Build-Off is over?

Couple days?!?!  I know there are several posts that I have looked for within hours lost....   

Budget_gokart wrote:

i only have time for forums at school and night time and nobody is usually on at those times i teach anyone willing to learn and get off the games and we go play on tractors and my girlfreind rode an old hydro craftsman around for a while and loved it now ive gotta make a more reliable tractor for her if i get the time ever. im currently building a work horse which will be for every one willing to ride it

Same here, Im on the forums at school then at 8pm to about midnight

I’ve found over the years, that ‘build off’ challenges on forums (no matter the subject... model trains, machining, gunsmithing, etc.) that while the challenge may stimulate some starts (and a few finishes), it seems that they also may stimulate loss of members. 
People tend to work on something, then put it aside, and then go back, over time. If the challenge ends before the build does, we risk losing the rest of the ‘story’. 
I prefer that people post their build, step by step, as they do it. Then ‘we’ as the audience can cheer them on, learn from their work and possibly help them keep going. IMO, a much better way to encourage creativity. 
Everything doesn’t need to be a winner/loser/follow-up type of thing. 
Just by engaging in this hobby, we are ALL winners. (How many people in this world actually make things these days? Think about it.)

I agree and disagree.

Agree:  
I have seen several people join just for the build-off to disappear afterwards.  Just wanting the prizes.  In this case I'm not a fan of the build-off.  It takes away from the "members". I have seen several members get burnout trying to build something within time constraints, then drop off. (I know who you are!) Again, not a fan of this.  Like @Doug said, it's cool to see 30 people enter but only 2-3 finish. Heck, only 2-3 were continuing their build topics after the entry post. Those cases were not burnout, not sure what you call it.  This was not always the case.  

Disagree:  
I've seen people continue to build on their mowers post build-off.  I think the bigger issue with people not posting about their stuff anymore is Facebook and Instagram is just too easy to post, get likes, then move on. In other cases, throwing a name out there, Doc Sprocket entered a few years back "Boss Hoss" life got in the way and never returned to the build even to this day.  There are people that are still fans of the forums because of the "archival" ability of keeping a build together in a coherent topic, but still do not post.  

More on the issue:
I know you guys can't see the statistics, but another issue is "fanboy" members.  When Doc entered the Diesel Weasel in 2016, the new members went through the roof.  That year was one of the last "most active" years.  As he faded out, so did the members.  Fearlessfront created these forums, it was hoppin.  (I lurked those days due to work blocked half the site and wouldn't let me join, home life was busy to do it from home).  Then he faded out so did the members.  Redlinemotorsportts has one of the best build threads in the forum.  As he faded, so did members.  If not for @Doug taking it over, the site would have died 5-6 years ago easily.

People just don't care to take the time to read a topic thread anymore. Not everyone obviously.  You, me, and some others enjoy reading a topic end to end. That's why I try to keep topics on track, so they are more enjoyable in the future.  Forum search abilities suck, posting images is just too involved for some.  Those are facts we can't help.  Not many use a computer to read this stuff.  They use their phones and forums just are not that friendly on a mobile device, but FB and IG are.... I could go on.  There will always be a handful of us in here day to day, but I don't see the forum getting super active anymore.  The forums are dinosaurs these days....

Then.... introduce a world pandemic, I know several that "grew out" of the tractor stuff.  

I'm not arguing the response... just getting my feelings of the matter out there.  If not for you and a handful of others that are active right now.  Man, a little over a year ago, I was feeling I was going to be the last man standing by now.

Thanks for being active members.

And, I agree with everything you said. Plus, I am a dinosaur. 

Oh, searches, maybe put this in the announcements or tips or something. Forum searches (not just this one for sure) normally are really bad. Use Google. 

The search looks like this:

site:atltf.com briggs

You type in site: and the name of the site you want to search. Then just put in what you are looking for. Try it. 

Copy that line above into Google search and you get the list of hits.

HAHA!  I feel like a dinosaur sometimes...

There is a "Search Google" button in the site search.  Although it isn't intuitive whether site search or google search happens when you hit enter.  When you get results it's quickly known. 

I turned off the toolbar search as it just sucked.  LOL 

Nevadablue wrote:

Just by engaging in this hobby, we are ALL winners.

I like that team spirit @Nevadablue! Proud of you! Lol

There's many reasons people drop out of a build off. Sounded great at first then got too expensive. Got bored of it. Health issues and or family issues. Got injured. Life got too busy etcetera. I personally dropped out of the DIYGK build off a couple years ago because we got and stayed ridiculously busy at work after the initial covid scare, I had lots of time for the first few weeks then was struggling to even look at it let alone work on it! Lol. Yup everyone got dogs (I work for Invisible Fence).

The good news is I've been using some things I had bought for that (200cc offshore ATV) for The Warhorse and still have everything. That's where the tires, switch plate, some wiring and hardware came from and there could be a few more bits from it being used.....

