Replies

1. 
   jfowlie | Nov 16, 2005 03:29am | #1

   I'm really happy with most parts of the network, but I'm having trouble getting the video parts to work. I'll get the first frame, but no audio or video. I haven't any problems with other sites, so I'm not sure what the cause is.

   As well, it would be nice for the items in each category to have a short description as to the type of content (much like the video items do) so that I can tell at a glance which are feature articles, which are tips from others, and which are multimedia.

   Other than that, I'm really enjoying the site!

   Thanks,
   --James

1. 
   MBerger | Nov 16, 2005 02:40pm | #2

   Hi James,Glad your having a nice time navigating the site. We're working on the problem with the videos and it should be fixed within the next day or two. One workaround until the fix is in place is to refresh the page. It appears that on the second or third refresh the videos play just fine. I apologize for the inconvenience.- Matt

1. 
   toponypy | Nov 16, 2005 03:28pm | #3

   hi Matt,I am a weekend woodworker from Belgium.
   I have a fww subscription for three years now and I love it.
   Since your magazine and the internet are the only possibilities for me to learn ww, I immediately subscribed to the network, hoping to find a lot of videos to learn techniques.
   These clips often say more with less words, than an article can.
   So my subscription for the next year will mostly depend on the amount of
   new video material that will be added in the near future.keep up the good work.Tony

1. 
   MBerger | Nov 16, 2005 06:12pm | #4

   Hi Tony,

   Welcome! You will be glad to know that we plan to publish at least two new videos each week, plus a whole lot more in the Gallery and Tool Guide.

   Please keep in touch if you have any more comments or questions.

   - Matt

2. 
   HoustonHeights | Nov 17, 2005 01:33am | #5

   Matt,

   First off, let me just say that I am pleased with the finewoodworkingnetwork section.  I am excited about having access to such a wealth of woodworking information.

   I am, however, having a problem with accessing videos.  I posted a message to SYSOP in the "General" section of knots.  If you have any ideas on what the problem is, please let me know. 

   Thanks!

1. 
   MBerger | Nov 17, 2005 04:35am | #6

   We're currently troubleshooting an issue with the videos. Apparantly something is causing them not to load properly when the page opens. If you refresh the page (sometimes twice) they will show up. We hope to have this fixed in the next day or two. I apologize.
   - Matt

1. 
   HoustonHeights | Nov 21, 2005 06:58pm | #7

   I am still unable to load the videos, even after refreshing the page multiple times.  In fact, I can't even tell where the video is supposed to load.  When I click on a link to a video, like Boggs's video on how to use a card scraper, I go to a page that describes the video, but there nothing else -- not a video player or a link to a page with a video player. 

   This is incredibly frustrating.  Access to videos was one of the primary reasons I subscribed to the members only section.  A week later, I haven't been able to view a single video.

2. 
   agomega | Nov 21, 2005 09:51pm | #8

   I am also having trouble with the videos. In some cases the video never appears on the bottom of my screen. In other cases when the video does appear it plays for about 10-15 seconds and then stops. Are you still working on fixing this. It seems like there are a lot of good videos and I would like to be able to watch them.

   Thanks,

   Phil

1. 
   MBerger | Nov 21, 2005 10:04pm | #9

   I have to apologize to everyone who is having trouble playing the videos. We identified a problem that affects some browers and our tech team is working to fix it. I'll post updates as they come.

   - Matt

1. 
   HoustonHeights | Nov 29, 2005 10:20pm | #10

   What's the latest on the videos? 

2. 
   MBerger | Nov 29, 2005 10:38pm | #11

   As of the end of last week, the videos should be working. When the page loads the video appears at the bottom, and you must click play to watch it.

   To solve the earlier problem, we did away with a feature that automatically detected a user's bandwidth and streamed the video accordingly. As a result, the videos are now streaming at one speed.

   The next fix will be to allow the videos to stream at different speeds depending on a user's connection. I'll keep you posted when that goes live.

   If anyone continues to experience problems watching the videos, please let me know.

   Thanks, Matt

3. 
   HoustonHeights | Nov 30, 2005 02:41am | #12

   I am still having difficulty with the videos.  Maybe its a problem from my end.  I emailed customer service and was told to install a shockwave viewer, which I did.  Still doesn't work.  I'm using IE 6.0.  Can someone with some tech savvy help me out?

