# Hall Of Fame



## jttheclockman (Aug 1, 2013)

I think this was brought up once before if i recall but I do not remember if it ever took on any legs. So I will bring it up again. What is the membership feeling of starting a Hall of Fame for pens. This would be the ELITE pens that grace the pages here. There would have to be certain criteria to be considered. This would be worked out by the membership. Then there could be a ballot voting like they do in baseball. I know they use the writers to vote but maybe we can try the membership voting if it does not become a ballot box stuffing thing. I know we have the front page thing but that is chosen by one person. We also have all the contests at the bash but this would be above all that. Half those pens would not make the Hall of Fame but for the year they were the best. Not every year does a pen or pens have to enter the Hall of Fame. 

I am sure alot of tweeking would be needed with this idea but just throwing it out there. Maybe this will inspire others to step up their game. Maybe it is just me but I just think that this forum can do so much better than what it shows. We had the Pen World contest and it did not bring out the best of the best. We have the Bash contests and there you get a sense of some of the talent that is here but still that is one time a year. Why not strive all year round for that most outstanding pen. Believe me you do not and I say this again and again, you do not need CNC machines or special equipment. I have shown that with my jig that I put out there for anyone to copy. There are many more types of jigs that can be made to accomplish something special. Mike has shown tons of examples of segmented blanks. No special equipment used there. Skip has shown many ideas using some basic equipment. Now the acid etching stuff is abit far fetched and definetly not for everyone but the option is there. Casting is huge and I am not talking just mixing a whole bunch of colors for that in my opinion will not get you into the Hall of Fame but ideas can grow from them.

Ok I threw it out there and lets see what the members say. Thanks for reading.

PS: no steroids allowed. There will be drug tests:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


----------



## GoodTurns (Aug 1, 2013)

jttheclockman said:


> ...There will be drug tests:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:



You had me on board right up to there....;>


----------



## Crashmph (Aug 1, 2013)

I kind of like this idea.  It is growing on me.


----------



## SerenityWoodWorks (Aug 1, 2013)

This has to be kept from a popularity contest and submission based on merit, there should be different classes to the hall, ie. kit pen, kittless, caster, tool maker, ect. there should be a blind committee to judge entries to narrow down the pens for submission. And Pens should have to be submitted not pictures. A blind mail box where you send you pens into and a form that you download from this site to enter. No where on the form is a place for a name, just a code word/number that the builder chooses. Once the pen has been judged there will be a place on the forum where the pitcure of the pen is posted and then you can claim it as yours with the proper code. Each submission should cost $25, this will cover shipping it back to you and provide a bit of income to the site. This will also cut down on the "oh why not try with this pen" ..just a few ideas....


----------



## Richard Gibson (Aug 1, 2013)

Feelings will get hurt and a "competition" will begin. I think this forum is for sharing ideas and helping others. People asking for comments of their posted pen is fine but when we begin to "judge" them, I don't feel this is the place to do it.


----------



## ChrisN (Aug 1, 2013)

I think it's a good idea. I also like the idea of sending actual pens in, not just submitting pictures. Maybe you could use the pictures to narrow down the selection, and the pens that pass that would be sent in to be judged in person.


----------



## mredburn (Aug 1, 2013)

I think he meant the pens Jon.:biggrin:  Anyway I hope he meant the pens.


----------



## OKLAHOMAN (Aug 1, 2013)

Mike do you really mean my A Rod and Bonds pens won't qualify, crap now my feelings are hurt.


----------



## D.Oliver (Aug 1, 2013)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> Mike do you really mean my A Rod and Bonds pens won't qualify, crap now my feelings are hurt.


 
That's okay, you can still submit the pen your made from Sosa's corked bat.


----------



## mredburn (Aug 1, 2013)

For the sake of argument, lets tackle some of the criteria that would need to be defined.

Can you request and submit for your own pen?
Can the membership at large submit a pen for consideration?
Will a panel of members be the only ones to submit pens for consideration.

