Idea for another contest, just kicking around:

~ A "bring a friend" contest: get a friend to join the forum, then he / she AND the sponsoring member are entered in the contest, with a qualifying number of posts from both. The friend can't be your non-welder spouse, non-welder GF, or your imaginary friend from childhood. Extra points if the new member is a she and looks good in Carhartts (just kidding). Oxide doesn't get to sign up every student in his class. OK yes he does, but he only gets one chance in the contest (just kidding, Oxide). This would help expand the membership base. Moderators would need to find a way to include "unsponsored" new members who find the sites by themselves. I liked my chances in the 1 in 27 pool, don't get me wrong, but this is a good group of people, and more members would be a better group of people, and more people on the site means more exposure for Everlast (the point of the whole deal).