POSTS AND RESPONCES

[George F.]

 Is it me or has the Forum hit a lull? Seems there are less Questions, less answers, Less jibberish, And of course less pictures of everybody"s work, either in progress, or completed. What's Going on?   ... Geo.    P.S.    Don't tell me we're gonna blame this on Eric. Now that's not right.

[Brian]

No, I'd say it's just that time of year - or whatever.  Fall?  Election?  A lot going on.  There are times, for whatever reason, when everybody is just busy.  Really busy.  Speaking for myself, I've got so much to do at work, and with my home, and with my yard, and in getting ready for winter - I can't hardly spare the time to even think about much else.  Once we settle back into winter and guys get back to their gun rooms - it will all pick up again.

[Jim Filipski]

Not Sure .....but it is A bit different then the Old ALR.com! Don't know why? Most folks are the same here as they were there. Just not the interesting topics!
And No archives ...yet! Can't put my finger on it Guess we'll have to wait a bit
Jim

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

For my part I am just really busy at work and taking an EMT-Basic course at the same time. I stop in to read and get refreshed and don't have much time to respond. 

[Tom Cooper]

I am being forced back into business for myself.

 I am working for a husband/wife team that thinks the best way to combat this failing economy is to jack our service rates from $85 an hour to $110.

He is making more money while I am doing less work.

Better to be an independant right now than be dragged down with a fool.

[Randy Hedden]

George,

If you go down to the very bottom of the first page of the list, the one that shows all the various forums, and click on "more stats" you can see how many posts and replies have been made month by month. The stats seen to show that posts and replies are down a bit, but not that much.

Randy Hedden

www.harddogrifles.com

[Lucky R A]

   Things are a bit different.  The thing that I miss the very most is being able to look at a member's bio to actually learn a little something about the individual.  We used to know the person's vocation and the area of the country he lived in (very handy if you wanted to contact him personally, if he lived close by.)   As it is now, there are just a few sterile bits of information, and you might as well not even have a bio.         I also believe that there was a bit of arrogance from a few newbees.  They built one gun and knew it all and ticked off some of the seasoned builders who had a lifetime of experience to share.   Of course, you have some who will post to anything, whether or not they have anything to say, just to amass a post count.           See what happens when I read the forum before my first cup of coffee!     Ron

[Ephraim]

Hi as for my self this time of year I am trying to get ready for the hunting season. am building tree rifles and planing 2 more I just don't have time to think up anything to ask and ain't smart enough to post pic's
Ephraim

[roundballshooter]

   Things are a bit different.  The thing that I miss the very most is being able to look at a member's bio to actually learn a little something about the individual.  We used to know the person's vocation and the area of the country he lived in (very handy if you wanted to contact him personally, if he lived close by.)   As it is now, there are just a few sterile bits of information, and you might as well not even have a bio.         I also believe that there was a bit of arrogance from a few newbees.  They built one gun and knew it all and ticked off some of the seasoned builders who had a lifetime of experience to share.   Of course, you have some who will post to anything, whether or not they have anything to say, just to amass a post count.           See what happens when I read the forum before my first cup of coffee!     Ron

i used to have a little more info in by bio, including my email address.  got some helpful emails from forum members.  then i started getting spammed (i guess if that email address is available to the other forum members, its available to the spam bots as well).  anyway, that sort of thing has a chilling effect on internet socialization 

[rich pierce]

I think that perhaps we've (long-time members) discussed many questions and topics of interest.  Newer members will pose many of the same questions, etc that we've discussed before and get info, but not everybody will feel the need to contribute, if they've contributed on a similar topic before.  The format or bios are not that important to me.  I can get in touch with folks offline and do so.

On the Antique guns side, a couple of years ago we had a burst of new discussions on original rifles that were the subject of articles in Muzzle Blasts, etc, where their origins and bloodlines were debated with great interest.  Lately, not so much has popped up and we haven't discussed some new revelations as much because there's no controversy.  The "griffon" Oerter for example could be discussed in detail (the engraving on the patchbox- who did that and what does it relate to?) but since there's no reason to debate who made it, when, and where, there's no discussion.  Nothing like controversy to stir up conversation.

[Stophel]

I have periods where I'm just tired of 18th century stuff and actually get burnt out on making guns.  I'm in one of those periods right now.  That's probably why I'm not making so many of my usual inflammatory posts...

[Ky-Flinter]

As for the Building sections, I think there are 2 categories of posters....  the amateur/apprentice builders (that would be me) and the Professionals/Masters.

Personally, I'm pretty busy with work and getting ready for deer season, so unfortunately not getting to do much work on my projects.  I'll get cranked back up about mid-December, the freezer will be full (hopefully), work will slow down (again, hopefully) and I'll have some time off.  A lot of the amateur's are probably in the same situation. 

I'm guessing the Masters are staying pretty busy finishing and delivering guns to eager hunters before the seasons open.

-Ron

[Joe S]

Gun building is strictly a wintertime activity for me, so it will be another month or so before I start looking for help on my current project.  However, I do have a question for y’all.

I have a maple stock that I bought from Dunlap about 18 months ago.  I finished the rifle (my first) late last winter.  To this day, the stock keeps changing shape.  About 6 months after I started the rifle, the butt shrank about 1/8” vertically, and expanded about the same amount on the top right side.  It was so bad that I had to re-inlet the butt plate.  A few months later, I had to enlarge the tumbler mortise.

