Too bad about the grain on that bottom one, Bill.
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
Is the other side that good? That's a nice job on picking your cut.
Anyway, to business. It is now April 1. Contest closed.
I thought this would be a good challenge; apparently it was more of a challenge than I had anticipated - there are something like a half dozen dead or at least badly wounded pipes in this thread, and I didn't expect that. Fun stuff! Dead and wounded pipes are disqualified. (Capricious!)
When I started this, I didn't really expect problems as the judge - I figured one pipe would just be .... somehow more Oom Pauly than the rest. This is not the case, and I am stuck looking at all the entries and thinking "Wow, that's really Oom Pauly in suchandsuch a way."
Brooks's pipe almost won, I liked his use of cherry and purpleheart - makes the pipe a little more 1890s africa. But Brandon joined the board before I did. So he's kicked out for that. (I did promise capriciousness - I'm oathbound here people).
Cmueller's pipe looks like a well put together affair, and though ungainly for angles, I think it works. Also very good rustication on that one.
Eric's pipe was what I was originally thinking about - a classic billiard shape with a squarish bum and hard angles. I thought I'd see about 10 that looked just like this. But he broke it. Disqualified!
Both of Billiard's pipes are great, and even though he doesn't want a critique or even be in the contest, I'm gonna say I like the pipes, I like the drilling idea, and I think they're cool. Bill backed out. Disqualified!
Beatus's pipe has a cool elongated shape, a very refined take on the Oom Paul. Too smooth. Disqualified!
Meathod's pipe is great, and the finish, stem, and metal work all take me right to africa. At first, I thought "Wow, that's crazy, what a wacked-out take on the Oom Paul that is." but the more I looked at it, the more I thought "You know, this guy's got talent, and the pipe says "Africa" to me." But.... he overplayed his hand. The "making of" video that went with the pipe showed me a pipe maker who perhaps has not done an Oom Paul before, but who is in full control of his pipe-making acumen, and that's really not what this contest was aimed at. So... great pipe, but too good. Disqualified!
EDIT: OOPS I forgot Taharris.... what a jerk (me). Todd's pipe was a cool take on the O.P. - leaning toward a dublin and showing some Danish tendencies, which is what gets him disqualified.
This leaves the only entry being Cmueller, so be process of elimination (and by making a nice pipe) he is the official winner.
Congrats and thanks to all who participated - the blood sweat and tears of all are apparent in each attempt.
Cmueller, shoot me a pm.