SpudFiles

mark.f wrote:The ~2006 Spudfiles had that feature: see here.

Not too tricky, but it requires people to actually use a thumbnail image.

That is probably what I remember it from - surely it can be modernized to make it k3wl for today's standards! Yea the thumbnail requirement was a concern of mine - otherwise it would be a manual pick and choose procedure to tag the thread.

I'm really glad to see some people coming out of the woodwork for good discussion!

Some very good points have been brought up. While I did try to make the initial look more new user/younger person friendly, I did not take a ton of consideration into how younger folks use websites. I grew up with forums so it's very natural for me, but things like Youtube and Instructables are quite different. This is good to know. Ideally... I'd like a blend of both worlds. I can think of a few simpler things to get to work on fairly easily.

Regarding the front page, once upon a time we were going to have a few "front page authors" that would post up things every month or so. I honestly don't remember what happened to that, but it's fairly simple to do. If a few reputable members got ahold of me via PM that may be interested, I'm sure we could make something work.

I don't know if we're still on the subject of finding the cause of this sort of decline, but for me at least, school work was more or less the limiting factor in my participation. As well as being a minor and hence not quite having a job/any money to spare. Money is another driving factor, as I have none. I can't afford anything more than a hand drill and a dremel .
I do make builds and experiment with things from time to time but I feel that just about all of it is too underwhelming to actually post here.
But hopefully over summer break I can finally build my latest and greatest, and maybe even fire it once or twice. And of course try to be more active here

Sort haven't read the thread, but I am sure there are quite a few members like myself who visit everyday, I currently have two projects on the go, a twin parallel qev gun and a blow forward bolt solenoid piloted gun, as soon as they are done I will post them up, but progress is slow, not because I don't love making them just that life has to take priority and I enjoy spending my time with my 2 year old son more, I am sure he will be a future spudfiles fan

Soon as I have anything worth posting I will, but at the moment I just read about the amazing projects others turn out and ask questions tk gain knowledge from experienced spudders. This is one if my top 2 sites, the other being a similar French forum that has some really innovative guns, just wish google translate worked better or I understood more French.

Ianbuckwell wrote:This is one if my top 2 sites, the other being a similar French forum that has some really innovative guns, just wish google translate worked better or I understood more French.

I've always been able to understand Google Translate's rendition of Patator. I too enjoy reading through there.

Sorry, maybe I should have been clearer, Google translate helps alot, its just I have trouble understanding the more technical posts, then again I don't understand all the posts on here about how the guns work, so maybe it is more down to me and lack of knowledge rather than Google translate!!!

Well apparently spudding is not dead everywhere
[youtube][/youtube]

I wonder if they built it as a pneumatic for reduced report.
Note the hissing sound prior to the gun firing. Is it a pilot valve ?
Apparently it uses a piston valve.

Wish there were more pictures - it seems to mee that they load the piston manually from the breech though no chance to confirm.

Manually loaded piston...

Let's hope they threw in some foam core PVC and forgot the cleaner/primer somewhere in there too.

I'm from Europe so ive got the time zone working against me, but 95% of the time i'm online here it's just me, three bots and x guests... I also noticed a lot of topics that have had little to no replies to them.

Even i recently posted a new build after a very long break, it had had over 130 views but no replies. Now i know that this place has become alot more quiet and i build my cannons for my own amusement, but for an enthusiastic newbie and/or angsty teen this could be quite demotivating i think. Less traffic = less traffic

Perhaps we could split the cannon subforums into a "newbie" and "advanced" subforum? With the newbie ones having very patient mods who truly enjoy helping new spudders.

And yeah like others have said, more awesome, finished projects. Crazy designs that could be used in airsoft scenarios always draw a younger crowd (even tho i'm happy i quit that money-pit of a hobby) If a younger crowd is what you want ofcourse.

Perhaps an entire youtube channel for Spudfiles where all the members can send in their own videos? Or do we already have that? :p

And yeah the fact that western media has the whole world gripped by terrorism isn't helping out much either. If you made a pipe bomb as a kid you'd get scolded at and shown some pictures of blown off hands so you wouldn't do it again. Now a SWAT team busts your door and they throw you in a psych ward...

This world seems to become less and less friendly to adventurous people...

I'm with equusvenustas. In all honesty my life would be very different had I not become a member of this website. The inspiration I got from all of the members here is probably what drove me to experiment with several topics in engineering and even to major in mechanical engineering in college. It's sad to see it die down a bit, but perhaps the site will make a comeback. I still tinker in the garage nearly every day when I'm home from school, not always with my guns but with something engineering related. I still post videos a lot on my YouTube channel but never really get around to making a write up here. I recently renovated my hammer valve airsoft sniper but I haven't posted it here. Perhaps I could update my original post.

Anyway, people like JSR, Tech, Rag, D_Hall, Poland spud, Maudit, mobile Chernobyl, locked n loaded, and all those guys, sorry if I missed a few, they are who inspired me to do more. I owe a lot to this site, and it means a lot to me. I do miss the good old days when it wasn't insanely difficult to come up with an innovative pneubmatic, but it was a time that had to come to an end. Especially since a bunch of us have moved on to "more important" things, even though we all really want to continue spudding. The bug never leaves you... Once I'm out of school, I'll have the money to continue spudding. Who knows, maybe the site will be more popular by then? I hope so.

Until then it will be a lot of intermittence from me. I still try to stop in every now and then and post around a bit, see what's new.

I think that spudding in general has seen a huge decline. I have no idea at all why that is, but it's just not really a thing any more. Maybe it's the increasing strictness of laws surrounding guns/explosives, or maybe it's a result of nerds doing practical hobbies and moving to computerised ones?

I feel like those born after 1990 will have been growing up with an internet connection all their lives, and that means the nerdy engineers may well be more inclined to do computery stuff than engineering stuff, and so what we're seeing is the hobby dying as the members age as there are no new members coming in?

Well if anyone remembers me, it's been years since I've Ben on the site. Was messing around in the garage and am starting to put some cannons back in action.

frankrede wrote:Well if anyone remembers me, it's been years since I've Ben on the site. Was messing around in the garage and am starting to put some cannons back in action.

Hey there, we do remember you of course 8) welcome back

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