4. 
   MBerger | Nov 30, 2005 03:53am | #13

   Hi Houston,It's Flash, not Shockwave, that you need to have installed on your computer. On the bottom of every video page we've put a link to the website where you can install the latest version of the Flash player. Try that out.- Matt

3. 
   DougF | Nov 30, 2005 08:08pm | #14

   Matt, I need some help with a finishing question:  have built a chest/entertainment combo and 2 night stands using a a Harvey Ellis design.  The carcass and door frames are solid cherry.  The door panels and drawer fronts are highly-figured re-sawn Western Big Leaf Maple.  I pre-finished the door panels several months ago using a BLO/raw tung oil/turp/spar varnish formula.  The door panels were placed outside to facilitate drying after they were tack-free.  The panels have naturally acquired a tint that is very close in hue/coloring to the cherry door frames.

   Recently I finished the drawers fronts and the coloring does not come close to matching the door panels.  The drawers are a darker amber color that one would expect given the formula I'm using.  The veneer is from the same board as the doors and finish mixture was prepared to the same formulation used for the door panels. 

   Thus far the only difference I can see is that drawers were not set outside to dry.  Can UV have this much affect on turning with the maple or the finish or is something else going on here.  This is a new one on me and I would really appreciate some advise.  I posted this in the Forum but no help thus far.

   Thanks - Doug

    

    

   
   

   ---

   Edited 11/30/2005 6:02 pm by DougF

1. 
   MBerger | Dec 01, 2005 11:44pm | #15

   Hi Doug,

   I'm not a finishing expert, but I've done some research that might be of help.

   Check out this article from Jeff Jewitt: "What Woodworkers Need to Know about Light." It discusses the effects light can have on wood color.

   From what I read in your post, I'm not sure light is to blame here. I would suspect the drawer fronts to be lighter than the door panels if light was the culprit. Sunlight usually darkens wood, especially cherry. I built a desk that sits in front of a window in my house, and the desktop has become darker where the light shines through the window.

   The lumber might be the culprit.

   - Matt

1. 
   DougF | Dec 02, 2005 02:39am | #16

   Matt,

   Thanks for the response.  Its not logical to expect that wood is the issue since all of the veneer was re-sawn from the same board and laminated with the same epoxy mix on cherry substrate within a 24-hour period.   Perhaps one the "lurkers" will wade in here with some suggestions.  The more I think about it the more I suspect the UV action on the finish.  So, I am setting the drawers in the sun for 3 or 4 days to see if that will create the same darkening affect. 

   Doug

2. 
   Paul_Snyder | Dec 04, 2005 05:05pm | #17

   Doug,The drawer fronts will catch up in color to the door panels, it just takes time. Placing wood in the sunlight will give it a 'suntan' that gives it a quick start on the oxidation/patination process. From experiments I've run, you get the most effect in about a week with no discernable change after a month. Months later, the wood starts to fade as the sunlight bleaches it out. A few days in direct sunlight helps to give the wood a nice "push."The additional color change is coming from the oil-base finishes you applied to the door panels. Linseed oil, tung oil, and the phenolic resins in the spar varnish all darken as they age (especially the linseed oil and phenolic resins). The newly finished drawer fronts will darken as time goes by while the door panels will have effectively 'peaked.' Eventually, the drawers will look just the same as the doors. A few days in the sun will get the process started, but time is the key factor.
   Paul
   http://www.finishwiz.com

1. 
   DougF | Dec 04, 2005 05:26pm | #18

   Paul,

   Thanks.  I expected darkening from the finish on the maple but not to this extent.  The color is quite complimentary to the cherry frames.  After setting the drawers for the past 4 days, there is a discernable darkening.  This is the first project where I have experienced so much time between finishing different parts on the same project and it have very instructive in terms of how certain finishes "age".   

   Doug

1. 
   Paul_Snyder | Dec 04, 2005 05:46pm | #19

   If you didn't have the newly finished drawers for comparison, the patina wouldn't ever be so obvious Doug! It's a slow, subtle process that most people don't ever get a chance to see first hand.

   Paul
   http://www.finishwiz.com

1. 
   HoustonHeights | Dec 09, 2005 02:44am | #24

   Matt,

   FWW recently published a review of 8" Jointers under $1,500 (or was it less?).  Do you know if there will be a follow-up review of 8" Jointers over $1,500?  If so, do you know when it will be published?  I'm planning on buying a top of the line 8" jointer in the next couple of months. It would be great to have a FWW review to help me decide on which one.

   Andrew

4. 
   agomega | Dec 05, 2005 07:45am | #20

   Matt,

   Is there a link to a list of all the videos or do you have to browse through the various departments to find the videos? I think that a link to all of the video features you offer would be very helpful. Especially as the collection of videos grows.

   Thanks,

   Phil

1. 
   MBerger | Dec 05, 2005 06:58pm | #21

   Thanks for the suggestion Phil. Currently there is no list but it is a project that were are going to pursue as we add new features to the site.