Yesterday, I had to enlarge the sear mortise because it was no longer allowing the rifle to come to full cock.  It seems to be shrinking, as the lock mortise tightened up so much that it cracked along the front edge.

I live in Montana, so we don’t have real wild swings in humidity, and the rifle is stored indoors so the temperature is constant.  Has anyone ever seen anything like this before? 

PS:  Rich – I have fired one of your flints over 100 times with no resharpening, and it still looks good.

[Jim Thomas]

I've programed myself to procrastinate with actual building until after the Lewisburg show in February.  

That works out well for my wifes hobby.    I'm a crewman on the USS Henpecked, which for some reason always heads for the high seas in the fall.        

  



      

[Roger Fisher]

I blame it on youngster Eric running off to school probably hooked up with a southern miss by now, and ol Daryl and Taylor running after those meese/mooses/moose or as they call 'em swamp donkeys or whatever,. 

Come to think of it maybe we have covered it all at least what is fit to print!

[Acer Saccharum]

I think the forum IS different, though I'd have to think a lot about how and why. A lot of the same folks are here, and a lot of new members joined since the start of the new ALR. Not to negate the current lull, but I have noticed in the distant past where the board doesn't seem like it has much going on.

We did go through a major change, and that has affected the board, for sure. I think we are still settling in and getting comfortable.

We had a very stressful break with the Powder Room, and I think that had a very powerful effect on the ALR. Some members who were very vocal before the break have not been so active. I think of all the changes we have gone through, this separation had the most effect on the current board.

Part of the difference is that the administration is stronger. As a moderator, I am working more diligently to keep the board in line with the intent of the ALR. This does not suit everyone. Some members would like less moderation. Also The heavier moderation may tend to keep people from speaking their minds. The moderation is done with the intent of keeping this forum just about muzzle loaders.

One thing which I found unsettling was when members moved from the old site to the new, they changed their screen name. For the longest time, I did not realize that "Ken Guy" was actually "Packdog" from the old ALR. I was almost like I didn't recognize him. This is something else that takes time to settle in.

Personally, I have been extremely busy with work, and life, and have not had the inclination to post lots of pictures. I concentrate on my work and family, and my gunwork is begging for attention. I go in spells, and next slow period, I am back on the jaeger. I will surely post then. But I do believe this lull in the ALR is a temporary thing, and others will have similar experiences to relate.

Is this lull something I will worry about? Not one iota. I think we have a great solid community, and it will weather all kinds of change. But we will go through phases.

Acer

[Tom Currie]

I echo Rich Pierce's comment about lack of new discoveries to discuss like the attic Dickert ( maybe we could see some pics of the restoration process, that would be interesting ). EK's research also made good topics for discussion also and new discoveries such as the Oerter rifle(s). We've been a little short on really interesting subjects.

I also think we cover a lot of the same subject matter over and over again, ( Auqa Fortis) maybe that's for lack of archives available to newbies.

This is also a slow building time of year for me, I'm only a " one gun at a time " hobby builder and my Buck's County smoothbore progress has slowed to a crawl with hunting season starting and other " back to school " activites with my teenagers.

I have however been able to correspond with several other members that have shared information with me and are doing simliar builds to mine, and that has been invaluable in helping the quality of my current build.

 


 

[famouseagle]

Although American Longrifles is a pretty broad subject there is a limit to discussion topics.  Some have been covered pretty thoroughly over the past few years.  There isn't much more one can contribute to pach lubes or vinegar stain.

Every now and then a real gem of building or collecting knowledge shows up.  I always look for posts by Eric Kettenberg or Shelby Galien but these guys are busy and aren't lurking on the forum.  However, these and other significative posts make the forum worthwhile.

I don't see where the Powder Room made any contribution to the forum.  It was mostly a collection of daily political diatribes by guys preaching to the choir.  They now have their own forum in which to unload.

I agree with Ron.  I would like to see the biographical data reinstated.  I get plenty of spam already.  A few more offers of replica watches or enhancement products won't make much difference.  They just automatically go to the trash.

[Elnathan]

It has seemed fairly quiet recently to me, too. I have been fairly busy of late, starting a new job about two months ago, but I never really contributed that much, since most folks here know more than I do and I don't work fast enough or do go enough work to post pictures. Interestingly enough, it seems to me that the Muzzleloading Forum has been pretty slow lately as well, so it is likely a seasonal thing rather than specific to this board.

Incidentally, I think Eric Kettenburg may not have made the switch from the old board to this one - I can't recall seeing any posts by him since the change. I don't know how to look up the list of members...

[Randy Hedden]

Incidentally, I think Eric Kettenburg may not have made the switch from the old board to this one - I can't recall seeing any posts by him since the change. I don't know how to look up the list of members...

Elnathan

Eriic Kettenburg made the jump to the new board. At least he is listed in the members list for the new board.

Randy Hedden

[P.W.Berkuta]

Has any body given any thought to the economy? I know purse strings are tight in my home, divorce, surgery, doctor bills. Their is no extra money for "toy's". I also find that this time of year the hunting folks are gearing up and spending more time out in the fresh air. That said I do notice that the subject matter at times is a little "stale" and "repetitive" - like flogging a dead horse - how many locks can you inlet too deep / too shallow / too high / too low ( just an example -don't get you undies all twisted)?? We do have an archive for the most common problems. Maybe we need to focus on some "new" problems - how about "what side plate styles can be interchanged / modified with rifles from the same school of makers"? How about stock architecture as relateted to length of pull and my favorite  -"The Golden Mean Rule"