Who is RAY?

[Mike'smeatshop]

Sorry about the bad pics. But who could Ray be?

 

[misterbill]

There are a couple links called out in the index sticky at the top of this forum in the second post: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...s-faq-helpful-hints-links.434502/post-8148920

 

[Oldtuleguy]

Ray packer tools of Chicago

 

[four.cycle]

keep this link handy

the answer to who "RAY" is can be found here

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

keep this link handy

the answer to who "RAY" is can be found here

Thanks. Will do.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

There are a couple links called out in the index sticky at the top of this forum in the second post: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum...s-faq-helpful-hints-links.434502/post-8148920

I apologize but I have been looking for a index sticky since I started here and men have mentioned about the sticky. I have delt with sticky before and they are very helpful but it is something that is right in front of me but i can not see or find sticky. Thanks.

 

[four.cycle]

THIS is the "sticky" they are referring to.

 

[four.cycle]

delete double post

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

THIS is the "sticky" they are referring to.

But my issue is getting there. Thanks.

 

[four.cycle]

^ it's at the top of the "Vintage" tool forum. That's why it's a "sticky" - it's "stuck" at the top of the list when you open that forum.

 

[Farmer J.]

I apologize but I have been looking for a index sticky since I started here and men have mentioned about the sticky. I have delt with sticky before and they are very helpful but it is something that is right in front of me but i can not see or find sticky.

Hi, Mike,
When they are talking about 'sticky' they mean for you to look at the thread at the top of the page, this one:

READ B4 POSTING!: A-Z Index of Threads, FAQ, & Helpful Hints & Links

The name 'sticky' didn't make any sense to me either, until someone explained it's like one of those little bits of paper with gum on the back that people stick up..

 

[Oldtuleguy]

It's just a nice index at the top of the forum lugz was kind enough to make. Sticky just means it's "stuck" at the top so you can't miss it!

 

[four.cycle]

The name 'sticky' didn't make any sense to me either, until someone explained it's like one of those little bits of paper with gum on the back that people stick up..

Unless you know that it's at the top of the "Vintage Tool" forum, odds are you're not going to find it.

 

[d42jeep]

You can call me Ray.
-Don

 

[four.cycle]

^ is that what that gizmo is? I found one of those the other day stamped "Indestro". I think it came in a box of ratchets.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Unless you know that it's at the top of the "Vintage Tool" forum, odds are you're not going to find it.

I hear this over and over again, and I have to say, I am always flabbergasted. I just don't understand!

First of all, the term is not unique to GJ. Every forum I participate in has "sticky" threads that are permanently stuck to the top of each discussion board, not subject to the descending timeframe of activity, and they are called stickies in all of them.

Secondly, every forum on GJ has stickies at the top of them, most of them have more than one, not just the Vintage Tools Discussion.

Lastly, it makes me feel like I'm in a parallel universe looking at a version of GJ that nobody else sees.

How is it possible to not see a permanent thread at the top of the forum that literally includes the words READ B4 POSTING in it? Why do you think the odds would be against seeing it? Why do you think you have to know it's there? These are not challenges. I am trying to figure out what people see that I don't see, or vice versa!

It's making me wonder what view of GJ users have when it is first opened in their browser.

GJ is saved as a favorite. When I click on it, this is my first view...



From this page I can (1) see if I have PM's, (2) see if I have alerts (someone replied to me or quoted me in a thread, etc), or (3) scan page 1 of the forum (always the most recent activity).

Due to the new software and layout, which is quite large (my screen is set on 75% explicitly to mitigate Ryan's extremely close-up layout), that is never the entire page 1, so I usually scroll down to finish scanning it.



Then I always go to my Watched Threads lists next...

 

[Private Lugnutz]

You can call me Ray.

HAHA! (...but you doesn't hasta call me Johnson!)

 

[misterbill]

...

