Pen Blank Check-In

[scoobydooo9r]

I think I'm In!

I am going to try to get something made for the contest, but I wanted to get a little clarification on the Universal BASH rules. Rule #2 under Eligibility states:

"Members who have failed to successfully complete any previous IAP activities, and who have been notified by the Activities Manager of such, are not eligible to participate in any IAP activities."

I'm not sure what that means exactly. I haven't participated in any other contests, does this mean I'm not eligible?

Thanks for your help

 

[Ed McDonnell]

I am going to try to get something made for the contest, but I wanted to get a little clarification on the Universal BASH rules. Rule #2 under Eligibility states:

"Members who have failed to successfully complete any previous IAP activities, and who have been notified by the Activities Manager of such, are not eligible to participate in any IAP activities."

I'm not sure what that means exactly. I haven't participated in any other contests, does this mean I'm not eligible?

Thanks for your help

Hi Zac - If you haven't participated in anything, then that rule couldn't apply to you. You would be good to enter. That rule is for people who don't do what they committed to do. For example, they sign up for a pen swap. They receive a pen and then never send their partner a pen. They go on the naughty list and are banned from future IAP activities.

Clear?

Ed

 

[scoobydooo9r]

Oh, that makes perfect sense, thanks Ed. I was worried I missed out, luckily I'm not on the naughty list!

 

[Brian G]

Let's see...you are on the second of two tries after after first failing to succeed. That sounds like you are primed for "third time is the charm". I'll be looking for that entry any day now!!

Ed

At my current pace and failure rate, I'll sweep the Ugly Pen contest.

 

[Brian G]

The good news is that my blank creation effort isn't appearing in the ugly pen contest. The bad news is that my blank creation effort isn't working. I haven't figureed out which is more colorful, my language or the blank.

 

[Skeleton2014]

I'll say that I'm a definite maybe... I've only done this once before and if things go as planned, then I should have the blank done before the deadline... Maybe.
Jeff

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Brian - I hope you are able to turn things around in the next 6 days. That actually sounds like a lot of time to me, since I don't have to get a blank done by the deadline. But I can appreciate how short the time might feel with a looming deadline. Good luck.

Jeff - I'm definitely almost excited about your maybe entry. :biggrin: Hopefully things work out and you will get that blank done and entered.

Ed

 

[seamus7227]

Well i cast up my entry the night before last and it was a catastrophic failure:frown:

So i guess on to plan B..........not sure what that is yet though

 

[Brian G]

Sounds like this is the one and only time I can claim to be on par with seamus! :redface:

Ed, there's still hope. I'll pick the best of the bunch and run with it. Where, I don't know, but I'll run! Thanks for the encouragement.

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Well i cast up my entry the night before last and it was a catastrophic failure:frown:

So i guess on to plan B..........not sure what that is yet though

Hi Seamus - Many of the blank makers seem to have been hit with a streak of bad luck this year. Looks like you will have a high temp of 79 today. Perfect weather for casting. Good luck. Plan B.....I'l bet B = Better!!

Ed

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Sounds like this is the one and only time I can claim to be on par with seamus! :redface:

Ed, there's still hope. I'll pick the best of the bunch and run with it. Where, I don't know, but I'll run! Thanks for the encouragement.

Hi Brian - I wonder what would happen if you took the best parts of the worst of the bunch and stuck them together somehow.....

I tried to think of something encouraging to say about your weather and how it might help your blank making. All I could come up with is " it has to be better being inside making blanks than it would be doing anything else outside in the temps I saw forecast". WOW!

Ed

 

[Edgar]

Church meetings the next 3 nights & our granddaughter will be spending the weekend with us, so I don't know if I'll be able to finish mine in time or not, but I'm hoping to have a little time on Fri. Sat will be a Youth Pen making session - can't wait.

 

[joe966]

I'm in

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Hi Edgar - Sounds like your plate if full, but I hope you can get a blank done.

Hi Joe - Looking forward to seeing your blank.

All - 5 days. Tic Toc.

Ed

 

[seamus7227]

I was able to capitalize on the beautiful temps and re cast. When I get home from work tonight I will bust open the pressure pot and see how my luck went!

 

[Brian G]

We eventually got above 0 °F today, so we got that goin' for us.

I pushed the pause button on my effort.

 

[southernclay]

Got mine ready to cast. Gonna try to cast in the cold with a lightbulb for warmth. We'll see how it goes!

