I'm in, sounds like fun! Edit - Perry (swdweeb) had asked people participating to make a short video announcing as much, to help get the word out. So far I'm seeing 8 announcement videos when I search YouTube for #2019openersopen. Of course that includes Olfoundryman's, and he is only offering prizes and not an actual entry. So, 7 and counting, and plenty of time between now and May 24. It would be nice to see more of our members join up; we don't really want one of the aluminum video game sword video guys to end up getting one of Martin's crucibles, do we? Check out the prizes he's offering if you haven't seen this yet: Jeff
That explains why Olfoundryman released a bottle opener video last night. Having just watched his video, it looks like he's willing to give a crucible to whomever he deems has the neatest opener. I also read in the comments that he's been a bit under the weather lately.
Finished getting all my sand mulled and ready last night before I went to bed. Hoping it will hold off on drying out completely until I can get my opener molded and poured tonight (if all goes according to plan). Nothing like waiting until the last minute... I might still even have a chance to make this Friday's due date. Luckily the new furnace should help the melt proceed quite quickly, so I won't have to be up into the wee hours on a work night to get it done. Anyone else gonna enter? Jeff
It is kind of obvious (Perry has stated this himself) that he is trying to drive his subscription rate up, and thus the contest. That being said, I think there is still something to be gained by trying to up your casting game and produce better castings. Any improvements in the method that comes out of a bottle opener can then be applied to other projects, so I guess it is not totally dweeby stuff. I told Perry I had too many other things in the works to do the bottle opener. .
Well, I'm just doing it for a bit of fun. It's a project with pattern making, molding, casting, and finishing work, so it's good practice for me all around at any rate and was also just the thing I needed this spring to get me in gear opening the foundry back up after such a Long and brutal winter. I doubt I'll win one of olfoundryman's crucibles or anything like that... If Perry gets a bunch of new subs off this idea he had, I say good for him - he deserves it just for making those Bob Puhakka videos that aren't going to disappear alone! And it's a fun idea too, maybe just as likely to bring more traffic to participants who are tracking their subscriptions.
The bottle openers are turning out pretty cool, and this could lead to even more cool contests in the future. These things do help get back into the spirit of casting after the long winter (as you mention), and lots of good ideas also get shared in these contests. .
Another thing that tends to get overlooked (by myself and others) is that any new materials/skills/techniques learned in a "contest" can be carried forward to future casting attempts, and these can be invaluable. I did a "group build" for a rather small and insignificant little steam engine, and while the steam engine turned out rather paltry, the skills I learned during the build were worth their weight in gold. .
Teaser for my entry Mold all ready: Those 3-fingered fire log grabbers make decent lifting tongs and pouring shank for smaller crucibles: A copper ingot brazed itself to my mold pan the other day when I was at Van's Blacksmithing helping pour an argon condenser. Oh well, I half expected that. It's why I normally ram up a greensand ingot mold. At least it let go of the everdur from this pour... No pix of the opener itself 'til tomorrow, aka the #2019openersopen due date. Jeff
Very classy to have a copper weight to keep your ingot pan from blowing away. Like marking your ball in golf with a gold Maple Leaf.
Lets see it Jeff. I've seen only one decent one so far that opens BEER. (and two clowns that I've officially revoked their MAN CARDS!) One even claims it's in his wifes purse!
Aluminum bronze and black walnut. Copy of Perry's. Paint can opener on the other end. Took the video 13-1/2 hours to load to YouTube. I have very small wires.
No, it's not a BP. I tried to cast an OddDuck style window frame match plate for the pattern just for fun, the result was kind of a surprise... Jeff
Here's what I've got. Not all these guys are members here or on any forums. Funny, a couple of them should be... Their castings would have turned out better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NENzh_gPXMQ
