No more Dumb Questions!

[SpaceMouse]

If your looking for a fight you won't find it here.

I got my Model Railroader Basic Model Railroading: Getting Started in the Hobby. Only had to wail 3 1/2 for it to ship. Now I'll know how to glue. Solder. What sprue nippers are for. How to file tracks. Shape foam. Weather and tune desiels. Measure couplers.

My challenge is to find dumb questions that are not in the book.

Cake walk.

[leighant]

"Dumb" (quote) questions are better than making dumb (no question marks) assumptions.

I would like to design a plexiglas space helmet for Space Mouse with big bulges for the mouse ears... Would be fun to build and render in computer 3-D.

[Anonymous]

Don't take it personal Spacemouse but at your age in the hobby, the only way to stop the dumb questions would be to get out of the hobby.

I've been following your questions and many of them are on the lips of newbies but they don't have the nerve to ask. Another couple of good books are, halfhimers has kicked in, I'll go home and post it tonight. I do remember it's by Lou Sassi. The second one is by Dave Farery about the Pennsy Middle Division.

Even if you don't use their track plan the switches still lay the same way and the scenery is done the same way.

Just remember lay the biggest radius that you can. In one year 18" will be to small and in two years 24" will start looking tight.

Bob

[Fergmiester]

The only dumb question that is is one that isn't thought out. You can't learn by not asking nor making mistakes.

Those who don't learn by their mistakes are doomed to repeat them and who, if they do it continually are truly DUMB and are due for a Darmin Award!

Fergie

[grayfox1119]

Spacemouse, the only dumb question is the question that is never asked. Show me a person that never makes a mistake, and I will show you a person who is doing NOTHING !!! When Edison was asked, "didn't you get discouraged when over 1000 attempts to find the right material for a filament for a light bulb all ended in failure"? Do you know what Edison's answer was? Those weren't failures, those were 1000 experiments that told me which materials would NOT work. NEVER stop asking questions when you do not understand something, 99.9 % of the people on this forum will NEVER make fun of you for not knowing something about this hobby, that is why we are community of friends who all share the same love of trains and this hobby, and are only too willing to share what we have learned to help others.
I wish you the best Spacemouse !!![:D][:D]

[dinwitty]

wasnt what finally worked was a filament made from a banana?

1000 failures, that takes patience.

ask the dumb question.

I'm watching these forums more, so I'll answer as much as possible.

[locomutt]

I've got to go with the others that have said:
"The only Dumb question,is the one NOT asked"
I've been modeling for over 40 years,and I most assuredly
DO NOT have all the answers. I still ask questions,and do
a LOT of research on projects.

And as far as making mistakes,I've got a box full of them,
just hoping that I can reuse some of the parts.[:)]

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dinwitty

wasnt what finally worked was a filament made from a banana?

1000 failures, that takes patience.

ask the dumb question.

I'm watching these forums more, so I'll answer as much as possible.

Actually, I've heard the number was over 2000. Still, it's an impressive number of times to undergo failure, endure the temptation to become dsicouraged, and to persist in a task until you figure it out. MRR can be that way sometimes, too.

Tom (not Edison)

[Anonymous]

No one knows it all, no one! When I cannot find answers to the problems I create, and those problems I run into, I will ask for help. I began in HO gauge in 1953, and I continue to learn new techniques, solutions to old problems, all the time. I agree with other posts, if you do not ask, you do not learn. If you are lacking in knowledge and still plow ahead, you have only yourself to blame for the mess you'll create and you will need government financial aid to complete your layout.

Tom
































`

[PennsyHoosier]

The Frary book on the Pennsy Middle Division is VERY helpful.

[grayfox1119]

Too many people let foolish pride get in the way, " I can do it, I don't need anybody to show me" syndrome. I am 66 (tomorrow) and the more I learn, the more I learn what I don't know. When I stop learning....bury me, I'm dead !![:D][:D][;)][;)]

[dragenrider]

SpaceMouse,

You have no idea how much trouble I used to have asking questions. I didn't want to look dumb. [:o)] Then I figured out that the dumb mistakes I made were far worse than my dumb questions. So now I ask questions...lots and lots of questions. [?] And, I don't make so many dumb mistakes anymore!

[Anonymous]

The only time it's dumb is when mouth is in motion before brain is engaged. Questions to address ignorance are not a sign of a lack of intellect. I've appreciated your questions.

[Jetrock]

As Mr. Garrison once said, "There are no stupid questions, only stupid people." I have been a model railroader since about age nine, have built hundreds of models from kits, well enough to publicly exhibit and sell the results, read extensively on railroad history and am skilled enough in its lore to take people on guided tours of a railroad museum (and do so), and occasionally I ask some of the whoppingest stupid questions you're ever likely to hear.

So don't worry about stupid questions. Worry about important things, like minimum curve radii and valve gear details!

[twhite]

Spacemouse--what dumb questions? I've been following your posts ever since you logged on, and I haven't seen a dumb question from you, yet. I've instead, seen questions that anyone new to the hobby is bound to ask eventually. You're interested in model railroading, that makes the rest of us interested in you because you've discovered a hobby we all love and enjoy. Besides, your Lil' Guy has sort of become the Forum Mascot, I think.
There are no dumb questions. There might be plenty of dumb ANSWERS, though.
Tom [:D][:D]

[SpaceMouse]

I like trying new things. When I do if I am to get anywhere, I have to be totally comfortable with my ignorance. I don't see being ignorant as being a sin. Furthermore, I've learned from asking you guys. The "mistakes" I'm making is from trying to go too far beyond the answers I'm getting without checking back in.

[Anonymous]

The book by Lou Sassi is "A Realistic HO Layout for Beginners". The ISBN: 0-89024-214-3.

The book by Dave Frary is "The Pennsy Middle Division in HO Scale". The ISBN: 0-89024-276-3.

Both of these books would be a great help to anyone in any scale.

Bob

[AntonioFP45]

SpaceMouse,

Remember also that you may have to be patient when you do ask questions. I've asked questions, assumed that they were ignored and after a week of zero replies I'll suddenly see a bunch of replies, so keep firing away.

High Greens![:D][8)]

[Anonymous]

You think your questions are dumb now, wait till you really start really knowing about something. The smarter I get, the dumber I find out I am. Why do you think they have the bumper stickers, "Hire a teenager while they still know everything"?
I'll repeat " The only dumb question is the one that doesn't get asked"

[dbduck]

my grandpa told me...the only "dumb" question is one that is not asked

[tatans]

Someone asked what "A" and "B" meant on a car, Now I know, I'm even getting answers to questions that I have no question, doesn't get much better than that eh?

[davekelly]

When the time comes that I stop asking dumb question, that means only one thing - I'm dead!