How to Enter the Instructables Office Supplies Challenge

 by Contest Robot
Results are up!

Since you like them so much, we're running another 1-week speed contest: the Instructables Office Supplies Challenge!

Are you stuck at work while everyone else is on vacation? Have an endless supply of paper clips, sticky notes, staple removers, pencils, and thumb tacks? Want to win a robot t-shirt?

Grab some office supplies and build something neat to share with the rest of us. It can be fun or functional, big or small- just be creative, and document your project well. We're not terribly strict with the definition of office supplies, but please be reasonable. For example, even though my office has a laser cutter, it's definitely not a standard office supply; a photocopier would be.

Some inspiration:
The Office Supplies Trebuchet
Office Supply Glider
Super quick last minute Squid costume
Paper Resistor
Tiny high-speed spinner toy!
How to recycle office paper into blank books
Magnetic Poster Holder

Then make something awesome, share it on Instructables, and add it to the Office Supplies Challenge group by 11:59pm PDT, Sunday July 1. Add the keyword "officesupplies_challenge" to your Instructable (you can do so after it's published by scrolling down to the "keyword" box at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar and adding the tag- yes, this should work now!), and click on that keyword to see how yours stacks up.

Since this is a short contest, we're letting the audience judge! Find the entries here and rate your favorite projects so we know what you like. Vote for as few or as many as you like- it's up to you. Only positive votes will count in this contest! We're not counting negative votes, so voting down your competitor's projects is both unsporting and useless.

We'll judge based on the standings at noon PDT on Thursday, July 5, so everyone will have time to check out and vote on even the latest entries. Results will be posted shortly thereafter.

Rating Prizes:
The five Instructables with the highest rating will win an Instructables Robot t-shirt.
The Instructable with the highest rating will also receive a laser-engraved red Swingline stapler.

Page Views Prize:
The Instructable with the greatest number of pageviews will receive an Instructables Robot t-shirt and a laser-engraved red Swingline stapler.

Only projects posted during the contest period are eligible. If you've already submitted an office supplies Instructable, make another with improvements and submit it to the contest! Post an improved version of someone else's Instructable with a link back to your source of inspiration!
We're looking for creative takes on this classic concept, so let your imagination run wild.

Project Submission Deadline: 11:59pm PDT, Sunday July 1
Audience Judging Deadline: noon PDT on Thursday, July 5

Fine Print:
You can only win one prize per contest, but enter as many projects as you like and cross-post to other contests! International entries are great, too- we're happy to ship our t-shirts abroad. If you're under 18, go ahead and submit your project- we'll just need your parents' OK if you win.
 
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bbgun_sniper says: Nov 30, 2011. 7:17 AM
i made nunchucks out of office supplies pretty cool look at my page to see them
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Scissorman says: Jun 26, 2007. 4:06 PM
I wish I'd held off posting my trebuchet now. It would have clearly won. *gives an overly smug grin*
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canida in reply to ScissormanJun 26, 2007. 5:35 PM
But if you hadn't posted the trebuchet would we have run this contest?
Scissorman in reply to canidaJun 27, 2007. 1:42 PM
There's no way of knowing. Let's leave it at that.
canida in reply to ScissormanJun 27, 2007. 1:47 PM
If your next post is a time machine I'll be extremely suspicious.
Scissorman in reply to canidaJun 28, 2007. 1:55 PM
I'd best shelve the plans for my Paper Clip Delorean then. Damn, it was nearly finished as well.
Legoman200119 in reply to ScissormanFeb 5, 2011. 8:33 PM
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Lego
Hello Kitty says: Feb 8, 2008. 4:43 PM
I know that this was over last year, but why don't they do this again? You could make all kinds of things that weren't posted last year. And a lot of new people (like me) have joined that didn't get a chance to add anything to this contest.
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canida in reply to Hello KittyFeb 9, 2008. 9:16 AM
You're still welcome to post an office supply-related project, but right now we've got 5 contests running, and many more new ones in mind for later. Part of the fun is working your idea around so it fits in one of the current speed contests!
Hello Kitty in reply to canidaFeb 9, 2008. 2:26 PM
Hey, canida, do you work for instructables?
canida in reply to Hello KittyFeb 10, 2008. 9:14 AM
I do! You can see the full list of people here.
Tool Using Animal says: Jul 5, 2007. 3:32 PM
Huzzah, i think i won a t shirt.
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canida in reply to Tool Using AnimalJul 5, 2007. 3:54 PM
Bran says: Jul 1, 2007. 11:39 AM
On the stapler, where it says "My Special Stapler", is that what it will say? Most likely this is a stupid question, but, you know......
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noahw in reply to BranJul 2, 2007. 4:49 PM
I etched that on there just because I wanted to emphasize how much the stapler was "mine" and how very "special" it was. All of the staplers are etched with the instructables logo and robot but whatever you want us to put on the stapler after that is up to you.
Imaginary says: Jun 30, 2007. 10:33 PM
Mine still isn't showing up.
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canida in reply to ImaginaryJul 1, 2007. 2:48 AM
You didn't add it to the group! I've done it for you.
ongissim says: Jun 25, 2007. 4:28 PM
In the first picture you can see that it says Office Supplies Challenge beneath the visible message, as if it was a screw-up!
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canida in reply to ongissimJun 25, 2007. 4:35 PM
Yeah, that's ewilhem's handwriting on the page below; mine was more legible. ;)
CMPalmer says: Jun 22, 2007. 3:40 PM
So, does it have to be added new after the posting of the challenge? In other words, previously posted ones can't be added to the group?
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canida in reply to CMPalmerJun 22, 2007. 3:53 PM
That's correct. You can post an improvement on a previous office supplies Instructable, but the project must be posted on or after 21 June. I'll go through and edit the group entries to make sure they're all within the specified date.
zachninme says: Jun 22, 2007. 2:13 PM
Everyone, rate this instructable positively so that it wins! That would be... odd...
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CameronSS says: Jun 21, 2007. 7:05 PM
Oh, for more time...I'm leaving on Monday, and I have classes Saturday and Sunday, but I have a great project sitting on my desk that my dad and a coworker did on different shifts at the same desk, which happened to have a soldering iron, but I won't give any more away in hopes I can finish. I want a laser-engraved stapler! Is is a nice Swingline, or some cheap knockoff?
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canida in reply to CameronSSJun 22, 2007. 12:03 PM
Red Swingline. Good luck!
CameronSS in reply to canidaJun 22, 2007. 1:32 PM
Okay, my dad said he'll help, so I have a chance. Now I'll go pack like I'm supposed to.
zieak says: Jun 22, 2007. 11:39 AM
By any chance will that engraved stapler be a red Swingline one?
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canida in reply to zieakJun 22, 2007. 12:02 PM
It most certainly will!
Weissensteinburg says: Jun 21, 2007. 1:12 PM
How to photocopy your butt..and not break the machine?
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TheMadScientist in reply to WeissensteinburgJun 21, 2007. 6:33 PM
hold yourself up w/ your hands
Weissensteinburg in reply to TheMadScientistJun 21, 2007. 6:40 PM
All your weight would still not be good for it...besides, that was a joke
brianf25 says: Jun 21, 2007. 12:19 PM
ha.. a couple weeks ago i posted my envelope paper clip prank thing and i made the comment that i like things i can make with office supplies. At that moment i thought to myself.. that would make for a good instructables challenge...
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mikesty says: Jun 21, 2007. 11:27 AM
Oooooh. I might finally have to step up to the plate here.

Dugg!

http://digg.com/mods/Enter_the_Instructables_Office_Supplies_Challenge
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