LJ Woodworking Awards - Winter 2008 #1: Announcement

Thank you Martin;
—-yes thanks for all your time and effort in bringing us here at LumberJocks the fruit of all your labors and let the show begin….time to roll up our sleeves and get our building started.

Oh yes; I’m sure Don and Gary are getting ready for this one….best wishes and good building to all!!!

Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Just curious – can you build the box out of one 2×4 and enter it in both?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Hello Gary;
—-glad to see you around and maybe this will help. If you will follow the Awards pages link up above; you will come to this statement; ”Rules
1. You may enter one project per category and you may enter the same project into multiple categories.”.

Hope this helps….
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Wow…that is an awesome first prize…

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

Cool.
Can you cherry pick out of several 2×4s to get nice grain as long as the total used is equal to 2×4x8?

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Grand prize: pretty exciting, isn’t i?? !!!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

“Entries for this category are to be boxes with dimensions (height, width, depth) not to exceed 18 inches / 45.72 centimeters.” Does that mean each of the three dimensions, or the sum of the three dimensions (9”w + 5”d + 4”h = 18”) must be less than 18”?

Should this question be posted on the forum instead of here??

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

each of the dimensions… keep the box smaller than 18”.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

“Ho-tay!” – Buckwheat

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

Time to work.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Looks like the fun is about to begin!

-- Paul, Texas

I think cherry picking out several 2×4’s to come up with a knotless perfect 8’ 2×4 would, perhaps, not be in the spirit of the challenge. :)

Yup, time to get at it!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

What about cutting a 2×4 out of a larger piece of lumber and starting with that?
Also what if that piece measured an actual 2×4 and not 1 1/2×3 1/2?
What if you started with a old piece of lumber that was really 2×4?

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

the rules state that “2×4” stands for the typical stud, whatever means to you and does not necessarily stand for the measurements.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

But if you happen to have a 2×4 that is actually 2×4 then it sounds acceptable to me.

-- http://ye-olde-cabinet-shoppe.com/

So are we talking about a construction grade 2×4, or can it be any species of wood? Like nice 2×4 of Wenge :)?

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

Hello all;
I do believe that what Martin is trying to convey in his post above, is that all questions as to the ’how -why’s should be asked and posted to here for further and future discussion and questions.

In my opinion concerning the species of wood and type for a 2’‘x4’‘x8’. means buy it that way—-cut it that way out of bigger—-use your imagination as long as when you start making your project, what you have before you is a 2’‘x4’‘x8’. All species of wood is open and fair game….

—-Note: 2’‘x4’‘8’ would be what I would choose if I was re-sawing//or if coming rough saw’n from a sawmill and then if I’m buying already cut, there is the standard form of 1-1/2’‘×3-1/2’’.

Re-member that imagination and creativity are what count here….

GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Thanks Frank, I didn’t want to push the rules to far if everyone thought it was a 2×4 from Home Depot. Let the sawdust fly!

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

Hello Mike;
—-we’re ‘not pushing rules’ here,
you can think within the box,
or think outside the box.
all LJ’rs are good at creating within//outside the 2×4x8 wood sphere….

GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

Seems to me that this 2×4 contest is pretty wide open.

Basically any project that uses 5.33 bf of a single species of lumber ( since you can slice, dice and glue the 2×4 any way).

I took a spin through the gallery and over half, close to two thirds of the projects ”could” have been made from a 2×4.

So it seems that the real contest is what can you make with a 2×4 of a single species of wood.

From the rules—— “What you can’t do is add any other building material to it (wood, plexiglass, sheet metal, etc.)”

Also had some questions.

1) “you can add mechanical do-dads”

I think this means hinges, knobs, locks, latches, handles, lazysusan bearings, electrical parts, pen and pencil parts, pepper grinders, etc.

2) “One Project”

Does “one project” include sets ( steak knives, chess set, bocci balls, etc) ?

3) “What you can’t do is add any other building material to it (wood, plexiglass, sheet metal, etc.)”

Didn’t say no glass or no mirror. So we can use glass and/or mirrors unless they are include in ’etc’

-- Leon -- Houston, TX - " I create all my own designs and it looks like it "

Any one else notice that we seem to have two topics going on the same subject..

LJ Woodworking Awards Winter 2008

and

LJ Woodworking Awards – Winter 2008 #1: Announcement

Seems it would be simpler with just one.

-- Leon -- Houston, TX - " I create all my own designs and it looks like it "

Leon,

yes one project include sets. Regarding other materials… start with single 2×4 and use it as your building material and then you have an option to decorate and finish it with anything you want.

