Competition

[wizer]

Well as many have you have probably seen, there is a competition under way in the General Woodworking section.

The prizes are all to do with general woodworking. Nothing to interest the turner who just turns.

I wondered if any turners intend to enter turned items to that competition?

..and if not, what about organising our own mini compo?

 

[Jenx]

Mentioned it a month or two back Tom ....
the idea didn't seem to 'set the heather on fire' at the time, and it fell a bit flat....

Which is a shame cause I think it'd be a great idea. ...
for fun and 'braggin rights' kind of thing..

Hopefully this may kick it back into life... ( the idea I mean.. )

Be brilliant if one of the Pro's would be willing to judge it too...

Step forward Messer's Hancock, Sanger, Lucas , Findley etc :wink:
( sorry lads... 8) :lol: :lol: )

But I must say, I love the idea of really being 'pushed' to try real hard... and the resultant criticisms etc can be nothing but helpful too.

Here's hoping it's pulse is restarted. :lol: 8)

 

[wizer]

yes I remember the thread. I feel that with a little direction we can get a competition up and running. Personally I don't think any turners are going to enter the other compo, which is a shame but obvious to see why. If we held a much smaller scale compo here it would get us involved. Why should they have all the fun?

 

[Jenx]

Exactly !

I personally wouldn't dream of the 'other one' ... but amongst ourselves, I'd feel comfortable enough to enter my rubbish in our 'own little world' here, as I believe something constructive would come of it by way of feedback from the experienced guys, and seeing other turnings is always good... from an inspiration point of view etc.

Lets see how the "re-vitalised" idea goes down here, ...
It could be a bit of fun for all.


Its so open ... It could be by 'experience' categories, or
by Piece-Type ( Bowl / Pen / Platter / Hollow Form / Goblet etc... ) or whatever...
and Could be a really worthwhile and fun thing to do.
Lets hope others agree.

:lol: :lol: :lol: 8) 8) 8)

 

[jasonB]

Personally I don't see why a well turned vestle or sculptural turning in a nicely marked piece of wood or even a segmental turning cannot compete against a poorly executed pine box for example.

Even if you produce a thick walled unattractive bland beech bowl at least you would have supported the Main comp.

Jason

 

[wizer]

Not sure if I totally agree. But the main reason I think turners are not going to enter the other compo is the prizes and the judges. Nothing remotely associated with turning.

I'm happy to be proved wrong.

 

[John. B]

Well, I'm up for it :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll:

John. B

 

[Paul.J]

Yes me too,as i was before.
Just can't beleive we have been over looked again :roll:
I liked Jenx's idea before,and there are enough pros on here to judge if they don't mind.Just gotta get some prizes sorted.

 

[wizer]

I'm already putting the wheels in motion, but I'd really like to get an idea of who'd be interested in principle.

Please feel free to PM me if you don't want to openly show interest.

Prizes are unlikely to be as high value as the other compo but that's not really what it's about.

I'm also interested in hearing how you think the rules should go.

Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced? or maybe just Beginner and Experienced is better ?

 

[Jenx]

Fully understand and appreciate Jason's thought process there...
and take his point.

Personally however, I'd not enter the main competition for a few reasons.. principally :
Our pieces as turners tend to be 'weekend' projects done from start to finish in one or two days.. as opposed to weeks / ( maybe even months ) worth of work, and as such, and this is just a 'perception'... and I mean no ill by it, ... I'd feel very fraudulent and essentially effectively ridiculous, at the thought of putting something of mine into a competition like that, and just 'wouldn't'.

I Appreciate of course, that a fine turned piece has as much validity as something that fills 2/3rds of a room .. but as a relative beginner, the door would be closed .. with the handle pulled by me, I hasten to add ! :wink:

That'd be the main reason.

I have no idea who's judging the main competiton.. and again I can only say from a personal perspective, that wouldn't put me off ...
its ( for me anyway ), more about the 'scale and complexity'.. if that makes sense... I'd feel like I was entering a lego house into a precision model-engineering competition, if that works as an analogy.

I suspect I'd not be alone.. keeping a little 'side competition' for turnings within the turners works for me.. and I wouldn't consider it to be devisive or 'contrary to the spirit of' the main woodworking competition.

Just personal thoughts of course, if thats ok to express :wink: :lol: 8)

 

[Paul.J]

I would have the three catagories.Beginner,inter,advanced,as there does seem to be quite a few of each.