 

[Ed McDonnell]

I was able to capitalize on the beautiful temps and re cast. When I get home from work tonight I will bust open the pressure pot and see how my luck went!

I'll bet it's going to be beautiful!!! Can't wait to see it.

Ed

 

[Ed McDonnell]

We eventually got above 0 °F today, so we got that goin' for us.

I pushed the pause button on my effort.

Finally above zero....I don't know what to say to that....I guess, better you than me!! :biggrin:

Sometimes taking a little time off can break the jinx. You've still got three days to go if you decide to try again.

Ed

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Got mine ready to cast. Gonna try to cast in the cold with a lightbulb for warmth. We'll see how it goes!

That sounds like a pretty good pan. Warm and plenty of light to see what you are doing. Sure beats casting in the cold and dark like some of our members have to do this time of year.

Good luck.

Ed

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Sunday night is approaching fast. We are up to four entries as of yesterday. I know we have more blank makers than that out there. I'm expecting a big last minute rush of entries. Maybe even some from outside the US.

Ed

 

[Ed McDonnell]

I'm probably wasting my time posting this because I'm sure everyone is out finishing up their blank so they can submit it by tomorrow night and not spending their time reading the forums today. But I'll post it anyway.

Today and then Tomorrow. That's it. It's not quite Now or Never time, but we're getting there. Finish up those blanks, take the pictures and get those entries in.

Just in case you need a reminder, here's the list of great prizes that will be awarded to the winners (in addition to bragging rights and all sorts of other intangible benefits):

First Place
Constant Laubscher Lazerlinez - Gift Certificate $125

Second Place
Dougs Wood Working - 3/8" tool and handle $100

Third Place
Lee Valley - Gift Certificate $50
Jim Mahan (jimm1) - Jack Daniels Blanks $30

Good luck, have fun and get those entries in.

Ed

 

[Brooks803]

Not gonna happen this year.

 

[seamus7227]

No such luck on my end either

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Seamus / Jonathon - Sorry it didn't work out.

Everyone else - I've responded to all entry emails acknowledging receipt of the entries. If you think you have entered and have not received an acknowledgment email from me, send me a PM so we can sort it out.

Just a couple hours to go.

Ed

 

[Edgar]

Well, I got my blank finished, but I'm going to hold onto it for the next Ugly Pen Contest.

Best wishes to all who were able to complete their entries.
Edgar

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Hi Edgar - I'll have to go back through the entries and check locations after I get the poll up, but I think the Texas crowd has now officially washed out in this competition. You were the Lonestar's last hope.

I'll bet it is all the nice weather you guys have been having. Who wants to be inside making blanks when you can be out enjoying an early taste of spring.

Ed

 

[Edgar]

What the heck, just to show that some of us Texas folks really were trying, here's what I was working on.

Making the blank was pretty easy. I just cut a length of ribbon cable the same width as a Sierra tube, stripped off the excess wires so it matched the circumference of the tube, applied some glue to the ribbon cable and rolled it around the tube.

I don't do casting yet, so I used CA to build up the blank to a round shape. It took quite a bit of CA to fill in the grooves between the wires, but I finally had a round blank.

My biggest problem was a failure to paint the tube white or black before I started. The ribbon cable looks solid, but it's actually a series of individual wires held together by adhesive. Perhaps it was a CA reaction with the ribbon cable adhesive, but after applying a few coats of CA, it was obvious that the tube was showing through in very narrow slits between the wires.

I went ahead and finished the blank anyway because I didn't have time to start another. After building up to a round shape, I lightly sanded with 600 grit, then micromeshed and polished. I didn't trim the CA off the ends, I just shot a few pictures to see how it would look. As I feared, there was no way this was a suitable contest entry.

I like the concept, just not this particular execution. Now that I have won some Alumilite in another contest, I plan to start doing some casting in the near future. Once I get set up for that, I'm going to try this again with a painted tube & real casting.

Edgar

 

[Dale Lynch]

Yep edgar,it looks like a normal ugly contender next year.

 

[Brian G]

Mine is in, such as it is. Last place here I come. :redface:

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Mine is in, such as it is. Last place here I come. :redface:

Just in time!! Glad you made it.

Ed

 

[scoobydooo9r]

So Bummed!

I was really trying to get something done, but I just couldn't get it in on time! Next time for sure, I'll have to keep a brilliant idea in my back pocket for the contest!