How in God's green earth,  do you new members coming in "begging" for parts,  expect us older members to even consider trading with you "users" when we do not even get the proper information from you to reply back????  This has been a peeve of mine for some time and voiced it a while back.  Remember, Chris Guthro??  I've got alot of parts, I love the hobby and often need parts myself.  I'm in the process of a total re-organization and catalog process.  Parts are difficult to locate at this point, as I've told many members lately.  But other members know how and do get ahold of me and we often talk back and forth.

I like to know who I'm dealing with and ALWAYS like to look at a members profile to "feel" the member out.  I don't like throwing my spare parts away and wasting the money on postage for a fictious name with a post number under it!!!!

This weekend I got a reply from two members for tires, through the Scale Auto Community Message System.  One member I replied to, because there was an email address to reply to & and I've seen his postings before.  Number Two did not have a reply email.  Indexing his surname, I came up with s*******r, and a number five under it!  Checked bio and there was nothing, absolutely nothing.  And to top it off there were many mispellings in the email for these mud tires that he was requesting.  I'm no English teacher, but c'mon a better job can be done.  If you joined this forum to score parts for your builds, at least make it look good and seem intelligent. Right, Chris????  Build a repore and interact with the members around you before you lower the parts collection basket.

I know we are the largest forum in the plastic model industry and we are to accept all styles of plastic models and modelers. And I embrace this idea, but I feel that something like a new member coming in to our forum should introduce themselves a little better by giving the members who have been around  alot longer than even me , with a little background as to who they are and their intents on joining this Great forum and Building Community!

A line of "i like building plastuic cars after skool without gitting glue on my shirt alot", does not cut it!

Thanks! Peeve over, it's been burning for some time.  Hope I did not offend anyone! 

Snork: Check the FIRST line in my signature!

I put that there the first month I was on the board.

There are a few people I've traded with and those that I have know that I am righteous...and I've found they are too! I've also done some favors for some people that I ahven't expected a 'return' other than friendship.

I look at it this way, if you can't introduce yourself here as a decent man, than I won't bother with you. It's like a firm handshake, if you can't introduce yourself in a way that shows your sincerity, don't bother with me. A little common sense and proper communication goes a long way. I understand that by not filling out certain parts of a 'bio' may be a way to help ensure a safety margin, but it also ensures that you may also be here to 'con' someone. It goes both ways. Common courtesy is all I ask.

-Mike

My name is Chris, I hope this is the right place to talk about a few things.I've been a member on this community almost a solid year now,read and collected SA paper magazines for 8 yrs. (contest winners also)  I'm 45 and 3/4's years young, might be going backwords in maturity? any way I grew up IN Detroit-and at the age of 39 I took on the responsibility of full time care giver for my Father who lost a Valiant battle with cancer less than a year ago.During that time,there was lotts of time for modeling. What a perfect hobby for a guy like me-my hands were always clean- was awake All hours-got to share an interest with my Dad who proudly worked for Ford Motor Co. for 35yrs. and I have a few that he built too!So a few years ago I got the latest SA in the mail and as always  looked forword to reading it thoroughly as many of us do, the topic was mainliners by Tim Boyd.The 6 cly.Ford he had looked cool to me and I might want a couple but no resin caster was mentioned,did'nt have a computer so I picked up the phone and called the magazine-Jim Haught answered my call and was very helpfull with the info. until I asked for the phone number and address to this caster and his response was"your not on line? this is the 21st.century after all" that got me thinking,and not all good! thats alot of money that I could spend on my other hobbys, so I let my subscription run out with Scale Auto and said I would'nt buy a computer either, So now to keep the magazine collection going I had to go to the hobby store to get it,after a $100.00 trip to the hobby shop just to pickup a magazine my mom ripped out one of those book markers and sent it in for me,thanks Mom, she always was the best peace-maker.As time went by I thought about what Jim said and it started to make sense to me, now a couple G's later  I've got this thing called a computer that is how I got to this point.Hey Jim-my Moms a subscriber till Feb.2010! and you were right about this thing too.So now I do'nt know if I'm a new or old member to this forum,been here for a year now but have low post #'s  any way,old or new ,I did'nt join this forum to lie-cheat or steal form any of you! just because someone did'nt start modeling when you did or has low post #'s or did'nt fill out the bio. make them a bad person?Give people a chance to do good,you might  get it back!

