Upcoming Project Challenge

[Amangii]

My 2 cents. First, I am definately an amature welder... MM135. I do a good job but I don't compare myself to folks who weld as a profession. I have entered the 2 contests with projects I have made for my home. I have yet to win anything but I am curious.... I have seen projects better than mine not win anything and projects a lot simplier than mine win....so I'm confused as to what constitutes a winning project. Perhaps we all vote.
My point is have 5 or 6 very specific categories (ART, TOOLS, GARDEN, COOKING, HOME INTERIOR) Less than $100 retail steel cost...less than 10 hours.... and an "OPEN/UNLIMITED" category for as much time or money as you are goofy enough to spend. Poll everyone for category names if you like.
As far as prizes, award the top projects in each category similar to what you have before. (if you want amatures to compete then award the 110V units, for the OPEN category award a higher unit) 2nd place gets a hood. Below that, award a couple of places below with something us little guys would appreciate, flap discs, wire, consumables....or a voucher to purchase them would be great.

For all entries give them some safety gear for trying (glasses or gloves or a cap... based on random draw). To promote shop safety....
BRAVO BLUE....thanks for the opportunity to post my opinion.

[fun4now]

dont forget to throw in some of them cool miller gloves, they rock.

[opsranch]

I only hope Miller will have a scrap metal catagory. A lot of people do most of their projects from scrounged materials and I think it makes for interesting results and creativity.

Bob

[fun4now]

cool idea.

[wireburner]

yeah i agree a scarp sec. would be cool

[KBar]

Does anybody remember how long this challenge usually lasts ? Don't it figure, I go in for foot surgery on March 18 and I also missed last years challenge. With enough pain medication, I'll sneak out to weld after the wife goes to bed - LOL

[Lu47Dan]

If it is just open to powerclick subscribers , why when I have signed up several times I do not get the newsletter? I got it for a while and it stopped , and no it was not blocked by my spam filter . Once I lost it I signed up again but it never restarted .
Challenge Categories , Well there should be some basic categories .
Art ( yard , interior , etc ) 5 -10 hrs . new welder (new to welding)
Art ( yard , interior , etc ) 5 -10 hrs. Moderate skills .
Art ( yard , interior , etc ) 5 -10 hrs . Old hand .
Shop tools and equipment . Small example would be small welding table , cart for small welder, etc.
Shop tools and equipment . Medium . Small Hydraulic press , Engine hoist , gantry , etc .
Shop tools and equipment . Large . Large hydraulic press , All in one welding cart (more than two welders) .
Yard equipment category would have have three levels also , small ,medium and large . NON powered .
Household Categories should be : Doors , Decorative Iron Work , and Stairs and railings .
The Art categories could have other hour limits also . But I do not think it is right to pit new welders against old hands . Give the newbies a chance to win against people with their skill levels . Of Course that will be hard to enforce , as if somebody wanted win badly enough they might just fake it .
As to top prize in each category would be up to you guy's . welders are nice . Attachments for equipment , circle cutters for a plasma cutter , consumables and such . Hats , shirts and other stuff for runners up down to fifth place .
The staff should pick out five projects for each category and then the board vote on it .
Posted Projects would have to include five pictures of the finished project and five pictures of the build . All shop tools and yard equipment would have to be painted except Stainless Steel , but all steel would have to be painted .
JMTC . Dan

[MIG-ateur]

