Arch wrote:

Just as soon as I hit the 'send button' I remembered another bunch of
fine contributors and thought to add them, but then I'd just remember
another bunch. You know who you are. Please rest assured that I meant to
include y'all. Sorry for the hi-jack, Charlie.


No problem. You fell into the Academy Awards Acceptence Speech
Trap - you can never remember all the names - in the time alloted.
But the sentiment behind the attempt is absolutely correct -
It's The People Stupid - that make or break a newsgroup. And it
takes good questions from newbies and good answers from the
old hands to make it valuable. A sense of humor and thicker than
normal skin don't hurt either.

I came to this group via the Wreck (rec.woodworking) where I learned
about Nomex and Pooh Suits (there are occassional flame wars and
manure hurling exchanges) and found a group of very helpful, patient
and supportive people who were willing to share their hard earned
knowledge with a stranger - for free. Well not actually "free" - for
there is an implied obligation to repay that help by lending a hand
to
someone else when possible.

This group has a well above average number of great questions
and great answers, along with more in depth discussions of
this turning thing with which we are all enamored - a rarity
in this Era of Texting of one line responses.

As for great stories, and great story tellers - The Wreck has
Tom Watson and Walt Akers - both excellent practioners of
the art form, along with a host of others, most who've moved
on - either to the big shop in the sky, or other woodworking
forums. Luigi put a bunch of them on his web site. If you
enjoy great tales hers' the URL.

http://www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html

Scroll down to Walt Akers and read The Big Clock Incident
and Scrap Wood, Snakes, Beer Cans And Justice. Then,
if you have the time, check out the rest of what's there.
WARNING: DO NOT READ WITH A MOUTHFUL OF COFFEE.

Groups Google "Norm Nowrecki group:rec.woodworking"
and read the Tales of Norm Nowrecki - Troll Tracker
or any of Tom Watson's stories.

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming . . .

charlie b