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Author Topic: No Brainer Questions.  (Read 2263 times)

Bryan Young

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No Brainer Questions.
« on: June 17, 2012, 07:29:13 pm »

Just had a PM from a forum member agreeing with my comments about “anodes”.
This PM sort of coalesced my recent thoughts about this forum.
The topic in question is called “Model Boat Building”….not “Kit Assembly”. A vast difference.
We appear to be inundated with queries that either the use of 2 brain cells would answer, or a quick perusal of some photographs would answer.
I guess we are back in the realms of a “quick fix” without any effort being applied. This is not, in the long term, a good way of learning about model building/assembly.
These comments are not aimed at “Beginners”…but so-called “Full” mayhemmers who should really know better.
I appreciate that many members here don’t know the difference between a stem and a stern….but that’s no excuse for not doing a bit of personal reading/research on the subject. Just tapping a keyboard is no real way to learn….if you are serious, that is. I also appreciate that there are many different levels of “competence” here. But we all started off basically knowing zilch. And the learning process, by trial and error, makes for the unspeakable word “experience” to become a guide to better things.
     I would assume (probably wrongly) that people who wish to build/assemble a model boat or ship would have some sort of vestigial interest in the model under construction. So learn a bit about it.
Cheers. By.
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Circlip

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2012, 07:45:29 pm »

Nice minefield you've just laid there Bryan. Don't forget, when we were spawned, "disposable income" didn't exist and we were weaned on wonder. We can easily scoff at the "No brainer" (in our opinion) questions but the ability to read a plan and join bits of wood together a la Aerokits is a dying art.

  Thirty odd years ago, a neighbour asked advice on a "Kit" he had bought. He told me that he could put an Airfix kit together in about half an hour, but "This one" a Billings Santa Maria (or some other Galleon) needed explaining and assumed that you knew what "Bow" and "Stern" meant??

    Regards  Ian.
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rmaddock

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2012, 07:52:47 pm »

Of course, educational theory tells us that the best way to learn is to be lead by someone more experienced into the level of difficulty just above what you can achieve on your own.

So, perhaps you should look on answering questions not as a chore, but as a gift to those self-same newcomers?

As long as they're not silly questions of course...in which case they should be thrown into the stocks and pelted with offcuts of balsa!  {-)
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Circlip

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2012, 08:00:17 pm »

Can't throw Balsa at them, it's too ****** expensive.  >>:-(

  Regards  Ian.
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Neil

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2012, 08:30:47 pm »

I agree to some point with your comments Bryan.......but don't forget there are those who fear the subject........just as I fear the word "Computor" to the point that sometimes I won't even press a button on this damn thing for fear of reducing it to a smoking pile of ashes.
However they do remind me of the time when I was just starting a new "term" of model boat builders at my night scholl classes for the subjetc at the local high school.
I was explaning to the "class" that they would need AT HOME  a craft knife, steel rule and a cutting board as basic tools......

When one chap in his 60's ( i'm going back 15 years now when I hadn't hit this age) chipped in and from the back of the class, shouted out........didn't know you set f******* homework..................I'm off.............and out he marched from the class.

There will always be "transients" in the hobby that will switch hobbied like I change my socks, and never stay long enough to learn anything, hoping that sothers will do the "work" for them.................

Some people have an objection to cheque book model boaters...........I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THAT AT ALL, and they enjoy the hobby just as I do..........but those who spend little time before flitting to another hobby, I feel sorry for because they never get the real enjoyment from what this hobby has to offer.

saying that I have often thought of "N" guage railways when I get too old to haul around a heavy boat...........but that seems a long way off yet.
Let those people ask the questions..........it helps both them and me, as I have to rack my brains to think of a solution to their problem that I had probably forgotten about many oons ago.............so please don't decry them, just help them to help you in the long run, and hope that they too will eventually be in  a position to help others..............if you scare them off, then that's another person lost to the hobby.
neil.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2012, 08:53:35 pm »

There are several issues here I think. These include:

1. As Bryan says, some people are unwilling to spend a few minutes Googling and rather expect to be 'spoon fed' with no effort made on their own part. This is certainly not confined to model boating forums but is a general attitude. You don't really learn much that way, you just pick up snippets of unrelated information with little real understanding.

2. It is much easier to help someone who has already done a bit of digging around as they will have picked up some background information which will enable them to focus their question better which in turn makes it easier to give a a relevant answer. And because they already have a bit of background, they will be able to absorb and apply that answer more effectively. Win, win all round.

3. People who ask vague questions risk being misunderstood as people willing to respond are then more likely to make assumptions which are incorrect which leads to confusion and sometimes irritation on both sides.

4. Given the resources available on the Internet it is not unreasonable to expect enquirers to do a little bit of homework before asking for direct help. To do otherwise smacks of laziness in my view. This Forum, along with others, does have a search facility which some people cannot be bothered to use.