Will the pen need to be examined in person by someone for quality assurances or is a pretty picture enough. Its really just a pretty pen picture you would be posting in the forum.
Different classes or types or pens?

Will bash winners or front page pens chosen by Jeff be automatically qualified?


----------



## SerenityWoodWorks (Aug 1, 2013)

mredburn said:


> For the sake of argument, lets tackle some of the criteria that would need to be defined.
> 
> Can you request and submit for your own pen?
> (YES)
> ...


(They will qualify for submission, but the pen will still need to be sent in for inspection and fee paid)


----------



## thewishman (Aug 1, 2013)

Isn't a Hall of Fame all about popularity?


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 1, 2013)

Yes I meant pens Was trying to keep the baseball theme with all this steroid talk and Hall of Fame.

I do not think front page pens are automatic candidates. Like I said those are one person's choice that make it to the front page. Those are like the flavor of the month pens and you may only get one outstanding pen per year. 

Not sure how I feel about catagories because I do not want this to be a contest. I want the cream of the crop to rise to the top. Now how we get there is the huge question. The thing about sending the pen to a committee is fine but there maybe pens from past members who by far belong there but are unable to send the pens in for inspection. Not looking to make this a Guild thing either. 

I don't know. Maybe I am reaching for something that can not be achieved objectively.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 1, 2013)

thewishman said:


> Isn't a Hall of Fame all about popularity?


 
You would definetly hope not. As in Baseball you have to have something to back up your acceptance and in that case it is numbers. In this case it is about a unique and outstanding pen. I think we all know what a run of the mill pen looks like. I would not be interested in any famous woods being entered either unless something is done to enhance them.


----------



## Paul in OKC (Aug 1, 2013)

Sounds like it would be the IAP version of the Pen Makers Guild.


----------



## mredburn (Aug 1, 2013)

Im not sure how you would keep it from ending up being a popularity contest.  If you established a base line criteria and had an odd number of judges  that reviewed the pictures based on that criteria, they then vote to allow it to procede or not, and then a vote by the membership on the pen not knowing whose pen it was. 
 But what about trends in pen designs? PC blanks. 360 herringbone, todays OMG can be tomorrows ho-hum. How do you judge a pen submitted that is a basic copy of one submitted  and excepted with a minor detail changed.  Are only original designs accepted? How small a difference is pass /fail trigger.

I foresee problems with judge bias. One judge hates cnc, one likes metal pens more than resin or wood one.  One doesnt like kits or orange colors.  etc.

I guess you would first have to decide on the criteria needed for submission. Then for acceptance and who and how that would be judged.  Is good pen porn like any other porn? I cant define it but I know it when I see it!


----------



## firewhatfire (Aug 1, 2013)

isnt that what the PMG was created for.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 1, 2013)

Well here is a challenge for anyone who wants to give it a try. I just looked. From today and dating back to the first of the year ( if that is what people would like to see) there are 99 pages in Show off your pen forum. Go through them and pick out the best of the best and post them here. It is alot easier than it sounds. You would be looking for that WOW factor pen. Believe me when I say this you can probably count on one hand those pens. If you are truely objective.


----------



## Dale Lynch (Aug 1, 2013)

I"m game.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 1, 2013)

Spanx said:


> I"m game.


 
Go for it and really try to be objective. Do not look at how the pen was made but just look for that WOW factor. Also do not let friendship stand in the way.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 1, 2013)

Paul in OKC said:


> Sounds like it would be the IAP version of the Pen Makers Guild.


 
Maybe you are correct.


----------



## BayouPenturner (Aug 2, 2013)

we need to be careful, this is a great forum where ideas are shared.  I think there many opportunities to share and seeing many of the pens here, the few elite turners would always be on top.  some of you are so creative I will never do anything but wish to 1/4 as good.

I would hate to see anything cause negative feelings on this forum.  I noticed some minor topics cause quite a lot of discussions.