How is it possible to not see a permanent thread at the top of the forum that literally includes the words READ B4 POSTING in it? Why do you think the odds would be against seeing it? Why do you think you have to know it's there? These are not challenges. I am trying to figure out what people see that I don't see, or vice versa!

...

I hope the OP doesn't feel like we're ganging up on them. Just speculating on @Private Lugnutz 's post... are any of you using forum readers to access the site? I wonder if they provide a customized view that might truncate or omit information like the forum stickies.

 

[RTM]

My home view, Vintage is left, General is #4, from left, keep them open on the Droid at all times. Among 30 other tabs.

 

[four.cycle]

^ When I click the "Garage Journal" icon on my desktop, it takes me to the main page, which (if you haven't looked at it lately) looks like this today:


You will note there is no mention of the word "sticky" (or the word "thread") anywhere on that page.
All reasonable assumptions aside, there is no "road map" to tell a new user how to get from this page to said "sticky".

No, you're not living in an alternate universe - you're just not seeing it the same way as others do.
I've been here for eight years, and I still don't understand how you "follow" a thread (or many other functions you guys are using about which I remain completely clueless.)

When a new member joins, if I'm the one doing the "greeting" you'll note I always post that hyperlink in my post with some notation about "keep this link handy" - because I know that new people are not able to find it.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I hope the OP doesn't feel like we're ganging up on them. Just speculating on @Private Lugnutz 's post...

Mike is cool. We interact frequently. And 4.c and I are buds. I am assuming they took my inquires in the right spirit. But thanks for helping, Bill.

...are any of you using forum readers to access the site? I wonder if they provide a customized view that might truncate or omit information like the forum stickies.

That's the kind of thing I am wondering. Maybe some users' first or "Home" view upon opening is not the forum! Maybe their browsers open their Watched list or something like that. Or the Main page etc. I cannot imagine not starting on the forum page, or how the "Sticky" is not obvious if one starts there, but that's why I am asking.

When I use my phone, the forum view is so large (zoomed in, close-up, whatever you want to call it), the only thread I see is the Sticky.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

you're just not seeing it the same way as others do.

Which is why I asked.

When I click the "Garage Journal" icon on my desktop, it takes me to the main page

Thanks. Now how do you read from there? Do you click on Forums? In your use of GJ as a forum, do you never see a view of the entire Vintage Tools Discussion with the sticky at the top? If someone reads exclusively from Alerts or Watched Threads, I can totally see how they would not see it. But then I don't see how they would ever find "new" threads. How do YOU find "new" threads?

 

[leg17]

HAHA! (...but you doesn't hasta call me Johnson!)

Lugz you beat me to it.

 

[four.cycle]

There you are!

Well... the first thing I do (partly to stroke my own ego, and partly to see what sort of feedback I'm getting) is to check "reactions", which are sometimes hilarious.
The next thing I do is click "forums", and then "new posts".
Then I'll spend 5 to 20 minutes scrolling through twelve pages of new posts, the majority of which I have no interest in, but somehow always manage to get snagged into some argument about ratchet lubricant or some other such nonsense.
By that time, I will have 60 tabs spread across the top of my screen, all trying to load at the same time, and it only takes ONE You-Tube video to cause it to hang up for several minutes - long enough to boil a pot of water to make tea - and then when they're all loaded I can go through and read each one.
Mind-bogglingly time consuming, and I really wish there was some way to weed out the garbage, but the stuff I am looking for is scattered all over the site, so I don't have the luxury of being able to focus only on "vintage" (or whatever.)

Completely different process than what you do - and partly the reason I miss so much stuff that causes you to think I'm either oblivious or clueless. I get it, because I know why it's happening, so I just roll with it.

This isn't a "problem", and we don't need to apply a "fix". We're all just doing it differently, and some of us just aren't savvy about where all the buttons and knobs are - kind of like borrowing somebody else's car you never drove before.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

When a new member joins, if I'm the one doing the "greeting" you'll note I always post that hyperlink in my post with some notation about "keep this link handy" -

I have noted that.

because I know that new people are not able to find it.

