Q: Are you copying the TV show “Junkyard Wars”?
A: Sort of. In our defence, we, the organizers, have been building crazy things for fun for a long time, long before we heard of the TV show. We have to admit that the show provided some inspiration in terms of the format of this contest. We thought of changing the name, but the instant recognition most people have has been quite useful.
The VJYW has a different flavor. We strive to include a quirky element of “finesse” in our contests. Participants must use creativity and imagination to succeed, rather than just brute force.
Q: How do I sign up as a participant?
A: Good question...
Q: How much does it cost, and who pays?
A: Each participant, including JAC members, pays an entry fee of around $100, which is collected at the time of the contest announcement. The money collected goes to pay for the contest expenses, including rental of the build venue, event insurance (yes, we have to get insurance), garbage disposal & recycling, and food (lunch and dinner is provided on the event weekend so that teams can focus on the contest).
In addition to the entry fee, individual teams are responsible for purchasing their building materials and junk, which can add up to another ~$100 each for “big spender” teams, or nothing, for teams that insist on scrounging all of their materials for free.
Q: How is safety addressed? Has anyone ever been hurt in your contest?
A: No one has ever been seriously injured. Every year there is a need for several bandaids, and there has been one incident where stitches were required after an angle grinder was used without gloves.
Each team is required to have at least one member with first aid training, and to provide a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.
The participants should be experienced with the tools they use, and should make their own decisions regarding safety equipment. The contest organizers recommend that safety glasses be worn at all times, and that hearing, eye, and hand protection be used when appropriate, but we do not enforce this policy. If a participant is found to be acting in an overtly unsafe manner, they will be asked to leave.
The spectators and visitors are of greater concern. Since they do not build the machines, they may not be familiar with shop practices and safety requirements, and may have a false sense of safety since they expect that all machines are built to the same safety standards of consumer equipment such as cars.
Q: How are teams organized?
A: Sometimes teams are organized along company lines, other times it can just be a group of friends, other times, the JAC will put teams together out of a pool of participants to try to get the right balance of skills and experience. A team traditionally has a “JAC sponsor”, which is a member of the organizing committee who knows the team members and is their liaison to the organizers. Teams usually include at least one JAC member (often the captain), which is useful for a number of reasons.
Q: Does this contest benefit anyone, like a charity or something?
A: Um, not really. Although the organizers support many organizations and causes, the VJYW has always been purely about goofing off.
Q: Why don’t you take all the creative energy and talent at this contest and use it to make something useful that can benefit the world?
A: We would love to do that: if you know of a need for a solution to a particular technical problem, in the developing world or otherwise, and you think that this problem would be a good match for the contest criteria described in the “future contests” section of this website, please suggest your contest idea in the space provided (asdf), and feel free to contact us for further information.
Q: Why does all the building need to happen in one place: why don’t you let teams build their machines at home, or at their company shop, and then bring them to the contest?
A: Having all the building take place at one location adds a lot to the contest, in terms of the energy of the event, and the tension of looking over your shoulder and checking out what the other teams are doing. Did they think of something you didn’t, or are they going down a blind alley? It also fosters an atmosphere of cooperation, as teams are encouraged to share tools, materials, and technical advice.
Plus, having all the building take place in one location creates a more level playing field, because a team that has access to a 5 axis CNC milling machine at their company shop will not be able to use it.
Q: How do you decide on the contest for each year?
A: This is very difficult, and if you have any ideas for future contests, please go to the “Future Contests” section and enter them there.
Generally, the JAC convenes months in advance and wracks its collective brain for ideas. The final contest idea is then selected from a list of finalists through a fluid and somewhat democratic voting process.
Q: Where do you get the junk to build your machines?
A: Rather than having one single junkyard, teams are allowed to scrounge junk from any approved location. These include metal scrap yards, auto wreckers, dumpsters. Events such as Surrey’s “Throw Everything Out Day” are also great opportunities.
The definition has been stretched to include second-hand stores such as salvation army, garage sales, and old crap you have lying around the house. Participants are reminded to keep to the spirit of the contest, which is about using old cast-off stuff to do amazing things.
Q: Who does the judging for the contest?
A: Judges are recruited by the JAC, and typically serve a tenure of one-contest only. Each year, the judge has requested to be a participant in the following year’s contest, which is a testament to how much fun they see being had around them. We have yet to have a contestant from a previous year volunteer to forego being a team member in order to be a Judge.