A "Sticky" Sears Craftsman Thread

[DadsTools]

You may have noticed the recent thread started in the General Tool Section entitled "Sears Circling the Drain." It has the usual back and forth in the topic. But something new came up. I finally was able to realize within myself why so many people were harping on what's happening to Sears and posted those thoughts. From the responses, it seems I may have hit at least one of the nails right on the head.

Then Moparman390 came up with an excellent idea to create a permanent "sticky" thread as a venue for members to express their feelings about what has happened to Sears and the Craftsman line. Since I think that much of what people are expressing is a form of 'mourning' over the loss of this great institution and what it once represented by reminiscing about what it once was and complaining about how and what it has become, it would provide an appropriate venue for these thoughts while keeping new Sears-bashing threads from popping up every week.

Sears and Craftsman were such a huge icon of the American tool landscape that I think creating a permanent sticky thread for it would be easily justified.

Trouble is, I have absolutely no idea how to accomplish this, even if it were allowed (I know several other threads have been made permanent stickys, so there must be a way).

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[kythri]

I support this idea, but I'd also suggest consequences for those who bring brand-bashing and COO-bashing (i.e. trolling) into the thread.

The goal, if I'm not mistaken, is not to have a bash thread, but a relatively calm commiseration/vent thread.

 

[DadsTools]

It has been my experience that GJ is a pretty tolerant forum, stepping in only in the most egregious of circumstances. I think that's good because it makes this a very open forum. Sometimes raising dander is unavoidable, especially anywhere people meet who has strong opinions.

It's difficult to pin down exactly what "COO_Bashing" or "brand-bashing" represents. Where do you draw the line. If someone expresses their extreme disapproval of Chinese product, for whatever reason, how do you define that? Aren't wrenchers allowed to express that feeling in an open forum? Isn't this a 'reasonable' opinion? Should we have 'thought police'? I myself have expressed dislike for Chinese hand tools, and to the best of my ability avoid purchasing any tools Chinese, especially the hard line tools. Does that make me a basher?

How about all the times folks have expressed their dislike for Wright combo wrenches because of their length? Is that 'brand bashing'? Or the times I've recommended Proto satin finish wrenches while giving detailed reasons why I reject the full-polish stuff? Isn't that brand-bashing too? Or the times I've mentioned purging Craftsman from my tools in part because my Dad deplored them? Isn't that brand-bashing? And who decides? If you love Wright tools, can't any derogatory comment about their products be construed by that person as brand-bashing? I've always spoke out about what I feel about the price they charge for Snap-on tools--does that make me a SO basher? Can you imagine what this forum would be like if it were so policed, so sterilized? Because, if you restricted a Craftsman thread so, wouldn't you have to apply it uniformly to all the threads?

I know there are folks who dislike any form of confrontation or conflict. But that's the nature of free speech when peoples assemble. I've always seen GJ as a forum dedicated to free speech.

What I do object to, however, is member bashing. I've been a victim of that myself, and on occasion have retaliated appropriately. The discussion should be an exchange of thoughts, ideas, and opinions, and debating over those things where opinions differ. Once you make it personal, you cross the line. And I think that GJ already has standing rules against this kind of behavior. Doesn't matter if it's a thread about Craftsman, Snap-on, or even Quik-Crete. The exchange should be about the ideas, the message. When one tries to discredit the message by attacking the messenger, then it enters into the arena of dishonesty.

 

[PugetDude]

I support this idea, but I'd also suggest consequences for those who bring brand-bashing and COO-bashing (i.e. trolling) into the thread.

The goal, if I'm not mistaken, is not to have a bash thread, but a relatively calm commiseration/vent thread.

So, no negative comments about what's happening to Sears today, just misty-eyed remembrances of yesteryear, happily skipping down Memory Lane with a Crown-top Craftsman Tool box, stuffed to overflowing with American-made raised panel wrenches, acetate-handled screwdrivers, and slip-joint pliers?

 

[kythri]

Not saying no negative comments - more talking about the constant China-bashing, the constant brand bashing, and the behavior that has gotten constant threads closed and users banned.

If the proposed thread would condone that behavior, then I'm strongly opposed. The board doesn't need a place where a-holes are allowed to be a-holes.

 

[Dirtydan69]

Sears IS circling the drain. Period, end of story. Related experience; For 7 years I’ve been building sample pool tables and games for a company that sells product to sears. This year they told me they have changed their business model and will no longer need me to build. They are no longer selling to sears.

 

[DadsTools]

So, no negative comments about what's happening to Sears today, just misty-eyed remembrances of yesteryear, happily skipping down Memory Lane with a Crown-top Craftsman Tool box, stuffed to overflowing with American-made raised panel wrenches, acetate-handled screwdrivers, and slip-joint pliers?

Great picture! I kind of imagine **** carrying the tool box with Jane and Baby Sally tagging along. I needed that this morning. Thanks.

I'm assuming you're thinking of the screwdrivers that make your toolbox smell like puke? Or did I just bash Craftsman?

Hey, I envision the good, bad and the ugly. That's the whole point of focusing all this into a dedicated thread. I think we need such a dedicated thread.

 

[DadsTools]

Sears IS circling the drain. Period, end of story. Related experience; For 7 years I’ve been building sample pool tables and games for a company that sells product to sears. This year they told me they have changed their business model and will no longer need me to build. They are no longer selling to sears.

The purpose of creating this thread under the "Questions and Suggestions" is to talk about the merits of starting such a thread. It wasn't to start that thread HERE!!! Let's keep the conversation about that if we can.

But your comment exemplifies my point. There are so many strong feelings among us about Sears and Craftsman, feelings of all kinds. Why not start a sticky thread where we can focus all this into a single place?

I still have no idea how a sticky thread is established.

 

[ChaseDE]

A sticky thread just for sears/craftsman?

The existing thread is fine, and if it's popular and people keep posting it will stay at or toward the top, I don't think it needs its own sticky though....

 

[DadsTools]

Not saying no negative comments - more talking about the constant China-bashing, the constant brand bashing, and the behavior that has gotten constant threads closed and users banned.

If the proposed thread would condone that behavior, then I'm strongly opposed. The board doesn't need a place where a-holes are allowed to be a-holes.

Controversial threads are started all the time. And some members can get over-enthusiastic about their feelings on the matter. That can happen with any thread with contentious content. One might say that any such contentious subject would "condone" that behavior.

So here again, the establishing of any such criteria would then require out of fairness to be applied to the entire forum for the same reasons I mentioned before. And, just as I mentioned before, rules are already in place for those who choose to go way over the top, no matter what the thread is.

And if such behavior gets a member banned, isn't that what you want? Sounds like you want the a-holes to be weeded out. I would think then, you'd be in full support of a wide-open thread as I'm suggesting.

 

[DadsTools]

A sticky thread just for sears/craftsman?

The existing thread is fine, and if it's popular and people keep posting it will stay at or toward the top, I don't think it needs its own sticky though....

The issue from which this idea arose was not about a single thread. It arose from the reality that there are very many such threads, and one seems to crop up almost every week. A dedicated thread would focus all this into a single venue.

However, even with the fact that there are many more than this one thread, your point has merit and is well-taken.

 

[ChaseDE]

I see you mention you wanting to stem the constant new Sears thread popping up, I haven't noticed the being a problem but if it is..... as a longtime admin myself, I always used to....

Merge the newly made thread into the existing thread if they are the same topic
PM the poster of the new thread to inform them of the merger and reason why
Post in the now merged thread explaining it had been merged

Takes like 5 minutes.

FWIW, a dedicated sticky thread on that topic you think WOULD stop the duplicate topics from being made, but it won't.