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Guidelines

Is the Project Dalek Forum for me?

 

PDF is for you, if you are....

A person who is about to build a Dalek. To any scale or if you are designing 'virtual' Daleks using CG software. Or if you can contribute to the forum or to other member's Dalek builds in other significant ways.

Examples would include (but are not limited to): passing on skills and experience in working with specific materials including fibreglassing, vacuum forming, woodworking, electronics, engineering etc.

Or if you have first hand experience of the actual BBC props.

and/or information/photographs, which are new (not downloaded from other sites) that you would like to share with other members. We're always interested in hearing about people's access to and experiences of the 'real' Dalek props. Examples would include (but are not limited to): current or ex-BBC or industry employees, who have worked with the Daleks, people who have had access to/taken photographs of the TV props (any era) and people who have original Dalek prop items in their collections, etc.


PDF isn't for you, if you..

... are only interested in talking about 'Dalek Fiction'.

An example of Dalek fiction is: "what would the daleks have done if Skaro was invaded by Cybermen". Dalek fiction is NOT allowed on Project Dalek in any form. We are solely interested in actual Dalek prop design. The fictional aspects of Daleks and their role in the TV series or films is not of interest to us. However, some of our members who build virtual Daleks use fictional comics and scenarios as a vehicle to carry their Dalek designs, when posting example images. This is permissible, so long as the Dalek designs are their own work and the main point of the posts is the design elements and not the fiction

... want to discuss props other than Daleks.

We don't have the time or resources to cover any other props on Project Dalek. While Davros is permitted (and has a dedicated section), please don't talk about your TARDIS or Cyberman costume or even the Genesis Ark. These items (and all others which aren't Daleks) are considered off topic. Beyond Daleks, the only items that might bend these rules are items such as the Dalek saucers, Dalek hovabouts/transolar discs, Dalek machine guns or other props which can be considered as being Dalek derivatives.

... are just a general Doctor Who or Dalek fan, interested in being part of a 'chat' or 'social networking group'.

The Project Dalek Forum is not Facebook. While there is often a great deal of friendly help and advice exchanged between members, this is always based on their common aim: to build daleks. Please do not use Project Dalek as a social chat group if you have no intention of getting involved in what we have specified in our brief, above. Chat takes up room on the boards and often distracts from the main point of a topic. It can seriously reduce the usefulness of the information held on PDF, making it harder to find and less likely to get used by new builders. The Project Dalek Forum has to function first and foremost as an information resource, not a chat site. Members are encouraged to post when they have legitimate contributions to add or wish to offer support and encouragement, within other members' build diaries etc. Please keep chat which does not forward a topic to a minimum. Use the messaging system to chat to other members directly.

... have joined out of curiosity.

If you have joined just to see what we're all doing, then that's fine, but please don't add posts just for the sake of it. If the site inspires you to start building a Dalek, then that's great. If you find that we aren't for you, then that's OK too. Have a read, check out the plans and leave with your curiosity satisfied. Please don't feel you have to post if you have nothing to add.

 


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What are the Project Dalek Forum Guidelines?

 


We have a few guidelines on PDF, some of which, you can find above the topics in the various sections. Please read these before you post in those sections.


We also have the following guidelines which everyone must fully understand...

 

1. Rules on trading in Dalek parts.

 

Main Dalek Sections:

For copyright reasons, main Dalek components/sections are not to be sold. That means no domes, neck sections, shoulders, skirts or fenders/bases.

 

However... main sections may be offered for free (at no cost). Moulds, originals to make moulds, and unfinished projects may also be offered free (at no cost).

 

Smaller Dalek Parts:

Smaller items such as eyeball parts, irises, eye-discs, gun rods, gun mantles, bezels, tubes, domelights, mesh, collars, slats, hemis and suchlike can be offered for sale, trade, or offered for free.

 

However... our intention is for members to offer items that are “surplus to requirements” and that are being passed on primarily to help other members out, rather than as a profit-making business.

 

NB: We are not offering a platform to unlicensed traders to use the Forum as a shop window. We want our members to be able to help each other, and we don't want to encourage trading over building. We favour members who contribute (in any way) to the Forum and allow them to help other members (who contribute in any way).

 

Raw Materials:

Raw materials may be offered for sale, swap, or given away.

