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asheddie
3rd January 2014, 04:58 PM
Hello all, happy new year. Does anyone have any plans to run a woodwork challenge this year? I really enjoyed the pallet challenge last year. Cheers, Ash.

Christos
12th January 2014, 07:57 AM
Do we have any suggestions?

Evanism
14th January 2014, 01:31 AM
Any wooden furniture/item (or *mostly* wooden), something regular in the home that can stash a thing in a blazingly eye opening "what the F" manner....

Utilising false bottoms, special latches, magnets, electronics, simple trickery, whatever.

Extra points for:

- being in-your-face-and-not-see-it.....
- being actually used and the user is unaware of it (trick the wife/child/boss!)
- not revealing the actual secret to the board and we have to guess what the secret is (is known by moderators)
- artistic merit is paramount. The device/thing must be functional in its primary purpose (I.e. no Japanese puzzle boxes)

Michael G
19th January 2014, 09:55 PM
I have a small Huon Pine bowl here that has walls so thin that you can see light through it. I estimate around 3mm or less?
(I should confess that I didn't make it)

301319 301318

All the turned bowls that I see on stands and in galleries look chunky in comparison as they have walls 10mm and up.

How about a "How thin can you go" challenge? Separate categories for turned work and box/ cabinet work; must be at least 100mm in two directions. Points for thinness of section and extent of thinness but also aesthetics (that is, how has that been used in the piece).

Michael
(Agent provocateur from the metal work section)

corbs
20th January 2014, 07:18 PM
I read about a competition (probably in here) where you could make anything you wanted out of a piece of wood 3'x4"x2". Gives everyone a very level playing field.

DSEL74
20th January 2014, 11:42 PM
Any wooden furniture/item (or *mostly* wooden), something regular in the home that can stash a thing in a blazingly eye opening "what the F" manner....

Utilising false bottoms, special latches, magnets, electronics, simple trickery, whatever.

Extra points for:

- being in-your-face-and-not-see-it.....
- being actually used and the user is unaware of it (trick the wife/child/boss!)
- not revealing the actual secret to the board and we have to guess what the secret is (is known by moderators)
- artistic merit is paramount. The device/thing must be functional in its primary purpose (I.e. no Japanese puzzle boxes)


:2tsup:Me Likey!!!

Christos
22nd January 2014, 04:35 PM
Surly there must be more.

Evanism
25th January 2014, 03:11 AM
These may have been done before, I'm still new here....

My favourite first...

- The Artful Bodger*. You must instruct someone who has NEVER touched woodwork to make something completely from scratch. You cannot touch ANY part of anything! Only words! No diagrams! No assistance! No tuning of planes or sharpening! No getting stuff out, OR Putting it away. Complete verbal instruction only! Winner: opposite sex, non relative. Best object. Looser: Ends in an tears/argument and/or lost finger.

- Thick As A Plank....ONE standard hardwood fence paling....winner: most interesting object using >90%

- The Glueless Object. Absolutely no adhesives of any kind allowed....

- Spiked Punch. Most creative use of nails. Winner: artistic merit. Runner up: most useful in a street brawl

- Such A Tool. Only allowed to use ONE tool. Any tool. Winner: most creative use of the unconventional. Looser: the cheats who use their rotary sanders and 40 grit!

- Big Mac Meal. Total project cost cannot exceed $7.95. Winner: must account for costs. No free/found stuff! Must use allocated budget on commercial purchases.

- Old As The Hills. Restore a relic, a piece of junk, tip find into a modern marvel. Winner: most creative update at the lowest cost (i.e no Louix XIII restos, maybe a $20 or $30 cap?)

- Medieval Marvel. No electrons! All hand tools. Absolutely no power allowed in any part of production. Winner: production of a "sellable" item. (this one may be skewed towards the hand tool nuts here, but I mean NO ELECTRICITY. Nothing. Not even the kettle for a cuppa or fluro light)

- Cackey Handed**. Rightie? Gotta use the left. Leftie? Time to reintegrate. Ambos are disqualified. All tools, processes and procedures must be done using your non-natural hand. EVERYTHING.

- A Bit On The Side. Partner/kids/friends/family must be utterly unaware they are making something, or even what they are doing. They must SNEAK!. Winner: best video taped reveal. (this idea is undeveloped, as many of us might already be in that boat! My wife thinks I just continuously sort wood or stare at the floor!)

- The Henry Ford. Any colour you want as long as its black. Not black wood: paint. 100% coverage.

- Tragedy Of The Commons***. The project must be done outside of your workshop in a public place/space! Not in the forests...but in a reasonably busy place where people can watch you do what you do.


Naturally a lot of this stuff relies on trust. This is part of the fun. It's a challenge.

Extra points for an excellent back story, photos of production and sworn testimony from another human they didn't cheat.

* and ** obviously this particular challenge is fraught with terrifying limb loosing consequences. At first I wasn't going to put these on...BUT, this will force us all to think VERY CAREFULLY about safety and maybe teach us a bit more about our own inherited or lax practices.

*** obviously need some form of permission or perhaps insurance. But this is part of the game, it's to learn and teach/show the public. Take the skill to the hoi polloi.

Canoath
15th March 2014, 10:22 AM
Damn, I got hold of 6 pallets before christmas in anticipation of another pallet challenge but I'm loving your ideas Evanism so far as any timber could be used in most of them. My pallets, although new, feel light and honestly, I just want to use them as firewood.

I thought the one tool idea was great until I started thinking how it could be done. Then my brain hurt and apart from chainsaw sculpting or bandsawn box all I can think of is pre fab stuff requiring an allen key for assembly.

I like you're very first idea of a unique piece of furniture, like a hall stand James Bond might have had that contained nothing if a villain rummaged through the drawers yet concealed his passports, papers, poisoned dart pens and a machine gun umbella. Or perhaps if he was a woodworker in his spare time he'd have Q develop a tool chest whereby my son, I mean his son (if he had a son) couldn't find my, I mean 007's, "good" tools. Drives me nuts when I can't find my good pliers or good hammer etc that end up in his room or elsewhere.

Then again, I like the idea of no glue, presumably no fasteners either? I'll have to revisit links on fastener free joinery but I've always wanted to try my luck with glue and fastener free joinery.

I really have no other ideas for a challenge sorry.

mattwd3
18th March 2014, 06:08 PM
how about a totally recycled project like all the timber has to be reclaimed or just parts of old furniture. no buying materials except things like finish, screw and glue

dazza3690
9th May 2014, 12:07 PM
Ah well best stop eyeing up the pallets around town now. Evanism the idea of no electricity scares me especially when you say no kettle for a coffee. Then again could use the pallets to build a fire and get a billy can going.

asheddie
11th May 2014, 08:50 PM
Hello all, Just wondering if anyone can decide on a challenge? Maybe we can have a vote on the challenges put up so far or someone can just call it and decide for us!
I'm keen to get to get back into it:U

Evanism
10th June 2014, 01:34 PM
how about a totally recycled project like all the timber has to be reclaimed or just parts of old furniture. no buying materials except things like finish, screw and glue

The Frankenstein: Item to be made must be composed of a minimum of three other useless second hand objects as a minimum. No new bits. Must be 100% found/stolen/recycled/dug up.

e.g: a table, chair and side table to make a cabinet....

Points: something as big or bigger than the original. This sort of precludes making a box out of a cabinet, etc.

Wallnut
15th July 2014, 09:57 AM
I like the concept of 'A glueless object", but add to the challenge by 'no screws, nails etc' just pinned/wedged joints and hinges etc.
Just my 2/- worth.

Wallnut