History of the Forum--how long have you been around the neighborhood?

[Paschale]

So in another thread, Jeff mentioned how things were in the beginning, and he said "I refuse to abandon the things we have done since our beginnings when there was just me and another guy called myself. That was day one and probably through day 101." 

I've often wondered when the beginnings of the forum were, and how long it took to get the ball rolling.  I'm wondering if guys like Tom and Chet found the place early on, and when Bibbyman, and FDH and the other top posters stumbled on the forum.  I've been to several forums that had only a few hundred members, and weren't active at all--I think this place was different from the beginning, cause of da Boss.  So Jeff, maybe you can tell us a bit about the beginnings of the forum, and for the rest of us, I'd be curious to know what brought you to the forum that first time, probably the result of a Google search or something.  Tell us how long you've been with the forum, and what brought ya here in the first place.  This could be kinda fun!

Oh...and here's another good idea...if you find your first post, put a link in here.    8)

For me, we had an ash tree on our land that was a leaner, and I wanted to cut her down and mill it into lumber so was looking for a sawmill in the U.P.  I did a google search on forestry, since I don't have experience from leaners.  I found a lot of help on here, and guys who were concerned that I was gonna kill myself!  Thankfully, all went well, and over time, I just got sucked into the forum.   8)

I've been a member since January 8, 2002, and here's my first post:  https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=622.msg6616#msg6616

[CHARLIE]

Date Registered:  June 22, 2001, 01:27:31 PM

My brother Tom invited me to take a look at the forum. I browsed around for a few days before joining.  My memory isn't the best in the world but it seems like there were a little over 200 members back then.  It was easy to keep up with all the posts on all the different boards back then.  I honestly feel like I'm in one big family.

[Fla._Deadheader]

  I stumbled onto this Forum, from the other side of the fence. :
Checked around and decided it was a good place to hang out.

  Started building our Bandmill and needed some input. The folks here were extremely helpful to us. Made some very good friends along the way. Lots of 'em, I haven't met yet.  8) ;D ;D

  Registered on September 02, 2002, 06:36:37 PM

  Finally found the 1st posting. Re: No Swingers Around
« Reply #25 on: September 02, 2002, 06:56:00 PM »

[Corley5]

April 24, 2001, 06:17:11 AM.  We'd just finished cutting some maple timber and was looking for some different markets than the local ones.  I came across this place and have been here ever since.

[Corley5]

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=42.msg1309;topicseen#msg1309
This is my first post I think ???  It's got the earliest date anyway ;D

[oldsaw]

March 4, 2003.  DanG, seems like yesterday.

[Bro. Noble]

Sprucebunny,

You must be seeing ghosts :D :D

[Ernie]

Early this year, after Alf and I managed to convince Jan that we REALLY NEEDED a mill, We thought that we also needed a bit of knowlege about what we were about to do. Did a Google and found you guys.

The forum has been a lot of fun and very informative.  The only problem I have is my other farm work suffers because of the addiction I have developed.

As an example,  yesterday, we dehorned, castrated, eartagged and drenched the cattle.  This should have been completed by the end of January :( :( :(

Really I'm only using the forum as an excuse,  I hate dehorning.  My mother used to say that I could just look at an engine and be covered in grease, the same goes for cattle though it's not grease.

Ernie

[Tom]

 

I was over at WW when there was a note about a new website, who's purpose was to get loggers, Foresters and Landowners together, with the idea of solving the age old problem of "people being taken advantage of".  It was Timberbuyers.net.

I joined, and looking around found its forum.  Ron Wenrich was about the only active member, though Raviolikid, Texas Ranger, Ron Scott, Phorester, L. Wakefield (LW) and a few others had been around since Oct. or November of the 2000.  Ron Scott had volunteered for the duty of "Ask the Forester".  Other members, including me, began to trickle in through the early part of 2001.

