What did you do today (2015)

[Gas_mantle.Participant @gas_mantle]

Hi,

I guess the issue is not so much whether astronomy should have its own forum section but it's more to do with where do people discuss 'off topic' subjects ?

At the moment all the forum sub sections are engineering related in someway and that then means this particular thread has become the 'off topic' forum page.

If you were to assess whether a subject warrants it's own section purely by the number of people interested in the subject and visiting the pages then I think you will find a new astronomy section is likely to prove a lot more popular than 30% of the existing sections, but is that a reliable way to gauge whether a subject requires its own subsection ?

Take for instance the 'Scale model railway wagons section' – it has had only 3 subjects posted in 2 years, similarly the 'Trams' section has had 1 subjected posted in 3 years ! yet they are both more to do with model engineering than astronomy – although astronomy is likely to prove more popular than both of them put together.

My suggestion for what it's worth is have 'an off topic section' where astronomical observations / bee keeping etc could be posted but also look at the existing sections. Surely a 'Stirling engine' section would be more popular than a 'Scale model railway wagons' section.

Maybe there's scope also for having an 'Model engineering technical page' where people could ask technicalities – things like valve timings / flywheel design / boiler efficiencies etc which have all proved popular threads in recent weeks.

Peter.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Most of us have several interests, ranging from Astronomy, bee keeping even dogs. So these subjects crop up and become topics at that time and draw out questions and answers that profit knowledge and again interest.

Diversifying topics is a bit ingenious and here we have, 'What did YOU do today'. which fulfills that subject very adequately as it will draw many diverse subjects.

We should try to make it not too complicated as the subjects of low numbers of posting will get lost and be hard to find in back postings and I would rather just jump straight in on that day. How do you feel about it?

Clive

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

There is a miscellaneous section which was originally intended to cover things like Stirling engines. When I set the original categories up I tried to cover everything.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

So now I will bung in a Bee posting. Today at dinnertime I investigated a couple hives I have been unable to touch due to our poor weather of late. One I noticed was getting less and less activity around the entrance and from experience knew that it was dying out. Stripped it down and sure enough they were all dead so I have the boxes at home now to be cleaned up and sterilized.

The second one was a the hive I bought a new Queen for and I had inspected it at the 10 day stage and a month stage after introducing the £35 Queen. Both times showing no eggs nor brood., but over the last 2 or 3 weeks I have been seeing a lot more activity around the entrance so had a look today and I find it is now Queenright and has brood and eggs. This has taken that new Queen some 6 to 8 weeks to start laying. This meant i had to give them a Queen excluder and a box of empty combs to store honey for the winter, if they do not get enough I will have to feed them sugar water.

So far this year it has been a disaster and the Bee magazine gives a regional report telling of no honey being taken in NI and Wales and all over other Counties. I did take 22 lb from a hive close to the Raspberry patch but the honey tastes like Raspberries and not very palatable, I have had to blend it to take away the sharpness.

The hives I started off as new hives this year are doing very well and establishing themselves, but I will not get honey from them until next year and if they get through the winter. Regarding that, the signs are that the bees are expecting a bad winter as they are sealing up the entrances. It always seems they know what is going to happen !

Clive

[Gas_mantle.Participant @gas_mantle]

I guess it's one of those tricky situations where you can't please everyone no matter what you do.

I do still think though there is scope for an 'off topic' section.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

You could always add a thread "What I did last night" to cover astronomy.

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Clive,
I totally agree with all of your comments in your post. (28th Sept 18:05) I was going to say your last post but another one has popped up. Maybe we should identify the time (And person.) when answering a post that is more than a few posts back.

Les.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

David

I think a " What I did last night" thread would be really dodgy. I'm certainly not a bit interested in what any of you get up to at night!!

Norman

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Although "what did you do today" may in some eyes cover all and sundry, it's worth remembering what section of the forum the thread comes under – "Work in progress and completed item photos"

Also a reminder of what the thread set out to be about in 2013

"This forum is unlike most other model engineering forums that I visit in that very few people post what they are doing, most members on other forums have a build diary going of their current project but looking at the Work In progress section of this forum there is hardly a thing."

And a reminder at the start of 2014

"I know threads here tend to drift off topic but If we can try to keep it withing the main forum section of "Work in progress and completed items photos" though photos of progress are welcome and often as interesting as the finished item.

It's not just limited to model engineering or making tooling, if you have knocked up something for your motorbike or RC heli for example thats more than welcome, infact anything you have done in the workshop. That can also be extended to the study, kitchen table, etc as it would also be good to see any projects that are being drawn up or the latest item to be produced on that 3D printer that Santa has just dropped off."

DC1, the Misc topic is actually "Misc models" so unless its a model of a bee or dog there is no place for it there.

J

Edited By JasonB on 28/09/2015 18:26:59

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Over the weekend I got the main parts that will form the cylinder of my Tidman engine machined – about 3.75" tall and 3.25" dia flanges

Also did the 8" flywheel which will be the only casting used

[Gas_mantle.Participant @gas_mantle]

Posted by JasonB on 28/09/2015 18:25:36:

DC1, the Misc topic is actually "Misc models" so unless its a model of a bee or dog there is no place for it there.

J

Edited By JasonB on 28/09/2015 18:26:59

That's exactly why I feel there's scope for an off topic forum – I'd assume this thread was originally meaning what did you do today in a 'build' context – it's now the unofficial 'off topic' forum.