First, let me say I agree with Amangii's statements.
I too am only an amateur welder, having started MIG welding about a year and a half ago, but I am very proud of all the projects I have completed. To date I have built a cart for my MIG unit and gas bottle, a collapsible stand (currently included in the Welding Projects and Ideas section of the Millerwelds.com website) that holds a small tub for cold beverages, a small stand for a wooden chest for my wife, two 5' hoop-style firewood racks, and 140' of wrought iron safety fence with two spring-hinged gates to enclose my swimming pool.
I put the welder cart and the collapsible stand up for the Welding Challenge in 2007. I built the projects for the enjoyment and for the usefulness of the items, not to win, but I too am confused about what constitutes a winning project, since I felt that better projects than mine did not win and worse projects than mine did win. I read the rules and followed them; i.e. time allotted, something useful that others would like to build, hand-crafted, etc.
While the three winners' projects may fall into the required time categories, I do not believe that any of them fit the recommendation that they should be something others would want to build.
Two of these projects seem to be too specialized to the particular builder, and the other seems too simple.
None are of interest to me, and I am probably not alone in making this statement.
Many of the other projects submitted were of greater interest and much more useful to me, and probably a majority of your readers, than the ones chosen to win.
Hence, the reason for my confusion.
I will continue to enter projects in the Welding Challenge for as long as I continue to weld, and I hope that some day I can figure out what it takes to win a prize, although that is not the driving force for me doing it.
The fun and enjoyment and continual need for items will continue to drive me to pursue the sport of welding!
JMTC, Joe

[Miller Planning Committee]

Joe,

To your comment about "what constitutes a winning project." We do not have a full proof system to determine the project that will appeal to everyone. What we did do last year is pick 10 projects in each time-to-build category that we felt best fit the criteria. We then left it up to the Power Click members to decide on the winner for each time-to-build category. If you and other members of the board feel this is not the best way to determine a winner then we can take that into consideration and if you have a suggestion we are more than willing to listen.

Everyone's comments so far have been very helpful and the reason we are doing this is to make this year's contest better!

Keep the comments coming!

[monte55]

I think we should keep this simple as possible.......my ideas.
Four categories.. SHOP...tools such as presses, brakes, metal forming tools, equipment carts, welding tables etc.
HOME...tables, plant stands, railings, trellis, bakers racks, grills, inside or out etc.
ART...Anything that is considered art and has no other purpose.
OPEN.....Can be anything such as fancy truck tailgates, headache and ladder racks, implements for lawn equipment, trailers or carts, auto ramps, hitch accessories etc.

New and experienced weldors to be equal. Just because you're new to welding doesn't mean you don't have the same chance to create a nice project and impress the judges. You are being judged on the project, not your welding skills.
All projects must involve the welding process as a good part of its creation.
The welding process must be specified but not the brand of equipment. No brown nosing.
I don't believe the price of materials should be entered. Who cares? Some will have to purchase and some have it as drops from other jobs.
Entrants must do all fabrication of project and show documentation by photos. I suggest up to six. Some projects can not be shown properly in their
operation with only three photos.
No projects should be allowed that simply take two or more pre made items and are welded together. Example...don't weld a Weber Grill to a Corvette and call it the Fastest Burgers In Town.
All projects should be made from raw materials that serve no purpose in their raw state. Exception......nuts, bolts, wiring, switches, pumps, motors, etc can
be used to complete the project but not be the major contribution of the project.
The project should be of interest to the general welding public.
The project should be able to be made in the time frame it was entered in by the average craftsman. I like the time frames of 1-5 hour...6-12 hour and 12-20 hour. After all this is a WEEKEND PROJECT CHALLENGE.
I think Miller needs to look closer to entrants to see if they comply to the category they have entered in and the rules that have been implemented.
There should be a first place in each category which can win a welder, plasma, etc and a runner up that maybe could win an auto darkening helmet, jacket, accessories etc.
In the past I have seen entrants be selected as semifinalist that in no way complied with with what I thought Miller wanted.
Equipment availaible to make the projects should have no bearing on whether
it would be eleigible to enter........there is no way this could be policed but I think the equipment used should be stated.
It is up to Miller and the finals are up to the members that vote for their favorites.
This is for fun and to share. Let's keep it there!
Nick

PS I recently found out there is no Santa........thank God we have Miller. I really have fun with these Project Challenge contests. Good luck guys
PS again........last year Miller said any project that has been entered before and has not won a prize could be reentered. I don't take pictures of all my projects as the build progresses so if we need to document projects for this upcoming Challenge, they won't be eligible I guess. It's up to Miller.