Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont Scrimshaw

 

July 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane






It's the year of the bear (2023) at Philmont, I was trying to think of a slide I could do to with a new material or different technique. Puttering around the shop I came upon a small piece of PVC pipe I was using for the Phillips Junction Commissary slide and it came to me. Something I've never seen before, in relation to Philmont was scrimshaw. (Not a large whaling community in the desert.) 

I cut the PVC pipe lengthwise and with the aid of a hot air gun began to open and flatten the piece of pipe. Next I traced a bear Silhouette onto the PVC. I used my knife to make a fine V-cut around the tracing of the bear. An image of the Tooth of Time was placed in the center of the bear and I set about carving in the lines and shaded areas of the tooth. Knowing that most inks would just run off the PVC, I scrapped the polished surface PVC for the bears fur. The ink for this project had to be something that would stick to the areas I carved so I made an ink using a black permanent marker core soaked in denatured alcohol.  Using a Q-tip, I rubbed the slide with the ink and then wiped with a clean cloth. I really like how the ink both stayed in the areas I worked in and gave the background an aged look. The final step was to use a file to shape the outside edge of the slide (and a little more ink)

Slide of the Month Extra - Woody's Cochise

 

July 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:   Woody's make your own













Cochise (or A-da-tli-chi as he was known by his people) was the leader of the Chokonen  a band within the Chiricahua Apache. An amazing war leader standing at 6 foot (rare for anyone of that era), he lead resistance to Americans and Mexicans encroaching on Apache lands from 1861 to 1872 during the Apache Wars.  I've seen a few references to the meaning of his name  - "having the quality or strength of oak", "hardwood" "wood not bending or breaking".

Made from basswood it's another of the Woody's patterns. I not fond of doing faces especially of famous people because I don't feel I pay the person the honor they deserve. Painted with hobby paints and sealed with a couple coats of poly.

Side of the Month Extra - The Wood Spirits of Philmont

July 2023 (2022)

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Camp Covid Philmont 

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane

It is said wood spirits bring good luck and healing. They are also known for bringing cool breezes to the forest.  Is it any wonder I was carving this a year ago as a guest of Camp Covid at Philmont.

I came across these this weekend as I was going through some stuff I had at Philmont. I remember picking up stick around the quarantine, as there was nothing else to carve, and spending time carving these sticks into weird little wood folks. It certainly helped pass the time as I waited to rejoin my crew.   

Slide of the Month Extra - Philmont Indian Writings

August 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont / Bill Macfarlane




Indian writings camp is one of the oldest camps on the ranch. To me this is one of the most fascinating camps because of the archaeological digs around the petrographs. (But then again, history is fascinating to me anyway.) At this camp there are many things that can be learned like atlatl throwing which I'd also like to try.

I tried to make this slide a few times but I've never been happy with the results of my attempts to carve the writings. In the end, I carved and painted the background then added the writings using waterslide paper. I finished it off with a couple of coats of poly

Slide of the Month- Rattlesnake (Cub Scouts)

  July 2023

Time to make: 1 hours

Finishing: 0 hour

 
Boy's Life: March 2001, page 60

  

Original design:  Luke Fiaher


When I was out at Philmont a year ago our crew walked right my this fellow on the trail. The funny part is we all walked right by him and stopped a few feet away for a break.  (I had to tell the Ranger to move because he was about 10 inches away when I spotted the snake)

A fun one for the Cub Scouts! This is an easy slide to make because I used a piece of 12 gage solid wire, some tubing, beads, some duct tape, and super glue. I passed the wire through the tubbing and then using black duct, cut to size, wrapped the tube like a candy cane. Next I glued a large oval bead to one end of the wire leaving about 1/8 inch open at the end. Using red duct tape folded back on it self, I cut out a snake tongue and glued it to the opening I had left in the head. The eyes are smaller dark beads glued to the head. (But if I was going to do it again, I would have used googly eyes). The rattle part of the snake was done with larger pony beads added to the wire. Don't glue the last bead at this point! Once again if I was doing this slide again I might have used glow in the dark or pony beads that change color in the sun light for the rattle. Finally wrap the snake around a 3/4 inch piece of dowel or PVC pipe adjusting the head and tail to your liking. To finish the slide, trim the wire flush with the last pony bead and super glue