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  • #61615
    David Clark 13
    Participant
      @davidclark13
      Hi Keith
      I think that other than tools, the content of Model Engineer is very varied.
      regards david
       
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      #61616
      John Olsen
      Participant
        @johnolsen79199
        Hi David,
         
        All my articles have been sent by snail mail. I’ll message you with a list of waht you should have and of what might be coming soon.
         
        regards
        John
        #61631
        Peter G. Shaw
        Participant
          @peterg-shaw75338
          Hi David,
           
          Building on what I, and others have said about non-acknowledgement etc, here is a list of the submissions I have made about which I have queries:
           
          DOL Starter repair
          Sent Aug 07 by email; acknowledged Aug 07. Repeated Jul 10 by CD.
           
          Parting off tool
          Sent Mar 10 by email; no acknowledgement. Repeated Jul 10 by CD.
           
          Wax Plate usage
          Sent Jun 10 by email; no acknowledgement. Repeated Jul 10 by CD.
           
          Filing Rest
          Sent Jul 10 by CD; no acknowledgment.
           
          In or around May-Jul 10, I received a copy of the Contributors Guidelines. As a result of this, I realised that none of the first three items met the guidlines, so I rejigged all three as necessary, and re-submitted along with the last item, all on CD in July 2010. I have had no acknowledgement of it’s receipt. This, may be that although there was a covering letter enclosed along with name, address and ‘phone number, I omitted to provide an email address, although, as I doubt very much that you will have another contributor with the eaxct same name, it would have been possible to find my email address from other communications.
           
          I have also sent an article on using a cycle computer for speed measurement. This was in Nov 08, was acknowledged, but nothing else. 
          As someone else has said, not knowing if they are of use, or if not suitable and not knowing why, does not incentivise one to go to the trouble of photographing items in course of whatever and then writing it all up, especially when setting up for photography can take an inordinate length of time. I fully accept that, for example, the DOL Starter repair may well be a one-off, and that for people without the necessary skills it could even be classed as dangerous (but not when completed) and therefore not suitable, but I would like to know. Similarly, the cycle computer device may well be duplication, but again, if it is to be rejected for that reason, then again I would like to know.
           
          I think it is important to realise that lack of acknowledgement plus lack of feedback (for articles) will cause people to stop bothering and you will then be in an even worse situation.
           
          Regards,
           
          Peter G. Shaw
           
          #61632
          peter walton 1
          Participant
            @peterwalton1
            Big problem I have in saying what I would like to see in MEW is that is that I do not know what I do not know! if you see what i mean.  I think I am quite savey about most things until I try do something I havent done before and realise there a knowledge void!!
            Like the other day I was engraving some dog coller labels in the cnc mill and was suddenly confronted with the ‘how do I hold them’.
            Some time later I had a simple fixture constructed to hold a tag, took longer than the engraving!
            Articles on the construction of jigs would be useful if more than one item was to be produced a jig could be the answer afterall necessity is the mother of invention so they say!!
             
            Another problem I have come accross but not seen a true answer to is cupping caused in part by overly zealos use of the vice on the mill.
             
            Peter
            #61633
            Engine Builder
            Participant
              @enginebuilder
              Let me share my experience of submiting articles.
              January 2009 sent 2 articles by email. I recieved acknowlegement that they would be published. I waited about 6 months and enquired about progress. DC told me he couldn’t find the articles. Later he said he had located them. I waited another 6 months and enquired again. I was again told the articles couldn’t be found. I offered to send them again but only if they would be published in a reasonable time ( as I had an offer from another magazine) They were then published a few issues later. Total time from being sent to publication about 18 months.
              But it doesn’t finish there…payment is expected 30 days after publication so I checked my bank account 6 weeks later and no payment had been made. I chased this up and was told payment had been made. Further enquires proved that payment had been made but into someone elses account, not mine!  Error was corrected and money showed up in my account.
              By now part 2 of the article had been published, guess what, no money was payed by the due date .I had to chase it again. After these problems the third installment went without any problems but is it worth the hassel?
              I have offered to do a write up on the engine that is my avatar and have been told it’s suitable but ater the previous episode I am finding it hard to get enthusiastic about it
              David
               
               
              #61635
              David Clark 13
              Participant
                @davidclark13
                Hi There
                I have on occaision had email problems.
                I have had to forward lots of emails to myself which loses the header display in the mailbox.
                Some emails have gone missing although they are there in my name rather than contributor.
                 