I'm not sure it's all new people. In my experience, a majority of newbies get here from a Google search on some tool(s) they've found or, unfortunately, want to sell. But it will bring them in not on the Main Page (which I have rarely ever seen!), but inside a thread. Once you back out of a thread, you're in the forum.

I've been here for eight years, and I still don't understand how you "follow" a thread

Just scroll to the top of any thread you always read, or threads you always want to follow, look to the right, and hit the [Watch] button, 4.c. It will put in in your Watched list. The only reason I scan the main forums page is to look for new threads. I navigate to my favorites from my Watched list or checking my Alerts, to see if I need to reply to anyone's questions. That's really the only 'function' I use.

 

[four.cycle]

^ From MY view, I see one of the biggest hurdles is getting new users TO my list - which would have directed Mike directly to Packer:

Ray / see Packer /

I'm trying to tie the appropriate Garagejournal.com thread to the entry of the manufacturer's name in the list, but that's an on-going thing and it will never be 100% - it's simply not possible with the continual proliferation of threads on the same subject. It works fine with the more obscure makers, but some stuff - like Craftsman - may as well try to herd cats.

 

[four.cycle]

Your observations are correct: they initially land IN a given thread after their Google search - you and I are seeing the exact same thing in that respect: "Who made it, how old is it, and how much can I get for it?" - always the same pattern.

Once you back out of a thread, you're in the forum.

And that, I would posit, is the point at which they get lost. (Like Mike above.) And you're correct - it's NOT always the newbies.

The only reason I scan the main forums page is to look for new threads. I navigate to my favorites from my Watched list or checking my Alerts, to see if I need to reply to anyone's questions.

And here I just thought you had me on ignore....!
Let me know if you dig up anything on "Muckle" if and when you get there.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Mind-bogglingly time consuming, and I really wish there was some way to weed out the garbage,

The best way I know how is to use the Watch function. If you participate in GJ from your Watched threads list, you are only reading and replying to threads you are watching. Then you could scan Page 1 of your favorite forums (Vintage, General, Fab, etc) for new threads to decide if you want to reply or Watch or ignore (don't Watch). Watched literally customizes the forum for you. But, I am just trying to help.

that causes you to think I'm either oblivious or clueless.

For the record, I have never thought that.

 

[four.cycle]

^ In that respect you are the exception, sir.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

The best way I know how is to use the Watch function. If you participate in GJ from your Watched threads list, you are only reading and replying to threads you are watching. Then you could scan Page 1 of your favorite forums (Vintage, General, Fab, etc) for new threads to decide if you want to reply or Watch or ignore (don't Watch). Watched literally customizes the forum for you. But, I am just trying to help.

For the record, I have never thought that.

And you are doing a great job. Now I have to go to the top and start over in reading again. I am so use to seeing sticky. It's just me guys. No problem. I hope.

 

[Ricky Joe]

You can call me Ray.
-Don

This is for Ford Model T transmission band adjustment. Should be 11/16”.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

Sorry my bad. I just never pulled the Read B-4 to get to the index. Sorry men.

 

[four.cycle]

No apologies necessary. No harm- no foul.
This is a conundrum we've discussed at length - I fully understand where you are, because I really struggled trying to figure out this site. (And that's after years on other "forum" type sites.)
There's just a hell of a lot going on here, and it's difficult to weed through it all if you haven't figured out some "system" to filter out the superfluous nonsense.
I have to look at ALL the "new posts" because that's how I pick up the obscure makers' names for the list - otherwise I'd miss too much stuff.
I'd like to be able to wave a magic wand and make it easier and more user friendly for new users, but we just haven't quite figured out exactly how to do that - it's a work in progress.

 

[Provincial]

Nobody is stupid for asking a question. It is stupid to not ask if you don't understand!

