Joining a Society – contrasting experiences

[Steve KestertonParticipant @stevekesterton61883]

– have had 2
very contrasting situations this weekend regarding choosing a club to join.

We live in
the west Midlands and on Saturday went to help out with a OO gauge railway at a
local Model Engineering Society. We had spoken to them beforehand and – with
their agreement – took along our 5″ gauge ‘Railpup’ for my son to run.
When we arrived, we introduced ourselves and they immediately allocated us a
length of new line (which had yet to be connected to the main running line) for
us to run on. During the day, lots of children wanted to try the ‘Railpup’ so
(instead of helping with the layout), we ended up spending the entire afternoon
supervising them with the clubs full permission (and indeed encouragement). At
the end of the day, we were thanked for helping them out and invited to take
the ‘Railpup’ back to another one of their events.

This morning
was a complete contrast – we went back to rejoin the nearest Model Engineering
Society to our home. I already had a completed membership form and took the
cash along. Twice I approached the person in charge tendering my money, etc.
“Just wait until I have done these jobs” I was told. After waiting 50
minutes and seeing the chap concerned laughing and chatting to some other
members, I decided that I’d waited long enough and so we came home.

I’m in my mid
40’s and my son is 13 – on the short drive home we were discussing the
contrasts between these 2 encounters. Saturday – very welcoming to us both and
encouraging. Sunday – a few folk said “Hello”, but no interest
whatsoever in gaining 2 keen new members.

Makes me
wonder where our hobby will end up in the future – I’m confident I know now
which Society out of the 2 we visited this weekend will last the longest !!

Edited By Steve Kesterton on 23/05/2010 22:17:22

Edited By Steve Kesterton on 23/05/2010 22:18:46

[Steve KestertonParticipant @stevekesterton61883]

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

I responded to a call for extra hands for a short handed Public Running day, same result, all too busy so I chatted to my friends and watched the world go by. Guess what? Last time I react.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Roughly the same but with one major difference.

 

I went along to a club near me one club night to see if it would suit me. New clubhouse and good facilities, got a coffee and stood round.

 

Guy comes up introduced himself and we got talking, he asked what engine I was building and I replied I wasn’t and I was more into tools and equipment, at this point he lost interest and wandered off.

 

This happened about 4 or 5 times more and then I was left on my own.

 

Tried another club but this one was a few miles away but the same thing happened.

 

Seems as if you are not into choo choo’s you are not wanted, I have nothing against trains but to me they are not the whole of the hobby as some think.

 

John S.

[CJWParticipant @cjw]

I joined my local club about 12 months ago. In my mid-forties I appear to be about the youngest member, and one of the only ones who is not retired.

 

I attend the meetings about once a month. People are starting to come and talk to me, but I accept they’re with their mates and enjoy the opportunity to talk with others with similar levels of experience and known common interests. If I keep plugging away at it I expect I’ll break into the cliques eventually. If I could attend the (daytime) working parties I imagine this would happen more quickly, but work and family life limit my time, even in my home workshop.

 

To help get the ball rolling for new club memebers it would be an idea for the Chairman to get newbies to introduce themselves, their background and interests. Then try to identify an established member to ‘buddy’ them through the first few sessions.  Just knowing which group are likely to be discussing the things you’re interested in would be good to know.

 

Chris

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

This appears to be the norm. I’ve been looking through my back issues of ME going back years and this subject comes up with depressing regularity.

 

It seems that if you haven’t got or are not building a loco to run on their open days to bring some cash in, they don’t seem to want to know.

 

my neighbour belongs to a club ( no names) and he knows I’m starting model engineering and he has never asked if I’d like to come along.

 

a rather disillusioned

Roy

[Ramon WilsonParticipant @ramonwilson3]

Though no longer, I have been a member of my ‘local club’ on three separate occasions. The first two reasons for lapse of member ship were simply that of overseas work and disappearing from time to time for lengthy periods. The third, regretably, was when my travelling companion and fellow club member lost his wife and sadly his interest in virtually everything thereafter. I no longer needed to take him and gradually it became easier not to go and after a couple of years membership without attendance I stopped altogether. This did also coincide with some health problems which eventually led to a total disinterest with machining .