                Payment is not my fault.
                I request payment to be made and it should be.
                I ask someone to be paid by name.
                If they pay it to the wrong account, I don’t know this until I receive a complaint.
                Very few payments go missing. Maybe one or perhaps two a year have to be chased up.
                regards David
                 
                #61636
                Ian Abbott
                Participant
                  @ianabbott31222
                  I think that the problem where articles are “lost” and such, is not with David, but is inherent in a system where everything is uploaded to a server at head office.  Anyone used to this kind of arrangement knows the frustration of trying to keep track of things when a large number of people have access and minor glitches can create havoc.
                   
                  This is endemic in an organization such as MyHobbyStore, where a relatively small staff try to run many magazines.  Unfortunately, that’s life in the magazine publishing business, dominated by people like Morton (sp?) Media and the pressure of advertising revenue dictating the amount of content.
                   
                  Ian 
                  #61640
                  David Clark 13
                  Participant
                    @davidclark13
                    Hi Ian
                    No, the loss is with me. I live in a small two bedroom house and articles are packed in plastic boxes and a filing cabinet.
                    I go through articles regularly to select for the magazine.
                    Omly in the last couple of months have we been uploading to the server.
                    What I have not done is put a received date on them.
                    Perhaps this should be done however, haveing worked almost 7 days a week for about 10 hours a day, often more, time has been against me.
                    regards david
                     
                     
                    #61644
                    Speedy Builder5
                    Participant
                      @speedybuilder5
                      In the ‘Old Days’  tooling was included in Model Engineer – now we have to pay a separate subscription.  I for one would like to see the odd MEW article in ME – perhaps MEW readers would like to see the odd ME article.  Would it be possible for both camps to be allowed to access the digital subscriber archives of both ME and MEW – surely the publishers could be a little more generous in this ?
                       
                      Also, being an overseas subscriber, we are excluded from all competitions, But why are we excluded, as I am sure that if we won, we would be prepared to pay the additional cost of postage.
                      Subscription offers etc. – there are no benefits for loyalty of overseas subscribers.
                       
                      We do accept that because our mail lags behind domestic mail, that often small ad offers have gone long before we open our post, so perhaps be a little more charitable with your future offers.
                      #61645
                      Keith Wardill 1
                      Participant
                        @keithwardill1
                        Hi, David,
                         
                        We will have to agree to disagree about the range of maerial in ME  – a quick look at any of the MEs from the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s will show a much wider range of subjects than todays issues – of course, in those days ME was almost the only magazine which dealt with engineering issues in all fields (and sometimes not only model engineering), Unfortunately (IMO) since then, disciplines such as aircraft, boats, cars, some electronics, tools and other subjects have been spun off into their own magazines, which leaves a narrower field to ME. As JasonB comments in this thread  – ‘it would be nice to see some road steam…’. (Martin Wallis’ write-ups excepted). I also seem to remember (maybe before your time, David), a discussion about no longer printing articles on model weapons, apparently due to worries about Health and Safety, although there does seem to be the possibilty of getting something about Dougie Swanns Rail Gun – a very nice piece of work.
                         
                        I realise that my tastes may not correspond to other readers – like everyone else, I have my per hates – but I miss the wide ranging content of earlier years, and the cross-fertilisation of ideas this encouraged – I for one will never part with my old copies of ME. 
                         

                         Regards, KeithW

                        #61646
                        David Clark 13
                        Participant
                          @davidclark13
                          Hi Robert
                          Apparently if we put a competition into a magazine sold in the US and it is out of date we can get a hefty fine.
                          That is why they are not open to overseas readers.
                          regards David
                           
                          #61647
                          David Clark 13
                          Participant
                            @davidclark13
                            Hi Keith
                            I do try to keep ME content varied.
                            We have had cars and aeroplanes, boats as well.
                            No electronics but that is deliberate.
                            regards David
                            #61664
                            Eric Cox
                            Participant
                              @ericcox50497

                              What would I like to see in ME? , Anything, just ensure that the articles and drawings are complete and error free. ME now has a new assistant/sub/deputy editor so there really is no excuse.

                              #61666
                              Chris Trice
                              Participant
                                @christrice43267
                                …. Assuming the article is reproduced accurately and the author hasn’t included errors. The only way to be sure is for the editor to build the subject and that’s not going to happen.
                                 
                                I like the idea of an ideas thread or a jig/fixture thread. Sometimes seeing how someone has set something up can inspire further thinking when it comes to solving a different set up.
                                #61668
                                Steve Purves
                                Participant
                                  @stevepurves30189
                                  I too have sent articles with no response/publication,  It appeared time critical when I was writing it but then had no feedback! I have an idea for a series of articles which I have already started but don’t know whether to continue.
                                  Regards
                                  Steve 
                                   
                                  #61672
                                  KWIL
                                  Participant
                                    @kwil
                                    I seem to spend a lot of my time making jigs and fixtures for various jobs, but the thought of publishing them has not occured to me. The problem as I see it, is that these are specific to a particular job, no amount of description would generate sufficient interest in Readers IF they are not going to do that particular job.
                                     
