I hope everyone has marked April 30th on your calendar for IndyFest at Ray Thompson’s (Ray has hosted several; gatherings including the End-O-Pond get together that marked the end of Badger Pond).
I’ve been thinking of something to do and thought it might be fun to have a hand planing contest. Basically a prepared board is set up in a bench or other support and contestants have a couple tries to take a thin, full width, full length shaving. I’ve never set up a planing contest so I’m still working on the details. The board is then prepared for the next contestant. The shavings that are both full width and length are then compared and the thinnest is the winner. I thought we could run the contest Saturday, since that should be the busiest day and I can come of Saturday.
But first I have a couple things that need to happen:
1. I need Ray’s permission to host the event at IndyFest
2. It would be cool if Darren over at Frank Miller Lumber could supply the stock for planing. I’m thinking a 4 or 6 foot (I don’t think we will be as intense as some of the contest at the hand tool shows). Something wide enough so there would be enough wood for anyone to participate, and maybe even enough left for a runner up prize. I think an uniform exotic or figured domestic would be cool to give a bit of a challenge (maybe 5/4). If I get a green light I’ll contact Darren and can pick up the pieces if he agrees.
3. I haven’t asked yet, but it might be cool to get a plane donated as a door price (or several for that matter so we could have a 1st place prize and some runner up prizes). I know Steve Knight is active on the forums, maybe Rob Lee would be interested in donating one of the new planes coming out (Hey Rob, how about an early production Heavy Low Angle Smoother), and I will ask Lie-Nielsen as well
4. I’ll need a little help running/judging the contest so if there were a couple volunteers that would help.
My thought is there wouldn’t be any fee to participate, and hopefully we can get wood and prizes donated.
So that is my idea for IndyFest, any thoughts?
Finally, here is a photo from the March ’05 issue of WoodCraft Magazine, on page 10 there is a short write up on a the New England Hand Plane Competition. Ours might be a little less intense, but it looks like an interesting challenge.
John
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