Unless you can field the questions, don't post pictures online

[RocketRev]

And some people who just love to be contrary in that "rant" kind of way.........

It happens. Sad but true.

Brad

 

[OverTheTop]

"Does this dress make my .. look fat?"

vs.

"This new dress i bought has me concerned.. it's black, but has horizontal stripes, and horizontal stripes tend to exaggerate the width of things. So, do I look a little larger than normal in this dress?"

I would be very careful answering either of these questions. I would probably try to change the subject.

 

[Steve Shannon]

It would be a very boring world if we were all the same. I can’t say how many times I’ve seen how someone has done something differently that I would, thought “WTH?” and then realized that it made sense from a different perspective than mine. I can always ignore posts but it’s frequently difficult to undo the damage caused by failing to be charitable.

 

[Senior Space Cadet]

I'm probably guilty of that. I may even be the one motivating your rant.
What I have found, on many forums, is that the older members tend to gang up on the newer members, if the newer members don't seem to be showing them proper respect. Disagreeing too strongly can get you kicked off a forum. I'll make a few counter arguments but can't spend the rest of my life debating a point that I feel that I've answered adequately. And, yes, I am thin skinned. Sometimes it just becomes emotionally painful to hear so many negative things about your ideas. I also have other interests. Rather than answering numerous posts, I may be out riding my bike or hiking or shooting my bow. Sometimes, I do respond, but forget to push the "post reply" button, or for reasons I don't understand, the response is taken off.
Recently, I came to the conclusion, based on responses to my posts, that model rocketry might not be something I want to pursue. My interest was in making my own creations and joining a club to shoot them off. It seemed like that wasn't going to be possible. I was at the point where I was going to find a different hobby.
A while back, on a traditional archery forum (recurves and longbows), I noticed that everyone was talking about how to make their arrows heavier. Consensus of opinion was that heavy arrows penetrated deeper (they are hunters). Knowing that, with kinetic energy, speed trumps mass, I disagreed. You'd think that I'd insulted the pope. They were furious. I persisted and got kicked off the forum. So, I did my own tests. I shot three identical arrows, except for weight, into a foam block archery target. The lightest arrow went the deepest, the heaviest arrow, the least deep. Then I put a piece of particle board in front of the foam block, since momentum places more emphasis on mass. Again, the lightest arrow went deepest. So, I feel, I got kicked off the forum for being right. I learned my lesson. It doesn't matter if you're right. Don't push too hard.

 

[John Kemker]

Yeah, but the right answer to say is "Absolutely not, my dear!"

Sorry, Kuririn, but there *is* no correct answer to that question.

 

[neil_w]

Sorry, Kuririn, but there *is* no correct answer to that question.

Agreed: once that question is asked, you've already lost.

 

[lakeroadster]

Sorry, Kuririn, but there *is* no correct answer to that question.

Sure there is...

 

[LW Bercini]

I have been beat up over my use of fin pockets instead of inside internal fillets because they "add too much weight at the wrong end of the rocket", my answer is "no they don't and I have proven it on multiple occasions", however I still get beat up over it.

What are fin pockets?

 

[les]

What are fin pockets?

Here is an example on one of my builds. I just used foam board. When I install my fins, I double butter the edge (put epoxy on the root, install, remove, re-apply epoxy, re-install). The pocket contains the epoxy as it spreads out when pressing the fin against the motor tube and keeps it from running down the tube. The light weight foam does not add any significant weight.

 

[rharshberger]

Here is an example on one of my builds. I just used foam board. When I install my fins, I double butter the edge (put epoxy on the root, install, remove, re-apply epoxy, re-install). The pocket contains the epoxy as it spreads out when pressing the fin against the motor tube and keeps it from running down the tube. The light weight foam does not add any significant weight.

Yep thats a fin pocket, peoples biggest whine about them is they are the "same as foam filling a fincan"..."they add more weight than fillets at the wrong end of the rocket". Actually when done properly they are pretty much the same as doing both sets of internal fillets (fin to mmt and fin to inner airframe). Sorry for getting this off topic, back to the original thread.

 

[dr wogz]

you.. guys.. taking my reply out of context. this isn't what I meant, you're all mean & nasty for thinking....



Fin pockets cannot be substituted by pizza pockets.

Senior,
Most of the "older" forum member will gang up on newbies [certain ones] as they come on the boards, bragging about how they are gonna do this, then gonna do that. Or that they want to do this or that.. We will then point out the unsafe, unorthodox, already tried, proven, and failed, etc... reasons why. Some listen, but some just go on a rant about how we don't know, understand, that we're mean for poo-poohing on their idea, etc..

Some, as well, are just hard to convince, for whatever reason. Some are just too thin skinned to realize that their idea / attempt / experience level, skill level, understanding of {what we may consider basic / required} concepts are just wrong, and take that to heart too quickly. We, generally mean them no harm, just point out their mistakes / misunderstanding.. How they receive & respond to this criticism / correction is usually reveals their true personality..

 

[dr wogz]

I should add as well, each year we see one or two notable individuals who come on the boards, make their opinions & such very well known, then quickly disappear.

