Upcoming Project Challenge

[forstonc]

I just registered, so I am now ready. I am very excited about the contest. I wish I had known about this site before. I love to weld. This will give me the perfect excuse to put a little extra time in, out in the barn and get my creative thinking wheels to turning. Thank you Miller for putting on this great site and what sounds like will be an inspiring contest.

[sideloc]

In an effort to improve the image of welding, and attract more young people to the sport of welding it may be a good idea to stipulate that the project must be community based. Examples of this could be new or refurbished city playground equipment, boat docks, hand railings, etc. This I feel would open the publics eyes to the importance of welding.

[Miller Planning Committee]

I am new here and interested in this challenge. Is there a thread from last years challenge somewhere because I would like to see what some of the creations were. Thanks Batman

If you would like to check out the 30 finalists from last year you can go to this link http://www.millerwelds.com/challenge/finalists.php.

Thanks

[rcn11thacr]

Challenge

I feel that the voters should not have to pick from a "top 10" chosen by Miller. Not because Miller cant vote but because it would eliminate anyone from feeling that a particular project was voted out before the "masses" had an opportinity to give their opinion/vote on it. This forum is about projects from all of us, the masses right? I think voters should be given pictures of all projects and let them choose based on votes given for each entry. This would empower every person with an entry the knowledge that they are being judged by a person they could consider a potential peer, with similar interests and skills. When I say "similar interest and skills" I dont mean someone who works at Miller since they live and breathe this stuff but someone who is similar to the actual person who is entering in the contest. If an entry has an obvious safety problem it should not be entered, our projects should emulate safety, no unprotected gas flowmeters, etc...
I entered the last contest with a welding/plasma cart (all hand made) which could be lifted by an overhead hoist if needed, and was shown in the pictures given. The class I entered was won by an entry who used a store bought dolly (if it was not then my appologies, but it sure looked like it) and added on parts to it. Now, dont get me wrong. I feel we should respect others projects and I give this person the thumbs up for winning. But when the challenge says to build something I take it to NOT mean add parts to something I bought at a store and call it home built. There were projects that were better than mine (two in my opinion, and I never got to say they are better than mine) and we should have had the oppotunity to vote as a group and allow the best to win.
I feel that if we voters were honest which im sure most of us are then we could weed through the enteries and come up with winners, w/o help in making a top 10 to choose from. We all know how much time it takes on average and how much work is involved and know when we see a well thought out project which is innovative, and is built with safety in mind.

[MIG-ateur]

You guys are right on the money!

I believe monte55 and rcn11thacr, have said it all!

I agree with the categories and everything monte55 said down to the point of how the judging should be handled.

I agree with rcn11thacr on how the judging should work and how the winner should be chosen.

I would rather have the opportunity to pick the winner(s) for the categories from ALL the entrants, instead of only having a pre-determined few in each category to choose from.

Thanks for reading. JMTC.

[monte55]

One of the reasons that I say available equipment to make a project should not matter:
Story: I am in the service business and have been since 1972. I have met many people with many skills and no fancy machines but was amazed at what these persons could make.
I had a customer who would make HO scale locomotives from pictures, no plans. He made working scale models of the old steam locomotives that have a lot of exterior detail such as steam lines, rivet detail etc with no drill other than a pin drill, no lathe, mill, etc. He rolled the brass boilers around anything he could find. His material source was K&S rack at the local hardware store.
His models were nothing less than magnificent. I'm sorry to say he passed a few years ago. I would be very proud to have and display one of his works of art.
Back in around 1977 I built a 12 foot hovercraft with two engines and propellers and all I had was a 1/4" electric drill, a sabre saw, small tap and die set, and a SOILD OX torch if anyone knows what that is. So to say a person with lots of tools can have a better chance to make a great project
is bull. They can just do it easier. Imagination and dedication is the key. I have a lot of equipment now but not always. So new guys with their first welder, don't be discouraged. I've made many things while not having many tools. I am not a pro welder but I can do a project just as well. And so can you!! I'm sure it's heart and imagination that drives WELDRESS to make such beautiful works of art. A shop full of equipment and no imagination ain't squat.
Nick

[rcn11thacr]

agree

montee55 is right, if you have the heart and the dedication you can do as much as anyone. It just takes time for fabrication skills to mature. I dont do this for a living although I am good enough to, I perfer to do it as a hobby. This allows me to enjoy it and if I get frustrated I can stop until I am in the right frame of mind again. This means I dont always meet my time schedules often but I can get away with that since i do it as a hobby. If none of us enjoyed it we would not be talking about it...

[KBar]

I agree with Monte. Equipment does not make the welder. I have seen guys with the best equipment, dressed fit for the job with the right gear almost blow themselves up just trying to use a torch. I have been around and seen some guys like Monte described, one guy made a nice living welding out of his small garage with no more equipment than an average guy. You could not find anything in his garage but he knew where every piece was. He knew how to weld gas tanks on the car, never once had a fire or explosion. He would say, just make sure the tank is full.

I have yet to get a welder at home and the equipment I use at work is very minimal. I am not an expert by any means or even close. I have made a lot of different things by imagination and a handfull of rods. Just remember, what you think may be silly may be the greatest idea to somebody else.

[badassb5]

I rhink it would be important that they have a pic of them in it welding at a few different stages of the build. It has to be them doing the welding.

[I Bleed Blue]

I second this!!

I rhink it would be important that they have a pic of them in it welding at a few different stages of the build. It has to be them doing the welding.

I agree its easy enough to get someone to snap a few photos.

[KBar]

I rhink it would be important that they have a pic of them in it welding at a few different stages of the build. It has to be them doing the welding.

Thats ok but some of us do not have anybody else around when we are welding or fabricating. And in a shop with other welders, how do you know who is behind the hood or what other members of the forum look like except for the few that posted their pics.

[fun4now]

a pic of you welding it is not going to work. a fair amount of honesty is just going to have to be given out here. like said above some have no one to take the pic for them. also as said who do we know who is under the hood or even what any one looks like in the first place ?
any one know who the 2 people in this pic are ?? i know cuz i was there, but if i had not ben there any one could have been under my hood, or one that looks like it.............maybe i wasn't there.

[monte55]

If you have a twin, can you just take a pic of them?
I think we should all undergo a MRI, have a microchip planted in our skull, and be fingerprinted by the FBI.
Taking a pic of a guy with a helmet on is right on the money.
Maybe a movie of the person actually putting on the helmet. No wait! Let's go back to when he first got his welder. I want receipts. Man, I could just go on and on. This sure is silly.
nick

[rcn11thacr]

Moot point now but I presume everyone has come to realize that there is no need for a pic of a welder w/o the results of a blood sample attached...


Does anyone else have any other ideas which will help the challenge?

[KBar]

Can I use my old picture from the Post Office bulletin board ???