5. People often overlook the fact that there exist some very good books on model boating which, if they are serious about the hobby, they really ought to read as most, if not all, of their questions will probably be answered and if they are not then they will have picked up enough background to ask specific questions on Internet Forums which will usually bring very helpful answers. Unfortunately these days certain people seem to make a virtue of 'having never read a book'.

6. I have always been happy to help with advice wherever I think it will help someone with their build and I recognise that the same old questions will keep coming up again and again. However I do get annoyed by those people who seem to assume that they can presume upon the time of others simply because they can't be bothered to do just a little bit of preliminary homework themselves. For example, I was recently a bit miffed when someone came onto a another Forum I belong to and stated that they hadn't got time to look up the answer themselves so could someone please tell them blah, blah blah! Reaction - 'Why the hell should we?'

7. Most of the more experienced model boaters on Mayhem are more than happy to pass on their knowledge and experience to help others but no one likes being taken for granted as an unpaid public service!

Colin
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Mad_Mike

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2012, 10:38:15 pm »

I suppose everyone here is commenting about the thread concerning sourcing anodes. The only questions were as far as i can seen were where to buy them and what they were which i asked out of curiosty.

I suppose i could have doug threw the archives of the world wide web but seeing as there were people about who new anyway it seemed more sensible to ask directly. Thanks to those who did help.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2012, 10:56:08 pm »

I don't think the question was all that clear though. Was it functional anodes that were wanted or just simulations - see point 3 above.

Colin
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Mad_Mike

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2012, 11:04:48 pm »

If you see on the vaporetta build thread, the builder states that they will be just for show and not working. The other thread reguarding a source of scale anodes does not.
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Colin Bishop

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2012, 11:16:59 pm »

But like a lot of other people, I don't follow every thread so it's important that if a question is asked that all the relevant information is in one place.

Colin
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Norseman

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2012, 11:18:39 pm »

I'd have to go back to be certain but I'm pretty sure Mike didn't mean he wanted to fit functional anodes.

Every day I learn something on Mayhem, from the many builds, questions others ask, or I ask, from the differences of opinion.
I look at old threads too, and for vessels that I am really interested in I'll do an awful lot of research. The best practical help I find has been another modeller (thankyou)

The least help surprisingly has been our search facility (and always from the home page) perhaps I am not getting the best from it? but also there are often conflicting posts
that can be a minefield, and sometimes just knowing the best search term is baffling.

I'm a people guy (not in the American sense) - I'll ask openly or by pm - I find Mayhemers to be ever so approachable. In turn I like to give something back to others, sometimes it's just support or a joke, but also I'll spend my time searching the web for things people are looking for.

Thanks to everyone's input I can enjoy Mayhem's varied boards whilst I struggle to be a better modeller.

Dave
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Mad_Mike

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #11 on: June 17, 2012, 11:43:52 pm »

But like a lot of other people, I don't follow every thread so it's important that if a question is asked that all the relevant information is in one place.

Colin

Of course but which question is this perticular thread here is refering to? The asking about sourcing anodes or what they were? Anyway this is a stupid thread and just going to cause pointless arguments which i dont want to start with either you or anyone.
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2012, 02:20:15 am »

Of course but which question is this perticular thread here is refering to? The asking about sourcing anodes or what they were? Anyway this is a stupid thread and just going to cause pointless arguments which i dont want to start with either you or anyone.

Mike,

I for one, (am not an experienced modeller), thought that actual anodes being being requested/sought.

Consequently I asked the question, why on model boats, got no answer.

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essex2visuvesi

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2012, 06:26:42 am »

sometimes tho doing your own research can leave you even more confused than when you started.
The interweb has a great deal of information and opinions on almost every subject.... A lot of which is conflicting, out of date or both.

I do try to find my own information before asking questions and will quite often post a question just to clarify/confirm the information I have found elsewhere as its nice to have someone who you know is experienced (like several on here) confirm the information.
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RAAArtyGunner

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2012, 08:55:19 am »

sometimes tho doing your own research can leave you even more confused than when you started.
The interweb has a great deal of information and opinions on almost every subject.... A lot of which is conflicting, out of date or both.

I do try to find my own information before asking questions and will quite often post a question just to clarify/confirm the information I have found elsewhere as its nice to have someone who you know is experienced (like several on here) confirm the information.

Couldn't agree more, also I find it hard to find stuff using the forum search facility, maybe because of me or because of the way the thread has been posted/titled.

Fortunately other members are able to steer me in the right direction. O0 O0

Much appreciated  :-)) :-))
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Bob K

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Re: No Brainer Questions.
« Reply #15 on: June 18, 2012, 09:25:41 am »

As a recent returnee to models I will admit to having asked some questions, the answers to which might have seemed blindingly obvious to some.  There was no internet in my early modelling days.  The Mayhem search facility is useful, but often appreciated advice given has lead to better solutions I might never have found elsewhere.

Thank you all for your patience, without which my trial and error learning curve would have been vastly extended.
Bob 
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