Side of the Month Extra - Woody's American Eagle

 

March 2023

Time to make: 3.25 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Original design:  Woody's Make-Your-Own













I also tried this Woody's Slide in another summer at Scout camp with disastrous results. (Sigh) The interesting part was finding myself at the hospital for a carving accident that resulted in stitches. No it wasn't me but one of the other Scouts in our troop who cut his thigh with one of those really sharp carving knives. I was there for moral support as his Senior Patrol Leader. 

Carved from bass wood, there were parts of this slide that went quickly and the wings took time to carve. Lots of v-cuts in the wings. Painted with hobby paints and sealed with a couple coats of poly.

Slide of the Month Extra - Philmont Cphyers Mine

 

March 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont / Bill Macfarlane

Named for Charles Cpyher, a early gold miner in the region, the camp features a tour of the Contention mine as well as other mining activities. Also, it has one of the best musical programs (called Stomp) at Philmont. Check out this play list called "Down in the Contention" from the 2021 staffers.

Carved from maple, this was a challenging slide to carve. The helmet had me grinding my teeth as I tried to not only carve the roundness of the helmet but also have the mining light attached to it also. The only part added to the slide was the pick axe and it was made using a small dowel. I used sandpaper on the handle to make it look like it was worn from use. The slide was painted with hobby paints and the lettering was done with water slide paper. A couple of coats of poly finish it off. 

Slide of the Month -Windmill

 

March 2023

Time to make: 2.5 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Boy's Life August 1976, page 44

 
Original design:  Wayne Mason







March when the wind blows so hard and cold when you are a kid sick of being inside and just trying to get a kite in the air. Yet windmills harness the wind so effortlessly not caring if it was cold or hot.  But I'm not here to tilt with giants so on with the slide...

I use a few different kinds of wood for this slide. The structure was done using a wooden dowel described by Home Depot as "Raw Wood" and there didn't seem to be any other description. The blades of the windmill were carved from maple for strength. I carved two sets of blades and joined them in the  center. I painted the base and blades with hobby paints before pinning the blades to the structure. A couple of coats of poly finish it off