*Contest* - Custom Sonic Screwdriver

[Dave Porter]

Just because someone can add electronics to it doesn't mean that it is going to win.

That was not my point.

I'm going to make the best one I can, and for me, that includes some lights and movement.

My point is that those who do add these things should not be penalized for doing so.

 

[Mercury]

That was not my point.

I'm going to make the best one I can, and for me, that includes some lights and movement.

My point is that those who do add these things should not be penalized for doing so.

You're not being penalized, your entry will stand the same chance of winning based on design as every other entry. If you want people to see it extended, closed, or lit take multiple pics and combine them into one.

 

[NakedMoleRat]

We'll I'm making a sonic for myself first, so it will have the design and function that I want it to have. Seeing as that we have a contest on our hands is all the better. I will submit it, and if it's good enough, I may even win a prize. It's about the fun and camaraderie between us, and about seeing some cool sonic designs come forth!

 

[modeleers]

I thought that the competition was for a static model, I can do Either but I prefer that the contest Not involve light, sound & motion, so I choose to withdraw from this competition, Thanx anyway & Good Luck to all!!!

 

[fuelish]

Do one anyway. In the saber contest, there were sabers that opened, had moving parts, and sabers that lit. That was not a deciding factor. The saber that won was the one that looked really good and had the most detailed job.(Even if I had known the winner was going to be a cutaway, I would still have done the saber I did.)

Do you what you have in mind and see how the votes go. Lights and moving parts have little wow factor when not part of a fantastic build

 

[Mercury]

I thought that the competition was for a static model, I can do Either but I prefer that the contest Not involve light, sound & motion, so I choose to withdraw from this competition, Thanx anyway & Good Luck to all!!!

You should participate, I promise you all those extra gimmicks will mean nothing if the overall design isn't good.

 

[elvisgump]

With a limited amount of 'prizes' I suppose the 'WOW HOW DID HE/SHE DO THAT?!?' entries are going to take the cake so to speak, and I don't have any real expectation about winning a prize because I'm making mine out of junk, though I am trying add sound and lights to impress ME and make mine a functional LED flashlight as well as have a hidden ink pen I can refill.

I would propose that if the WOW entries take prizes at least have a second tier of 'winners' that have non-light and so forth just to say 'way to go!'

Personally I kinda hate competition because I'd rather share what I'm doing and I kinda just did, but I want someone to say, 'hey that's a neat idea and this gives me an idea and I'll share it with you' and we lift each others ideas up.

I would LOVE someone that has a lathe or machining to give tips and sit at their feet so to speak here because right now I have about 6 ideas many of which could benefit from it. Right now I'm trying to use some ideas from instructables.com to turn my wobbly drill press into a lathe to whirl some bits on mine.

Anyway, best of luck to the winners of the prizes in advance and I hope afterward we'll have an orgy of how we did stuff continue in the thread so we can incorporate great ideas into our own future builds.

 

[defstartrooper]

Speaking for myself i'm hoping to see some good old fashioned old skool looking simple but stylish sonic designs i'm not big on all the flashy LEDs and junk, everything seems to need to be covered in em these days it's kinda boring me.

 

[NakedMoleRat]

Everyone SHOULD participate. I view this the same way I view running a marathon (I've done three so far) I don't run with a view to crossing the finish line first. I just run to cross it!

And defstartrooper, where did you get a .gif from "Babes in Toyland"? (Yes I'm 40 years old! :lol)

 

[elvisgump]

Speaking for myself i'm hoping to see some good old fashioned old skool looking simple but stylish sonic designs i'm not big on all the flashy LEDs and junk, everything seems to need to be covered in em these days it's kinda boring me.

Alas, the sort of sadness and yet exciting thing about it as the entries will be all over the map probably. Sad because it will disappoint some but it excites me to see how many different directions this can all go in.

Some of the ideas and bits of junk I have piled up may have to yield 'non-functional' models because I can't figure out yet how to make the bits fit together with lights sturdy enough to survive a hand flip which I miss about 1/4 of the time sending my C.O. sonic to the floor. My main prospective entry is about 1/3 finished but at least it's survived a few missed test flips more than a few times.

I like the light idea because I want mine to have a 'sonic 'n sound' mode which will be more prop-ish as well as very bright LED mode to serve as practical flashlight with pen because, well, then it would be as close to a multi-tool as a 'real' sonic as I can make.

The possibility of winning a contest at this point is just icing and I just hope my idea which is actually fairly simple will be something that other people want to build and I'll gladly share.

 

[defstartrooper]

Everyone SHOULD participate. I view this the same way I view running a marathon (I've done three so far) I don't run with a view to crossing the finish line first. I just run to cross it!

And defstartrooper, where did you get a .gif from "Babes in Toyland"? (Yes I'm 40 years old! :lol)

Yeah everyone should enter i don't want to see people not entering cos their idea doesn't have lights and sound and stuff though.