I do get a kick out of engineering students who come on, and brag brag brag about their accomplishments..

I also get a kick out of the ones who get a tool, and think they are now an expert: "I just got a 3D printer, and I've designed a cluster multistage, port-roll controlled scale model of the space ship from "Alien invaders from Pluto". Isn't it sweet!? I expect about 1200' on 7 C6-5s... Would PLA in vase-mode be OK for this?"

But then again, what do i know.. I'm not young anymore, and I don't stay at a Holiday in express..

 

[tomsteve]

Agreed: once that question is asked, you've already lost.

ive tried,"i have no opinion on this issue"
and
"my opinion doesnt matter"
i lost.
i found the best response is to suddenly have to take a poop.

 

[rharshberger]

Fin pockets cannot be substituted by pizza pockets.

Calzone! FTW!

I do however agree with most of the rest of your post.

 

[gldknght]

ive tried,"i have no opinion on this issue"
and
"my opinion doesnt matter"
i lost.
i found the best response is to suddenly have to take a poop.

Or develop eyesight issues.

I've told ALL of my ex's not to ask me questions like that unless they really want to know what I think, and are prepared to hear an honest answer. I'm divorced and single, so...

 

[Steven]

My SO has never in 32 years asked such a question. I'm assuming she's capable of giving herself her own answer. That's what I like about an independent woman.

 

[LW Bercini]

I may even be the one motivating your rant.

No sir. Captain Snowflake is not a member of this forum

 

[HarborFlightVicki]

LoL Being a consummate contrarian, my first thought is : Who is anyone on this forum to question another member anyway ?

Obviously, if one knows from physics or experiences that a project is doomed to fail and why, then please do share this valuable knowledge with the creator of the project.

Otherwise, perhaps one should consider it NOYB. Without a known 'fail factor,' no one should make a crafter begin to second guess his or her work. Some of us like to try things just to try things. An amazing amount of development, and experience can come from thinking outside the box. Likewise, watching other people succeed or fail can provide knowledge for our own projects. Don't discourage anyone from taking that step. We might be the one to gain an advantage from their hits or misses.

 

[RocketRev]

Did somebody say "Hot Pockets?" I love "Hot Pockets."

I'd never heard the phrase "Fin-pockets" before this and like others wasn't sure what you were talking about. But now that I see an example.... looks good to me. Of course the tube between the pockets doesn't look like it has very much in the way of scuff marks/rough surface, but it could be just the lighting and the picture.

As far as I can tell, its a good idea. I may have to play with it myself. And like most ideas, it may take some practice to get it right, but that's half the fun of this hobby: trying out new things.

Brad

PS: Are you sure that there's "No Captain Snowflake" on this forum? I'm pretty sure that his cousin, "Captain Obvious" is occasionally heard!

 

[dr wogz]

Col. Arrogant is on the boards often enough!

 

[OverTheTop]

Fin pockets work good. I used them on my half-scale Nike Smoke.

I don't use them all the time, just where it makes sense.

 

[Yukon@K-9 Rocket Tech]

I mean in my opinion you should expect critizism for anything you post online, and yes some can be flat out just crap but most of the time leads to good advice. In the end I always go by this philosophy "whatever you do however correct, it's always wrong in someone's eyes"

In fact without me posting pictures and having people put not the best comments, there's somethings that wouldn't have worked without them. I think modern day culture attempts to supress anyform of negativity, but it exists and it should. Let them excerics free speech and same for you and use to your advantage. No matter how negative, a lot of times there's something new I learn

 

[Off Grid Gecko]

It is the way of the world. Any thought that differs from the "norm" or "keeping up with the Jones's" is regarded as some kind of fallacy. Axe gurus and their precious expensive Gran Fors that they never use to cut wood, programmers and their precious JDKs, etc. We've come to expect criticism for thinking away from the group, and I have fallen victim to this myself, as at least one person in this discussion can attest.
But the counter to this is the same. Why let their legionaries march over your dominion. You asked a question. If they want to antagonize you for that, then let them come. Perhaps explain your position, and if they cannot acknowledge that, then them pine in their misery of their own making.

 

[AfterBurners]

This is a rant, and it has nothing to do with rocketry.

I often see posts here and on other hobby forums where people posts pictures of their projects. A type of question I see all the time boils down to "Why did you do it that way?" What follows is usually a discussion about the goals and constraints of the project.

I saw a post on a different forum where somebody posted a picture and I said, "I don't understand. Why did you do it that way?" They got all defensive and told me I was being "super judgey".

My knee jerk reaction was to tell them they should refrain from posting pictures if they are too thin skinned to answer a question. But I just let it drop.

I'm sure it's not over yet because this "golden child" has posse of admirers. Once folks get off work, I expect to get some flogging from members of the posse

Man I can relate to what you're saying. I understand the picture thing and being able to answer the questions. I have things on this site that if I happen to take a side for whatever reason somebody doesn't like what I say and they get all defensive and say I'm out of line or their skin is too thin or their panties get in a twist. It is so annoying. But my personality and some people know how I am I totally go against the grain and I really don't care what other people think of my comments. I call it like I see it. So yeah I understand how some forums can be.