Saturday, August 28, 2021

Slide of the Month Extra- Philmont Crooked Creek


 


August 2021

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont / Bill Macfarlane







 

Crooked Creek Camp is one of two camps at Philmont that is as close to the homesteading experience as possible. No phones, no electric lights, no motor cars, not a single luxury like Robinson Crusoe. It's as primitive as can be. (Sorry, I went Gilligan's Island there for a moment.) But yes there isn't modern life there and in fact there isn't even a road to the camp. All supplies have to be packed in by burro or on foot. So with that song ringing around in your head...


As many of you have probably surmised, the biggest thing I struggle with are faces but second on my list of things I hate to carve are letters. No so much in this slide because the letters didn't need to be perfect as I was going for a more rustic look. Carved from southern (pallet) pine, this is simple low relief  design to form the letters. The surface of the letters were sanded smooth while in between the letters and the background is rough giving the slide a weathered look. The magic comes in with the painting which should give one the thought of being near a cabin. It's painted with hobby paints and a couple of coats of poly finish it off.

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Slide of the Month Extra-Philmont Gateway (Boots)


 


August 2021

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 2 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane







 

Well it's late in the season and probably the last treks of the summer season are on their way to this glorious monument of the Philmont experience. But why throw your hiking boots over the gateway? Some say it is because your hiking boots are worn out after 14 days on the trail in the rough terrain of Philmont. Other say it's an old military tradition of a "short timer" who retires or is leaving a post.  I've even heard some overseas Scouts bought there boots when arriving in the States and don't have the room in their bags for the return trip home.  It is my belief that after the Philmont experience, you want to say goodbye while still leaving a piece of yourself there.

I got an idea and it just took off...this is one of my larger slides. The base is carved from some reclaimed southern pine from a broken pallet. The poles are from dowel material and the sign is made from a popsicle stick. The bands are made from aluminum flashing distressed by soaking the pieces in white vinegar overnight to give them a weathered steel look. The boots...ah the boots, how I struggled with these. After trying different materials, I cut the boot pattern out of thin leather using an x-acto knife. To give you an idea of the boot pattern, imagine a lower case d and b with their backs together so when you folded them together along the spine it formed a boot.  I super glued the sides of the pattern together with a thread inside and on the other side of the thread another boot. Now with all the parts ready I first assembled the poles by gluing them together and, after they had dried overnight, glued the aluminum bands to them.  Next came the shellac to give the poles and sign (with bands attached) the finish I was looking for. I glued the poles to the base before attaching the sign to the poles so everything would line  up correctly. At this point I painted the base, using hobby paints, being careful to not get paint on the poles or the sign. I used waterslide decal paper for the lettering on the gateway and applied it before adding the boots. To hang the boots, I used a layer of thin super glue and had to work quickly as the thin super glue dries fast. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.

When I say this slide is big, it takes up two levels in my storage system (top and bottom) and when worn it certainly makes itself known. I don't if I'll throw my boots over the gateway when I go, but maybe just maybe there could be a couple of slides hanging there...

Saturday, August 14, 2021

Slide of the Month Extra-Philmont Crater Lake (Pole climb)

 



August 2021

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont / Bill Macfarlane







 

Someday I hope to get the Crater Lake and see if my pole climbing technique (from my days as a telephone I/R man) still will serve me well. I hear the Crater Lake Boys (and girls) have one heck of a campfire show too!

What fun to carve this in perspective! Made from southern (pallet) pine, this combines a layered technique while trying to convey the height of the pole. Once I was satisficed with the slide, I painted it with hobby paints, lettered using waterslide paper, and finished it with a couple of coats of poly.  

Saturday, August 7, 2021

Slide of the Month Extra - Philmont Baldy Mountain (Red)


  August 2021

  Time to make:        3 hours

  Finishing: 1 hour

  Original design:      Philmont /                Bill Macfarlane







Baldy Mountain, at 12,441 feet above sea level, is the tallest mountain in Philmont.  It is dotted with old gold mines and has a fantastic view.

There really is something to making slides with a scenic view of a mountain. Carved from Southern Yellow Pine (reclaimed pallet wood) and painted with hobby paints. The lettering is done with waterslide paper and the slide is finished up with a couple coats of poly.


Sunday, August 1, 2021

Slide of the Month - Ice cream cone



August 2021

Time to make: 2 hours

Finishing: 1.5 hour 

Boy's Life  May 1960& p. 68

Original design:  Gary Miller













Ahhh... Summer! Hot days, blue skies and an ice cream cone in your hand. Could it get much better when you were a kid? 

Carved from maple, the cone is sanded smooth while the ice cream is chip carved and left in a rough state to get the texture right. I painted the slide with hobby paints and the details (sprinkles and patch work of the cone) with paint pens. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.