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

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.