   For the time being try this: In the search box at the top of the page type in "video." The results list should include all of them.

   - Matt

1. 
   HoustonHeights | Dec 07, 2005 07:27pm | #22

   Matt,

   Another suggestion:  it might be helpful to have a page of "updates," so members can see at a glance what new material has been added to the site.

    

1. 
   MBerger | Dec 07, 2005 07:59pm | #23

   Thanks for the suggestion Houston. In fact, we're already working on that. Look for link on the homepage around Dec. 15.

5. 
   philip | Dec 16, 2005 11:03am | #25

   Mat, why do the videos not run continuously-they stop and start . is it because I need to up-date something or other?

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   MBerger | Dec 16, 2005 04:43pm | #26

   It sounds like a bandwidth issue. If you're using dial-up internet access that will result in a less-than-perfect experience. If you are using high-speed internet I'll have to look into the issue further. Send me an email by clicking on my screen name and I'll forward it on to our tech department.- Matt

6. 
   DougF | Dec 20, 2005 11:19pm | #27

   Hi Matt,

   I signed up for a month to give it a try.  Is it month to month unless I cancel or is it automatically cancelled after the end of the month?

   Doug

1. 
   MBerger | Dec 21, 2005 12:07am | #28

   Hi Doug.

   It is month to month unless you cancel.

   You can manage your account through our customer service department. http://www.taunton.com/customerservice/contact_us.asp

   - Matt

1. 
   DougF | Dec 21, 2005 12:28am | #29

   Thanks Matt.  BTW, I really liked the new format.  Judging by the number of posts, I think the format encouraged participation.  Bifurcating the search function is an issue but nothing's perfect.  Change management is a tough challenge and this is a tough crowd.  Thanks for trying and I wish you had stuck it out a little longer.  If it drove a few away, well, I am a believer that fresh blood will always step forward to fill the void.

   Doug

1. 
   MBerger | Dec 21, 2005 12:55am | #30

   Thanks for the comments Doug. One thing that we won't lose in our next remodel is the number of new forum folders that were created. So if it was the diversity that you liked you can rest assured that will remain. The fix will just consolidate things a bit so that search is comprehensive and it will require less clicks to move around. I think it will be a happy medium.

1. 
   DougF | Dec 21, 2005 01:16am | #31

   Matt, to all of you at Taunton, thanks for your contributions and my sincere wishes that your holidays bring you joy and the comfort of loved ones.

   Doug

7. 
   sapwood | Feb 09, 2006 05:28am | #32

   Matt,

   I'm having a hard time understanding this expert forum. Apparently you have set up discussions that will be monitored by some individuals: E. Conover, etc. But I haven't seen any "directions" (for lack of a better term) on how these are to be run. Do we simply pose questions and they will be answered, or are these questions then open for discussion among all participants? And for how long will the individual experts be available?

   I sense a great potential from this expert forum, but am not seeing it. Perhaps it's there...I can be patient. I'll keep watching.

   So, I have a few suggestions:
   1. Have the invited experts pose a topic for discussion. This could be on finishing, design, joinery, or philosophy (Is the use of wood based putty real wood working?) These topics will generate a lot of opinion and questions. And some spin-off topics.

   2. Set up a gallery here in this members only area for posting photos of work that will be reviewed by one or more of the invited experts. Feedback in the open forum is sketchy at best. I would like to hear what people who have attained a known degree of notoriety have to say about a particular piece of work.

   3. A personal interest: I would like to see an invited expert/moderator (Yes...I'd like to see moderated discussions here.) organize a discussion on design issues. There was a good article in the recent issue. This is a great take-off point.

   Thanks for listening,
   Jeff

1. 
   MBerger | Feb 09, 2006 05:14pm | #33

   Hi Sapwood.

   I agree with your comments whole-heartedly. And we are actually in the process of redesigning the Expert Forum to make it less complicated. One major change will be creating forums for each expert, rather than a single thread like it is now. One benefit to this is when you ask a question (like this one), rather than being post #34, you will be able to create your own thread.

   We are also building a home page for Ask the Experts where you will be able to read bios for all the experts in the forum where we will state what topics they cover.

   As for the Gallery, we do have the foundation for this set up already that allows people to post comments and questions tied to photos in the Gallery.

   I'll be posting more info as progress is made. And please feel free to stay in contact with your ideas.

   - Matt

1. 
   loucarabasi | Feb 17, 2006 01:25pm | #34

   Hey Matt, need any help? My wife said I know everything! Wait, I think she may have said; ''I think I know everything.'' I thought I did until I met you friggers.

   -Lou