-- Martin, http://lumberjocks.com | My Facebook: http://profile.to/msojka

to everybody:

As always, these Awards are judged by other LumberJocks and each author is responsible for providing the right photos and project story. Don’t overanalyze the category descriptions please – they are meant to be the guidelines and cannot cover each scenario.

If you think that your intended project fits into your interpretation of the category description then just submit it and tell others (potential voters) why you think so in the project story. Nobody will ban your project.

-- Martin, http://lumberjocks.com | My Facebook: http://profile.to/msojka

and Leon, you’re right… specific questions should asked and answered in the dedicated forum topic. But I will do my best (as well as Debbie) to monitor both of these threads.

-- Martin, http://lumberjocks.com | My Facebook: http://profile.to/msojka

and.. that’s the point: over 2/3 of the projects could be made with a 2×4 but probably less than 1% have been ... it just takes a little more ingenuity, patience, planning, and creativity. You can’t take a piece of plywood to make a box bottom that is 12” wide—you have to cut the 2×4 into 12” strips.. and you can’t make it 1/4 thick.. you have to slice that same 2×4 into the 1/4 thickness.. but watch out: your supply of wood is limited!! No grabbing that extra 2×4 that is sitting in the corner… one 2×4… one project.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Martin, thanks! I like the idea of selling your interpretation / justification for your project.

If the judges buy your story, you could be a winner. If the judges don’t, you won’t get many votes.

After all the discussion, I think I’ll stick with a plain old 2×4 stud with a few bits of hardware.

I see it as challenge to make something interesting out of a plain old boring 2×4.

Now if I only had an idea how!

-- Leon -- Houston, TX - " I create all my own designs and it looks like it "

I’m with you Leon. The sky would be the limit if allowed to peice together a “2X4” out of several types of exotic wood. I think the real challenge is making that Home Depot stud into something useful and beautiful.

-- Dad to 5, Son of The One

I’ve been looking forward to the 2×4 contest since it was first mentioned!... and for me, I’ll probably go the home depot route, though…. living in a pre 1900 house, I could always rip one out of a wall and would have some nice old straight honest to goodness 2×4 to work with. Unfortunately for me, what I’d gain in girth, I’d lose in length (with just over 7’ ceilings!)

I’m really looking forward to the creativty of these entries, and WOW what a top prize!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

—-well Home Depot is too far away from me, so I’m planing one of two routes to go….

....out to the cellar of my barn, where I will have to decide on oak, hemlock or pine….

....but then there’s also a short//long walk out to one of my timber lots, where I will think upon pine or….

....chestnut….

....and which ever I choose I will be photo//blogging a story, as I saw the timber to shape and size here soon!

Thank you and best wishes to all LJ’ers….
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

I think if you order from Home Depot Online they will ship one to you ;)

But VERY nice photos!

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

Hello Blake;
—-never saw much use for Home Depot when it comes to making furniture. Now for a cabin I’m presently framing out and then inside work….well yes sometimes, but never for furniture.

Thank you.
GODSPEED,
Frank

-- --frank, NH, http://frank.wordpress.com/

I am SO looking forward to your project Frank.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

I know Frank, The big box store is not quite your style. I was just tryin’ to razz you a little :)

A new Home Depot just popped up in our town and I can’t stand it. What ever happened to the small hardware stores and guys like Frank? What ever happened to picking up nails with a magnet and plopping them on a market scale? I’m only 25 and even I remember those days.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

our Rona Store and Home Hardware stores have the “scales” for nail purchasing… oh right – I’m out in the boonies.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Here, here Blake! I remember those too. This will be fun.

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

Come on, be brave, get a construction grade 2×4 from your favorite big box or Mom and Pops lumber yard.

I can’t think of much i like better than an old wooden floor hardware store with a sign that says….

“We got it, come help us find it”.

-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""

Big Orange and others are what happened to the local hardware store. I remember my grandfather showing me a sled in the window of the local store where I grew up. He said any good hardware store will always have a sled. I grew up in Arkansas. Not exactly sled country. I still remember that, 30 later. We fortunately still have one or two where I live now (Alabama) along with about 8 of the major retailers. But only one them carries a sled. And it really doesn’t snow here, EVER. Ice yes…Snow no… I support my local guy as much as I can but he closes up shop at 5:00 during the week and I can’t always make it by there. Of course I don’t build fine furniture either. The thing I miss most is the lumber yard that had a section of exotic woods and more variety than simply pine or oak. They closed up about 4 years ago. Now I either have to drive for over an hour or order online.

-- Dad to 5, Son of The One