Saturday, November 23, 2024

Slid of the Month Extra: Philmont Burro


 


November 2024

Time to make: 2 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont/Bill Macfarlane







The treks that include burros take advantage of lighten the load carried for the crew as the burros can be packed with crew food and tents. These are pack animals (not for riding) just like the miners used in the early days of the area. As easy as this sounds, the crew members still carry everything else in there backpacks. Also as trained as the burros are, they still have a mind of their own and walk and stop when they want to. I have also heard stories of crews falling in love with their burros. It is rumored one crew had a plan to sneak out a burro and bring it back to large city they were from. I guess Amtrak wouldn't let them buy a seat for a burro.

Carved from pallet pine it was a quick slide to make. Painted with hobby paints, lettered with waterslide  paper, and finished with a couple coats of poly.

Friday, November 1, 2024

Slide of the Month:Chain Slide


  November 2024

  Time to make: 3 hours

  Finishing: 1 hour

  Original design:  Whittlin Jim













This was the other slide I missed publishing from Whittlin Jim and what a great slide  to make!

Carved from a single piece of red maple, this chain and weight took a sharp knife, keen eye, and so much patience to release each piece from the others. Sanding took almost as much time as it did in carving. Finishing was also a challenge as it needed to keep each part from touching the others while applying the poly.