If I had a wish list for the show it would be more time to make the machine. It seems every team makes the machine in the allotted time but the performance is usually everything but impressive. Maybe after 10 hours the teams could test their creations, then spend a few more hours refining. This would make for a better competition at the end of the show. Then maybe we will see a land yacht race where the speed reaches 40 mph., instead of pushing an applecart around a course.

-- Andrew Walmsley (walms@hotmail.com), April 09, 2001

Answers

I suspect the current ten hour rule was meant to show what one person could do in a standard 40 hour week. I also suspect those ten hours get stretched a bit from time to time. (Polite sort, aren't I?) They already film each episode over a two day period, allowing for a bit of bodging (excuse me, fine tuning) on the second day before the competition. To add any more build time would run the show's production schedule into a third day, increasing expenses by 50%. Need i mention that this is British Television, where the money is measured in pounds, not tons like American TV? There's your time limit right there.

-- Chip Haynes (ehaynes@co.pinellas.co.us), April 10, 2001.

The 10 hour time limit requires that the teams be creative and quick. Such time pressures sometimes force better creativity and teamwork than if they had weeks to design and develop the machines. See the '20 minute rule' that The Nerds adopted: The machine typically only has to run for 20 minutes, not a lifetime.

-- AAron (buchanana@earthlink.net), April 10, 2001.

Then I hope the new series gets teams that are more qualified for the task..... like ours! :)

-- Andrew Walmsley (walms@hotmail.com), April 10, 2001.

Wow, Andrew- How does a guy as talented as you manage to stay so wonderfully humble?

-- Chip Haynes (ehaynes@co.pinellas.fl.us), April 10, 2001.

I like to look at it as a gift, Chip.

-- Andrew Walmsley (walms@hotmail.com), April 10, 2001.

Having only ten hours means "machines" must be crude and simple... therefore they're easy to understand. It also means that you must be resourceful. IMO, going to three teams and sticking with the 10 hour limit (or even 4 teams and showing it in two episodes) would make for a better competition and more entertainment.

cheers,

-- Max (Maxel@inwindsor.com), April 11, 2001.

To lengthen past ten hours might end with contraptions that don't make us smile as much. Right now the editing leaves me spellbound as they rush to finish.

-- Julie Summersell (Juliesummersell@aol.com), April 12, 2001.