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Matt Bufford

Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
63
Hey folks. Sorry if I'm dumping this in the wrong forum, I'm kind of unclear on memberships here... could use some advice there.

I've been hanging around reading here from time to time, and I've been very active on other knife forums, so figured it was time to start playing post tag with you guys too.

The name is Matt, been making knifes for a relatively short time, but still love doing it. I work as a firefighter/paramedic as my primary job, work part time for Texas Motor Speedway as a paramedic, and I'm also in the Coast Guard Reserves... so I'm a very part-time maker. But thats ok, because I always have a waiting list! :thumbup:

I live in Farmers Branch, TX. Where I've got my house and family, with my garage full of tools.

I've got a basic website that I made, I do update the "my workbench" page fairly often - the rest I'll update rarely - if ever - unless I have a reason to. But mostly the website seems to be a pain in the butt - I'm tired of trying to figure that stuff out!

<link removed>

Good to be here... but whats the deal with memberships and posting permissions?
 
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Welcome Matt! Make sure you never need those awesome firefighter and paramedic skills in your shop...and have lots of FUN!
 
Welcome Matt. Got some interesting designs there, I hope you stick with it. Nice looking website too.
 
TheSlacker said:
Hey folks. Sorry if I'm dumping this in the wrong forum, I'm kind of unclear on memberships here... could use some advice there.

I've been hanging around reading here from time to time, and I've been very active on other knife forums, so figured it was time to start playing post tag with you guys too.

The name is Matt, been making knifes for a relatively short time, but still love doing it. I work as a firefighter/paramedic as my primary job, work part time for Texas Motor Speedway as a paramedic, and I'm also in the Coast Guard Reserves... so I'm a very part-time maker. But thats ok, because I always have a waiting list! :thumbup:

I live in Farmers Branch, TX. Where I've got my house and family, with my garage full of tools.

I've got a basic website that I made, I do update the "my workbench" page fairly often - the rest I'll update rarely - if ever - unless I have a reason to. But mostly the website seems to be a pain in the butt - I'm tired of trying to figure that stuff out!

<link removed>

Good to be here... but whats the deal with memberships and posting permissions?
Click to expand...

Hi,

You can't link to your website with your current membership level. Here is a link to site rules. If you want to promote and sell your work here you would need a KNIFEMAKER / CRAFTSMAN / SERVICE PROVIDER membership. If you decide to upgrade your membership, you can do so by following this link.

Thanks

Jason
 
Thanks for the responses guys. All feedback is much appreciated

I'm not really looking to promote or sell on here. If you disnt notice, there arent any prices or purchase links on my site Its all more to show my work. Unless I ditch one of my jobs, I wouldn't be able to keep up with demand! I'm more in it for the hobby, the knives I sell just keep me from going broke supporting my habit! Of course, the further I get into making, I very well could drop one or two of my part time gigs, and focus on knives - but that wouldn't likely be in the near foreseeable future.

As mentioned, I'm pretty active in other forums, but I'm kind of getting the impression that I have to walk on eggshells here unless I pay for a membership... No thanks. I'm all about supporting the communities I am involved in, and I like posting pictures of my knives and my build progress, but I can't just link to my site where the pictures already are?... Doesn't make much sense to me.

Oh well, ban me if you want. I'm not looking for "free advertising" or any advertising - otherwise I would have paid for a professional site, seo, pro photographer, memberships, etc...,not just some template I threw together on my iPad.
 
I appologize, I guess the tone of the post could be read wrong. It was meant as more of a sarcastic comment. Just seems absurd that someone can't link to a website (within reason). I understand the forums can't have peddlers run amok, but an absolutist policy severely detracts from possible content and discussion. IMO.

From what I'm understanding, I can't link to my site unless I am a paying member... Since all of my pictures are hosted on my site; every time I post a picture, I'd be violating the rules because it is directly linked from my site in the img src script.

Really no big deal to me either way. If I can't contribute my stuff to discussion without violating policy, I'll be content keeping my sharing to the other forums I'm on - and simply keep reading the posts here. I'm just not too interested in paying for a membership right now. Down the road, who knows.
 
TheSlacker said:
I appologize, I guess the tone of the post could be read wrong. It was meant as more of a sarcastic comment. Just seems absurd that someone can't link to a website (within reason). I understand the forums can't have peddlers run amok, but an absolutist policy severely detracts from possible content and discussion. IMO.

From what I'm understanding, I can't link to my site unless I am a paying member... Since all of my pictures are hosted on my site; every time I post a picture, I'd be violating the rules because it is directly linked from my site in the img src script.

Really no big deal to me either way. If I can't contribute my stuff to discussion without violating policy, I'll be content keeping my sharing to the other forums I'm on - and simply keep reading the posts here. I'm just not too interested in paying for a membership right now. Down the road, who knows.
Click to expand...

You have sections on your website like "knives available" and "custom orders". I understand the "knives available" section is empty but it might not be tomorrow. Many of the makers you introduced yourself to pay to be here so they can promote and sell their knives on this site. We have to protect that relationship hence the rules that I linked you to in my first post. I apologize if my post came across as harsh as that certainly wasn't my intent.

You can post pictures of your knives all you want. Nobody is going to give you a hard time about what the IMG source is.

If you have any questions or problems with the site rules, this isn't the forum to discuss them. We have a Technical Support & Help forum where any question or concerns you have can and will be addressed.

I hope you stick around.

Jason
 
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Thanks, Jason.

Matt,
Stick around. You aren't breaking any major rules, and no one wants to ban you.
Feel free to post some photos of your knives and WIPs, and source the photos from your website.
We get to know each other here by what we see more than what we read.
Tell us about your knife making processes and equipment. Those threads always draw a good crowd.

What Jason was saying is that paying members have the privilege of posting links to their sites, and thus promoting the selling of their knives. In time, you may decide to join their ranks, or not. That is why we have a registered user status.
 
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