Dixon's 2017

[Mark Elliott]

I would be willing to administer the videos, but there needs to be some discussion among the ALR Admins.   

[jaeren]

Were any of the talks / demonstrations recorded?

None that I saw. They all were done live with Q and A as they went. They also passed around tools and samples for you to look at. very informative but would have been hard to tape.

[Dennis Glazener]

They are also large (3-8 GB) files so I'm not sure Dennis would want to host them on the ALR site directly.  I guess one possibility is to set up an ALR site on You Tube or some other hosting service, but I have to plead total ignorance about the mechanics/advisability of that.  (I did check with Dave and he has no problem with sharing them on the interweb.)

BFox,
You are right about the filesize being too large for me to host on the ALR site but I am willing to set-up a permament link to those video's if you can get them on YouTube or similiar location. In fact I would consider putting them in the tutorial forum as a permanent aid to future members.
Dennis

[T*O*F]

They are also large (3-8 GB) files

Some time back, I was having a discussion with Pletch about this.  Most videos are in mpeg format which is huge and he was having problems with the size on his BlackPowder Mag website.  I had taken some videos with my camera and run them thru Microsoft Movie Maker for editing.  I then saved them in a different format (which I don't recall at the moment).  They went from 2-4 gigs down to 30-50 megs with no apparent degradation in the content.

[Mark Elliott]

As to file size, the resolution would have a major effect on the size of the file.    If we standardized on YouTube, then we let Google worry about all that stuff.   They are the ones who have to store it and replay it.  Personally,  I would shoot in the highest resolution that I can (which would be 1080p for me) and then let the playback platform do what it has to the file.

[gunlock]

I haven't gone for several years. How was the attendance this year? Last time I went there was a noticeable drop in attendance.

[Mark Elliott]

The attendance, both exhibitors and visitors, seemed to be down this year.   

[tddeangelo]

I suspect our recent and heavy rainfall may have given some folks reason to think the parking areas would be swamps/flooded and not come.

We've never had so much rain in July that I can remember in my 41 years.

[Acer Saccharum]

I, too, thought attendance was down. This does not worry me; I think the weather predictions were for 4" of rain, and that may have caused people to alter their plans.

In the big picture, what is happening at the ALR tent and the changes that Dixon's is making will pay off in terms of attracting new people, new members, new builders.

We no longer have Daniel Bonne and Davy Crockett on main stream TV to inspire involvement in the long rifle. We must do this ourselves, by advertising, by making an attractive event, by spreading the word through forums and word-of-mouth. This is OUR mission, all of us, to keep the longrifle culture alive and healthy, and to encourage new people to get involved.

The smart phone has been a fascination for today's world, but people are longing for community and for making something tangible and permanent with their hands. We can provide that at events like Dixon's.

[Hemo]

Congratulations to all the ribbon winners at Dixon's and thanks for your pics!

I had originally planned to go this year but other obligations intervened. I have never put any of my builds in the competition, but had tentatively planned to do so this year--now probably next year. I had some questions about the event.

I understand there are different categories for entries such as apprentice, journeyman, and master. What determines these categories--is it based on previous showings at Dixon's or something else?

I detect some dissatisfaction occasionally on the critiques of the judges, possibly some bias on the part of the judges toward American-style pieces. Who exactly are the judges?  I have a couple or three pieces I'd like to show, but some are 18th century English or european. Would this put me at some disadvantage with the judges? I also have a Lehigh valley rifle I made based very closely on photos form the 2010 KRA Lehigh valley CD--in fact, almost a line-for-line copy of a John Rupp rifle based on the photos. I like the way this rifle came out, but obviously originality is not its strong suit. Does original design play any role in the judging? (Not that I'm ravenously hungry for ribbons, but I'd like to come home with something!)

Hope to see people there next year!

Gregg

[Joe S.]

I delivered this rifle to the grandfather  at Dixon's this weekend.  He in turn gave it to his grandson.  Is this a picture of pure love or what.   These are the kind of people that you meet in this sport of muzzleloading.  Thats why I love this sport so much.   Nuff said !!!