How else can people post about their interest in astronomy or bee keeping when at the moment it's engineering only if the forum headings were adhered to.

Edited By Peter Nichols on 28/09/2015 18:36:22

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Go to a bee keeping or Astronomy forum maybe. I don't post about my koi keeping, plastic modeling, bonsai or woodworking here or what the dog had for dinner but I do post on other forums.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 28/09/2015 18:38:23:

Go to a bee keeping or Astronomy forum maybe. I don't post about my koi keeping, plastic modeling, bonsai or woodworking here or what the dog had for dinner but I do post on other forums.

.

Jason,

I can't be bothered counting them, but I'm sure I have seen quite a few of your 'woodworking' items pictured here.

I have no problem with that … the boundaries have to blur a little.

MichaelG.

[Gas_mantle.Participant @gas_mantle]

Posted by JasonB on 28/09/2015 18:38:23:

Go to a bee keeping or Astronomy forum maybe. I don't post about my koi keeping, plastic modeling, bonsai or woodworking here or what the dog had for dinner but I do post on other forums.

Going to a specialist forum is the answer but in the real world people will inevitably discuss all manner of subjects from time to time in places like this so surely it makes sense to group them all together as 'off topic' discussion.

[Anonymous]

Posted by JasonB on 28/09/2015 18:38:23:

……………or what the dog had for dinner………….

Can't say I'd be worried about what the dog had for dinner, but the dog's breakfast is a completely different matter! Pictures of perfectly formed parts are fine, but am I the only one who messes things up? Pictures, or descriptions, of same are often more instructive than pictures of perfect parts.

Andrew

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

i don't think we have a problem with people finding space to discuss what they want – it only becomes an issue if a topic (like aircraft or astronomy) starts taking up a lot of space in a thread meant for other things.as well.

With a clear combination of interest from some forum users and a track record as a subject within the hallowed pages of ME, I can't see an issue with an Astronomy topic – it's clearly labelled and those who don't want to go in can avoid

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Quite possibly Michael but most likely in a reply to some query or other related to woodworking. Certainly don't knowingly post "here is a wardrobe I made today" or "here is a table I made last week" well not unles sit had a metal frame.

As you say its hard to draw a line, wood is used in engineering from cylinder cladding to workbenches or even making bee hives which is where I think the whole bee keping thing started.

I don't mind the odd item that drifts away from the original subject but they can start to take over.

J

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

I said miscellaneous was for models like Stirling engines not covered in other threads. I have not complained about bee keeping although I dislike honey. Tastes foul.

Plastic modelling does have a place on here.

Edited By David Clark 1 on 28/09/2015 19:12:50

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by David Clark 1 on 28/09/2015 19:12:25:

 

Plastic modelling does have a place on here.

 

So what heading would I put this under?

Edited By JasonB on 30/09/2015 13:42:08

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

looks armless to me

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

Personally I like the way that this thread wanders about from topic to topic. I find most of it interesting and frequently informative even if it is not 'Model Engineering'. A quick scan of a post and one can easily get the gist skip it if it has no interest.

Andrew, No you are not the only one to have mishaps/ Only recently I had finished a handle to activate the saddle lock on my little DB7 lathe when I thought it would be a good idea to put in a 3mm grub screw to secure a part of it. It was going fine and my good came out with a cup of tea and we started talking. To my eye off the job and then there was a little, but heart sinking, little click and the tap snapped. Start again and needless to say I was well hacked off.

Cheers

Martin

[mark costello 1Participant @markcostello1]

Variety is the spice of life! While I don't do Astronomey , now and then there is a snippet to be learned that fits into something else. Please keep it the way it is now, If I am not interested I can self moderate it and mentally ignore that which does not matter. Why deprive even a few of a broader outlook on life?

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Knitting!

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Yesterday I made a new rounded (safety) propeller nut for an ancient (very healthy) Oliver Tiger III Mod diesel engine. Also fitted a peripheral jet carburettor.

The prop nut thread had me baffled for a while, closest I measured was 0BA, but that was incorrect – so an online query came up with 1/4 BSF – what a mongrel size! But the kind bloke in Sydney who answered my query and sent me a taper and a plug tap 1/4 x 26 BSF gratis.

I'm building a new diesel team racer so made the tank, plumbing and shut-off.

* Danny M *

[Martin CottrellParticipant @martincottrell21329]

 

Posted by JasonB on 28/09/2015 19:20:34:

Posted by David Clark 1 on 28/09/2015 19:12:25:

 

Plastic modelling does have a place on here.

 

So what heading would I put this under?

Jason, I would suggest you put it under Miscellaneous Models. As a piece of modern art, this is clearly a metaphor for the anguish felt by engineers of a certain age since the introduction of sealed-for-life bearings. The piece depicts the clear difference between a modern mechanism, not needing any attention, safely hidden away behind it's guarding, contrasted by the far more interesting hands-on approach of removing the guards to get at the nipple for essential lubrication. One could also conclude that the severed hand conveys a metaphoric warning that messing with unguarded nipples can lead to serious personal injury if not handled with care. In all a very valid posting on this forum where nostalgia & safety are both common topics for discussion!

Martin.

Edited By Martin Cottrell on 28/09/2015 21:18:32

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