Thread: A little help in return

Originally Posted by Liogier

All my life I have received countless grateful thanks, congratulations or even gifts from the woodworker communities around the world, and this is what has been and is still doing my job a daily pleasure.

It is maybe because I am getting old but I wish to give back a bit of what I have received. So I am thinking of a way to find and help a woodworker. It would be a small start, but better than nothing. For example it could be by giving a set of rasps to a promissing young woodworker that might have a hard time purchasing quality tools. Can someone suggest me an idea how to select one ? Does it exist a prize somewhere rewarding such a person ?

Asking these questions on my Facebook page and other forums, I have been adviced to consider creating a contest, with a full set of rasps as prize .
Does this make sense ?
If many people like the idea, I will consider any suggestions on how to organize this.
Thanks.

There are many wood working competitions all over the world targeting high school students or younger woodworkers. I would suggest offering a prize to one or more of these competitions. I'm sure most would give the prize any naming rights and publicity if you needed this.

Originally Posted by BobL

There are many wood working competitions all over the world targeting high school students or younger woodworkers. I would suggest offering a prize to one or more of these competitions.

Thank you for the hint. Could you please give the names of such competitions for younger woodworkers please ?

Is this a world wide competition or will you run separate competitions across the forums you are posting this in?

The reason i ask is you could perhaps work with the forum owners to assist in running the competition. Not sure how you would age limit it though.

Separate to this there is a young wood worker i know who is looking toward becoming a craftsman in the next 2 years when he finishes school. His finances are limited (arent all of ours). If you would be able to assist him could i suggest that i pm you his forum user name (with his permission) and you could help him immediately. I apologize if i have overstepped the mark here.

What a wonderful idea

A competition could be interesting. How about "This is the prize. Show some of your work done without one (even if it's bad). Tell us how your work would be different with one." At least that way you'll be (mostly) able to target people who are already trying but struggling along without the right tools. Lord knows I've hacked my way through or not been able to do some projects due to a lack of the right gear.


For an alternative suggestion, how about instead of helping out one person who is already interested in woodworking, donate something to a school or institution where your gift has the opportunity to inspire many people.

An example of a competition with a student category is Fine Wood Work Association (WA) Inc. - Wood show

For an alternative suggestion, how about instead of helping out one person who is already interested in woodworking, donate something to a school or institution where your gift has the opportunity to inspire many people.

On reflection ,while a "set of Liogier rasps" is indeed a fine prize, if we are realistic about this, unfortunately no matter how good the rasps,, they are very unlikely to inspire a young (student) woodworker as they are will not have the appreciation for such tools. I doubt whether schools even have or use rasps these days so a donation to a school or institution is likely to see the rasps gathering dust in a cupboard.

Originally Posted by RedShirtGuy

How about "This is the prize. Show some of your work done without one (even if it's bad). Tell us how your work would be different with one." At least that way you'll be (mostly) able to target people who are already trying but struggling along without the right tools. Lord knows I've hacked my way through or not been able to do some projects due to a lack of the right gear.

I think this is a better approach as it is more likely to target someone who will use them.

How about taking on an apprentices of sorts and mentoring him/her. I am sure your knowledge and experience is more valuable than a set of rasps.
After then person has shown passion and intent, pass on the rasps.

BobL & RedShirtGuy : thank your guys for the ideas on how to organize a competition.
Otherwise, I have emailed to Warren Murphy, the curator of the competition « Out of the Woods » organized by the Fine Wood Work Association ; let see what happens next.

PacMan : go ahead, email me your young friend’s forum user name. I’ll contact him and see what I can do. But please, if many people are reading this post, please don’t overwhelmed me with such suggestions

The idea of organizing a competition inside a forum itself looks good. As you said I would probably need if not the support, at least the authorization of the forum owners. How do I contact the owners of this forum ?

Any other ideas on how to organize this ?

Regarding the jury that would award the prize. I am pretty sure I am not the most competent person. Maybe the members of the forum could vote, I would just say the criteria I would like to be taken into account before the votes. And as one of this criteria will be that these tools should go to a « good person », I believe the votes of forum members might help to achieve this goal as forum members tends to know a bit (or a lot) about other forum members. What do you think ?