If lived properly, life is a continuous learning experience.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I have to look at ALL the "new posts" because that's how I pick up the obscure makers' names for the list - otherwise I'd miss too much stuff.

If you're saying that you pay no attention to the site topology (three different sections, sixteen very different forums), don't use Watched, and you literally click on the [New posts] tab at the top left and read ALL new posts as they occur, regardless of which forum they are being posted in, and without using any of the [Filtersv] (located at the far right on the 'New posts' page), you are, by preference, drinking from the fire hose, 4.c! Unless you're logged in almost all of your waking time, and reading them as they pop up, given the typical pace of activity, I can't imagine how long it would take to catch up after a few hours or after sleeping. I am not criticizing you. It's obviously your choice. But by the same token, you have to acknowledge that there's no wonder why the site would seem so overwhelming to you.

There's just a hell of a lot going on here, and it's difficult to weed through it all if you haven't figured out some "system" to filter out the superfluous nonsense.

GJ has multiple features (its organization into discrete sections and forums, to begin with) and functions (Preferences, Content Options, Alerts, Watched, and Filters) explicitly for filtering and customizing its use. But again, if you're not using them, there's no wonder that you're finding it difficult to weed through. Isn't this also a massive contradiction, though? Any weeding of any kind would contravene your need to read "ALL new posts". I'd like to try to help you, 4.c., but it's hard to know where to start with these competing goals.

I'd like to be able to wave a magic wand and make it easier and more user friendly for new users, but we just haven't quite figured out exactly how to do that - it's a work in progress.

I don't think GJ is overly difficult, complex, or confusing, but I do think a User's Guide would be helpful. When we switched over to the new software, Ryan had mentioned on the running 'Feedback' thread he had started at that time that he had one in his plans, but I have not seen it yet. I know you're well aware of the A-Z Thread list in the Index, but are you aware that I have also included some mini-tutorials? One on Watching and another on Searching.

 

[Mike'smeatshop]

Most forums mark their Sticky section Sticky. And like you said there is just so much going on here. I am 10-15 years behind. Trying to hard to catch up.

 

[four.cycle]

Oh... I don't try to read every new post, and there are all kinds of threads that never get my attention.
New users don't always post their antique garage sale find in "vintage" - it might show up anywhere.
That is why I scroll through all the pages showing "new posts" - but I certainly don't try to read them all.
Yes, it's a time-consuming process, but .... the end product has arguably proven to be of some benefit.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

...the end product has arguably proven to be of some benefit.

If you mean your US Mfgrs List, for sure!

New users don't always post their antique garage sale find in "vintage" - it might show up anywhere.
That is why I scroll through all the pages showing "new posts" - but I certainly don't try to read them all.

I meant 'scroll through' or 'scan', not necessarily click on, open, and 'read' word for word. That would be even worse, of course. But even scanning all "new posts" (from Flooring, Lighting, Fab, etc etc) can be time consuming if you don't filter your feed.

Thanks for clarifying, though.

It does beg the question of what you mean when you say you wish there was a way to "weed out the superfluous or the garbage", though.

It is possible to scan all "new posts" from all forums, essentially by using no filters on that page, which is apparently what you're doing now, and to be more selective about your content for further reading.

The Watched feature, which I have mentioned several times, creates your own little customized forum, essentially. Your Watched threads list excludes all other threads.

When you're finished scanning all "New posts" from all forums and you've either used the Alerts bell to attend to members who have quoted you in a particular thread, or you see their posts from the "New posts" page and attend to them that way, and now you want to catch up on all your favorite threads, you don't have to navigate to each forum and scan each page 1 for threads with new activity. If you had a Watched list, you could go to that. It would only present threads you're Watching.

Here's the ironic catch though. You probably would've already seen them show up in your all "new posts" from all forums scanning habit.

