Three suggestions...

[Wade Lippman]

I have been here for about a year now and have three suggestions for improving the forums.
1) In the "classified" titles, require a location. I might really want a drum sander and there might be one posted, but I would only buy it if it were reasonably local. Since there is no way to know where it is without opening the post, it really isn't worth my time to even go to "classified". I expect activity would double or triple if locations were required in the titles.
2) I don't see the point of "lumber yard". The activity is so low that it is not really worth going there. The little activity there should be thrown into "off topic". I understand it is everyone's right to use it or not as they choose, but I think the whole site would be better without it.
3) I would like to see a "home improvement" forum added. I have gotten better advice here in "off topic" than I have at dedicated home improvement sites, but I think it might be even better if there were a separate forum.

Just my $0.02.

[Keith Outten]

Wade,

Adding a requirement to list a location in the title of a classified advertisement would decrease the characters available. There are times when this would not be a problem but there are other times it might. I can certainly revise the rules to suggest that a location be added but I don't think making it a requirement would be fair to everyone.

The Lumber Yard Forum is not as active as we would like it to be but it has a special function here in that it is a private forum that we use to discuss topics that we don't want to be publicly accessible. The Lumber Yard is also protected from the search engines, nothing posted or shared in the Lumber Yard goes beyond that Forum. I use this forum to get feedback from our Community for various reasons, most of the time it provides a means of discussing an option for a new feature here. We are also less strict about content in the Lumber Yard so it has a place here even though it isn't active constantly.

A home improvement forum is certainly a viable option. I welcome any opportunity to add public forums when the Members of this Community will support them. All that is required to create a new Forum is a reasonable number of requests.

Thanks for your suggestions, if anyone else has input concerning Wade's post or my comments feel free to jump in.....
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[Mel Fulks]

Keith ,your explanations make sense to me .Gonna try to look at LY feature more often.

[Thomas Bank]

I agree with the location. It's been discussed many times that people should do it. Implementing it is another matter. A simple "PA - Grizzly Tablesaw" or "FL - Powermatic Planer" would go far. I hate finding that something I'd really like - and at a bargain price - is on the other side of the country. As Keith says, it doesn't always apply. Stuff you can dump in a flat rate box isn't as big a deal if it is from the other coast.

I wonder if the majority of people know what the Lumber Yard is for? It's explained below the heading, but every now and then you see people trying to buy or sell wood there...

I'd be up for a home improvement forum. There are those things that don't exactly fit in Workshops, Design, or Projects forums so get dumped in with everything else in off-topic. Personally, I stay out of the off-topic section just because there is too much stuff to get caught up in looking around in there. But home improvements are of interest and I'd frequent a forum on those topics.

[George Bokros]

Perhaps require each persons location in their user profile would help. Other forums I participate in (non woodworking - cars and trucks) require the location be listed in the add.

Just my thoughts.

George

P.S> I like the home improvement / maintenance forum would be a good addition.

[Thomas Bank]

The problem is that you have to click on the thread to see where the poster is from. People who post classifieds with NO location information are a whole different problem... Particularly those who say "local pickup only"...

And while we're at it, I'll add in those people who say something like "really unique - must see to appreciate" and then provide no photos.

[Matt Meiser]

As far as missing locations, thats a self-correcting problem. If someone doesn't post a location, someone quickly reminds them if its something that that matters on. I one can't be bothered with a whole extra click to read the ad, then IMHO that's the reader's decision. 2/3 of what is advertised in the classifieds location (by number, not weight ) doesn't matter anyway as it can be shipped anywhere. Making location "mandatory" just makes more work for a moderator to enforce and interpret the rules.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I live in the Virgin Islands but have bought lots of stuff here that I had shipped. Adding location is good, but it doesn't necessarily mean it is only available there. I would buy a table saw in Florida if I could get it crated to ship by boat.

I find most people have the location in their profile or in their ad, usually stating if it is "local pickup only in _____" or if they ship. By the way, I hate the term "lower 48." The continental 48 are higher up than Hawaii, so they really are not the "lower 48!" <--- just had to mention that but it has no bearing on the matter. It's just a pet peeve, as well as eBay people that won't ship outside the "lower 48." I would have paid $30 more than the high bid for that LN plane if you would have shipped it to me. Your loss!

[ray hampton]

the Lower 48 states do not included Alaska which happen to be the 49 state,
I like to see a home improvement forum here