cgraunke
BoM March '14
YES, you read the date right!
There WILL be a 2015 BOTL Pipe of the Year!
The powers that be have blessed this little project, and hopefully we can achieve even half the success of last year, the original BOTL Pipe!
Last year was a learning experience for everyone involved, yet it went off brilliantly if I must say so myself. Outside of a couple payment snafus at the end, everything went as smooth as can be.
That being said, there are some things that will have to change moving forward in order to make this a repeatable process.
The first major change I would like to implement is in the design process. Last year we were lucky enough to have Cody join just prior to the project taking off. Everything fell in to place perfectly with him being chosen as the pipe maker. Then, with Cody agreeing to a price up front regardless of the design, he took a major hit on his labor and basically gave us an amazing piece of handmade art at half the price he could have sold them for on the open market. That dedication and sacrifice to BOTL from such a talented artisan cannot be counted on again, but we'll try. Most times though, pipe makers ARE willing to drop their standard production prices in working on a "Club Pipe." My goal is to keep it at or below the $240 we paid for Cody's pipe last year.
I've been working logistics over the past few weeks, and what I would like to propose is to have a selection of pipe makers submit a number of the "best" pipes they can create within a certain dollar threshold. A pipe (or pipes) that they would be proud to make, and something we would be proud to put the BOTL stamp on. I want to keep the membership involved in the design, though. What I've gathered talking to pipe makers as well as site leaders who have driven their own club pipes, is that usually the design is decided by leadership and then "unveiled" to the membership. I don't want that. I want us all to still have input. I've been in contact with three pipe makers who are willing (and eager) to take on the task of a BOTL pipe.
My plan as of now is to have each of them make between one to three different designs, the BEST they can offer us, plus give us a list of variables we can change without upsetting the cost. Hopefully this will yield a nice selection of very different pipes, yet all high in quality. Then, I aim to have us all poll those submitted designs, and in essence be choosing the maker and basic design together. From there we can get in to the various details of the chosen pipe, finalize a design, then proceed with production.
Please, give me feedback. Let 'er rip. Does this sound like a viable course of action? What do you think I'm overlooking? What ideas do you have from last year's experience that you would like considered? What questions do you have?
I for one am more excited than words can express to be able to continue this on, and hopefully create an ongoing tradition for years to come!
There WILL be a 2015 BOTL Pipe of the Year!
The powers that be have blessed this little project, and hopefully we can achieve even half the success of last year, the original BOTL Pipe!
Last year was a learning experience for everyone involved, yet it went off brilliantly if I must say so myself. Outside of a couple payment snafus at the end, everything went as smooth as can be.
That being said, there are some things that will have to change moving forward in order to make this a repeatable process.
The first major change I would like to implement is in the design process. Last year we were lucky enough to have Cody join just prior to the project taking off. Everything fell in to place perfectly with him being chosen as the pipe maker. Then, with Cody agreeing to a price up front regardless of the design, he took a major hit on his labor and basically gave us an amazing piece of handmade art at half the price he could have sold them for on the open market. That dedication and sacrifice to BOTL from such a talented artisan cannot be counted on again, but we'll try. Most times though, pipe makers ARE willing to drop their standard production prices in working on a "Club Pipe." My goal is to keep it at or below the $240 we paid for Cody's pipe last year.
I've been working logistics over the past few weeks, and what I would like to propose is to have a selection of pipe makers submit a number of the "best" pipes they can create within a certain dollar threshold. A pipe (or pipes) that they would be proud to make, and something we would be proud to put the BOTL stamp on. I want to keep the membership involved in the design, though. What I've gathered talking to pipe makers as well as site leaders who have driven their own club pipes, is that usually the design is decided by leadership and then "unveiled" to the membership. I don't want that. I want us all to still have input. I've been in contact with three pipe makers who are willing (and eager) to take on the task of a BOTL pipe.
My plan as of now is to have each of them make between one to three different designs, the BEST they can offer us, plus give us a list of variables we can change without upsetting the cost. Hopefully this will yield a nice selection of very different pipes, yet all high in quality. Then, I aim to have us all poll those submitted designs, and in essence be choosing the maker and basic design together. From there we can get in to the various details of the chosen pipe, finalize a design, then proceed with production.
Please, give me feedback. Let 'er rip. Does this sound like a viable course of action? What do you think I'm overlooking? What ideas do you have from last year's experience that you would like considered? What questions do you have?
I for one am more excited than words can express to be able to continue this on, and hopefully create an ongoing tradition for years to come!
