Saturday, April 27, 2024

Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont Cavalcade


 


April 2024

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont/Bill Macfarlane







Philmont's Cavalcade trek is a very different trek because, instead of hiking from camp to camp, the participants ride horses.  It is also one of the most regulated programs as each rider must be under 200 pounds and no crew can go on Cavalcade in consecutive years. The program is so popular that crews must enter a lottery to gain a spot in the program. Just thinking about it, what a great way to experience Philmont like the early settlers did in this marvelous wilderness!

Carved from pallet pine this was a challenging slide because of the perspective aspects of the horse/rider, mountains and sky. Painted with hobby paints and lettered with water slide paper. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Slide of the Month Extra: Wash Station

 




April 2024

Time to make: 2  hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane











You never know when inspiration will it you. In this case, I was at camp Wakpominee for an OA ordeal weekend and outside the mess hall I saw this wash station. I had some time before starting my duties in the kitchen so I grabbed my knife and some wood I brought to start carving this slide. 

The wood well I really don't know what kind of wood it is because it was from an old cutting board we had at home. The cutting board, after years of use and many trips through the dishwasher, was falling apart at the glue seams and I thought why not. After carving the basic shape of the wash station, I used a piece of aluminum flashing to form the tub. I painted the station with some hobby paints before I super glued the tub to the station. Next I drilled holes for the faucet and handles both on the front and side of the wash station. The faucet was made from some aluminum wire and the handles are small Philip head screws. These were glued in place using super glue. A couple of coats of poly finished the slide off

Monday, April 1, 2024

Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont Most of us made it


 


April 2024

Time to make: 2 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane








Well...Most of us made it! ...

No it's not a real Philmont award (posted April 1st) but based on the "We all made it" from Philmont and my odd sense of humor.

The redness of the feet and the bandaged blisters tell the tale of the trail. Made from pallet pine painted with hobby paints and the dressings are made from paper towels glued in place. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.