Slide of the Month Extra - Woody's Mud Hen Kachina Mask

 

June 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Original design:  Woody's Make-Your-Own









I've never seen this Woody's slide before and I was surprised to find this one on a list. Perhaps the "Mud Hen" Kachina mask was more popular in the western part of the US at Scout camps. But as I have been researching a Wikipedia quote struck me. "When a Hopi man places a mask upon his head and wears the appropriate costume and body paint, his personal identity is lost and the spirit of the kachina he is supposed to represent takes its place."

I carved this one from several kinds of wood. The head is carved from poplar while the tongue and horns are carved from maple. The eye stalks are wood dowel pins which have channels cut in them. I glued and pinned the horns/tongue for extra strength. The eye stalks are glued into a couple of holes I drilled into the mask. The painting is done with hobby paints and is based on the recommendations from Woody's. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.

Slide of the Month Extra - Philmont 75th

June 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont / Bill Macfarlane








Back in 1985 Scouting in the United States was 75 years old and Philmont celebrated it with a special patch. Thinking back at this point in my adult Scouting life, I had been an Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, and was then Assistant Post Advisor. (Man I'm old...).

Carved from pallet pine, this is a five level slide with the Scout elemblem at the top level and the background at the lowest level. Painted with hobby paints, lettered with waterslide paper, and sealed with a couple coats of poly. 

Slide of the Month-Woodland slide

 

June 2023

Time to make: 1.5 hours

Finishing: .5 hour

 
Boy's Life Mar. 1980,  p. 73

Original design:  Wayne Mason






It's one of my favorite time of year as the leaves are coming out in full and it seems that overnight the leaves go from this size to full grown. 

I picked some small leaves late in May, put them between sheets of waxed paper and placed the under a heavy book. Taking a fallen dead branch, I cut a half dollar sided round about one half inch thick. When the leaves were dry (after a few days), I picked  the best one and glued it to the round. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.