David Price

This is what's its all about in regards to getting the youth involved.That young fellow will carry that very moment for a lifetime and hopefully recreate that moment for his grandson.God willing perhaps in the very same spot,what a picture,while I have no memorys of events like this with my grandfather I have them with my Pop,cherished indeed!

[Daryl]

Wonderful picture - wonderful indeed.

[smart dog]

Hi Gregg,
The purpose of the judging at Dixon's is primarily to provide feedback from knowledgeable judges to makers about their guns but also to place those guns within a friendly competition that rewards the best work.  It is mostly supposed to be about learning the craft, however, competition can spur effort but also acrimony.  I am not sure how the judges are chosen but it seems they are most expert with respect to Pennsylvania long rifles.  I believe you have to first enter in the apprentice class, if you win a ribbon in that class, you can proceed to journeyman the next year and then with another ribbon go to the master class the next year.  In my case, I've entered 3 times and won blue ribbons each time but not one was a long rifle.  My first entries were 2 English dueling pistols in apprentice, then a decorated early 17th century fowler in journeyman, and finally my English rifle in the master category.  My issue with the judging is not who wins ribbons but the quality of the feedback.  My critiques for all guns I entered contained no insights or comments that were useful to my gun building.  It is largely because the judges probably could not offer any constructive comments on the styles of guns I entered.  For example, I used rear ramrod thimbles on my duelers that had a slight taper toward the tang such that the wall thickness increased slightly  toward the rear, much like a Brown Bess rear thimble. The judges ruled that the thimbles were not inlet properly because the profile of the thimble was not parallel to the ramrod groove.  Of course it can't be if the wall thickness is increasing and they simply were not familiar with that kind of thimble. Anyway, I encourage you to submit guns and just see how it goes.  I think in time the focus will expand.  With respect to originality, during the award ceremony this year, one of the judges stood up and said he hoped participants looked at the original Molls displayed in the judging building because they were exactly what the judges were looking for.  Perhaps that answers your question.

dave   

[Mike Brooks]

I, too, thought attendance was down. This does not worry me; I think the weather predictions were for 4" of rain, and that may have caused people to alter their plans.

In the big picture, what is happening at the ALR tent and the changes that Dixon's is making will pay off in terms of attracting new people, new members, new builders.

We no longer have Daniel Bonne and Davy Crockett on main stream TV to inspire involvement in the long rifle. We must do this ourselves, by advertising, by making an attractive event, by spreading the word through forums and word-of-mouth. This is OUR mission, all of us, to keep the longrifle culture alive and healthy, and to encourage new people to get involved.

The smart phone has been a fascination for today's world, but people are longing for community and for making something tangible and permanent with their hands. We can provide that at events like Dixon's.

If Dixon's would send a bus out to Iowa to pick me up attendance would go up.......

[Mike Brooks]

I have always been uncomfortable with the judging at this event. I have seen pictures of guns that have won that I thought probably shouldn't have. Also some of the judges critiques can be pretty uninformed. Also when I have asked who the judges are it's difficult to find out and if you do it's difficult to find out what their qualifications are. And, I don't believe I was ever familiar with any judge if I found out the name of, in fact I don't recall ever having heard of them. Not a real confidence builder. All of the above is my own personal view, and not meant to bash or be overly critical, just my own observations from what I have seen posted here over the years.
 Now, I'd be very comfortable if the judging staff was made up of people like Mark Silver, Jack Brooks, Any of the House Bros., etc. I doubt that will ever happen though, but it would be very educational for those who entered their work. Regardless of who does the judging, this has always been a premier educational event.
 Just something to think about, I'll probably never get that far east  to ever participate.

[Hemo]

With respect to originality, during the award ceremony this year, one of the judges stood up and said he hoped participants looked at the original Molls displayed in the judging building because they were exactly what the judges were looking for.  Perhaps that answers your question.

dave   

Thanks for clarifying all that, Dave. I just looked a the Molls on the KRA CD, and it looks like my John Rupp gun is right in the same bracket--may stand me in good stead with the judges next year unless they decide to deduct points for copying!

Gregg