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Why don't they just answer my darned question?!

Finishing.com runs this forum and we sometimes answer posted questions if they fall within our limited areas of expertise, but many questions don't. Rather, you and we must rely on the readers to help. They are usually generous in helping, but "abstract" questions often remain unanswered:

• Nobody wants to write a book covering every possible situation. So please describe your specific situation.
• Everybody hates flash-card quizzes; please don't make your questions resemble one.
• Nobody offers hard-earned knowledge in response to a guarded question. If your situation is confidential, and you can't be forthright, please hire a metal finishing consultant rather than posting in the public forum.
• Everybody wants to learn something when spending their time. Please frame your question in a way that readers may learn something from you.
• Nobody will spend the 15 minutes needed for a thoughtful answer if it looks like you scribbled your question together in 10 seconds.

So please--

• Say WHO you are, WHAT you do, & WHY you want to know.
• Courtesy demands that you spend more time on your own behalf than you ask other people to.
• Tell people something they might not know. Don't say "my formula doesn't work"; say "my formula, which is so & so, gives us such & such a problem".
• Don't say "how can I brighten brass"; say "My great-great-great aunt left me a brass-hinged trunk from her Mayflower voyage". If your question attracts interest it will get answered; if not, it won't.
• If possible, e-mail a photo or sketch to mooney@finishing.com.

Thanks for your patience and understanding!