Clyde, I plan on bringing a large 6' x 6" empty tube to bring back any blanks and a spare suitcase for any other goodies I buy.
If I have too ship anything it means I bought too much lol!

I just brought a "Bazuka" rod case as luggage. Holds a BUNCH of blanks. Everything else went in my suitcase (Can always buy new clothes! It's about priorities)

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I'm guessing it was about two or three years ago now that I joined that "club" and during one of my posts on their MOB I got mobbed and called more than a few names by a builder who was also from Minnesota. Pretty nasty stuff. Also tried to tell everyone I was posting "anonymously" but had no answer for the fact that his club had cashed my check and seemed to be able to reach me at the name and address given. I made a suggestion but broke no rules and did not post anonymously or use bad language. But I asked if they provided a financial statement to their members. BIG mistake. They not only jumped me but cancelled my membership and sent a refund. Of course even though I was supposedly "anonymous" they managed to send the check to my address.

If the guy Ed ran into is the same guy who jumped all over me I'm not surprised. That's all. As they say, what goes around comes around. Looks like it's doing just that.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2007 09:23AM by Tom Kirkman.

You're not alone! It's happened to a lot of people.

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2007 09:24AM by Tom Kirkman.

Guys,

I'm not going to keep running back here and editing or removing posts because a few of you won't abide by the rules here. If you feel you've been wronged by some individual or by some organization I'm sorry, but that's between you and them and I don't want it on this forum. I doubt anyone has received the kind of shabby treatment that I have, but you don't see me airing my aggravations here - That sort of thing isn't productive and I can assure you that the general rod building public has no interest in hearing it. They just want to learn more about building rods.

As far as anything that's been said or done towards or against me, I appreciate the support but it's not something you need to worry over. This website continues to be the busiest rod building site on the web, by far. RodMaker Magazine has just reached it's highest circulation ever. The International Rod Building Exposition sold out every available booth space for 2007 - I had to turn companies away. So whatever a few misguided individuals or organizations have or are doing, it just doesn't matter. This should be a lesson for anyone who's had a gripe here. Overlook what's been done or said to you and just keep pushing forward. You're not going to achieve anything worthwhile if you can't let things go and move forward.

Let's end this thread right here. Thanks.



................

Guess that explains what happened to my last two posts! Didn't think I broke any rules but just warning people about dishonest dealers I'd think you'd want to warn them about suspect organizations and individuals. Seems like the kind of service you'd want to provide the rod builders at large.

Not my intention to break the rules and will understand if this has to be nuked, but you should know that many of us have been getting a number of unsolicited E-mails from an unknown source who is quite critical of many different people but has aimed most of them at you and your magazine. This unkown person has repeatedly called for the membership to boycott this website, your magazine and your rod building show. Not that many will but he has been quite active in this sort of thing over the past year. I have only posted rarely and never posted with an unhidden E-mail address here or anywhere else so it has to be somebody that has access to the organization's membership list. If the builder in question has been uncovered as the one actually doing this you would be doing a favor to the rod building community at large to expose and prosecute him. I would think there is some law or rule against unsolicited spam or harrassment by anonymous means. It may vary state by state.

This is all part of the guild "plan" to "deal" with the huge success of Tom's rod building event. They get sneaker each year trying to come up with new ways to make Tom or the show look bad and lately have sunk to new lows. But most rod builders see through their treachery and anonymous mayhem.