Hopefully it'll spark a new trend and we'll see more of these! I was actually browsing realestate listings for wooded land the other day wondering if I could get a parcel so I'd have a retreat to park a gypsy wagon on.
Do you all realize that most of the comments suggesting the improvement of the quality of the instructables are being made by pro members?
Here is an idea... how about rating the instructable not only in the "like - dislike" manner but also a second rating on quality, preferably made by admins., and pro members.
That would be a good filter/sorter for those of us looking for original and well made instructables.
However I'm no one to judge, but I think there were a lot of finalists that were much better then the "Bamboo and Hemp Road Bike", In my opinion this was one I would have never expected to win. I would have expected to win by ex. "camping hot tub", "custom nameplates", "Bent Wood Rings", "Rubik's Wood Cube" or my own "My first puzzle box". But never the less their have come out some good projects in my opinion, but for me the best project is the "Wooden Remote Control Quadrocopter Build", however that is my opinion.
I am surprised by the Instructables chosen as finalists. Some of those chosen involved ingenuity, classic woodworking and cabinetry techniques, and skill in execution. But, some were only what enough somebodies thought was "cool." Some chosen required relatively little effort. I thought for certain "Bandsaw Boxes Made Easy" and "Interlocking Chess/Checkerboard Puzzle" and "Build a Bass Fiddle" should have been included as finalists. I know voting as was done is very "democratic," but too many of those voting have no idea what woodworking actually is. I guess contests will always be at the mercy of those judging. It is only to be hoped the judges know what they are doing. In the future, it might be better if the editors of Popular Mechanics or a similar group judge woodworking contests. Skip the users of Instructables as voters.
Agreed. I was the author of the chessboard instructable and I was extremely disappointed to not be chosen as a finalist. No offense, but a wooden sandal made it in? I would like to know if there is a listing of the votes received or a rubric that the admins used for their judging.
Nonetheless, Congratulations to the winners! I look forward to seeing that wagon in Popular Mechanics soon!
I think one thing we learned from this contest is we need more prizes and more expert judges. Some of the entries were much more complex and required a level of artistry and skill that wasn't immediately evident. Don't be surprised if you get invited to judge a contest in the future. :)
Your chessboard exemplified the best things in a woodworking project. It should have been a winner. I also agree in regard to the wooden sandal. For a while you could go to the "You" page and can see a thumbnail of your contest Instructable with its numerical rating in the judging. I think you had to be 24 or less to be a finalist. I just checked for my one submission, but it is no longer listed with its ranking. It has long disappointed me that the Instructables receiving the most attention, contest or not, deal with silly things liked by young teenagers, not anything that resolves a useful need in an enduring, safe, clever, and inexpensive way. Show someone how to make dovetails joints reliably and no one notices. But, make oozing slime or a stink bomb or an aerodynamic spitwad, and views go through the roof.
I was surprised too. Something like the bass fiddle is a great accomplishment. The puzzle was great too. Some just used wood in a way that could be accomplished with other materials.
If it makes you feel any better, I'm surprised the rings I made were finalists. I just wanted people to see the instructable because when I was looking to make them for the first time, I couldn't find any info out there... and I didn't want that to happen to anyone else since I'd figured it out after a fair amount of trial and error. I make instructables because I want people to make stuff, and I figure people are more likely to look at the instructable if it's in a contest. I'm sure the real woodworking experts at Popular Mechanics wouldn't choose something made with only superglue and veneer as a winner.
Your project wasn't terribly complex but as you pointed out, you couldn't find any info out there. Figuring out how to make something that requires a fair amount of trial and error to get right is probably more worthy of praise than you might realize.
If I were designing a woodworking contest for Instructables, I would publish the criteria that would be most important to the judges and do it before the contest begins. (I read the woodworking contest rules, etc.; but do not remember seeing anything about that.) These criteria would include the originality of the project concept and plan, skill in the use of classic joinery, difficulty of execution on the project, skill shown in executing the project (regardless of what tools were available to the builder), and final finish and beauty of the project. Then, I would have the judging done by a group of people who had been doing serious woodworking for several decades.