I am ok with it but be careful.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 2, 2013)

ES171678 said:


> we need to be careful, this is a great forum where ideas are shared. I think there many opportunities to share and seeing many of the pens here, the few elite turners would always be on top. some of you are so creative I will never do anything but wish to 1/4 as good.
> 
> I would hate to see anything cause negative feelings on this forum. I noticed some minor topics cause quite a lot of discussions.
> 
> I am ok with it but be careful.


 
I disagree with this way of thinking. My thoughts are this. Yes there are some very talented pen makers here and to me this is what drives others. Their talents should be showcased in some way so that they are archieved for others that come here can view what it takes to be elite. Let those elite people lead the way for us moderate pen makers. No everyone will not fall in the elite catagory but why should that hold others from trying.  

I can not see how any negative feelings can come out of someone showing the rest of us new and innovative ideas. If Einstein listened to that way of thinking where would we be today??? I just went through some old posts because I did think this was brought up before and it was in 2008 and it fell on deaf ears then too. Like I said maybe it is too much to ask. We are not ready for something like this.


----------



## OLDMAN5050 (Aug 2, 2013)

This would wind up being a popularity contest. Lets keep this forum as a learning and sharing forum..... Just my 2 cents worth..


----------



## LL Woodworks (Aug 2, 2013)

OLDMAN5050 said:


> This would wind up being a popularity contest. Lets keep this forum as a learning and sharing forum..... Just my 2 cents worth..



I Agree with that!


----------



## mredburn (Aug 2, 2013)

This forum has survived more than one period where there were "less than civil" even down right rude threads and posts.   We survived them and we still share.  I doubt a forum of extra pretty pens would cause that much trouble. I dont see it evolving into an IAP Guild scenario.  The major hurdle continues to be criteria and judges/judging.


----------



## leaycraft (Aug 2, 2013)

Isnt this what the Guild is all about?


----------



## mredburn (Aug 2, 2013)

One way to over come that might be to have Jeff appoint a panel of say 5 judges. They would remain anonymous. Pens would be nominated for submission and if they passed a basic few tests for quailification. A hidden results poll could be posted by the Moderator of the new forum and the members could vote. You might not need to have anything more than a single "yes its worthy"  choice and if it doent get enough votes (say 150) in a week it fails.  You would not have to vote against it if you didnt like it just not vote.


----------



## mredburn (Aug 2, 2013)

The guild entry requirements are a little stricter than just wow factor.


----------



## micharms (Aug 2, 2013)

jttheclockman said:


> We are not ready for something like this.



Or maybe we do not *need* something like this!

Michael


----------



## SerenityWoodWorks (Aug 2, 2013)

OLDMAN5050 said:


> This would wind up being a popularity contest. Lets keep this forum as a learning and sharing forum..... Just my 2 cents worth..


 

It doesnt have to, with the right control with blind entries popularity would be taken out. And I am big about keeping it from a popularity contest.

This forum is about learning and sharing but its also about who can make a better product than another, Shown every year during the Bash Contests. This forum has just about everything you could ask for...except a hall of fame


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 2, 2013)

OLDMAN5050 said:


> This would wind up being a popularity contest. Lets keep this forum as a learning and sharing forum..... Just my 2 cents worth..


 


LL Woodworks said:


> OLDMAN5050 said:
> 
> 
> > This would wind up being a popularity contest. Lets keep this forum as a learning and sharing forum..... Just my 2 cents worth..
> ...


 

I just do not get this closed minded thinking. How would that make it a popularity contest. Don't we all want the cream of the crop to rise above us all. To show us the way to bigger and better things. New innovative ideas. Pens in the Hall of Fame would be innovations. Ones that you have not seen before. Maybe the first knot made, the first herringbone, the first segmented. Again the Wow factor. The pen on the front page right now is a WOW factor pen and worth consideration in a Hall of Fame. Who here can possibly disagree with that. So what they used a method that is beyond most of us. It does make us stop and think, boy I sure wish I can do that. As opposed to a pen you see in the SOYP forum that is a basic slimline. I am sure you do not say to yourself boy wish I can do that. Maybe if you are totally newbie and those people I am not talking about. I am talking to you vetern penturners. Yet we have recently seen some very first pen turners turn out some amazing work. 

