Slide of the Month - Jack-O-Lantern Slide

         October 2020

        Time to make: 1 hours

        Finishing: 1 Hour

        Boys Life "Slide of the Month"

        

        Oct. 1980, page 71

        Original design: Wayne Mason

As I understand it, Jack-o-Lanterns are based on the Irish folk tail of Stingy Jack. 

A quick, fun little slide made from pallet wood! I started out cutting a semi round disk and then rounding the wood into a half dome(ish). Using some deep v-cuts, I formed the sections of the pumpkin. A bunch of sanding to make it smooth and painting with hobby paint. The eyes, nose and mouth were painted with a paint pen. A couple of coats of poly finish it off.

Slide of the Month Extra - Philmont Boot Tread

September 2020

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont / Bill Macfarlane

Days till Philmont 2022Countdown

 

Another in my Philmont concept series! While Philmont Scout Ranch is a number of things from training to special events, it is probably best known for the treks.  Strap on a backpack of all the things you'll need on the trail and head off into an adventure.  An essential for the journey, footwear in good condition and a backup pair just in case. Don't be that Scout that has to duct tape their boots back together on the trail. (Yes, I'm looking at you Mr. H)

Admittedly, this slide started out as a odd looking scrap of maple I had kicking (no pun attended) around and I was about to throw away. It looked kind of like the shape of a boot print in the mud so the idea of the boot tread slide was hatched. The tread design is loosely based on my boots with the Philmont name carved into the middle. The slide took a couple of tries to complete and there will be a follow up slide from one of the missteps. When it came to finishing, the natural look of the maple was appealing so I used a paint pen to highlight Philmont and finished the slide with a couple coats of poly.  

Slide of the Month Extra - Philmont Old Bull logo

October 2020

Time to make: 1 hours

Finishing: 2 hour

Original design:  Wagion Lodge 6 / Bill Macfarlane

Days till Philmont 2022Countdown

The bull has long been a symbol of Philmont and this was an early representation in a 1954 patch from  the Wagion Lodge 6 (Order of the Arrow) from West Moreland and Fayette located in South-Western Pennsylvania. The Wagion Lodge celebrates 100 years as an Order of the Arrow Lodge in 2020. So if you are visiting my site from Lodge 6, I bid you welcome Brother (and or Sister) from the distant past Lodges of Nischa Nimat and Memsochet.

I carved this slide relatively quickly from maple but I have to say, I enjoy the lines of the slide and the feel of it in your hand. Painting the slide on the other hand took more time than I expected. As I'm writing this, I still wonder how many times I repainted it and how my hands were steady enough to paint line within lines. That being said, the slide is painted with hobby paints and finished off with a couple coats of poly.

Slide of the Month Extra - Kit Carson Museum

September 2020

Time to make: 2 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Philmont/Bill Macfarlane

Days till Philmont 2022Countdown

 

Well, back on the horse counting down the days till our council's next Philmont attempt and I guess I can go back to publishing Philmont slides on a irregular schedule instead of cramming them all into a few weeks. (I still think I have more Philmont slides than there are weeks till July of 2022!)

The Kit Carson Museum at Rayado is located seven mile south of Philmont Headquarters  and is an adobe structure built by the Boy Scouts of America to recount the history and exploits of Lucien Maxwell and his friend Kit Carson.

Another slide carved from basically a piece of wood from a broken pallet recycled into a neckerchief slide. Carved from southern pine it's a relatively simple design of layers and painted with hobby paints. Inkjet printed waterslide paper was used for the labels and a paint pen was used for the fine details. A couple of coats of Poly finish it off.

Slide of the Month - The Arrowhead

September 2020

Time to make: 2 hours

Boys Life "Slide of the Month"

Nov. 1995, page 65

Original design: Jeff Springer












The Arrowhead is one of the most popular symbols in Scouting from the Cub Scouts arrow points (discontinued) to the Philmont award for successful completion of a trek. It's the symbol of many Scout camps and a few councils.

Another in Jeff Springer's series, it is one pattern I would suggest to someone just starting out wood carving.  Carved from maple, it is really hard to make a mistake with this slide. Painted with hobby paints and finished with a couple of coats of poly.

Slide of the Month - Monkey Fist

August 2020

Time to made: 1 hour ish


Design: Bill Macfarlane

I've been told many a story about the Monkey's Fist knot -  everything from weapon to weighted end on a throwing line .  Mostly I see them as key chain fobs, zipper pulls, or hanging off back packs but I got a thought. What about a slide?

Tied with some spare paracord and a wooden ball it is finished off with bowline for the loop...

Slide of the Month - Ladybug

August 2020

Time to make: 2 hours

Boys Life "Slide of the Month"

Apr. 1987, p. 63

Original design: Bill Fleming












Coccinellidae (better known as ladybug in the US or ladybirds in the UK) are the gardener's friend because they eat lots of pests like aphids. My grandparents also me it was a sign of luck when you found them around.


A quick and easy slide carved out of maple and painted with hobby paints. Finished with a couple of couple coats of Poly and has a wooden looped to the back.