I feel the need to respond JT's post.


All of the posts on this site are voluntary - if a post does not conform to your idea of proper etiquette, do not participate in that thread. If there is a real problem, notify an administrator.

When a new person asks a question, how are they supposed to know that the question has been asked before. Yes, they can and probably should read through previous posts, but who here knew that when they first became a member.

If all a member can say in response to a question is, "Do a search" simply say that out loud and DO NOT TYPE THAT AS YOUR RESPONSE! You are not educating, nor are you helping, you are being RUDE! (If I were running this place, I would program the site to change the words "Do a search" to "I'm an idiot.")

It can be hard to start out in a well-established bulletin board like the IAP. Everyone knows more than you do about the place, and you are not sure where your question should go, or how to ask it, or even what the pen parts are called. Give new people, and infrequent posters encouragement, they are taking a risk and we want them to stay.

"The goal of the IAP is to give pen makers a place to enhance their skills, share experiences, and promote the art of pen making."

To review:

If you cannot help a member find the answer to their question, move along.

Mom said it better:

If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.
 
jttheclockman

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,148
Location
NJ, USA.
Good to see my fan club still adores me. Thanks Chris for setting me straight. Twice in one week. :beat-up::beat-up: Always good to know someone is reading my posts.:biggrin:
 
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