I was discouraged at first because of the sign on.  Most of it had to do with my ignorance of Internet sites, and some of it was Jeff's efforts to attract Logging business's rather than individuals.  I kept getting hung up with the terms of joining when they sounded to me to require a lot of money.  Finding the forum was disappointing because I remember a screen of black background and green, blue and red lettering that I couldn't read.  That was probably either Jeff messing with the site or a compatibility problem with my software.  I left and then couldn't get logged back on   I think it was because of my misunderstanding about "case sensitivity" in passwords etc.

ln Jan. of 2001 I returned.  I was a quasi bystander in an argument over figuring Board Footage at "that other site".  In frustration I began to look around and found Timberbuyers again.   Not being able to sign on, I was really ignorant, I joined again.  It was a real thrill to me to be me.  I used my name "Tom".  You don't usually get in on the ground floor of a forum early enough to use your own name.  Man!  That was exciting.

I signed on and was looking around when I noticed that I  had a private message.  It was Jeff saying "howdy".  Well, I've seen those popups and advertisements on other sites that say "catch the roach and win a lap top".  I thought real hard about clicking on it and answering... but I did.   We started a conversation about what had brought me there and I began to expound about my experience at the "other place".  I was pretty exuberant  and angry too.  Jeff and I were pretty much on the same page, argumentively, and he suggested that this really needed to be on the forum.  I said OK!   I'll make a post and then you answer with the first of the conversation, then I'll copy my response and we'll eventually get it all on there.  We did and continued the conversation on the forum.  Partly due to my tenacity and "desk-pounding" ways, Jeff finally posted "Help, Ron, where are you? !".   Ha!  I didn't mean to be so animated but I guess that Jeff felt that he had a live problem on his hands.  Ron Wenrich joined in and we had a good conversation on Board Foot figuring as we "preached to the choir".

The forum was pretty slow back then.  I used to get excited about seeing someone else on.  I understand that the others felt that way too.  There began to be  a lot of private message swapping just because we felt the urge of camaraderie.

Gordon used to take care of the knowledge base.  You know Gordon.  He's the one that delivered his child in the parking lot of a McDonald's hamburger joint.  That was a cool thread.  Gordon still comes back and visits now and again.

Things were so slow that we would invent threads just so we could visit.  I like to entertain and that's what brought about the "Funny Story" thread.  Because I like old folks, I started the Older Folks thread just to tell my new-found-friends about my fun acquaintances.  It has always bugged me that Younger folks ignore Older folks and the Older Folks are a lost treasure.  Not only were we missing the knowledge of those generations, but, those guys were losing their friends and finding themselves all alone.  I found that my new friends felt the same way.  It's amazing to me that I fell into a society of such like-minded people.

Bibbyman and I had been swapping stories by email and I tried to get him to visit.  Finally he did and has been here ever since.  My little brother, Charlie, was pestered until he joined too.  It has been an opportunity afforded us to be able to visit with one another as brothers that we had  missed for a lot of years.  I have really enjoyed having him around.  I know that some folks may think that we are a little hard on one another and there are a lot, now, who may not know that we are kin.  I love him though, ..well ...like a brother, and this forum allows me to say things to him as if we are face to face and not have to worry about the social etiquette of being two professionals discussing work.  There are DanG few forums in this world where you can type "I Love You" to your brother and not start a tirade of messages from other forum members.  This place is really a home. 

Yes, it's so much a home that you can tell the difference in the real members and those that are just passing through or post to expound their own agenda.  It's not a place where someone can wear their feelings on their sleeve very long without either being taken in and made to feel comfortable, or realizing that they might be acting selfishly. 

It's not a place for someone with a chip on his shoulder either.  When you join this forum, you are becoming a part of a society of people who think alike.  If you begin shoving your way in and making demands and telling people off, not just the administrators get on to you, but so does the rest of the membership.  This membership will Politely tell you to go sit in the corner.  It makes it a lot more open place to be to know that you won't be personally slammed just for showing an  opinion.  This place is not fraught with personal, flaming, arguments and name calling that exists elsewhere.

I've found it to be a great place to call home.  We, all of us, have created an atmosphere of family. Jeff created the site, guided the growth, monitors the paths, pays the way, but it has been the members who have made the site what it is.

Ain't it grand?