 

[Jenx]

I like the idea of Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced too...

Where to draw the lines of demarkation would be interesting...
one may have been turning 5 years, but only done 10 pieces of work in that time...

Perhaps it can be 'quantified' into these groupings by the number of pieces an individual has made.
Use myself for an example ...been doing it for 17 months ( Nov 2007 - now ), and have done maybe 40 different pieces.
I'd think of myself as a beginner .. but then if someone started two weeks ago, and has made ( and burst ) his first bowl and is half way through his second one.. then I'm not so much of a beginner in that context ! .

Perhaps we could ask one of the experienced hands, ( sorry to use individuals by name.. but to illustrate what I mean, I kind of need to )...
Lets say a Duncan or a Corny or a Tam for example, was asked to set the parameters, then we just have to be good enough to abide by that kind of educated, experienced input..

Perhaps the 'Pens only' lads need some special consideration too.. I don't know... but worthy of thinking about, I'd imagine. 8)

Whatever way we decide to go, I'm 'in'.. cause I like the idea... and did so from first time around.
I think it'd be great. 8) 8) :lol:

Oh and as an aside.. I'd personally be happy to bung up to 20 quid into the prize fund.. we can worry about that in due course, no doubt.
Ways to skin cats n'all :wink: :lol: 8)


EDIT : As always.. though of some more stuff ....
Perhaps ( and this, I appreciate may be a big-ish 'ask') .. perhaps some of the top dogs would be willing to 'turn' a prize ? .. is that a dumb idea ?
time willing etc... ? shoot it down if its a non-starting idea guys.. its all about input and out of that we'll get something "workable"

Always worth a thought to the idea of 'sponsored' prizing too.. it wouldnt' hurt to ask the Stiles & Bates / Turners Retreat / Toolpost / Sorby / Chestnut ( sorry Terry :wink: ) etc folk if they could contribute in some small way... If they can't, fair enough and no problem.. it can't hurt to ask !

 

[Anonymous]

I'd be up for giving it a try. As long as the timescale is long enough for me to put an entry forward (I don't get the spare time that many of you get). Would you build in the design process? It's one thing to turn something, it's another to turn what you meant to. I think a good how-to on the forum should add points. Even better how about a video?

Dave

 

[BMac]

I could be tempted to take part health permitting (I've been turning for a couple of years but, in real terms, it's a couple of months due to health constraints). I've been discouraged from entering competitions before because categories were abused and highly skilled turners were winning prizes in the 'Beginner' categories and, despite being well-known, nothing was done about it.

Anyway, that's just personal experience and hopefully not widely practised.

Brendan

 

[wizer]

ok just ideas atm..

The skill level thing is hard to define. Ultimately the turner chooses what category they want to enter into. But the competition would be adjudicated and as such, hopefully, anyone who is obviously in the wrong group would be identified.

Hopefully, by having less high value prizes, we won't have any of the business that BMac speaks of. It really is about taking part.

As for timescales. I think we should aim for the same date as the other compo, which is late October. This gives you the whole of summer to complete your project but stops short of the busy xmas period.

I like the other's compo's idea of entering a design brief initially and being judged on how close you came to your brief. As well as the finished piece. I know this is daunting for a beginner (myself included). But a competition's sole purpose is to push you and build on confidence.

 

[Jenx]

Like the 'ethos' behind that.

All works for me, so far ! :wink: 8)

Fun & Learning.
What could be better :wink: :lol: 8)

 

[wizer]

Jenx, I'm putting feelers out RE: prizes. I like your idea about having a turned trophy. This could be either passed around every year or a new one given per year.

 

[wizer]

Please keep showing interest. This will help me attract prizes.

Also if any of the membership would like to donate prizes that would be most kind.

 

[BMac]

Wizer,

If October-time suits the rest I am definitely in. That will allow for any hold-ups I might encounter.

Brendan

 

[Bodrighy]

Just one thing to think of. It is easy enough to judge a piece for design for a phot but not so easy to judge finish etc. I think we might need a few pointers regarding showing our work so that it can be judged fairly. also how do we assess whether we are novice intermediate or expert. I know that in some areas I amdefinitley a novice especially comparesd to some of the guys on here but there are a lot of brand new tyrners lately (some who I reckon are ringers :lol: judging by the standard of the work)

I am all for it and would love to have a go as long as it is something that is well organised

Pete