I am not trying to insult anyone so please do not take it as such but how else do we have this conversation.  

It is a learning forum. But what the heck does anyone learn from looking at someones slimline pen with a wood blank or acrylic on it. Or any pen for that matter. Let me buy a piece of wood and turn a pen. Sometime in your penturning career I hope you step up past this and try something new. Like I said it is not for everyone and there are those that feel that is as far as they can go. Maybe yes and then maybe no. In life you always have the leaders and the followers. Well I am not a follower and this way of thinking will get you nowhere. You do not stop learning when a person's pen is entered in a Hall of Fame. 

Popularity contest you say. Then all Bash contests are just that and no true winner comes out of any of them. Pretty closed minded thinking if you ask me. People running the Guild I am sure are not thinking popularity. 

Like I said maybe I am reaching a bit but I thought we were beyond this jelousy thing here and wanted to add some exciting to the site. I think I have voiced my thoughts on this enough. Just keep one thing in mind WOW factor.


----------



## dbledsoe (Aug 2, 2013)

I guess it depends on whether you want a "pen" hall of fame or a  "penturner" hall of fame. Most halls of fame are devoted to recognizing  people, not things. You never hear of a football play being inducted,  but rather a football player, recognized for a career of achievement. I  am all for a "penturner's" hall of fame, with members elected by a  committee or the membership (I don't know how you choose a committee,  and I am a little leery of membership voting). A hall of fame should  recognize a turner's body of work, artistic ability, craftsmanship, etc,  and not any individual pen.
JMHO
So, someone can volunteer to  start a Penturner's Hall of Fame, and then they will choose a few worthy  members, and then the hall of fame members can choose who gets in after  that.
And you will never, ever get politics and popularity out of it any more than the baseball, football or WWF can.
Should I start it? maybe not.


----------



## Chasper (Aug 2, 2013)

Everyone has an opinion, here is mine.
I have no interest in a hall of fame, I would not submit pens for consideration, I would not take the time to look at the pens that were submitted and accepted.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 2, 2013)

Chasper said:


> Everyone has an opinion, here is mine.
> I have no interest in a hall of fame, I would not submit pens for consideration, I would not take the time to look at the pens that were submitted and accepted.


 


Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion and yours is respected. May I ask what drives you to visit this site???  Just curious.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 2, 2013)

dbledsoe said:


> I guess it depends on whether you want a "pen" hall of fame or a "penturner" hall of fame. Most halls of fame are devoted to recognizing people, not things. You never hear of a football play being inducted, but rather a football player, recognized for a career of achievement. I am all for a "penturner's" hall of fame, with members elected by a committee or the membership (I don't know how you choose a committee, and I am a little leery of membership voting). A hall of fame should recognize a turner's body of work, artistic ability, craftsmanship, etc, and not any individual pen.
> JMHO
> So, someone can volunteer to start a Penturner's Hall of Fame, and then they will choose a few worthy members, and then the hall of fame members can choose who gets in after that.
> And you will never, ever get politics and popularity out of it any more than the baseball, football or WWF can.
> Should I start it? maybe not.


 


HUMMMMMM:hypnotized: (didn't have a thinking smiley)

This I think would be more like the Penturner's Guild.


----------



## Dale Lynch (Aug 2, 2013)

Well I made it through the pages,eyes a bit blurry by the end.Soo many pens to look through but here's what I came up with.


----------



## BSea (Aug 2, 2013)

Spanx said:


> Well I made it through the pages,eyes a bit blurry by the end.Soo many pens to look through but here's what I came up with.


WAIT!?!?!?!?! NONE OF MY PENS MADE IT?!?!?!?!?

JK:biggrin::biggrin:

Personally, I have no problem with a "HALL OF FAME".  I do think it will be somewhat of a popularity contest, and yes some politics might come into play.  Welcome to the real world NEO!  For example, I think most people will vote for a friend's pen over another as long as the pens were close.  Especially if the judges were unknown to the general population here.  It's just human nature.

