Scout Camp 2017
Time to carve: who cares it's Scout Camp
Location: Rotary Scout Reservation #rsrbsa
Finishing: at home 1.5 hour
Summer Camp is one of those times when time passes effortlessly and I can just let the whittling knife take me to the things hidden in the wood.
I brought a piece of 9 x 1 3/4 x 3/4 inch piece of scrape maple from another project with me to summer camp with the intent of making a slide while I was there. Well three slides later I present the Backpack series. The first was a design in the Feb. 1984 Boys Life Slide of the Month ( page 68) by Bill Andrews and consists of the carved backpack and an attached dowel for the sleeping bag. I painted the typical khaki color of BSA backpacks of the time and yellow to match the trim in the picture.
The second was a design found on the Internet but I can no longer find it so I cant give you the link. Based on a 60s backpack (I think) a sleeping bag strapped to the top and tent on the bottom. Its carved from a single piece of wood
The third design is based on the pack I used as a Boy Scout and still have today. If I remember correctly, this pack was a present and purchased in the early 70's most likely at the Big N (anyone remember those stores?). An external frame nylon workhorse that has seen many miles and outlasted many a pair of boots. A brown dome tent (bought in the 80s in first go round as a Scoutmaster) is secured under the top flap. My sleeping bag in a stuff bag is strapped underneath. The one other item of note is the Knox Cannon Trail Relay patch. This slide is also carved from one piece of wood.
All the backpacks were carved from maple, painted with craft paints, and given a couple of coats of Poly.