I'm a moderator and I willingly pay for having access to this site. I also pay more than the minimum.
I'm a moderator and I willingly pay for having access to this site. I also pay more than the minimum.
Matt, I got nothing from you. What was it? Did you send it to my address in Clinton, TN? Do you have a tracking number? (This confuses me since my table saw is a like-new PM66 with a sliding table and it works fine, but perhaps my elderly brain is failing even quicker than my Lovely Bride keeps telling me.)
I have no insider info but as far as I know, all moderators are volunteers uncompensated in any way. Yes, I personally support SMC with dollars. I find it easier to sign up with the recurring monthly subscription so I don't have to remember. This forum has been so useful to me I'm happy to pay far more than the minimum - I do the same on other forums where I am active, even those that don't require it. (I hope this doesn't sound like bragging) This amounts to $100s of dollars a year which I selfishly feel is worth it to help keep those forums open. I would be sad if the good forums closed leaving just the places where the uncivilized hang out.
I love helping people and teaching, on the forums, with turning demos, at the turning clubs and in my own shop, kids at the church, visitors to the farm, local schools. I accepted the moderator responsibilities here because I thought it would be an even better way to help (hey, I can rotate errant photos now for people!)
I can understand how people can be upset with change, especially when they lose something that has been free, however small. But seriously, it seems to me that anyone who can afford tools, wood, fasteners, sandpaper, finishes, power for the shop, and computer/smartphone/tablet/internet for forum access can probably come up with the $6/year to help keep the forum running - I know people who spend more than that every day for snacks and cigarettes and alcohol. Here's an idea for the financially destitute: selling just one unused little something every year on Classifieds here could pay for it!
JKJ
Moderators are not required to financially contribute here, for the work that they do to support this Community we should pay them. Every Moderator here also helped me to review all of the pictures in our archives so we could build the new Hall of Fame web page. We spent hundreds of hours and the task is still ongoing, in fact it will always require attention as we add more projects over time. Remember that the entire Staff here are all woodworkers and they were Members/Contributors before they ever accepted the job as a Moderator. Every Moderator at SawMill Creek was nominated by their peers.
Anyone who cannot afford to make a contribution here can contact me and I will gladly upgrade your account for free. This has always been our policy. There is a email contact us link at the bottom of every page.