                                    Perhaps the Editor could consider printing a single photograph with a one liner description under a heading of “How did he do that then?”  It wouild be up to the Reader to consider if that was of any interest/training for them.
                                     
                                    By the way Chris as regards error free,  when I used to review Contracts,  I could pick out a typo or other error in a flash, reviewing something you have written yourself is much more difficult, you read what you want to see, not what you have.
                                    #61684
                                    David Clark 13
                                    Participant
                                      @davidclark13
                                      Hi Steve
                                      Nottingham and Stapleford Park are high on list to be used.
                                      We have had a lot of visits recently.
                                      regards david
                                       
                                      #61685
                                      Ian Abbott
                                      Participant
                                        @ianabbott31222
                                        Oh David. why did you tell them about the cardboard box?  First rule, always pass the buck up a level…….   I did though think that MyHobbyStore were further along than that.
                                         
                                        From my point of view though, the cardboard box seems to work well enough; been like that since the 1800’s ME’s.
                                         
                                        I must say though, about correcting drawings, our new Deputy Editor isn’t trained in draughting, nor engineering, so it would be unreasonable to ask her to do it.  ‘Sides, there is apparently someone employed to fix drawings isn’t there?
                                         
                                        And having said all that.  Check out the competition,  Engineering in Miniature brags about the quality of their drawing, but generally, it’s atrocious.  ME’s is far better, and compared with working with newspapers and some other magazines, works superbly.  I’ve had stuff published in other places that was unrecognizable as my work.  Newspapers are particularly bad, with articles cut off mid way, when the column ended.
                                         
                                        Ian 
                                        #61687
                                        Nicholas Farr
                                        Participant
                                          @nicholasfarr14254
                                          Hi, I tend to agree wil kwil, jigs and fixtures are usually dedicated to a specific job. Often they are kinda of rough-n-ready, as making them is time consuming, and in industry time is money.

                                           
                                          Maybe a few examples could be shown for some simple jobs to show the techniques, but they are really something that you make up as you go along, and to your own way of working.
                                           
                                          Regards Nick.
                                          #61692
                                          Steve Purves
                                          Participant
                                            @stevepurves30189
                                            Sorry David, I wasn’t having a moan, but it just seemed very quiet! I have some idea’s for features that could be very easy to manage, if you would like discuss them further… I could put a post on here to see what everyones views are?
                                            Cheers
                                            Steve 
                                            #61693
                                            David Clark 13
                                            Participant
                                              @davidclark13
                                              Hi There
                                              I have tried to get the ME drawings improved.
                                              I had colour removed unless essential and they are now to a reasonable standard.
                                              However, the illustrator does other magazines and sometimes drawings for ME and MEW arrive on the day they go to press.
                                              I do check them but occasionally minor errors slip through.
                                              regards david
                                               
                                              #61694
                                              David Clark 13
                                              Participant
                                                @davidclark13
                                                Hi Steve
                                                It may seem very quiet but we have done 5 magazines in about 4 weeks.
                                                Email me direct with articles or ideas please.
                                                regards David
                                                 
                                                #61702
                                                StirlingSingle
                                                Participant
                                                  @stirlingsingle
                                                  Hello,
                                                   
                                                  I wold like to see the Clarkson 3.5″ Stirling Single or the Locomotive design Co 3.5″ Stirling Single produced as a series. However due to my lack of experience and exciting workmanship! I would not be a suitable author!!
                                                   
                                                  Only an idea. many thanks.
                                                  #61714
                                                  Flying Fifer
                                                  Participant
                                                    @flyingfifer
                                                    Hi Steve
                                                    Nottingham and Stapleford Park are high on list to be used.
                                                    We have had a lot of visits recently.
                                                    regards david
                                                     
                                                    Wots this got to do with THIS thread?????
                                                     
                                                    Does the Ed know something we don`t?
                                                    Is the next Exhibitin going to be at one or other of these locations?
                                                    Is this a thread hijack attempt by our worthy editor or has he been at that potent Scottish brew over the last couple of days?
                                                     
                                                     
                                                    Slange va !!!
                                                    #61716
                                                    David Clark 13
                                                    Participant
                                                      @davidclark13
                                                      Just read Steve’s posting above, don’t jump to conclusions and I don’t drink alchohol because it tastes awful.
                                                      regards David
                                                       
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