Question: About names, nicknames and avatars

Hey Doc .... I'll take two bottles .... but ONLY IF you highly recommend your own product


By the way .... you are THE perfect example of the target market of this advertising campaign. The part-time engraver who has a day job that pulls in big bucks.

Sadly, the full-time engravers who work with this stuff all day, every day are kicked around and ignored because the folks selling all this expensive stuff know we are broke. We pose tough questions and ultimately don't buy. If they were smart, they would be sucking up to the full time engravers because we are the future of engraving .... not the guy who buys every tool under the sun because he thinks it will make him a better engraver then gets discouraged in a year and shoves it all in a closet. There's no security of the full time day job to fall back on so anything "new" introduced into the work environment needs to be thoroughly researched ..... the word of an acquaintance or a celebrity engraver ain't enough. So when I pose a tough question or disagree, I'm interested in real answers. If were to introduce something new, I wouldn't just send it to my friends to test but maybe to a few who could be trusted to give it a real workout ..... that is if I were 110% confident in the product to begin with of course.

That's the bottom line.

disclaimer .... I have nothing against doing this part-time and I probably would if I could. If there were well paid, full time careers as a conductor of HO scale trains, we'd all be driving trains.
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Hey Jane,

I'd be curious to know if all that time "social networking" actually brings in enough business to justify it. That would make a good discussion.


Take care folks ..... I've wasted enough time when I should be investing it.

I don't have any problem with the forum rules, to keep a little peace in your Cafe I think there have to be rules like in any other family.
About the nicknames and avatars, yes I use a nickname and I do this very conscious because I am goldsmith for profession, I only work for jewelers and have al lot of juwelery in the house that don't belong to me.
So I do have a lot of responsebility for the stuff that I've recieved in confidence.
Why should I take risk and telling everybody on the internet who I am and where they can find me if there is no reason to.
When you do have a shop you have to advertise or let people know who you are and where they can visit you because you need the customers.
But in my case I am very anxious the wrong people will visit me with a gun at night .
So there can be an important reason why using a nickname and staying a bit anonimeous.
Therefor I disagree on that point of view with Arnaud.
Willem (not my real name !!!:big grin

Arnaud, nicknames are the nature of Internet forums the world over. You are blowing against the wind. Do you feel it? Not that there is anything wrong with that. It can be enjoyable. Some of histories greatest men have blow against the wind.

Personally I don't mind corresponding with anyone who can type because I know it can't be a dog who can type that I am communicating with. Can it!?

Well this thread certainly morphed into something completely different than it started out to be. Since my name has now become what seems to be one on the controversies let me address the issue at hand.

First and foremost there isn't anything that compels anyone from opening and viewing a thread that is an advertisement for a new product. Everyone e has the the choice to ignore it if they wish.

As far as whether or not Sam or Marty Rex or Lee or any of the other instructors myself included at one time at Glendo benefit from promotion of their products of course they do. If GRS is successful then those instructors benefit directly by making a substantial contribution to their income by teaching classes and doing trade shows for them. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. They also in turn help to make the engraving world grow. If I was independantley wealthy then I would be glad to do it all for no compensation.

I also on my site provide a lot of information gratis, of course it's helps the commercial aspect of what I'm doing but no one is obligated to purchase or join the site at all. The only reason to join is to make a comment or to participate in the forum if you choose . The reason for that is clear so as to prevent real spam not affiliated with engraving and stone setting at all. So if one chooses to go there only for the information that's fine as well.

I don't know when it became evil to make a living by selling products and teaching others.

Also realize that what I started has enabled many to advance there skills at a reasonable cost with good instructors. Do you realize what it would cost to take the acanthus course that I recently advertised here. This person wrote the book on it and by the way I am taking the course and will pay the same amount as everybody else. The instructor needs to be compensated well for there efforts. This is only the beginning soon people will be able to study with some of the best in the business and not have to leave the comfort of there home.

Chris M, You seem to take the weight of the whole engraving professionals world on your shoulders. I have been making a living getting up everyday and putting in my time at the bench like m any others here do for more years than you have been alive. I'm not rich from it but I enjoy it everyday. Now that I as others have taken time to invent tools and offer to teach for a fee the years of experience we have accumulated you want to slam me for being commercial. You don't even kn ow me and yet you make that assumption. I receive calls from many people and they ask me questions . I always take the time to answer them and help and no they don't get an invoice at the end. Ask anyone who does know me if that's not the case. I'm not alone there are many others here with a lot of experience that do the same.

As far as not answering what my graver material is try calling GRS or Steve Lindsay and ask them what glen nsteel is or carbalt and see what answer you get. I did explain very clearly that it isn't just the material but the processing and mfg of said material.

I'm also still trying to figure out why when Lee who has just posted his new book which BTW I thin k will be a very important contribution to the engraving world and the fact that he has castings for sale their name is not mentioned. Why Marty when you participated in promoting his book on his first thread about it by saying that it was sent to you and ..... was that OK but now your tired of my poisting new things. I'm baffled .

The bottom line is that I don't claim that I don't post or make announcements here. I'm not trying to pull the wool over anyone's eye's Sam hasn't made any bones about it because I follow the rules he set forth I add a link to where more info can be found and it's a persons choice to click on that link or not.

I hope this explains my position. If and when the rules are changed and we are asked not to do this anymore I will be glad to stop. If you want to see the next video or video blog that i post on my site then you will just have to check there from time to time to see what is new that you can learn.

Chris

I personally wonder whos been peeing in everybodies cherios. I think it would be a sad day if Chris D. Stopped sharing on this forum. I have Greatly benifeted from his services at NO GAIN to himself. And I pray Sam doesnt get tired of the complaining and hang up the forum for a less stressful project. I have benifeted greatly from his efforts also.

If some nicknamed random pic avatar posts a link to a tool twice a day. I can ignore it everytime and not be bothered one iota. THIS IS A FREE SERVICE!! We have everything to gain and nothing to lose! Why get worked up?

Chris,

There appears to be something more to all this that I am not privy to. I want no part of a forum melt down.

My only axe to grind was being called negative and receiving hate mail from one of your friends. The results of that compressor thread you started were quite positive.

Why don't one of you guru guys write a business book for full-time engravers or for the hobby guys who would like to go full time?

Those folks would be indebted to you forever.

Take care buddy and go easy.

This thread has run its course. Thanks everyone for your participation.

been running with scissors all my days, too old to change. i don't hide my name from anybody jd swartzfeger. i was annointed with the nick,"monk"-- about 50 years ago. any and all who happen to be a friend call me monk.those wishing, may call me any dang thing that may enter their mind, i can handle all manner of insult ! so, have at it !