PRAY FOR PEACE,

COO-COO  COO-COO

Being on the other side of 50 I still build slowly though. So I am slowly pearing things down, hoping to finish what I have started and a couple of projects I am considering.

And if somebody here is looking for ? ? ? ? and I have it, it is their's, and sometimes I send extra. The goal being helpful.

As for begging, never have never will. Any body who has asked for whatever has not begged either.

I have asked about making trades for this or that with this or that, and mostly no response.

Profile, whats to tell? Almost 66 > Married 45+ years > Disabled/retired printer, funeral director > Nursing home chaplain 30+ years > 15 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren > Raced midgets (pre roll cage) KK/110 Offy and dirt track stock cars (when it was fun) > That's 30.  

Yeah, profiles are great tools for judging someone's character. Who's to say the information listed in a profile is a truthful answer to the questions asked? If someone's ultimate goal is to go into a forum and take advantage of people then they are definitely not above giving false information in a profile to make it look like their intentions are genuine.

Like it or not, we take a chance every single time we decide to enter into a trade or giveaway over the 'net.  it's the nature of the beast and no matter how hard you try, you simply can't weed out all the bad apples all the time.

And I guess just because I only have a dozen or so posts that also makes me an untrustworthy individual, right?

66dragfreak:

Yeah, profiles are great tools for judging someone's character. Who's to say the information listed in a profile is a truthful answer to the questions asked? If someone's ultimate goal is to go into a forum and take advantage of people then they are definitely not above giving false information in a profile to make it look like their intentions are genuine.

Like it or not, we take a chance every single time we decide to enter into a trade or giveaway over the 'net.  it's the nature of the beast and no matter how hard you try, you simply can't weed out all the bad apples all the time.

And I guess just because I only have a dozen or so posts that also makes me an untrustworthy individual, right?

 

 

I agree with you 66DragFreak, I could be and say anything I want on the Internet, and sound like the nice'st guy In town, don't mean I am, when I do trade's and what not's I know It's a hit or miss issue, and I have to take It on good faith that the person Im dealing with Is an honest person, I wont get Into whinning about some of the trade's I've had go bad, so becouse of bad trade's and what not's I have changed the way I do,  do trade's, or sales, and If  I have a good, or bad deal I will post It on the forum, becouse I want people to know, what kind of deal I had with that person,  but I dont blame every one, or treat the next guy as If It were him that I had a bad experiance with, I just treat each person honestly, and fairly, and hope that they will give me the same respect In return.

So to say you're profile,  or how you Introduce'd you're self, or how you wrote It all It out, or how you post ect, ect, decide's If you will trade, sale, or even deal with that person, dont make you the perfect person to deal with becouse you as, we will say, state In you're profile, or you're post's, you're a great trader, or seller, just becouse you typed it so? dont make It so.

Well there's my three cents... 

I've noticed a lot of I need xyz parts threads latley where that is the members first & only post and they joined that day.

I'm with Snork on this. I won't trade with someone who just joins and starts looking for parts.

You guys are correct about the 'profile' issue and annonymous Internet use. However, add everything up the profile, how one asks or introduces himself, any e-mails...all of the communications including adult- not Internet chat style writing...all helps to sum up character. True, someone could make everything up...but...when trading...it's PLASTIC with a net worth of what, a few bucks? It's not like you are sending an engine from a 1:1 Bugatti!

My issue is with the character of the person. If I'd trade you part A for part C...you'd like to get part A and I'd like to get part C! Simple as that. The entire process of gambling on what person is credible - usually the person won't go to all the trouble. It's like memorizing a card deck in Poker, slant the odds to your favor!

-Mike

Hey Snork56,Thanks for saying what I was thinking. A short bio. is all we ask for so we can get an idea what type of hobbyist they are. And as far as the spelling is concerned, I know a lot of people want to get their message across quickly but there is such a thing as spell check on the computer. 

I have notice that a few members that posted in Snork's topic have misunderstood his comments? and being a long time member in this forum, I do understand Snorks frustration with a few of the younger ( maybe some older?) members asking for stuff, their posts are never clear, letters are chopped off or missing ( probably got that from their cell phone text message habits) and of course, those that feel we should give them "free parts or even kits!" ( by the way new guys, not a good way to start your first post!). Those that are disable not need to worry about this topic.