 

I still stay in touch with members and committee members of said club but they like many others have leaned far to the running of locos which  they do extremely well but that is not for me. It was always a well run and friendly society but I’m sure that some members would confirm my only but regular critiscim was the lack of evenings devoted to, you guessed it,  model engineering – read actually making something and the techniques etc required. The best evenings were always the ‘Bits and Pieces’ nights when members brought what they were working on.

 

What has this got to do with the topic – well,  In my book what better club could you be in than this forum.

 

We can communicate daily with people of absolute similar interests and can give and receive help at a stroke. Since joining this site my interest has been totally revitalised thanks to that positive interaction.

 

Of course its nice to have social activity as well – and yes I do miss that at times – and let’s face it if you are building a loco then you do need a track but club life isn’t neccessarily an essential ingredient to all ME activity. The worst thing about a clubs machinations, ME or other though, is when, through ill considered thought by those whose postion should tell them better, it  leaves the very people they aspire to be there for feeling disillusioned and somewhat hurt like those above. That can’t be right but I guess that would pass some in authoritive positions completely by but how do you solve it? With difficulty I guess.

 

Since my first posting on here however I have ‘met’ some very helpful, knowlegeable and friendly people, I’ve made mistakes and been put right but I like to think I’ve been able to help where possible too. It’s this readiness of others to help and take a interest in your problems that never fails to accentuate what a superb facility this is.

 

So don’t be too disilusioned by those who chose to be rather less than forthcomng

I would say we have it here – at our finger tips  – a really great CLUB – open to everyone and long may it remain.

 

 

Regards – Ramon

 

 

 

 

[wheeltapperParticipant @wheeltapper]

Quote ” and long may it remain” Unquote.

 

Amen to that.

 

Model Engineer mag has managed for over 100 years with no small thanks to the input from the same kind of people we get here now, so I think we’re in with a chance .

 

cheers

Roy

 

 

Edited By wheeltapper on 24/05/2010 18:39:39

Edited By wheeltapper on 24/05/2010 18:40:48

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Seconded, or should it be thirded?

 

 

Neil

[macmarchParticipant @macmarch]

Over the last 50 years I have been a member of 6 different MES’S. (Due to moving about the country)  I believe that if you join a club and want to get help and be able to draw on the knowledge of those who have done it before etc then you should  put something in. In ALL cases I put in time and effort helping out on track days and the like. This was fine until I let it be known that I was building a non english Loco. (Caribou)  Boy did it get cold.  It seems to that ‘Model Engineering Societies/Clubs’ are only interested in puff puff’s. As Chris says, its the cliques that create a problem.

Static steam, Traction engines, Steam vehicles etc are relegated to the few that huddle in the corner on club nights. This to me seems a shame as it will lead to the demise of clubs and the interest of up and coming model engineers.  As others have said, on this site you can ‘meet’ and discuss anything with the advantage that you can put in the most important thing of all, your own experience.  If its a not too emotional subject then perhaps it could be addressed in M.E.

 

cheers

Ray 

[Steve KestertonParticipant @stevekesterton61883]

Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to reply to my observations – at least I know it was not just me !!!

 

With the editors permission, etc. I’d be happy to produce something for ME on this topic. Up until the mid 1990’s I was one of the volunteer co-ordinators for a major narrow gauge line so I am fully aware how important it is to gain and retain new blood in order to ensure our clubs futures are in good hands. 

 

With best wishes.

Steve Kesterton.

[Frank DolmanParticipant @frankdolman72357]

     I have served on the committies of a couple of Societies (not ME), both

   of which, from time to time, were accused of the sort of behaviour that

   has been described in this thread.  This post is not a counterblast, it is

   a plea for understanding, mercy and a second or even third chance.

 

     May I point out that the visitor hoping for a minimum welcome and not

   getting one, has often met only one member.  He then judges the whole

   Society on this one unfortunate encounter.  We frequently warned our

   members of this and appointed ‘welcomers’ who had,we felt, the very

   necessary talents for the job.  All members were advised to introduce

   visitors to a welcomer.

 

     Murphy’s Law still ensured that all visitors encountered members who

   were themselves too new to know the system.

 

     I won’t go on. Just please go back and try again.  Some MEs are good chaps.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Steve, my mate Dr John has given you an insight on another forum as to what may be an explanation with the emphasis on “Flash in the pan” interests that SOME may have. As some have stated, the ability to be able to take their toy trains to a club track and run round cos they’ve “Paid their subs” but are conspicuous in their absence when it comes to track and site maintainance don’t bode well with the old guard who are left with the debris.

