Wednesday, March 14, 2018

Side of the Month Extra - (Carve a face) 70's Scout



March 2018

Time to make: 3 hours

Design Bill Macfarlane

Original concept: Bill Burch








So while I was carving the Bill Burch slide of the month I got an idea. I was a Scout back in the 70's and I thought what if I did a Scout of that era. Complete with the red beret and sunglasses, it is what I might have been wearing at a Camproee or Summer Camp.

First I sketched out the basic design and with another a block of maple, I cut out the profile of the slide. Taking what I learned from the original care-a-face slide I did, the details like the chin turned out much better than the first. I finished the slide up with hobby paint and gave it a couple of coats of poly.




Friday, March 2, 2018

Slide of the Month March 2018- Carve-a-Face



2018

Time to make: 3 hours

Boys Life "Slide of the Month"

April 1975 page 54

Original design: Bill Burch and John Taylor






Bill Burch had been carving bolo slide for years and has been at many Scout functions including National Jamborees. I was told he had tied over 48,000 slide before his death on September 25, 2012.  A fascinating article about him can be found here and a moving video here. It's with honor I try to recreate the Slide of the Month he did for Boy's Life.

Starting with a block of maple, I cut out the profile of this face then turning it on its back, I cut out the outline from the remaining wood. Lots of cuts and wood removal before I could start shaping the slide. Countless breaks to sharpen my knife and then the sanding.Painted with hobby paint and given a couple of coats of poly.