I have done a lot of trading in this forum and even gave away tons of stuff cause the messages were wrote in a very clear matter & respectful and done more deals with the same members cause they took the time to let me know they got the package and even better, said, Thank you! I have send stuff to people and they can't even be bothered to say one word if it was the right part or not or did it survive the mail system? and didn't even say, Thanks...those I never deal with again.

Out of hundreds of trades or so, I have been ripped off maybe 2 times ( both under age 18 members but it could of been anybody) and those members are now ex-members. Its not worth losing your reputation ripping off another member over some plastic! Don't get me wrong here, not all youngsters do this, just a few bad apples like in any other age group.

It does help to have some information about the new member like the home state ( some members may not be able to afford the 10 bucks postage for a tiny part shipped to a jungle in some way out there country!) and yes, some could very well lie about it but you can tell a lot about that member by how they write his/hers post and if I'am not comfortable with it, its a no deal. I do pay attention to a lot in this forum and word does get around fast when someone trys to be dishonest in this forum as well as in the other forums.

Low posters are just as good as high posters and I have done deals with many new members cause I did like the way they wrote their posts and being respectful. I'am always and no doubt, a great many others in here are happy to help out with parts or what you need and your post explaining what you want and how you deal with that person will either make or break you...so, taking a little time to double check the words & how you wrote it, be clear about it and being respectful is indeed important and yes, a Thank You goes a long ways too! Every member should take the time to read the posts in "Where can I get" section to better understand what this topic is about. Thanks for reading my post! By the way, I have send parts to Snork and he is a good guy!

~ Jeff

I agree with Snork56, Don't want to seem wishy-washy, but I also can see the point of view from other posters here. I've been a member here for over three years. When the website changed format and required re-registering, I changed my screen name (only to make it more relative to who I was, an older modeler) I have also experienced sending parts to people and not even getting a response to let me know they got the stuff. I have also received parts from generous members here and my parents always taught me to say "Thank You". Sorry I never re-introduced myself a year ago. If you read my profile, you will know exactly who I am and that I'm in this hobby for the long haul! Taking the good with the bad, this site has always inspired me to build regardless of what other people say or do, or don't do! Thanks SA!

The above replies to my post are fantastic, both pro and con!!!  I joined the SAE Community to share ideas and get model building tips. As you can see, for the years I've been a member I really don't abuse the system and post alot of sensless junk or add dumb replies just to build my posting number. (You members know who you are).  I enjoy reading the posts and also get rather infuriated at the time wasters.  When I first joined, I mostly read alot before I started posting some ideas and thoughts.  After a while I posted a few requests for "parts, trade or buy".  But I felt that I didn't abuse this priviledge.  I got to know alot of great members who I'm in contact with at least once a week.

Lately I've been slowed up a bit with health problems and I'm trying to make sense of all my parts, so that I may be able to locate things faster, when someone needs something.  As I stated before, I like to know the person who is getting my parts and know what they are doing with them.  And I try to do the same to the member who is sending me their parts.  Good friendships are built this way, under a common bond, throughout the country!  A little advice for the "one hit wonders", Get to know the members in the forum a bit before you stick out your hand.

Any one else out there got any ideas?  Let's hear what's on your mind!  Thanks! Snork56     

Just Seen this Thread Snork! Haha, I Love how you Used my Name in It. When I look Back at my Older Days On this Forum(which arn't to Long ago) Im Kinda Ashamed at What I had Done

I hope Now, Nobody is Thinking they are Taking a ''chance'' by dealing with me. I can admit I did Abuse the Parts system When I first Got here. But I think I paid my Dues in trying to Get my Reputation Back up to where it should be. Maybe Being younger had something to do with it, but it sure as Hell isnt an Excuse to do it! Im actually gonna go Through My Profile Now and Get it Up to date! Thanks for Listening to me Ramblin! By the Way im 16 In Couple of Days!! Wooot

This is a great thread, thanks for bringing it up Snork.

I haven't been as active since the new site came online but I do read posts regularily I just don't have the time to participate in discussions as much as I used to.  I noticed the one hit wonders too, and to be truthful I don't even read their requests once I see the one post count.  I've never asked for parts here(not saying I won't in the future) but do send parts If I know I have a part and don't need it.  I guess I just like to help out. 

Reality is the ones that need to see this thread will never probably never read it, but hey it worth a try.