Bodgers Ball - New ideas for competitions

[Robin Fawcett]

I love going to the Bodger's Ball and meeting lots of friends that I only see once a year. It'd be good to see some new things happening that would refresh the format.

Rob Wood suggested a new idea for making structures with old chair legs (from previous years log-to-leg races??) for 2009 which didn't get off the ground . . . anyone fancy doing that ? . . . Rob & Nicola?

How about an egg-and-spoon race where you have to turn an egg and carve a spoon (could be a team and/or individual thing) have a race and then be judged on quality/time etc ?

Hopefully in the next Gazette there will be my article on how to make a spinning top. How about a competition to make one in half an hour, and then see who's spins the longest ? Could have a sweepstake ?

What about a proper Bodger's shopping mall in a marquee/tent which brings together everyone who wants to sell things ?

Me and Vanessa would be prepared to help organise these. Is anyone else interested ?

[gavin]

What about a proper Bodger's shopping mall in a marquee/tent which brings together everyone who wants to sell things ?

I like selling stuff! I am interested.
To get better value from tent-rental, the Trader's Corner of the Bodgers Ball could be in any spoon carving / sharpening demo/ other tuition tent.

[gavin]

I love going to the Bodger's Ball and meeting lots of friends that I only see once a year. It'd be good to see some new things happening that would refresh the format.

If we don't re-invent it constantly to make it varied and interesting, it will dwindle and then die.
We must try different things. Some will work, some will fail.

[Nicola Wood]

Rob Wood suggested a new idea for making structures with old chair legs (from previous years log-to-leg races??) for 2009 which didn't get off the ground . . . anyone fancy doing that ? . . . Rob & Nicola?

I think it's a great idea to try to kick off a few new things at each Bodgers Ball. However, for as long as we're running the whittlers corner we really can't take on running anything else as it takes up so much of our time we have little time to do anything else (or rather this year it took up all of Rob's time because I could only get there briefly )

[paul atkin]

this year was my first bb and i must say it was great to meet folks and get involved. its a good thing to try and add new and interesting attractions to keep the interest going. this year i ran a have a go at bowl turning session which sort of lasted all weekend and gave me very little time to do anything else, but thats ok several folks made bowls and hopefully learnt a lot of stuff, i recieved a lot of good feedback after the event so I will be doing it again next year and maybe if i can sort out my portable forge i could add in a bit of hook tool forging.

[Tony Newby]

From listening in to conversations I would hope we could try out some new ideas at the 2011 Ball.

I understand there is a few people interested in Cross Cut saws ( you know big things for two people ) some sort of racing, mixed with some saw doctoring?

Scythes seem to loom large on some peoples horizons

I like the fire sculpture idea made out of things that didn't quite get there that Robin came up with.

I ma sure you all can come up with something

[chainsawkid]

I understand there is a few people interested in Cross Cut saws ( you know big things for two people ) some sort of racing, mixed with some saw doctoring?

Great Idea, I used a large toothed singleman cross cut saw in my half hour challenge to make a 7" bowl from a round log at the bodgers ball this year, and had a luxurious 3.5 minuets to spare Though have you seen the two man demos at some of the arborists shows they cut like a hot knife through warm butter!

[Brian Williamson]

Now people are talking! I'm beginning to feel enthusiastic about going to a BB for the first time in fifteen years.

By the way, is there a venue yet? I guess that it must be pretty well fixed by now, but Westonbirt Arboretum would be a strong candidate. Good motorway access, a small but vibrant greenwooding community (he says, modestly) and a large coppice restoration project well underway would be but some of the attractions.

I'd be up for supporting both scything and cross-cut saw doctoring. How about a hurdle making competition? That's something that's never featured before, I think. Make a top and have a spinning competition sounds great too.

lets have some more ideas and really shake it up! How about banning chairs and chairmaking?

Brian.

[Mark Allery]

How about banning chairs and chairmaking?

Brian.

So it sounds like it will be busy, a Bodgers Ball with standing room only

By the Way Brian, it was great to meet you at last at the Scythe festival,

cheers

Mark

[Mike Abbott]

I just Googled Bodgers Ball and came up with this thread. It would seem a good idea to tie it in with the other thread under events. Is this possible?
So I've just seen Brian's blasphemous suggestion of banning chairs and chair-making. Well, I've just about forsaken the pole-lathe in favour of the Veritas tenon cutter, so maybe my chairs are no more relevant than Brian's hurdles but I fully intend to be there spouting off about the delights of green wood chair-making anyway.

I also note the interest in scythes. I mooted the idea in Living Woods Mag of a rural triathlon involving scything, fire-by-friction and some kind of green woodwork. My first thought was a log-to-leg race but if the event goes mainstream, then maybe it should require less specialised equipment and perhaps involve some cleaving instead - perhaps cleaving some chestnut palings. Ideas please?
See you there,
Mike

[Donald Todd]

How about banning chairs and chairmaking?

You mean banning Chair Bodgers?
I would suggest a design competition for using all those unused chair legs. I don't mean just chair designs: anything.

[R.Sixsmith]

Can we use the legs from both the heats of ltl to make up stools for sale at bb these could be marked with the anniversary date and put up for sale the seats could be any shape to make them more individual .
Ralph sixsmith

[Mark Allery]

Hello and a Happy New Year to all!

You may have noticed from the latest issue of the gazette that I've been volunteered to help organise the demonstrations for this year's BB 2011. We will definitely be going with some of the ideas mooted here and in other places (provided I can get the demonstrators organised) so please keep the ideas coming and feel free to ask questions.

cheers

Mark

[Bob_Fleet]

Can we use the legs from both the heats of ltl to make up stools for sale at bb these could be marked with the anniversary date and put up for sale the seats could be any shape to make them more individual .

If the log to leggers had to make 3 legs and not a pair then you just need stool seats et voila.
I think it really needs the public day for the sales though or we all just swap legs.

[Bob_Fleet]

Longest shaving competition.
Hopefully folk could borrow a lathe and tools to compete so it doesn't limit it to demonstrators.
Free entry to everyone registering for the weekend.
Maybe 3 attempts each...........
League table of "Longest shaving on a reasonably priced lathe" etc.......

Easy one to run and encourages participation.