Slide of the Month: African Mali Mask

  October 2024

  Time to make: 2 hours

  Finishing: 1 hour

 
  Boy's Life August 1968, page 56

 
  Original design:  Whittlin Jim









So I was doing some record keeping of the slides I've made verses what I have published and I discovered 2 slides I made years ago from Whittlin Jim. I guess after 500 slides, I was bound to miss a couple.

Carved from maple this looks a lot simpler than it really was. Odd angles carve and cutting in recessed areas made me sharpen my knife over frequently. Sanded and stained with walnut stain to give the slide a dark foreboding look. I finished the slide off with a couple of coats of poly.

Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont National OA Exhibit

 

September 2024

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design: Philmont/Bill Macfarlane




Contained in the National Scouting Museum at Philmont is the National OA Exhibit that is dedicated to the history of the Order of the Arrow. I got the chance to see the Museum in 2022 and it was quite interesting.

Carved from pallet pine it has several levels and was an a challenge to paint. Painted with hobby paints, lettered with water slide paper, and finished with a couple coats of poly

Slide of the Month-Indian Neckerchief

 

September 2024

Time to make: 3.5 hours

Finishing: 1.5 hour

 
Boy's Life May 1954, page 66

 
Original design:  Bud R. Erb

I don't know why I waited so long to make this slide. Maybe the thought of making 13 identical feathers made my head spin. Or perhaps it was something about the description about the feathers section that didn't make sense to me. So here is how I made the slide. The feathers and head was cut from a thick piece of maple. Next using a scroll saw, I slowly cut out the the design. I carved and sanded the head first before the feathers. Now laying the slide on the side, I made equal parallel cuts down the length of the wood from the tip of the feather to the top of the head. This created several identical feathers for this slide. I then carefully cut away all feathers form the top the head EXECEPT the top center feather.  Starting at each side of the top of the head, I super glued the right of right and left feather to the center feather. Each feather was then glued down at the centered in a layered fashion. Next I painted the feathers and head with hobby paints and did the vanes in the feathers with a paint pen. I sealed the slide with a couple coats of poly before gluing the hairs to the end of the feathers.

Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont Kwahadi dancers

 

August 2024

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour
Boy's Life
Original design:  Bill Macfarlane





Back when Philmont Training Center was know as the Volunteer Training Center, the Kwahadi dancers of Troop 380, of Amarillo TX, performed there. I did find an article in the PhilNews about Venture Crew 9, also of Amarillo TX, performing in June of 2012.

Carved from pallet pine this was challenging because of the levels and the induvial feathers. Painted with hobby paints, lettered with waterslide paper, and sealed with a couple coats of poly.

Slide of the Month - Pole Crest Slide

August 2024

Time to make: 1.5 hours

Boys Life "Slide of the Month"

Oct. 1993, p. 64

Original design: Jeff Springer












The pole crest is part of the carved art of the Northwest tribes often representing birds, animals, or insects to tell the story.

 The body is carved from maple and the wings/tail are cut from a thin piece of 1/8 inch plywood. It is pained with hobby paints and finished with a couple of coats of poly.

Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont Camping Arrowhead

 

July 2024

Time to make: 2 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont/Bill Macfarlane









Think back about my Philmont experience, I dream of pitching my tent between a stream and trail in a green meadow. The mountains in the distance and the sun high in the sky - very peaceful. 

Carved from pallet pine it contains several levels and as I was painting the mountains, each mountain was painted a darker color of green going back towards the back of the slide. The lettering was done using water slide paper and a couple of coats of poly finish it off 

Slide of the Month-Troop Number

July 2024

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Boy's Life Dec. 1985,  p. 53 

 
Original design:  Jeff Springer

It's July and the excitement of summer camp looms. There is nothing like being with your troop at Summer Camp! No matter if you are a Scout participating in first year rank advancement, Merit Badges, or extra activities (shooting sports, waterfront, climbing, handicrafts, or the trading post) or an Adult watching the pride of accomplishment each Scout feels there. (Oh course Scoutmaster nap time is a definite plus too!) 

Carved from a 1.25 dowel, our troop number was carved before drilling a 3/4 inch hole down the center of the dowel. The background was painted with hobby paints and the slide was finished with a coat of shellac.