I will let the cat out of the bag. I entered this contest…knowing it would be a long shot to just make the list of the 17 finalists. I stuck to my motto that “I would rather tried and have failed…than failed to have tried”
Anyway…the deadline was yesterday…and tomorrow night or this weekend…the top 17 finalists will be chosen from the thousands of entries here at www.DEWALT.com/Top17
Each one of these 17 finalists will be shipped a bunch of nice DeWalt tools….then have 8 weeks to build their project. This will then be voted on by the public and on Dec 15th…the Top Finish Carpenter will be chosen.
This is a lot of fun dreamin…..what if???
Stan
Replies
Good Luck - No Guts - No Glory!!!
Here's a vote from Georgia!
Forrest - keeping my eyes open for you ;-)
Hey - I'm thinkin' STAn --> STAir --> STAre --> eyes --> eye problems
From what I've seen of your work, you could be da man!
Stan,
I notice you didn't post that link until after they stopped taking applications.
Worried about the competition from BTers??? (grin)
I know you'll do well, you're already a Top Finish Carpenter around here!
Best of luck, pete
You know that annoying add from Dewalt that everyonw complained about? If you read it and click on it, there was the link. Moral of the story is read the adds!!!!!
frammer, that was a joke directed to Stan.
Why do you feel the need to tell me to read the ads??? I did by the way...buic
PS, ads, one d.
Never could spell, I didn't see .>G<, so I didn't know better. Remember, sarcasm doesn't work well on line.
I received the call from Maryland this morning...I have made the final 17! I was ecstatic to say the least. I will be receiving a bunch of DeWalt tools next week....as will the other 16 finalists.
Thanks all for the support.....but I will need you all starting Dec 1st to vote. thru the 15th. This has totally through me off balance as this is exciting for me.
I had to ask how many of the entries were going to be stairs..the official from DeWalt said there will be 4 stair entries...and 3 of those including mine will be curved stairways.
The other entries will be entertainment centers and mantles.
DeWalt will be announcing the 17 next week on that website I mentioned. We will all have our own blog...and each will be updated with our progress pictures.
Stan
Thats the coolest, good luck, Ill thow in my vote
Awesome. Congratulations.
Family.....They're always there when they need you.
Congratulations Stan! You've got my vote (is that biased to declare that so early?)
For bonus points, maybe you could show your expertise by casing out your shop doors...I'm just sayin'
"You've got my vote"Only one?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
What are you? A Republican? :-)
I will help out Stan anyway I can!
Thanks so much for all the kind comments. DeWalt will activate the 17 individual competitors very soon. Tomorrow at 5 p.m. EDT is the deadline for our W-9s , our contract to be turned in...and our face shots. They will then open the website to the public to view each of the 17 blogs. I will be able to start posting as many pictures of my project as I want. You can believe I will.
Stan
stangood luck with this. Is what you're building built for a job of yours? or just for the contest?by the way the dewalt track saws are out here, just saw one yesterday at the Woodsmith store herei'll be looking to vote
Barry E-Remodeler
Barry: My entry is a dual curved stairway that I will be starting Oct. 1st. This job fell into place perfectly as I ordered the parts weeks ago. The parts arrived Friday...right after I received my call from DeWalt that I had made the 17.
I am looking forward to this very much.
Sure..I would love to win this...but in reality I have already won by making the 17 and getting my shipment of tools soon.
Stan
<Sure..I would love to win this...but in reality I have already won by making the 17 and getting my shipment of tools soon.>well saidand I'm loving your enthusiasm. it's a beautiful thing when passion is still alive for a guys chosen profession
Barry E-Remodeler
Congratulations! That's pretty cool.
Not quite as cool as your contest (no free tools either), but next week I'll be doing finish work on a house for ABC's Extreme Home Makeover. Should be interesting.
Best of luck to ya in the finals.
Mike
Thanks all for the kind and encouraging comments. I will say that there NEVER has been a fire lit in my belly as there is now.
My wife, son and daughter KNOW something has snapped in me. I am going to give this project everything I have to achieve my goal of winning this competition.
I have already hired my son Jeff part time in my shop to assume other stair duties...as I have to work solely on this project. I have never set a goal as hard as this one of winning this competition. It will take a lot of hardwork...lots of networking to get as many people as I can to vote...a lot of marketing to showcase the intimate details that go into a curved stairway from day one.