 

Manufacturers and dealers may offer any relevant materials, including (for example): fibreglass materials, resin and fillers, mould-making materials, metal tubing, sheet metals and mesh, plastics, gazing globes, spherical and hemispherical objects, light lenses, nuts & bolts, paint, glue, wheels, casters etc.

 

Services:

Members may offer services that would benefit other members, including (for example): metal working (milling, lathe work, cutting), wood working, CNC and laser cutting, 3D printing, electronics

 

External suppliers:

There is a subforum in Sec’s Shop for Materials and Suppliers. If you find a seller who offers Dalek-related raw materials at a good price, this is the place to post it.

 

The Small Print:

• Please note that all trading between members is done entirely at their own risk. Please use a common sense approach to online (and offline) safety.

 

• Project Dalek is not liable for any issues which may arise, such as non-payment, non-delivery, incorrectly described items etc. All such matters are solely the responsibility of the people directly involved. In the best of all possible worlds, no problems will arise. No problems or disagreements should be aired anywhere on Project Dalek Forum. Please use the Report button if you think there is a serious problem.

 

• Project Dalek does not offer items for sale via Sec's Shop. All items sold in Sec’s Shop are offered for sale by members. Items sold by Project Dalek are available from the 'Store' section, here.




2. Don't link to external images and keep attached photos to under 200K, (unless they are photos of original props).

Please don't post embedded images hosted outside of Project Dalek. We have our own picture attachment system (see the help files for info) and encourage members to use it. We keep all picture hosting here, on our servers so that photos in topics don't 'disappear' over time as externally hosted photos are removed and links become dead. Keep photos small. When attaching photos to posts, please keep the file size down to under 200KB. If a photo is of particular importance, i.e. it is a photo of an original prop or has some other special value, then larger sizes are permissible. In general, photos of your Dalek or Dalek build etc should be kept small and 'dial up friendly'.
 
Also, please note that it's the opposite for video! Ideally, video content should be uploaded elsewhere (e.g. YouTube) and then a link placed in the post (video can be embedded, so it plays 'in situ'). Videos under 500K are fine but please always link to larger videos as they tend to use up our precious bandwidth.

3. How eBay works, on Project Dalek.

No links to eBay items which may be in breach of copyright. When eBay items are mentioned on PDF, it should be purely for interest's sake, because that's what we're into - Daleks. It should not be the members' intention to encourage the promotion of auctions. Please try to comment on auction items without trashing the item (it's OK to poke gentle fun), or making personal remarks about the sellers. This is a public forum, and anyone might read what you say. If a Dalek built by one of our members is found to be up for sale, on eBay or anywhere else, within six months of its completion, the associated build diary (and/or other references to the Dalek) may be removed from PDF and the member's Forum access rights will be reviewed.


4. Limit text formatting and shouting.

When posting: Please do not format text within your posts/replies. It is our board policy to keep the bulk of the threads formatted in the default, simple style which occurs when no formatting is applied. An occasional word in bold or italic is sometimes allowed but generally, we do not allow formatting which is applied with the specific intention of making a post stand out, for no other reason than 'attention seeking', as this makes the Forum look untidy. Similarly, please avoid using ALL CAPS when adding posts. This also looks untidy and is often regarded as rude, or as SHOUTING!


5. When to use quotes.

Please do not use the 'Quote/Reply" button to add a quote to your post unless you are referring to something which was said further up a topic. If you are replying to the most recent post in a topic, use the 'submit reply' button. Unnecessary quotes make the topics look long-winded and cluttered. Quotes within quotes within quotes can significantly reduce the accessibility of the information.