I'll definitely look at the pens.  I don't see how this will change the sharing of ideas & techniques.  To me it will just be another forum to look at.  I don't think it will change anything I do.  One think I'd like to see is a monthly "Best of the Best".  Mainly because sometimes I miss a really cool pen.

Personally, I try to get better with each pen.  My favorite activity here is the PITH pens.  I try to send out something that is a little unique for me, and hopefully will impress my partner a little too.

So, long story short.  I would be ok with a "Hall of Fame'.  I'd look at the pens, and I'd vote in a poll if there was one.  I wouldn't care to be a judge, and I probably wouldn't send in a pen to be judged.


----------



## Justturnin (Aug 2, 2013)

I would say it could be like the like button but it could be an anonymous nominate button where there is no counter or anything  No one should be able to see what is happening that way there is not swaying of the panels.  Once a pen reaches a specified Nominate selections to views it could be brought up as a poll, again anonymous w/ no "posts" allowed.  Just the pen pics and a yes or no poll.  At polls closing if the yeas outweigh the nae's than it is in.


----------



## jttheclockman (Aug 2, 2013)

Dale

Thanks for taking the time to take me up on the challenge. You did a fine job. The selections you made are exactly what it would take to make it to the polling. Each pen is unique. Each pen has characteristics about it that make it stand out and I am sure when they were presented to the membership there was that WOW factor when viewing and I am sure there were significant responses or like buttons pushed. 

Pens of this type to me push the envelope of pen making. They are inspirational pens that give us mere average penmakers something to strive for. They instill ideas or at least to me they do. They make you ask the question, how was that done??? They are pens that would be eye candy for any front page of any web site. They are pens that exude talent. These are pens that you do not go to your favorite vendor and buy the blank and put on a kit and say look what I made. These are pens that sure would get considered in any Hall of Fame of pens. 

I am sure there probably are others but my point was, after looking at the hundreds of pens that get shown, there are only a limited number that have that WOW factor. Say what you want I am sure when questions were asked about these pens they were answered and knowledge was shared. That will always continue but has nothing to do with having a Hall of Fame. 

Thanks again for all that took part in this topic. Maybe someday on some level something like this will evolve. Hope to read more of your thoughts.

PS:  someone brought up the like button. This may have merit. Maybe a button that says Hall on it can be available. As you see a pen during the year that stands heads above others you may want to hit the Hall button. At the end of the year the top vote getters get a second look and make it to the second round of acceptance. Just thinking out loud.


----------



## BSea (Aug 2, 2013)

jttheclockman said:


> someone brought up the like button. This may have merit. Maybe a button that says Hall on it can be available. As you see a pen during the year that stands heads above others you may want to hit the Hall button. At the end of the year the top vote getters get a second look and make it to the second round of acceptance. Just thinking out loud.


I think this is a good idea.  And back to my monthly top 25 (or whatever the Number would be), each month the top pens could be shown.  Then the annual voting something like you describe would be a good way to induct the pens.  To me this is a good way to get the membership as a whole involved.  And it removes the issue of sending in a pen for review, and having a panel of judges.


----------



## Waluy (Aug 2, 2013)

Not sure how difficult this would be to code but perhaps a forum sort of like the SOYP but where every picture submitted was done anonymously. Call the forum Hall of Fame Submissions. Have each post be a poll with two options: *Worthy* and *Not quite there yet*. After say 1-2 weeks close the poll with a requirement of X number of worthy votes. If you get enough worthy votes (displayed only after voting is closed) you then send in the pen to a committee. Again with no names attached to the pen. This would have to include return addresses i.e. put your return address as something like Anonymous Pen Submission and the address of the committee mail box. The committee then takes macro pictures of any flaw they find and post that to a separate forum called Hall of Fame Review again with a blind poll. After a set amount of time the result of the poll is revealed. At this point (and only at this point) the creator then claims their pen and has it shipped back to them. If it was voted into the Hall of Fame place it in the Hall of Fame forum.

