***UPDATED 10/14/10***

    Congratulations to Sean Leahy, who won the bubble bit and associated hardware from Brice and Brice and Ice Crafters! Sean, of course, already received the bit some time ago; I’m just a little slow announcing in it on this site!

new deadline: extended to 5 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, August 11, 2010 (originally July 28)

    In case you didn’t know, the die grinder contest on Facebook is over and done with! Congratulations again to Edwin Winslow, who submitted, along with a couple of other photos, the oddly prophetic ice sculpture example above. You see, Edwin’s 2010 makes extensive use of a Brice bubble bit, which happens to be the prize for this contest! And it works out kind of nice, because Edwin’s not eligible for this contest, but, as we can see, he doesn’t need a bubble bit anyway. But you’re going to want one, so read on!

    The prize that you’ll be vying for this time is a quarter-sized bubble bit and associated hardware from Brice and Brice Ice Sculptures and Ice Crafters. Almost-too-many-times-to-count World Ice Sculpting Champion Steve Brice invented this innovative die grinder bit that quickly and easily produces small bubble shapes on the surface of your ice. The quarter-sized bit is the largest of the three sizes offered and it’s a tool that I use A LOT. The bubble shapes that it produces really make sculptures stand out and my sculpture clients love the look it creates! Ice Crafters is throwing in some adapter hardware that enables attachment of the bit to a Makita GE0600 die grinder. This attachment hardware can be used in combination with other specialty bits as well. Here’s an article about bubble bits that I previously posted on ice carving secrets. Once again, this is the best contest prize we’ve offered yet and the total value of the prize is $202. Also, once again, you don’t have to do a whole lot to be eligible to win it.

    Here are the details:

Prize:

    Brice and Brice quarter-sized bubble bit from Brice and Brice Ice Sculptures and a 3/8” endmill holder and small shaft adaptor from Ice Crafters. The endmill holder and adapter allow you to use the bubble bit on a Makita GE0600 die grinder. The winner of the contest will also be offered a discounted price on a Makita GE0600 die grinder from Ice Crafters, in case the winner needs one to use the bit.
    total value: $202 (this doesn’t include the potential die grinder discount mentioned above; shipping is also included in the prize, in most cases)

Eligibility:

1. 1)“Like” both the ice carving secrets and Ice Crafters Facebook pages and become a member of the Brice and Brice Ice Sculptures Facebook group. You need to be a fan of both pages and a member of the group at the time of the entry deadline.
   

2. 2)Post an ice sculpting-related item or items on the ice carving secrets Facebook fan page. You have a number of options for this requirement and each option will earn you a certain number of contest entries. The max number of entries for any one person is three this time around.
   

            Discussion:     Start a new discussion or participate in one of the existing ice carving secrets discussions. (see the “Discussions” tab on the page) Legitimate and fair (my discretion) discussions posts only. Earns 1 entry.

            Ice sculpture photo:     Posting a photo (your photo, not somebody else’s) of an ice sculpture that you’ve seen. A caption describing what you know about it is required. Earns 1 entry.

            Photo of your ice sculpture:     Posting a photo of an ice sculpture that you made (caption required). Earns 1 entry. **BONUS** You earn a bonus entry if it’s your version of a design from the ice carving secrets design page. (Photos qualifying for the bonus, may be added to the design entry page on this site and/or added to the Visitors’ Gallery.)

            Ice video:     Post an ice carving-related video that you’re authorized to post. YouTube or similar doesn’t count unless it’s your video. Earns 1 entry.

            Ice sculpture design:     Post one of your original ice sculpture designs. This can be in the form of a photo that shows enough that another carver could reasonable recreate your design. Sketches and line art are also acceptable. A general description, along with a title for your design should also be included. Useful details include how much ice was used, any special tools required and any other details that aren’t obvious from the photo or drawing. Earns 3 entries.

            Craziest ice sculpture photo or ice sculpting experience:     Post a photo related to the craziest ice sculpture that you’ve ever had anything to do with. Depending on the situation, you may have to add a detailed description (use multiple posts if necessary) to demonstrate how bizarre or unusual your experience was. This should be a REAL story, not a fictional account. Earns 3 entries.

3. 3)Send an email to icecarvingsecrets@mac.com or send a Facebook message to Dawson List indicating that you want to enter the contest. It would also help if you mentioned what you posted and how many entries (one or three) you’re expecting to earn.
   

4. 
   

Deadline for entry:     5 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Determining the winner:     The winner will be randomly selected from all the eligible entries posted/received by the deadline.

    Here are some additional details, rules, small print, excluded parties, and all that stuff:

    The point of this contest, aside from generating facebook “fans,” is to provide incentive for those interested in ice sculpture to share what they’re doing and share their ideas. The “Comments” feature on this site is currently not working properly because two software programs don’t work together well, so the ice carving secrets facebook page has become the real-time forum for comments and interaction. This contest and the ice carving secrets facebook page itself encourage you to post your own ice-related photo and information. Particularly self-promoting photos, videos, or otherwise will be tolerated, but only up to a point, so choose wisely.

    Finally, here are some additional niceties about the contest. The contest can be ended or modified at any point due to unforeseen circumstances, but this will be handled in as fair a manner as possible. Those not eligible to enter this contest include myself (Dawson List), persons associated with Ice Crafters, persons associated with Brice and Brice Ice Sculptures and persons associated with other advertisers on this site. The winner of the main prize in the previous contest is also ineligible. (For example, Edwin is not eligible, because he just won the last contest, but Victor Dagatan, who won the second contest, is now eligible again.) If you post an item to enter the contest, you are asserting that you have the right to post the item. The prize includes the die grinder and bit, along with shipping to addresses in the U.S. If the winner lives outside the U.S., then shipping costs may be covered, depending on the final destination (e.g., shipping to Antarctica: still NOT covered). Problems entering the contest or questions about the contest? Send an email describing your problem or question. Good luck!