# Our 5th Anniversary!



## HMF (Sep 19, 2015)

On September 15, 2015, The Hobby-Machinist forum was 5 years old!

The site actually began on or about September 10, 2010, when Nelson E. Timken founded the site using free forum software on shared web hosting. We had a couple hundred members at that time, mostly the curious, some anxious to watch him fail. We currently have over 13,000 members on the forum, and we want more of you to join! The site faltered a couple of times, until he finally got it stabilized on September 15, 2010, and that became our "official" anniversary date.

The site was founded after Nelson tried to get some assistance in getting his "stupid newbie" questions answered on other forums. He was made fun of, ridiculed, harassed, personally abused, had his personal information spread around on the forum, had his career ridiculed, and finally, when he tried to defend himself, had a moderator on the forum use her editing privileges to edit one of his posts and modify it to post many lies about him and his family. When he defended himself, he was banned on those sites. He then started this site simply to have his questions answered, stupid or not, without getting abused, defamed, libeled, and hated by so-called "experts" who live on those other forums and abuse others to make themselves feel good about who they are. It began as a personal site. But soon others who felt the same way began to join. They too, had been made to feel stupid just to get some information they needed by the same crew of miscreants who get enjoyment out of treating others that way on those forums, which included the forum owners and administrators. They still hate Nelson to this day, after their many efforts to sink him and this forum failed. To Nelson's credit, he never sued them, though he certainly had grounds to, given their many false accusations about him.

And our numbers grew, and grew. And now, it is 5 years later, and we are still here.  Nelson has stepped down as prime mover of this site. It is now owned and run by a not-for-profit corporation and a board of directors consisting of staff members, and administrator Tony Wells, an experienced machinist and administrator.

Welcome to everyone. There is no such thing as a "stupid newbie" question on THIS forum. Never be afraid to participate here.


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## T Bredehoft (Sep 19, 2015)

I've been here less than a year, I'm really impressed with the professional attitude of everyone here. I've "never heard a discouraging word" to paraphrase a once popular song. I know that if there is something I need help with, it will come, usually within an hour. 

Thanks, Nels, for starting the site and the history. 

Tom


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## Mark in Indiana (Sep 19, 2015)

Happy Anniversary!
"What a long strange trip it's been."

I'm glad to be a member.


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## coolidge (Sep 19, 2015)

HMF is my favorite forum by far precisely because its friendly, it reminds me of a local club where we might all go out for breakfast on a Saturday. Its pretty much a troll free zone and that's a big plus. Now if I could stop the Axis of Evil (Jim, Bill, tmarks, and darkzero) from spending all my money...


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## brav65 (Sep 19, 2015)

I have joins a number of forums over the years and never participated because of all the BS mentioned above.  I stumbled on this site last year while researching for a mill purchase and felt at home immediately.  I read almost every post and participate when I feel I can contribute or support someone's efforts.  

Thank you to all those who have made this a place I want to spend time in.  Great bunch of people, although Darkzero keeps his shop way too clean.  I think he may be from another planet, but don't tell anybody


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## wrmiller (Sep 19, 2015)

Day after next Spring will be two years for me. Doesn't seem that long. To all those involved with the creation and administration of this site: Thanks for creating a great place to hang out and exchange ideas and whatnot. I've not found another site like it. 

That and having a place where we can poke/prod/coax coolidge is just icing on the cake...


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## jpfabricator (Sep 19, 2015)

This site is in a class all to itself!
Kudos to a wonderful staff for a stellar accomplishment! 

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker


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## HMF (Sep 19, 2015)

I began in hobbies when I was a kid. I collected HO model trains i bought in Mays department store at Christmas. I built balsa wood structures for a small layout I had round the tree.

When I was in my early 20's, I joined a model railroad club in long island city, queens, Empire Model RR Club (still around under another name). Then I bought a model train kit business, Roller Bearing Models, and the business ruined the hobby for me. Flash foward: college then graduate school, then marriage then kids. 

Around 2008, wife said all I did was work, get a hobby. So I decided on antique clocks. Always liked grandfather clocks as a kid. I saw that parts were hard to come by.  Might need to be made.  So I drifted towards machine work. Had worked very briefly as an operator on a Hardinge lathe in a job shop when I was 22, and owned but never used an American made Atlas lathe.

Went online to ask about Southbend lathes, because I had heard of them. Found a forum about them, and was told to read and stop asking useless questions. That was 2009. The rest you know.


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## Firestopper (Sep 19, 2015)

Many sites have knuckleheads posting harsh replies. This place is welcoming and helpful, happy 5th birthday HM!


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## JimDawson (Sep 20, 2015)

I don't remember what I was looking for when my search led me to this forum about 1 1/2 years ago.  I was impressed with the friendly atmosphere and the helpfulness of the members, so I signed up.  I have stuck around because of the way everyone is treated here, questions no matter how trivial receive respectful answer by those who are more experienced.  This is the way it should be.

As a moderator for the last year, that job is pretty easy.  Not much to moderate, mostly it consists of approving new members, and helping members out with site issues.  We have great members and staff here and I hope it never changes.

Then there is the fun of helping coolidge spend his money  Hmmm....haven't heard much about a 16x60 lathe recently, going to have to work on that.


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## HMF (Sep 20, 2015)

We can ALWAYS use more EXPERIENCED machinists to guide newcomers. When you help newcomers, you promote the hobby and craft of machining,  and preserve the skills for tomorrow. We are a not for profit dedicated just to that purpose. 

When you write an article for a magazine, you make a few bucks for yourself, and you make a lot of money for a profit making company that sells magazines with a few good articles for $10 each, and runs a web site full of hostile people.

When you post a project to a commercial web site like HMEM, you make money for an investor who will turn around and sell your work to the highest bidder, while slamming this site for eating into their profits. 

When you post to your own site or blog, you get some personal recognition, but not the satisfaction of reaching 13,000 members, teaching,  mentoring,  answering questions, making friends, and passing the torch via a not for profit corporation dedicated to the express purpose of promoting the hobby of machining.  

Please consider helping us out here. No one makes a dime from your work here, and it will not be sold to investors because we are not for profit.


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