6. Contributing a Build Diary.

We encourage all members to start a build diary as soon as they start work on their Dalek. This is done because diaries work for everyone's benefit: They provide a place for new builders to get help and support. They amass into a record of a member's build, there for them to review and pour over, when the build is completed. They are a vital source of reference material for other builders who are just setting out on the 'journey'. However, the informative content of the diaries is very important to us. We want to give new members the right impression and prove to them that it is possible to make all the parts that go into producing a Dalek. Problems with build diaries can happen. They usually occur when several whole Dalek sections mysteriously 'appear' with no reference to how they were made... (usually because they have been made by someone else). Such 'appearances' can cause confusion to new builders (who wonder where they came from) and may even cause apathy or a general drop in enthusiasm. While we understand that not everyone has the skills or abilities to make every part of a Dalek themselves, and will happily allow some degree of flexibility, we do not wish to see build diaries which are nothing more than a full set of pre-made Dalek sections being assembled and painted. In general, we don't expect everyone to document the production of every section, or prove they made every part from scratch... (the process is meant to be fun, not an exam), but we do expect to see some degree of build activity. For example, diaries that document the production of Dalek parts from existing moulds are fine. They have a legitimate use and provide a great deal of interesting information for aspiring fibreglassers. Similarly, if a member obtains a dome or other single section, then that's permissible, so long as some of the sections are actually being built from scratch.Note that none of this is a criticism of section-assembled Daleks or their assemblers/owners. We like Daleks of any kind... cardboard Daleks, non-standard Daleks made from unusual materials, Radio Times plans Daleks or even Daleks made from pre-made sections... whatever... they're great! What we don't like, are build diaries which misrepresent the act of building a Dalek and 'dumb down' the building process. Basically, 'Assembly Daleks' are welcome on PDF as conversation pieces for what they are, but should not be featured in build diaries if they are likely to confuse new members or skirt dangerously close to the edge of legality, copyright wise.
 

7. Achievements, Ranks, Badges and post count.

 

Please note that the achievement points system should not be taken too seriously. We never judge members by their level of activity. Dalek building is a personal experience and some members will choose to participate more than others.

 

For those who are interested, the achievements system keeps a running tally of points. Members may earn points by meaningful participating in the community. Meaningful participation includes starting a Build Diary, answering questions, helping other members, uploading files, adding events to the calendar etc, etc. It is important to remember that the achievements system is NOT post-driven, so simply posting a reply will not necessarily deliver any points. If you're regularly using and contributing to Project Dalek in a positive way, points will arrive on their own, with ease.

 

As points are accumulated, members move up the rank system. Again, this is just a bit of fun but can help other members to assess the level of Dalek Building knowhow another member might have. This, along with their community reputation can be helpful when deciding whether their advice is likely to be useful.

 

Badges are also awarded for certain milestone achievements. For example, members may be awarded a badge for visiting the Project Dalek Forum for a number of consecutive days. Many badges are awarded automatically as you interact with the Forum and grow your membership. Some badges are awarded by the Forum moderators when something really useful, helpful or exceptional is posted.

 

It's important to remember that the achievements ranking system is just a bit of fun.




8. Being nice to each other.

We encourage a friendly atmosphere, where members can support each other, offer advice and sometimes actual, practical help, to those who live close by. Please remember to respect one another when in the public arena and treat other members with the same courtesy that you would expect for yourself. Often, the written word can mislead and the 'tone' of a post can be misunderstood. Think about this, before you post and also before you respond to any replies which you consider to be 'abrasive' or 'negative'. You may also report problematic posts to the Moderators who will take appropriate action. Also, if you find that your posts have been moderated or removed, possibly without any explanation, please do not take offense at the Moderators' actions. Sometimes posts are removed because we know what sorts of posts will follow, such as posts which may distract from the main point of the thread, sending it off topic. The Moderators are charged with running the Forum and maintaining the standards outlined above. Please respect their decisions and refrain from opening any kind of public debate about the legitimacy of the decisions, as doing so will almost certainly lead to some form of membership moderation. If you feel the need, while posting, to say something like, "I suppose this will get removed, but..." then please don't post it, as you'll definitely be proved to be right. Such comments, along with comments about moderators and their actions are almost always off topic. All questions and comments should be handled solely via PM. Remember, if you expect a polite reply, send a polite message. Messages to moderators containing personal insults and comments will always prompt a personal response from the individual, rather than a response from the individual as a 'moderator'... so be warned! Persistent trouble makers will be exterminated.

 

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Please remember:

The moderators of Project Dalek are only human and we do have lives and jobs just the same as everyone else. The work we do is unpaid and we give up our valuable time to help our members with their Dalek building dream. We enforce the rules so that we all have a nice tidy forum that is copyright-legal and easy to read and navigate. Much of our hard work sometimes goes unnoticed, though PDF is continually moderated (day and night). The moderators are human, have a sense of humour (when not unduly stressed) and try to be fair at all times, but the Forum and the greater good come first in every decision we make. For the good of the Forum and it's established members, please respect our rules and decisions.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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