Someone posted the gif in one of the OT threads a while ago i just resized it.

 

[protokev DMD]

Dang it, id love to enter but i have a sneaking suspicion that Dental School, which has a habit of eating all my time, will destroy any chances of completion despite the fact i already have a cool design in mind

 

[shuktuki]

modeleers
please dont withdraw
make a driver and enter it
the one i have made only lights up because the back end is a tiny torch from poundland.
i am not expecting to win or even get a prize but its the fun of making a driver
and i have never entered anything on the rpf before
so please give it a go

i also think videos shouldnt be alowed in the comp.
after the comp has ended they could be posted by individuals,
but it gives an undue advantage to the people who are wonderful at electronics

 

[prototype7]

Wow... After seeing the responses and thinking about it... And seeing the most unfortunate post of someone backing out of the contest, I'm starting to second guess the importance of having a video included.
Above all this should stay fun!
At the same time, I wouldn't want anyone to "dumb down" their sonic if tere were no video entries... Because let's face it, one of the main goals of this contest is to inspire creativity and to see something which in my opinion is a VERY rare thing... CUSTOM SONIC SCREWDRIVERS! I can't wait to see all the new designs of a very awesome and geeky prop... Especially the ones with bells and whistles!
So I'm not sorry that I posed the question... Better to have it out on the open and decided upon... And I guess maybe the desicion has already been made but I'd like to offer up one more suggestion that may keep everyone happy and participating...

Maybe we could have two categories, for functioning and static? And have the member with the top number of votes across either category get first dibbs on the prizes? That way when everybody votes they vote twice... Once for each category. That would leave open the possibility that the " static" winner could possibly have received more votes than the "functioning" winner... Giving them first dibbs. What do you guys think of that?

 

[jwm96]

Pics are sent, I can not wait untill the end!!!!!
Good luck everyone

 

[elvisgump]

Wow... After seeing the responses and thinking about it... And seeing the most unfortunate post of someone backing out of the contest, I'm starting to second guess the importance of having a video included.
Above all this should stay fun!
At the same time, I wouldn't want anyone to "dumb down" their sonic if tere were no video entries... Because let's face it, one of the main goals of this contest is to inspire creativity and to see something which in my opinion is a VERY rare thing... CUSTOM SONIC SCREWDRIVERS! I can't wait to see all the new designs of a very awesome and geeky prop... Especially the ones with bells and whistles!
So I'm not sorry that I posed the question... Better to have it out on the open and decided upon... And I guess maybe the desicion has already been made but I'd like to offer up one more suggestion that may keep everyone happy and participating...

Maybe we could have two categories, for functioning and static? And have the member with the top number of votes across either category get first dibbs on the prizes? That way when everybody votes they vote twice... Once for each category. That would leave open the possibility that the " static" winner could possibly have received more votes than the "functioning" winner... Giving them first dibbs. What do you guys think of that?

That is a great idea, but then what if all the entries were just posted with a number so it was blind and each person here got to vote once for their favorites? That way sure everyone might vote for themselves of course, but the tally would be the most votes wins, place and show and so on.

I'm more used to that method for Fark.com photoshop contests and heck 'winning' there is just bragging rights.

As for static vs lights/sound, hey I'm going overboard with lights sound, but I think static should beat mine if it's full of awesome. I don't think anyone should bail. I'm just having a ball participating.

To me this is an opportunity to say things like "Gee, I've always been looking for a reason to buy a plasma cutter, a lathe and dilithum crystal cracker...":lol

 

[modeleers]

My profound apologies. I didn't mean for my choice of in-action to cause a commotion, or that it draw unwarranted attention to myself. I'm not "bailing" & certainly not Backing-out (all the way)- I'm still involved in the contest, I'll be providing a prize.
I just decided Not to directly take part in the competition aspect & not because I can't or won't do electronics (I can & do!) - what I get from a contest as wide open as this is similar to a feeling of Agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) - I get bewildered by the prospect of Too many possibilities - which confounds & numbs my creativity.
And it isn't the deadline either, my friends & those who know my work all say that 'I'm Too fast.'

It's just that I can only do good work when I know where I'm going & that I'm comfortable & confident in getting there.

Please, carry on & have fun! And make Wonderful things!

 

[modeleers]

And I agree with Tempus - No one should be put into a catagory for doing it their way.
My only point was that a wide-open contest is just - Not my Cup of Meat. (an ol Bob Dylan quote)

 

[Dave Porter]

Well, I have finally found a body I'm happy with, so onward and upward!!

 

[Risu]

I agree, we should keep everybody in one category. It would be one thing to not account for light and sound, but when you start to split people off because their sonics extend, etc. that's definitely going too far. it's a sonic, it's supposed to extend. That's the real challenge. If somebody makes an amazing static sonic it can still win on looks alone, but I for one am enjoying designing my slider mechanism.

Also, I just completely removed all the stress from this competition by buying an MFX sonic. It's all fun from here on out.