When I suggested a woodworking contest ought be judged by people who have been doing woodworking for many years, I envisioned some old guys (near to my age of 64 and upwards) who might be members of a woodworking club not associated with Instructables in any way. I once read about a retirement community where new residents could turn over their woodworking machinery to a community shop that everyone could use (with some supervisory limitations to protect the users and the equipment). The folks using that community shop have years of experience making furniture quality items from wood. Still, there would be enough categories to accommodate the top winners in this contest, as well as carvings, etc.
Unfortunately, I am not personally aware of such a group. I remember an article from years ago about woodworking in a retirement community. It might be possible to search for a local group of woodworkers through Yahoo Groups, or something similar. A starting place is: www.groups.yahoo.com and then search under "woodworking." You would likely need to post on some forums and ask if a cluster of members lives within proximity of the Instructables offices. Or, it might be possible to ask for members of these forums having no connection to Instructables or to contestants if they would consent to serve as judges working from a distance over the Internet.
I like how they did some of the other contests where they let us pick half of the finalists and then the admin. picked the other half. I think that is the best way to do it. That way some of the best ones don't get skipped just because some people didn't even look at them, or if they didn't have a good picture to draw people in.
In this contest, "The top 14 entries in terms of votes will become finalists. In addition, another 14 finalists will be chosen by Instructables staff for a total of 28 finalists. When the finalists are chosen, they will be judged until Oct 11 and winners will be announced shortly afterwards." so half the finalist are probably chosen by admins. :)
It sometimes happens when external judges (in this case, from Popular Mechanics) are involved. I'm not too surprised (though I'm as anxious as anyone to find out who won!) I guess they needed more time!
Thanks for all the great feedback on the Gypsy Wagon. It was a lot of fun making the Instructable and I think this has pushed me to do more here. Any votes are appreciated as the tools look great!
i have an idea for a project that i found in a book by Bart Hopkins. if i use his basic idea and add my own twist to it, is it a disqualification. also i had intended to give him credit, but does that mean that he should win the prize, i think he should, i just want to share his great idea.
There are few truly original ideas - they're all modifications of something previously seen!
Certainly, make this project with your own twist and credit your source of inspiration. Your Instructable will tell YOUR story of how YOU made YOUR project. So no need to share the prize. ;)
Am I allowed to make a scale model (for example: Popsicle sticks or toothpicks) if you do not have the supplies or money to make the full size Product...
And if I could enter it, could I enter it as a slideshow or would I have to document the steps I took to make it? I would be extremely grateful if someone were to inform me of what I would have to do to enter it, or if I would have to make the project from scratch. thanks.
It has to be a full Instructable and not a slideshow. If it's already made perhaps you can show how it was made without making something new by using diagrams.
Thanks Instructables and Popular Mechanics!
And thanks to all of you who voted for me!!!
Thanks everyone for viewing my
Hope you enjoyed it!
I hope I get your vote!
your ible is so cool !
Here is an idea... how about rating the instructable not only in the "like - dislike" manner but also a second rating on quality, preferably made by admins., and pro members.
That would be a good filter/sorter for those of us looking for original and well made instructables.
What do you think?
However I'm no one to judge, but I think there were a lot of finalists that were much better then the "Bamboo and Hemp Road Bike", In my opinion this was one I would have never expected to win. I would have expected to win by ex. "camping hot tub", "custom nameplates", "Bent Wood Rings", "Rubik's Wood Cube" or my own "My first puzzle box".
But never the less their have come out some good projects in my opinion, but for me the best project is the "Wooden Remote Control Quadrocopter Build", however that is my opinion.
Well, I'm not one to criticize, but just saying what I think.
Nonetheless, Congratulations to the winners! I look forward to seeing that wagon in Popular Mechanics soon!
so half the finalist are probably chosen by admins. :)
Paleotool
Sorry, forgot to add that i didn't make the neck of the guitar, i bought the neck and made the body myself, would it still be eligible?
Why my videos don't appear on the top of my 'ible?
tks for helping!
my low-budget Instructable. ;)
As always :D
:( buahhh
Just to participate.. because this bed truck is soooooooooo coooollllllllllllll !!!!
Certainly, make this project with your own twist and credit your source of inspiration. Your Instructable will tell YOUR story of how YOU made YOUR project. So no need to share the prize. ;)
thanks for the thought though