Here's an old thread asking "where you from?"

[Paschale]

Tom, that's great.   8)  I think that post should be required reading for new members.     It's fun reading about the early days of the forum, and when everybody showed up.  :-)  I was driving around today, thinking about this thread, and realize I'll probably still be on the forum ten years from now, checking in on a nearly daily basis, and just imagine where we'll be by then.  Thanks Jeff for making this great place on the web!   8)

[Haytrader]

I was on the other side and someone from here mentioned this forum. I followed the sawdust trail on Dec. 11, 2001.

I think it was Bibbyman or Bro. Noble that should get the recruiting check.

;)

[Tom]

Do you remember this, Haytrader?

First time to post...rookie here.
Got new saw Monday and have already leared several things not to do.......
My real job is hauling hay.........

[Engineer]

My first post:

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=4312.msg57524#msg57524

Joined on October 17, 2003.

I had just bought my Woodmizer and was trying to sell (or had just sold - I don't remember) a Logosol mill I had bought from Captain.  I think he invited me here, or maybe I was lurking and saw a post of his, but anyway, I came chargin' in and here I is.

If you had told me five years ago I was gonna own a portable sawmill and be cutting timbers for a new house, I'd  have told you, you was NUTS!  

It all feels like one big happy family.  Lot more comfortable than almost any other online forum I belong two ('cept one, and there's only 20 of us).

Wish I could get to the piggy roast this year and meet y'all, but it'll have to wait until next year.   :(

[MemphisLogger]

Looks like I first registered and posted on September 05, 2003 . . .

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=3870.msg51050#msg51050

Whew, that was a long time ago--542 posts and 2 days, 7 hours and 2 minutes of time logged in. 

Shoot, I coulda earned more than $2000 while I was playing here instead  :-[

Oh well, it's cheaper than therapy  ;D 

[ElectricAl]

I was a regular over at Doc's after attending a Kiln Dry class that he taught.

Bibbyman had sent me an email asking questions about our Electric Wood-Mizer.

Then invited me to come visit the "Forestry Forum".  I was a lurker until Bib made this post:


Allen of BTFSawmill and I have been exchanging e-mails almost daily for the past couple of weeks.  He has been running an LT40HDE15 mill for the past couple of years on a rotary phase converter.  As I am in the process of installing this equipment to support the LT40HDE25 with CommandCotrol that will arrive on or about January,23,  Allen has given me invaluable help and guidance.





Just the other day he sent me this picture of one of several bur oak logs he got in.  All looked just about as butt ugly as the next.  I'd just like to say I'm glad it was not me.

Signed up Jan 5, 2002 6:14 pm

Thanks Bibbyman for the invitation ;)


ElectricAl

[Grawulf]

Registered:  October 23, 2003
I'd posted a question over on the other hill about wanting plans for an arch and someone from the one and only FF told me to come and view their pictures here. I think this was about the same time that the other hill got a bug about only dealing only with professionals and I got yelled at by the Doc for using seven dust to discourage ppb's in maple lumber. Thought it was time for new territory. This has to be the friendliest spot on the net and I really appreciate all the good ideas and the comraderie. And again, thanks to Jeff and his underadministrators. Youse guys are the best! 8) 8) 8)

[Bro. Noble]

At the time I joined the forum,  I was recovering from a 'nasty' accident.  I couldn't work for a few months and was medicated part of that time :  I got booted off that other other place from making posts that are pretty typical here.  I was pretty bored and needed some enjoyment in life ;)  Anyway it was mostly Haytrader's fault :D :D

Anyway I came here and brought a few buddies with me ;)

I don't have as much time to post as I once had,  but still check in  two or three times a day and try to keep up with some of the livlier topics.

I consider some of you crazies to be my closest friends.

[Ron Wenrich]

The other side -where is that?  I've been on bulletin boards for a long time.  I started over on the usernet stuff.  There are a few guys there that some of you might recognize.  Don Staples and I are probably the only 2 from back in those days.  Joe Zorzin and Karl Davies are 2 of the more radical foresters and pretty much controlled that board.