I am looking forward to the challenge. The materials arrived today.....but I cannot start on it until Oct. 1st...and also must use the DeWalt tools they are sending me. Each finalist gets over $2000 worth of tools...such as a DeWalt 717 miter box...a new track saw which isnt available for sale yet...an air compressor..nail guns...saw blades...etc.
I am ecstatic, and it has nothing to do with these tools...its having the opportunity to be in this group of 17 finalists.
I have been wired all freakin day...and I am exhausted....time to go to bed....
Stan
Congratulations and knock'em dead. If they put the projects up to public judging, you'll get my vote.
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski
Thanks! I am chomping at the bit....cant wait till Oct. 1st so I can start. I am meantime going to spend next week tryijng to get ahead on my other stair projects. My plate is full...and I have hired my son Jeff part time to take on some other stair tasks.
Stan
Kudos,You are a very talented craftsman. I think you will do well.Chuck Slive, work, build, ...better with wood
C'mon Stan- tell us the truth. There's really only 18 guys who entered this contest LOL.
But seriously, good luck with the contest. I hope you win. And I'm sure you'll do your very best.
Congrats and good luck!
'Me not built for pretty - Me built for strong' TM
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. The next 2.5 months is going to be a riot. Part of my tools DeWalt is sending each of us arrived today. I took out my older Dewalt miter box...and in with the new. I have to use these new tools in building my project. Ok with me...I am not complaining! I have two 708 miter boxes...and now one is for sale. These are the best in my book.
I have been a Matt Kenseth fan for years and I am keeping my DeWalt17 Matt Kenseth car flag in the background for a lot of my pictures. I feel fortunate to be part of that 17 number.
Heres some pics...
Stan
I had a birthday dream like that once!
'Me not built for pretty - Me built for strong' TM
Congratulations again, sounds like a dream man. I'm following with great interest, you already got my vote, I enjoy your threads, I love the challenge of stairbuilding but don't have a lot of experience, I find your stuff inspiring.
I have two 708 miter boxes...and now one is for sale.
How much and where are you located? I have a PC 12" compound, but its not a slider and I never wanted one that wasn't a slider. It is deadly accurate though, but it was a hand me down and if I ever could afford to buy one it would have been a slider.
Good luck. I'm sure you wont disappoint. What else are they giving you? The free tools really sweetens the deal.
Edited 10/2/2008 9:34 pm ET by danno7x
danno: The tool package given to each of us was a DeWalt 717 miter box...compressor....15 gauge angle finish gun...16 gauge straight finish gun....track saw which will be delivered next week...and four carbide sawblades.
If I dont complete the project on time..the tools go back!
Stan
Yard sale at Stan's house this weekend?
Congratulations again Stan. I tried to start voting, but they didn't let me yet!
Mike: The voting wont start until Dec 1st....thru the 15th. We will each start uploading pictures of our projects beginning next week when our sites are enable to do so.
Stan
I mentioned my shop would look like a jack-o-lantern litup at 5 a.m. Here is a shot from around 5:30 this morning. Some idiot working on some projects inside.
Stan
working at 5:30... seems like an accident waiting to happen
I'm just sayin'
Some of us wake up ready to go and it's all downhill from there. Others warm up to a most productive peak at 2PM, but that is about where I run out of steam.The important thing is to know yourself and not work power tools or anything sharp when you are over-tired. Fingers disappear that way.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Mike,Sounds like Root River Hardwoods is providing the millwork for the Extreme Home Makeover House you will work on (in Oct. ?).They mentioned it when they delivered to my shop this past week.That should be interesting.Have fun,Brian
Congrats! Can't wait to see what you turn out. Every project is amazing. Good Luck in the COmp. you have my vote.
Very cool Stan!This will be fun to follow.Bass
Be sure to add that link for blog here, and remind us Dec first
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
super cool.
now i will able to say "I knew him when...."
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Wow...I am overwhelmed with all these nice comments. I still say I am just proficient at stairbuilding...and not any master by no means. I just am blessed with a passion for my work....and the harder the challenge...the more I love it.
This contest will not be necessarily won by the best craftsmanship... but by whom best networks and markets their project. I am trying to network as much as I can.