To keep size down (strain on servers and what not) after each poll is finished it should be deleted a week later (this gives people time to see the results of the poll).

Now I know first hand my pens wouldn't come close to making the cut but I would enjoy seeing what the upper echelon could come up with to attempt to enter this prestigious group.


----------



## Dale Lynch (Aug 2, 2013)

John, your welcome.I am happy to help move the conversation along.Like you I like the idea of a special place for such special pieces.While we are shown beautiful pens all the time,there are those few that I cannot praise in a positive fashion with proper grammer(low vocabulary threshold).


----------



## ChrisN (Aug 2, 2013)

BSea said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > someone brought up the like button. This may have merit. Maybe a button that says Hall on it can be available. As you see a pen during the year that stands heads above others you may want to hit the Hall button. At the end of the year the top vote getters get a second look and make it to the second round of acceptance. Just thinking out loud.
> ...



I like that idea, also. That would make it easier to select the pens. The top monthly pens get added to a poll to pick the top yearly pens, and then the top number of them could be sent in to be judged.


----------



## BSea (Aug 2, 2013)

ChrisN said:


> BSea said:
> 
> 
> > jttheclockman said:
> ...


You had me until "*and then the top number of them could be sent in to be judged.*" I don't think we need a panel of judges, or for the pens to be sent in.  I see 2 problems with this.  1, some people won't send in their pens, so they are removed from the competition. 2nd, many of these pens might well have been sold before the end of the year.  So to be considered, your asking a customer to send in his/her pen?  I doubt that would happen considering the amount of money these pens would command.  I don't think we need to make this complicated.  Being voted for by your peers is about the best compliment there is IMHO.


----------



## ChrisN (Aug 2, 2013)

BSea said:


> ChrisN said:
> 
> 
> > BSea said:
> ...



That's some good points you made there. But the counter-argument is that a picture can be manipulated. Pictures sometimes don't show pens in their best light. OTOH, pictures sometimes make things look better than what they really are. In a picture, can you tell if the transition from barrel to tip is seamless, or if the barrel slightly smaller than the tip and the tip catches your finger? Holding a pen in your hand is better than seeing it in a picture.

But, if the idea is just to pick out pens with a wow factor, seeing pictures may be enough.


----------



## Scruffy (Aug 2, 2013)

*Got a question..*

If a pen goes into the hall of fame, does it stay there forever?


If they are not deleted after a time, one could imagine some pens of lesser quality being ranked with pens of higher quality.

Or is the fact that a pen made it ensure that it will always be assured a place of honor?


----------



## Dulos (Aug 2, 2013)

One of the main reasons I come to to PenTurners is to get more ideas for my own pens, plus I love a good pen (yes, I have a pen addiction).  Consider the option of collecting the top "liked" pens each month (maybe 20 per month) and put them on a forum page where the creator can describe it a bit.  No judges, no voting-- other than adding a "like" to the pens I like. Just my 2 bits.


----------



## Paul in OKC (Aug 2, 2013)

What if the Hall of Fame just consisted of the pens that made the home page photo. Down side is it would leave out a lot of others, though, that are just as worthy, IMHO.


----------



## The Penguin (Aug 3, 2013)

why is this necessary?

we already have various pen contests in conjunction with the bash

and there's the PMG as well.


----------



## Displaced Canadian (Aug 3, 2013)

Would this just be here for the people that aren't quite good enough for the PMG? A member here picked out a group of pens and all are nice but I can tell you without much doubt who made 3 of them and have a pretty good idea on a few of the others. You can't separate the pen from it's maker. I'm not a pen collector. I enjoy the process of making pens and like the fact that I can make art that is used on a daily basis. Fancy pens didn't bring me to this site. I came here to "meet" and talk with othes that also enjoy pen making. I came here for the people, not the pens. It's been a hard week, I had a conversation with a roofer that left him speechless and may have made another contractor cry. My apologies for not being my usual easy going self. If you think I'm being closed minded for not seeing your side aren't you also being closed minded for not seeing mine?


