Created A forum For Etching

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

For anyone interested in Etching glass or other items I created a forum for you to join. I'm hoping it gets as active as USCutter's forums. if interested the link is

http://worldofetching.createaforum.com

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

afraid you are going to find that with a forum or fb group for every little thing the entire "forum experience" gets diluted and you won't get the huge turn out you seek - hopefully I am wrong but I know with about 10 used items groups locally - only 1 gets much attention - too much bother to go to them all - people like the one stop shop experience of a bigger gathering place

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Love the go-getter attitude but I have to agree with Dakota on this one. One stop shopping is the way most people want it. That being said I encourage everyone to check yours out and see what happens. 

[gcextreme 475]

I kinda disagree. Forums take time to build up, which many operators lack is patience. They expect their site to be a big hit right away. I am on several truck forums and fb groups and they keep growing. You gotta network and advertise and keep it interesting for viewers to keep coming back.

His forum isnt going to hit 10k members in a week...it will take time, patience, and work.

Many people start a forum or group and within a few months of no activity they give up.

The truck forum i am on, well theres over 4 different ones and over 10 fb groups...and people are on all of them.

Many people get sick of certain members on one and then go to another. The social interaction can vary from one to another and that can keep people there or push them away by the attitude of the group and its admins.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

I kinda disagree. Forums take time to build up, which many operators lack is patience. They expect their site to be a big hit right away. I am on several truck forums and fb groups and they keep growing. You gotta network and advertise and keep it interesting for viewers to keep coming back.

His forum isnt going to hit 10k members in a week...it will take time, patience, and work.

Many people start a forum or group and within a few months of no activity they give up.

The truck forum i am on, well theres over 4 different ones and over 10 fb groups...and people are on all of them.

Many people get sick of certain members on one and then go to another. The social interaction can vary from one to another and that can keep people there or push them away by the attitude of the group and its admins.

curious - on the truck forums are they generic about the trucks or do they have a separate forum for say suspension mods and a separate one for tire selection, and yet another for engine mods - it's all related but would you stick with all of them over time or rather get all the info in different categories in one place.   just brain storming here for the sake of understanding the philosophy 

[gcextreme 475]

On the truck forums I am on...most of them are organized the same, some are a tad different.

You have a section for each engine type, sections for suspension, sections for electrical, sections for interior, sections for exterior, etc.

Then there are general sections for photography, events, and then a big How-to section full of write-ups on how to do certain mods and maintenance stuff.

Some forums have more information then others, some have more helpful members then others, and each forum has different management and policies.

For example, one one forum I am an offical vendor for shirts and decals...on another forum I am not allowed to be a vendor but I can have a listing in the classified section...while another forum im not allowed to sell any of my stuff or risk getting banned.

Also because I am on so many forums and FB pages for the truck, many many members know me cuz they are also on all the different forums. What I hate is when i have one guy with a screen name asking me about something on one forum but then he mesgs me on another forum under a different screen name...confuses me lol. My screen name is the same on all the forums.

Also because im so well known on them and people love my work, every now and then some new guy joins and tries to sell stuff too..and he doesnt even have the truck the forum is for. As soon as he creates a sell thread people are already saying "nope we go to Glenn for all our stuff" lol.

Theres a guy who is very well known for all his LED light mods he makes and sells...and some new guy joined and started selling crappy LED ripoffs and pissed off alot of members. The new guy was gone after 5 months and his customers are still pissed.

If you want to get started selling stuff on forums..read their policies and see if someone else is already selling stuff or not. Thats why I like when new forums get created, its a fresh chance for someone to get their foot in the door.

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

Pretty much I agree they do take time to gain momentum and to be honest here I don't expect it to be a big sensation. I already have two members from this group which is great. and I have set it up with many different boards such as USCutters.

[petroman2012 168]

Well I joined and lets hope more will find their way to it..I am giving up cutting vinyl and alot of my equipment to convert over to etching as it appears to give a challenge to achieve a product much more solid then vinyl SO I WILL BE TRADING MY EQUIPMENT......All new designs will be applied to glass and simular material... Might show my home made blast container to those interested..

[Wildgoose 4,200]

I joined up too. I have been practicing but there is a whole group of skills to develop on that side. I have a good friend who's wife makes about the best pie's that I have ever had. She brought one by last week and I etched their name in the glass pie plate before taking it back. She was totally revved up and I told her I would etch any pie plate she brings over that has a pie in it. LOL She just brought another one tonight. Best return on that investment yet!

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

I appreciate everyone joining the forum. I'm learning as I'm going also and hoping I get some of the more talented to come and join. And I have some experience with the basics and my next project will be multiple stage.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

here is one someone at vinylforum posted in the sandblast area - I've gleaned a few ideas from there

http://www.cuttingedgesandcarving.com/forums/

 

more info on sandblasting

http://www.vinylforum.org/smf/sandblasting/

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

ps if using sand don't forget the respirator - be safe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis

[Wildgoose 4,200]

ps if using sand don't forget the respirator - be safe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis

Very true! Sand is cheap but very dangerous. It's one of those things that people don't think about and takes a while to set in so you don't know you are killing yourself until way too late. 

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

That is true always well some sort of respirator, sand, aluminum oxide and other blasting media is very harmful and when it guts glass you also breathe in the small glass fragments which are really bad for you.

[Wildgoose 4,200]

That is true always well some sort of respirator, sand, aluminum oxide and other blasting media is very harmful and when it guts glass you also breathe in the small glass fragments which are really bad for you.

True also.

 

The problem some don't think about with silicosis is that the residue that build up gets on your clothes and hair and you can pack it into your house and effect your family and others too. Respirators protect you while you are using them but not later. A blast cabinet helps a lot but silicon fibers are basically similar to asbestos. The ones that actually get you are so small you can't see them. The guys who use sand usually work outside and wear full body protection that they take off later. For what we do, the media last long enough that the cost is minimal for clean stuff that sand isn't necessary. Better media outlasts sand and outperforms it too. I'm just getting into etching but at my day job we have our truck trailers blasted by a pro on a regular basis and I have watched his operation and talked to him several times about it when I bought my cabinet.

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

I buy inexpensive medical covers that's made out of plastic and throw away cheap gloves and I wear them even if I use a blasting cabinet. For outside I use a full face visor and the covers, along with a dust mask also. Can never be to safe when doing this. I watched some videos on youtube where they weren't protecting themselves at all..

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

if using sand Martin, please use a respirator and not a dust mask - we want to keep you around a while

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

I should say I use an osha reglated vapor mask I do have a respirator somewhere in the house but these osha things are great,

[rlvied 292]

Martin I joined up today. Hope it catches on. Good luck

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

Thanks Bob I saw that you should see my comment after yours. I hope it catches on also I like the one you showed me and I joined but its so slow I was hoping to get one where its a little more busy.

[Racer88 24]

Signed up as well!

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

Racer thank you.

[knucklehead 530]

I'm in.

 

Are ya gonna have glue chipping section too?

[MadHatterGraphix 1,258]

I just added it thanks for reminding me.

[Go-C Graphics 856]

I'm in.

 

Are ya gonna have glue chipping section too?

 

ok..........  What's that?