I do have to say I personally love this forum, I have a whole bunch of build threads saved to read start to finish when I have time, I'm not even cruising them for ideas (but may borrow as I go along) I love to see what people can accomplish and feel if they've taken the time to go through all the effort of not just building but also document and then post it all... it would disrespectful not to read through! I've messaged several members to let them know I read through and loved their build! Maybe it will re inspire some to build again?!

No build off ???

Hillbilly Offroading wrote:

No build off ???

Just not enough people to sustain it...  If we had it, I would guess maybe 5-6 people would enter at most and maybe 1-2 finish.  Then all the other stuff mentioned above.

Suggestion/question/idea:

Why not just have a 2022 build off as a fun event? Let anyone build and show and at the end, just have a vote for the winner. We shouldn’t need prizes for something like this. Just say’in... even if only one participates, that is better than none.

I will say, though I am unaffected either way whether the build-off is cancelled or not, that when I was considering taking on a second project I saw the build off as more of a motivator, simply because I would know that someone else would be reading the threads and it was definitely likely to make me work harder, and I could take pleasure in knowing that my work (or stupendous failures, depends sometimes ) is entertaining or helpful to another. Or gives you something to laugh at, I don't judge.

A thought though with cancelling the build off, and this is food for thought. I trust your guys' judgement, but I can't help but wonder if cancelling the build-off maybe is discouraging some members from visiting back? I guess if some come for the build-off and then leave, then isn't that site traffic that we are seeking right now? Maybe I'm talking nonsense or gibberish but that's my 2c.

I like @Nevadablue's suggestion of bragging rights only. I think that honestly just the thought is prize enough, to be crowned the year's 'best all terrain lawn tractor" is a pretty big level of bragging rights.

That's food for thought.

@Doug @Doug @Doug

LOL

Rustbucket Garage wrote:

I will say, though I am unaffected either way whether the build-off is cancelled or not, that when I was considering taking on a second project I saw the build off as more of a motivator, simply because I would know that someone else would be reading the threads and it was definitely likely to make me work harder, and I could take pleasure in knowing that my work (or stupendous failures, depends sometimes ) is entertaining or helpful to another. Or gives you something to laugh at, I don't judge.

A thought though with cancelling the build off, and this is food for thought. I trust your guys' judgement, but I can't help but wonder if cancelling the build-off maybe is discouraging some members from visiting back? I guess if some come for the build-off and then leave, then isn't that site traffic that we are seeking right now? Maybe I'm talking nonsense or gibberish but that's my 2c.

I like @Nevadablue's suggestion of bragging rights only. I think that honestly just the thought is prize enough, to be crowned the year's 'best all terrain lawn tractor" is a pretty big level of bragging rights.  

MightyRaze wrote:

That's food for thought.

@Doug @Doug @Doug

LOL

I have pondered the though of a limited-rules Build-Off. Keep some of the rules but open up to allow all OPE like engines out of quads, bikes, and etc. We kept adding to the rules because, at its heart, the Build-Off was intended to be tractors only; the fancy stuff was left to the other forums (like DIYGK) as we had wanted it to be purely for the tractor crowd.

As was said before, the Build-Off cancellation is merely temporary. We are still considering other options. Keep the suggestions rolling in, and if your'e interested be sure to let us know so we can gauge it properly.

If you decide to go ahead with it at some capacity I'd still enter but hopefully I haven't gone too far, I DO still have a long way to go until my plans are exhausted and I'll still need to tear it down for paint and reassemble so I'm probably good? Guess if the time comes I'll have to talk to @MightyRaze & @Doug in private to tell them my plans and let them decide.

Sorry, how does the build-off work? Is it like an in-person thing or what? If it was that is something I could not do being in southern ontario.
Oh, I just noticed: @brianator what part of ontario are you in?

It's an online thing, you document your build in your own build thread so you could be in Timbuktu and still do it! Lol.

I'm a little north of Barrie in Springwater township how's about you?

South of London so about 4 hours from you...
And I guess as for the build off I don't really have anything worth show casing, just a cheap pulley swap and a paint job, possibly a winch?

Yup that's a good distance! Lol. Oh I'm sure you could think up more to do in 8 months! Lol. Cruise through people's build threads and past Build Off builds, you'll get lots of ideas!

The trick is to pull it all off without spending any money...

That would be a good trick!

I'm trying... but failing

TechnoChicken wrote:

The trick is to pull it all off without spending any money...  

Its not the case of no money its the least amount possible. The point of building Mud Mowers is that parts swap over many brands and platforms unlike most ATV stuff. Baseline your going to spend $200 to $300 but compare to 1K for an ATV that's amazing.

I meant in my personal case, because parts around here are a major wallet thinner (A v-belt runs about 35 bucks

Isn’t that the truth! I just committed to a no $ build. That means a pulley swap will have to be carefully planned to use the original drive belt. Bigger pulley up front (made out of original double drive pulley) and a smaller one in the rear (from a mower deck probably) and careful planning. I bet I can do it.

What tractor are you using?

Probably an LT1000. It is the only running rig I have to start with. Otherwise, something pieced together.