Presenting our work here- what do we want?

[Keb]

Before answering this I will say I'm not a well known person nor am I an expert at anything appreciated on this site. I dabble in lotsa stuff. BP guns are only one thing I like.

1) Do you present your finished work here frequently or not?  If not, are you intimidated by some of the great work presented here and feel your stuff is perhaps not "worthy"?
Or not. I don't make stuff to show off my ability or the lack there of. I make things for my own personal use. Period.

2) Do you feel like you can offer good constructive criticism here (in your area of expertise), or do you feel that you lack the "chops" to contribute to good critiques?
I have offered "ideas" before with little response. I have the "chops" but not the same level of expertise a lot of you fellas have.

3) When you respond to someone's new work, do you strive to mostly encourage, or do you feel you'd be doing the person a better service by pointing out areas that need improvement?
I don't respond unless it's a polite "Very Nice" comment, even if I don't like it.

4) Would you like to see a forum strictly for presenting work for critique, for helpful constructive criticism, and have it be a "no pros allowed" forum as far as submissions is concerned?  Pros would be encouraged to offer helpful evaluations, but would not submit their work in that forum.  Would that help folks feel more confident? (this is just an idea, not at all something about to happen)
No. People can ask for critiques in the building forum now if they choose. Why clog up the site with another forum?

5) Other considerations that might promote more great exchange about current work?
I got nothing.

6) It ain't broke, why change anything?
I guess this is the catch-all question
It's nice to have a web site that will showcase people's work if they choose to show it off. It's also nice that some busy people will take time out of their schedule to post critiques even if they are usually nothing more than someone's personal likes or dislikes. How dull would it be if we were interested in WWII U.S. Military rifles?

My biggest complaint about any web site that is centered around the many aspects of black powder guns is the people who are selling their stuff. I have always been opposed to unscrupulous traders anyway... However, I am thankful there are people that have & will spend many hours searching history and reporting their findings so a lazy guy like me can cite them instead of doing the leg work.
 

[bjmac]

OK. Time for a rank newbie to chime in.
1- I will not at this time present my work because I am totally intimidated by the work that is regularly presented here. As a beginning builder, I know that my work is not "worthy"
2- I cannot offer any criticism of any kind - I have neither the knowledge or experience
3- I have only responded to a very few post here - taylors work is the one that I aspire to emulate.
4- I would love to see a dedicated forum for critique - it would (perhaps) encourage less experienced builders to post their work without the comparison to the pros.
5 - nada
6 - I would go for the changes - not so much to fix anything , but to expand the possibilities

[Ted Kramer]

I really enjoy looking at other folks work. There are some very, very talented craftsmen on this site, gun builders as well as makers of all the items that are needed to fire and maintain the guns we all love. I am in awe of some of the beautiful work I see posted here, especially the carving and engraving, talents which seem to run mighty thin in my gene pool.

1) I have only posted one of my rifles here but intend to have another one on here soon. I definitely appreciate any good comments but constructive criticism is needed I feel, or the same mistakes or not quite right shaping etc. will continue.

2) I feel that I could offer some pointers in certain areas regarding building a rifle but I don't get a chance to check in here all that often, so usually someone else has already posted what I would have said!

3) I find it hard to actually criticize what someone has put a lot of hard work into, even if it doesn't trip my trigger. I'm simply too far from being an expert to be too critical.

4) I see no need for a dedicated forum for critique.

5) Nothing I can think of.

6) I like the forums just as they are.

Thanks Rich.

Ted K.

[hoochiepapa]

I have only posted my latest build here, and there was no criticism. Rich had seen it, and I didn't understand what he was saying about the comb until he posted a pic showing what he meant. So some times us newbies aren't privy enough to the asthetics of a long rifle (or fowling piece) to understand what the critics mean. That's why I think a separate forum for new builds would be good.
By the way, I advertised that rifle on the CLA website and sold it in one day. 

[LURCHWV@BJS]

  I have posted everything I've done since joining this forum,  I post pics knowing I will be critisized.  That's why I Post.  Granted it is difficult to express every detail i,e  structure, architechture, shape, size,(Golden Mean) over the internet.  Some things have to be seen or taught in person.   Not always having the resources to be taught in person this forum is my greatest tool.

   As for addind my two cents in......  I feeling I can only encourage fellow newbie's as we fumble along.  I am not great in wisdom of building,  Thus I leave the critique's to the expert's.  Though I feel sometime's  some of they're words are a little harsh or they need to learn a little more compassion toward lesser experienced builder's  I find the comments VERY Helpful.

  This forum, and it's member's  are Truly my favorite place to visit.  I think being a member has helped me grow both in character and in building.


   Thank You ALL

    Rich

[whitebear]

1.  After a several year hiatus I have started back to building in the last few months
and have not completed anything yet to show but will soon.

2.  I don't have the experience that a lot of others on here have so something has got to really bother me for me to comment although I have asked Taylor about a couple of things by PM.
   
3.  When I comment on someones work I try to encourage and help.   Case in point, Mr. Harris on May 8, ask the question about was anyone having trouble selling their rifles.  I sent him a PM suggesting other pictures that he might add to his post and additional information that it would be good to include.  I referred him to another rifle on the forum that in just a few words presented most if not all the basic information that a buyer would want to know.  I fear that I and possibly others replies confused him and he took the idea that we were destroying his gun and him as well.  I want to take this time to apologise to him for my overbearing response.

4.  I don't see the need for the referred to forum.  To my way of thinking we need a blend of beginners critiques up to and including pros to get a good overall perspective.   How would you designate who is a pro?

 

[Mike Brooks]

I post my guns here or on the blog occasionaly. Coments both pro and con are welcome and I always state that in my postings. I actually post very little of what I build as I build alot of guns, most of what I would call "run of the mill" with no note worthy characteristics, I tend to post my more unusual stuff or stuff that I especially like or thought came off well. I will at times post some pretty basic stuff if I have given the gun an especially brutal aged finish....just to shake things up a bit.
 I don't tend to critique much. Some of the work I see from the "top builders" doesn't do much for me artistically as alot of that stuff is pretty flat and static. But on ther other hand , some of the "top builders can really blow my socks off and I say so. Generally if I make no comment on the gun it can be taken as a "yawn" or I just didn't see the thread. I don't get alot of internet time anymore and generally won't go into an indepth critique due to time constraints.
 I DO like to see guns posted here, of all skill levels. Very enjoyable to see what's going on in the gunmaking community since I don't get out much anymore.