Essentially, if you're scanning all of GJ from the "New posts" page, you're sort of defeating the purpose of the weeding features that are available. You're seeing all the new content from there, even posts for which you might be quoted, or posts in threads you might be Watching if you used that feature.

I hope that makes sense. Again, just trying to help.

 

[four.cycle]

^ Granted, the way I'm going about it is overly time consuming and rather clunky, but again, it's the only way to pick up everything.
I can read pretty fast, and my eyes are well trained to just skim over the nonsensical threads ranting about one thing or another.

At this point in time, the stuff I'm looking for is only the oddball and obscure - the obvious players are already listed.
Yesterday I turned up yet another "Vulcan" (they made soldering irons.)

When I say "weed out the fluff" I'm talking about all of the flooring, electrical, and "how to build my garage" threads that don't at all relate to what I'm doing.

And simply clicking "new posts" almost always brings up those threads on which I'm focused, which really aren't that many - most of them are in "vintage".

 

[Private Lugnutz]

When I say "weed out the fluff" I'm talking about all of the flooring, electrical, and "how to build my garage" threads that don't at all relate to what I'm doing.

And simply clicking "new posts" almost always brings up those threads on which I'm focused, which really aren't that many - most of them are in "vintage".

We keep going around in circles, 4.c. I had thought that all those forums were largely irrelevant to you, but when you said "ALL new posts" I took you for your word. If THIS ^ (bolded) is truly the case, then your content interests aren't much different than mine, we just have different ways of going about it.

Granted, the way I'm going about it is overly time consuming and rather clunky, but again, it's the only way to pick up everything.

Assuming that by "everything" you don't literally mean everything, i.e., "all new posts in all forums," but you really mean "all new posts, but only in the forums and threads that I am interested in," then it most certainly is NOT the only way!

Here is my "New posts" view.



Notice that there are no irrelevant "new posts" from Flooring or Electrical or Fabrication or Garage Gallery etc etc etc clogging it up. Because I use the Filters function. My Filters, which can be seen in the bar just below the [1][2][3][Next>] pages buttons, are set on [Show only: Watched x] and [Show only: Participated x]. That eliminates new content in all other threads that I am not watching and in which I have not participated. So, my little customized GJ forum "new posts" view. Exactly the same as a view of any forum that everyone sees, the bolded threads have new content that I have not read. I am way behind on 'Tools from the Old World', one of only a handful of threads that I Watch that aren't located in Vintage Tools.

Scrolling down in my "New posts" view just to give you a fuller idea.



As you can see, I am also behind on 'Books!', 'Hammer time!', Phone pic Of the day!', the mega vise thread, and 'Proto'.

But I am not having to scan past gobs of "superfluous" "garbage".

The Filters are simple check boxes after you click the [Filters v] button on the far top right.



You could check [ ] Threads in which you've participated right now, because the site automatically knows that.

A prerequisite for you to be able to check [ ] Watched content is for you to be Watching threads.

I HIGHLY recommend you do so. For me, the Watch function is by far the most valuable function on GJ. This will be a little tedious for you to do now, in hindsight, but all you have to do is simply go into all your regular favorite threads, scroll to the top, and click [Watch]! It's that simple.

When you do that, you can also use the "Watched threads" view. Another way to customize your experience, make it more efficient, and cull out everything else.



*IMPORTANT*

Note that using the Watch function, the "New posts" view with Filters and the "Watched threads" view will also eliminate new threads, including those in forums you frequent. New posts in completely new threads will not show up in your Filtered "New posts" view. To quickly scan for those, I just navigate to the particular forum (for me, 'Vintage Tools', which is where GJ opens for me, sometimes 'General Tools', and occasionally 'Free Parking') and look at page 1 for bolded new thread titles. That is a daily scan that I enjoy. Once I have scanned for those, then I go about answering Alert posts that quoted me, or use my customized "New posts" view or Watched view to check on everything else I normally like to follow.