mike brooks tutorial

[Zonie]

Mike Brooks is still an active member of the MLF.

At least that's what the "Member" listing says.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

....He said what he thought without considering how it sounded (or read) to others.
P

So, who has the flawed character? The messenger or the oreceiver?

The person who delivers their views in a direct and clear manner or the person who is insulted because they differ from their's?

I know Mike is always willing to discuss and explain his views and how he attained them....if he is approached in a manner that is not confrontational and demeaning. I think he's earned the right to be...well, MIKE!!! And I and others wouldn't have near as much respect for him if he wasn't!

???, J.D.

DITTO!!

There has to be some kind of balance with all the undeserved praise of crap and Mike was it. He knows the difference between chicken salad and chicken manure. After all, he IS the chicken man.
I believe there is a reason that many heavy hitters in all subjects refrain from posting on the net. It's because every comment will be taken to task by some ***** who can't tell the difference in the two aforementioned poultry products and every response by the knowledgeable poster will have to be re-credentialed. This gets quite tiresome and frustrating when someone is trying to help.
Soon, the comments get condensed to snippets and some might be considered offensive to the individual who loves to argue in subjects they know nothing about, while more than often being very brazen in their own posts. Many of the same also dabble frequently in setting up people to further their own misled agenda driven objectives.

 

[ebiggs1]

"others" that egged him on thus causing the troubles.

You can't condone bad behavior by pointing out other bad behavior.
Enough said!

 

[Robby]

I miss Mike, Roundball, and a few others too!
Robby

 

[Bruce Bogart]

I miss Mike...

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Yep.

 

[rabjr]

Mike is havin a ball farming his little piece of paradise and when he finds time, continues to build guns. I do miss his input here but I'm sure he has no time to waste here anymore....

 

[jdkerstetter]

I miss Mike, Roundball, and a few others too!
Robby

I know Mike chooses not to participate here any longer but what happened to Roundball?

Couldn't have been the same incident because, if memory serves, he was around for a bit after Mike was serving his suspension. I know he has made a couple of post over on ALR recently...pictures of his guns.

J.D.

 

[jdkerstetter]

I believe there is a reason that many heavy hitters in all subjects refrain from posting on the net. It's because every comment will be taken to task by some ***** who can't tell the difference in the two aforementioned poultry products and every response by the knowledgeable poster will have to be re-credentialed. This gets quite tiresome and frustrating when someone is trying to help.

Good points but it isn't just that. I visit one "heavy hitter" often who is a full time builder. One of the reasons he refrains from posting is that these "confrontations" are just bad for business. The slanderous nature of some people can drive others away and the others are potential cutomers. I don't believe Mike's gun orders are suffering but you know there has to be at least a couple of people who would not consider him for a build out of spite because somebody else has branded him an "a$$whole".

You can guarentee there are serious builders who are "lurkers" though, even on the ALR. They have to keep their fingers on the pulse.

About Mike (and all of the other "heavy hitters") though, is it just me or have the postings been off since he stopped participating? Something to ponder.

J.D.

 

[silly goose]

I notice that the bickering and the bantering is off. Much more relaxed, still lots of good information. I'm guessing management took a hard stance and I like it.

 

[Birddog6]

From what I understand:
Some left.
Some got a "time out"
Some are just tired of the bickering & reluctant to post because of it.

IMHO, all... of it is most unfortunate. We had a really good thing going here & unfortunately it got screwed up.. :shake:

Personally, I post simply because I feel I help people at times & save them from making some building mistakes & also save them some time & money.

However, when you post to help someone, & someone else is constantly slamming your head into the wall, it makes you think "Why even bother". Thus why I think allot of posting from experienced builders is down.

Hopefully, some of these builders will reconsider & start posting again. I feel it is a good site & very beneficial to allot of the members here, especially the new builders.