----------



## soligen (Aug 3, 2013)

What about keeping it really simple.  Any pen that gets over 100 (or pick a number) likes gets moved into a special area.

When I want to peruse pen eye candy, I think this would work for me to get the top pens.

I wouldn't want to see this as a contest, or a formal judging (they exist elsewhere) - how about just an easy way to see the pens that a lot of people liked.


----------



## Lucky2 (Aug 3, 2013)

Personally, I don't like the idea, nor do I think it is something that we need as a group. To me, it's just another way of creating an upper class, and more separation is the last thing we need. 
Len


----------



## Scruffy (Aug 3, 2013)

*Now that you mention it..*

It will provide for some members a kind of mutual admiration society.

There will be a group who will dominate such Hall of Fame.  Probably pretty well match those win contest frequently because of their creativity and talent.  So this does provide another means to demonstrate their skills.

I know there are some here that will not enter contests or submit to any type of comparison against such competition.  A Hall of Fame will pretty well define those who are the talented elite.


----------



## mikespenturningz (Aug 3, 2013)

Cream always rises to the top. There is no need to point it out, it will be there. There is no way to blindly put some works out there, most of the industrious builders have fingerprints all over their work. I am not for or against a Hall of Fame but I don't think it is necessary.


----------



## Smitty37 (Aug 3, 2013)

*Hall of fame????*

Shouldn't "Hall of Fame" if implemented, be aimed at people who over a period of years have made significent contributions to pen turning or this site?  A couple of names come to mind as people who might be included.

While I have no issue with another "pen contest" which is what the suggested format implies to me, I think it should be kept as just that, a pen making contest.


----------



## mredburn (Aug 3, 2013)

Paul  The front page pens can be seen by clicking on the link below the featured one, the Pre2008 and the Recent link.

It may not be necessary, But think of all the great pens buried in different forums and threads that are hard if not impossible to find.  We may stumble across them occasionally or  someone remembers one and some else dredges it back up to show.  What if you  had  a forum of those pens that Pictures of those pens and a link to the thread.  New members and more seasoned ones could look through it for ideas on makeing pens of their own.


----------



## BSea (Aug 3, 2013)

soligen said:


> What about keeping it really simple.  Any pen that gets over 100 (or pick a number) likes gets moved into a special area.
> 
> When I want to peruse pen eye candy, I think this would work for me to get the top pens.
> 
> I wouldn't want to see this as a contest, or a formal judging (they exist elsewhere) - how about just an easy way to see the pens that a lot of people liked.





mredburn said:


> Paul  The front page pens can be seen by clicking on the link below the featured one, the Pre2008 and the Recent link.
> 
> It may not be necessary, But think of all the great pens buried in different forums and threads that are hard if not impossible to find.  We may stumble across them occasionally or  someone remembers one and some else dredges it back up to show.  What if you  had  a forum of those pens that Pictures of those pens and a link to the thread.  New members and more seasoned ones could look through it for ideas on makeing pens of their own.


I agree with these 2 posts.  I know when I was new to the site, I'd go back & look at any thread in SOYP that had a lot of posts. This is easy to do just by clicking on the word *REPLIES *at the top of the column. This is an easy way to see pens that had a lot of conversation about them.  But it wasn't always a nice pen, sometimes it was just something that had a lot of comments.  Many times the thread owner would make multiple replies to questions or comments.  So the replies could be elevated just by a conversation inside the thread.  Another way would to be able to sort threads in SOYP by likes, so it would be easy to see the ones most people like.  There is a problem with this though.  Over time, the newer pens would be further & further down the list. I see a problem where new members would come to the list, start looking at the pens, and of course like them.  The pens further down the list would get less looks, so they'd get less likes as well

I think a better way would be a monthly thread showing the top 10, 20, 25 (Pick a number).  That way there would be 1 place to view the top pens.  After a few years, it would be easy to go back & see the top pens for any month where this was done.  And if the majority wanted a poll for yearly winners, I'm fine with that.  If not, I'm fine with that too.


----------