But, there was another forester there named Steve Nix.  He started a forestry site at the Mining Company.  That was eventually bought out by About.com.  I wrote several articles for Steve, and still do whenever he asks.

The About site is where Jeff came on.  After awhile, he started hawking his site.  Jeff and I had a lot in common.  We were both headsawyers.  After exchanging a few e-mails (if I recall correctly). Jeff ends up giving me a call.  How can he attract people to his site?

My idea was for calculators.  Jeff knew someone who could design them, and I knew the math behind them.  They took on a life of their own.

Our first one was to figure up the footage in a log.  We showed it to Steve Nix and asked to have a link over to Timberbuyers.  No way.  It didn't show the footage in a tree.  Jeff was a little put off, but I told him the log footage was the first step.  The next step was to do the trees.  

We did one for the tree footage, and About almost had to put a link or look really bad.  Jeff also bought advertising on that site.

In a few months our calculators were being used on other sites without our authorization.  You'll probably find some on other sites that can be tracked back to our original code.  I found Jeff to be a tough negotiator.  He's mellowed over the years.

As an administrator, I like to stand back and let the forum flow the way it wants to go.  I don't try to steer it.  Most times, the posters have enough respect for others that they don't rankle too many feathers.  

I know my style is pretty much down to business.  Sorry, but its my PA Dutch upbringing.  I ain't that way in person.   ;)

[HORSELOGGER]

Been tiein up the team here since sept 12 2001. Saw a link in one of Toms posts over at WW and been here ever since. Used to get over involved in the swinger/bandmill wars over there back then ( really made some stupid posts,in hindsight :-[) But the atmosphere over here has always been so good, It just became the only place to hang out.I do a lot more readin then postin, but have seen alot of names come and go.Still has remained a nice homey front porch kinda place

[Bibbyman]

Yep,  Like Tom said.   

We'd met over on the 'other web'.  As I remember,  in an ugly bar brawl over TH vs. WM – with everyone's 2 cents thrown in.   Tom e-mailed me and told me I was right.  I knew right then and there he was a smart,  and wise man. ;)

We got to exchanging e-mails and he told me about Forestry Forum.  I joined June 3, 2001.  Almost 3,000 posts ago. 

My first post was about ...  FOOD!!!   8)

It's on Page 1 of Tom's Funny Story thread.

Best Meal I Ever Ate.

https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=171.msg1808#msg1808

[pigman]

I bought a WM in 1998 and was visiting the other place to learn all I could about sawing when someone pointed me to this place. Registered Dec. , 09, 2002.  Didn't make my first post until Dec. ,31, 2002. Started typing on the post when I registered, but took me 22 days to type the ten word post.
I got the splinter out of my typing finger and I am a little faster now. ;)
After over two years of being a member and still having less than the necessary posts to be a full member, The Boss promoted me to a full member anyway. 8)  I think he was just feeling sorry for this hillbilly. ;)
If I had the writing ability of Tom, the story telling ability of Bibbyman, the sawing knowlege of Arkansawyer or the humor of others I would post more.

[Furby]

April 8, 2003
Found this place through google, and lurked for a month or two.

Not going to post a link to my first post, as that would be too easy. ;D
ALL the old post are still here for the reading, you can go back to the begining or any point between then and now and read for yourself. ;)

Whew, that was a long time ago--542 posts and 2 days, 7 hours and 2 minutes of time logged in.

Hey Urban, I belive that's just since the forum upgrade, just think how much you could have made going all the way back.  ;D

[Brad_S.]

I've only been here 6 months because I didn't have net access until then, but I watched from the sidelines for years when I visited family with acess. I still check in and contribute at "the other place" but hang out here. Very friendly and homey, even though I was mildly chastized for not fully appreciating Yooper night! :D :D

[chet]

Brad, we're glad ya decided ta stick wit us, eh.   ;)

[DanG]

I wrote a nice long essay on how I got here and why I stayed.  Forgot to poke the "Post" button and it got away from me. :-\

Suffice it to say, I followed Tom over from WoodWeb and found a home in Oct of 2001.