Keith Lisle

 

[jdkerstetter]

Well said Keith. Thanks for continuing to participate and share and I am sure many of us have the same hopes you do.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[armymedic.2]

I credit keith and brooks for the better looking fowler i built. It was always serviceable. They helped me build a more pleasing gun......and it would have been even prettier if i had followed advice to a t and slimmed it more. Either way.....thanks keith for posting. Mike will be missed by those who wanted a real opinion without sugar coat. When i give shooti.g lessons i dont tell people they are ready to compete until they are ready.......isnt that why they sought instruction in the first place?

 

[Cleburne]

can I say something?
I don't know what precipitated the removal of Mike's things....but it couldn't have been that important. We all are Americans here...in fact, the VERY flintlock history here is that of 'common unity' against tyrannical nations. We would all unite an fight against foes in a minute, giving the greatest sacrifice of all, our lives. so, comments and opinions just show our personalities and flavors....
I work in the healthcare and have a lot of Hospice patients....I really wish you could go with me when I have to setup and follow thru~ In fact, Friday, I had a very nice man that was talking of his 2 weeks left....things he will miss, things left undone....he will meet his maker very soon.
Really, the ARE things worth fighting over, and there is badness and darkness that needs eliminated with 'extreme prejudiced"... the weak need to be protected.....but in my book, sitting around the campfire here, it's just semantics at most~
our days left on this mortal coil should be "say please and thankyou, open doors for the little old ladies" and enjoy the new sunrise every morning.

Come back Mike.....I miss your colors~ :grin:

Amen :hatsoff:

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

Well said Keith. Thanks for continuing to participate and share and I am sure many of us have the same hopes you do.

Enjoy, J.D.

Agreed.

 

[craigl]

As one of the newbies here, just wanted to say how valuable that advice from pro and experienced builders such as Kieth and others on this forum can be. Building a table, chair or even a pipe organ is a different breed of cat from building a muzzleloader. Why? Because the muzzleloader is completely monolithic. If I screw up a table leg, no biggie, I just cut another leg. But with that muzzleloader, every blankety-blank part gets attached to a single expensive piece of wood, and they all have to be done correctly the first time or your entire project turns to crap.

Avoiding those mistakes are why the voices of experience are so valuable. Not having access to it is why a lot of guns get abandoned half-built.

Thanks to all you guys I'm putting the final coats of Tru-oil on my first build and will post some pics when done. If the finish looks good, it's because of Kieth's excellent and patient instructions, and if it looks like crap it's because my nervous newbie hands were shaking :wink:

 

[Bruce Bogart]

Actually Craig it's nice to acess the knowledge when things go wrong. A big part of gunbuilding is correcting mistakes. I know alot about mistakes, but learn about masking or fixing them.
I'm not certain any of the gunmakers make the perfect gun with no flaws or mistakes. I could be wrong. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for my boo boos.

 

[Supercracker]

Actually Craig it's nice to acess the knowledge when things go wrong. A big part of gunbuilding is correcting mistakes. I know alot about mistakes, but learn about masking or fixing them.
I'm not certain any of the gunmakers make the perfect gun with no flaws or mistakes. I could be wrong. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for my boo boos.

I have an original very high grade Belgian percussion SxS 12ga. I've had it for 2 or 3 years. It has a chip out of wood glued back into place on the inlet of the standing breech. Exactly like we do to fix our inlets after accidentally knocking out a chip we didn't mean to. Of course, the main difference between his and mine being that the repair on that gun is done so well and blended so nicely with the wood around it that even after handling the gun for 2 or 3 years I literally couldn't notice the repair until a couple of weeks ago I was looking at the engraving under a magnifier and just happened to notice it.

So even the very best of the best gun builders made mistakes on their guns. They were just really really really good at fixing or covering them up.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Actually Craig it's nice to acess the knowledge when things go wrong. A big part of gunbuilding is correcting mistakes. I know alot about mistakes, but learn about masking or fixing them.
I'm not certain any of the gunmakers make the perfect gun with no flaws or mistakes. I could be wrong. Or maybe I'm just making excuses for my boo boos.

My father-in-law was an accomplished cabinetmaker. He claimed: "You can tell a lot about a craftsman by how he fixes his mistakes."

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Alot are just tired.......

I know I am .......