 

  I’m not lumping everyone the same and I try my best to answer Ingineering questions politely (Well SOMETIMES) (Oh yes I do) for the guidence of lesser mortals who don’t have suds in their veins from being a lad, but I do get annoyed when being asked the equivalent of  “How do I turn this light/tap on??”  A few clicks on a keyboard give a good insight but many don’t even TRY.

 

  Overheard at Harrogate one guy asking if his son (younger than sixteen) would be able to join one of the  engineering clubs. The reply was to let him go to one of the meetings and sit and listen, ask any questions etc. so some do go the extra mile but again, interests vary and change.

 

    Regards   Ian.

[StovepipeParticipant @stovepipe]

Surely it is part of the “responsibilities” of the Chairman/Secretary to welcome new members, or possible new members. “Anyone who’s new here this evening ? You’re welcome. Would you like to come up and introduce yourself and your particular interest. ” Then introduce them to the rest of the members present.

Model Engineering is just that. Martin Ranson’s recent article on steam plant for boats should remind us of that, that it ain’t just choo-choos that are the subject of Model engineering, it embraces horology, boats and other interests. If you can machine it it’s part of ME. 

 

Regards,

Dennis Franklin

[Keith Wardill 1Participant @keithwardill1]

A recurring ‘comment’ in this thread is the apparent predominance of steam locomotives – surely one way to counter this is to provide ‘non-loco’ material to the Editor for publication in ME/MEW, then maybe different interests will get a look in, – there are more things ine this world than locomotives

[OwenParticipant @owen]

my experience with ME societies has been very positive. When I joined my society I was welcomed with open arms, of course I’m not afraid of work. When I visit other clubs I am always made very welcome.

My experience on this forum however has not been so welcoming. My posts a normally attacked. I tried to warn a newbie not to buy cheap taps only to have it infered that I didn’t know how to use a tap(my problems were my fault). I tried to encourage a thread on the use of ZA12 only to have the material diaparaged,end of thread.  A member indicateed difficulty in obtaining adjustable dies, when I sent an off forum source rather then check it out it was stated that it would be too expensive and the previously unavailable item could be had just round the corner. But the crowning action was being censored and censured for expressing my opinion about a serious subscription issue.

Now I haven’t been to the U.K. in many years but as a result of my expeerience here if I go I will be reluctant to go to the local ME society, I suspect that this will be my last post. 

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

It is not just the first or initial visits, it is nearly always there. There are contrasts however, I was a co-founder of a Club more than 50 years ago, I have long ceased to be a member but I still get a copy of the mag as probably the oldest ex member. Working seems to be the key, however I have no interest whatsoever in track biulding and maintenance which  obviously does not help!

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Owen did you read the za 12 thread, it gave good reasons for not useing this alloy for permanant objects, or were stressed or in even mildly warm areas. You have to read and decide the evidence for your self, don’t blame others because their information indicates something other than you thought.
God gave us one mouth and two ears, we should use them in this ratio,this might help when working ones way into a new group/club, have patience.Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 26/05/2010 09:14:30

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Owen,

 

I started off the ZA12 thread, so I feel some responsibility here

 

I must admit the replies put me off the material (I’m sure it wouldn’t suit my long term backburner ‘project’), but I didn’t feel ‘smacked down’.

 

I can understand TPTB blue-pencilling criticism of distribution etc. – who wants to pay a hefty sum to provide a stick for people to beat you with? I suspect our straight-talking Editor wasn’t the censor though. I can live with a critical thread being removed ONCE the issue has been aired and dealt with.

 

One problem with the forum is you can’t read people’s expressions so what is someone’s quick helpful comment is another’s damning put-down. I suggest the greater use of smileys – though I think the colourful ones are a bit intrusive if over-used

 

Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Hi Neil, No criticism on you starting on the thread, we must explore all materials that come our way, some we will find useful, and others not, and others that we should stay well away from, but if we don’t air our thoughts we don’t learn.Ian S C

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

None taken – I mean’t I feel some responsibiluity for Owen’s upset.

 

I must complain about the website though – I was meant to tax the campervan and get to work, not start playing here…

 

Neil

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