All I ask is for everyone to consider my project ...along with the other 16...and then vote for what you think deserves to win.
Again...the voting will be from Dec 1st thru the 15th. One vote per day for each person.
Stan
Oh yeah, build those stairs out of osb and network your tail off in the time you'll save.
LOL
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I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
One vote per day per PERSON or per EMAIL ADDRESS? I'm just askin...;-)
Your wife can vote can't she?
And your office PC.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Stan,
I to have admired your work since becoming a member. You always amaze me with your talent, but most important is ypur passion for what you do.
I wish you the best of luck and can count on my vote.
Nailer
You need a shot of you firing up a gyrocopter to go pick up some stair bolts. That would be too cool!
I have told several friends about your photo threads, and always rave about the cool stair stuff I've seen you do....
Not sure why you claim "profficiency" and seem too modest to accept the "mastery" title that anyone here, I'm sure, would bestow upon you, but........ I guess it really wouldn't be in your nature to say "yeah, I really am the best at what I do..."
I've said before, and I'm sure I'll say again, anytime I start feeling too talented I look at your stuff, sigh, and keep trying....:)
Good luck, dude...you won't need it.
Bing
Bing: I appreciate very much being considered a master...
I feel I have been very honest saying I am proficient..but let me be fair and I will say this.....if I came across a stairway that had almost unlimited time and selection of materials....and I was paid for that time....then maybe I could turn out what I call nearer some of the work I have seen.
I used to make Kentucky Longrifles from scratch...took all the time in the world to make them because I wasnt trying to make a living at them. I would put twice as many hours whittling down a blank of premium curly maple than I do on a curved stairway. The fit of the buttplate to the wood had to be perfect...the mortises for the flintlock had to be perfect. It would take DAYS to do each of these small steps...and there were so many more. I should post pictures of one of my rifles.....and the work on them is more closer to being a master than I have ever done....but again....I have seen rifles made by true masters that would blow you away.
But...I sincerely appreciate the kudos.....
Stan
Stan
I'll look at all the projects and I'll be biased towards yours.
A humble spirit is a good thing.
The Bible teaches us that pride comes before the fall.
Lao Tzu teaches us something like " A man on tiptoes is more likely to fall"
Keep it humble and the world will honor you.
Rich
I see your pic is up now. You better watch out for that Brad McFarland, he looks GROUCHY. :)
Almost looks like pictures of a jail break. :)
Good luck, I (and I'm sure many others) will be tuned in...
Jamie
Jamie: Our faces arent competing....but my hands and mind is. I will give it my best shot....
Stan
"You need a shot of you firing up a gyrocopter to go pick up some stair bolts. That would be too cool!"
Just what I was thinking!
Start your picture taking with a close-up overhead picture of that nice shop of yours, taken from the gyro, maybe with a set of stairs loaded onto a trailer, ready for delivery. It will immediately grab the public's attention, and situate them as to where all the magic is going on.
Stan, you can count on my support.
Now don't get all puffed up and inflated over that, after all, I gave Draganic several dozen votes in his Ohio battle of the polls. Kidding of course, you're in a different league. ;-)
Quite cool. Sounds like fun!
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Stan,
Best of luck!
Please post the link to your blog when you get it started.
Thanks everyone...your comments are very much appreciated.
I will post the site again when they update it. It will be this site.... http://www.dewalt.com/Top17 They are requiring that all 17 of us fill out W-9s and a contract...and send in a picture by no later than 5 p.m. edt tomorrow, Monday night.
I am chomping a the bit ready for Oct 1st to get here so I can start. Like I mentioned...my wife Barbara, son Jeff and daughter Jennifer can see something has snapped in me. Winning this will be one thing...but I wont let them down by not giving it my all.
Stan
Stan-I have followed and admired your work since I have been a member here. IMO you are most certainly a deserving finalist!Will you be able to share this project's progress with us here?Oh, and what is the 'grand prize'?Congrats!
Edited 9/28/2008 11:31 am by kenhill3
Stan,Congratulations!!!I'm sure that you're going to make us all proud.Nick
Great to see you so fired up Stan! Give it your all and you can't lose.
It's nice to see someone so excited about a project you work at all the time. That shows me your confidence and eagerness to reach perfection. Good luck! We'll all be watching.