Slide of the of the Extra : Philmont Garcia Cow Camp

 

January 2024

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour
 
Original design:  Philmont/Bill Macfarlane

An odd calmness (or exhaustion)  sets in after the holidays and what better time to highlight this slide. Located on the UU Bar ranch, Garcia Cow Camp is located two miles west of Apache Springs and has wonderful cabin set in a beauty meadow. The staff, dressed in traditional garb, portray the rolls of early 20th century conservationists there to catalog wildlife and plants/flowers for there benefactor Ernest Thompson Seton. Unlike the high intensity opportunities offered at the other staff camps, Scouts who travel here will find something the are not expecting - the simple joy of relaxation. From "saunters" in nature to landscape drawings/watercolors it is a chance to be still and observe the world around them.

I decided to try something a bit different with this slide by wood burning the design. I started by doing a free hand drawing the design onto a piece of pallet pine. Next I used a wood burner to go over the lines I had drawn and add shading to the slide. I wanted the edges to have a burnt look so I when around the edges with a small hobby torch. I used water slide paper to letter the slide and a couple coats of shellac to finish it off

Slide of the Month Extra: Treebeard

 

January 2024

Time to make: 2 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane









“You must understand, young Hobbit, it takes a long time to say anything in Old Entish. And we never say anything unless it is worth taking a long time to say.”  As I grow older, I begin to appreciate this quote from the character Treebeard in The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien. I can also apply this to carving as to never be in a hurry to carve something. You wont be happy with the results and you miss out on the enjoyment of carving. 

I came across this piece of birch I had saved from an earlier project when the thought came to me to carve this figure.  Because I have had this for many years and the wood was completely dry, the bark was separated in places from the inner wood. If I was to begin carving, I would have had a lot of the bark breaking off. To prevent it and give me a more sturdy material, I used thin super glue in the space between bark and wood. The result was two fold with the bark absorbing the super glue and also forming a new thin layer between bark and wood. The carving from this point was a simple wood spirit design and I finished the slide with some teak oil.    

Slide of the Month-Cowboy Chaps

 
January 2024

Time to make: .5 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Boy's Life September 1994, page 67

 
Original design:  Jeff Springer






Originally cowboy chaps are meant to be worn over pants to protect the wearer from the thorny chaparral bush when riding a horse.  In current times, you could find chaps being used for everything from the Rodeo to motorcycle riders.

A quick an easy slide to make! Made from a leather chair sample, I cut out the pattern from the original Side of the Month article. Next I punched holes for the slide loop and for the outside edge of the legs. Next I used some paint pens to decorate the slide. Finally I used some brown cordage to join the loop in the back and to form the fringe on the legs. Might be a good Cub Scout project. 

Slide of the Month Extra: Philmont Signpost

 

December 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane









It's the end of 2023 and crews have come and gone back to their homes. So here's to the 2024 crews who are preparing to go on an adventure of a lifetime and the crews of 2025 whose excitement is beginning to build. I also raise a glass to the staff of Philmont who continue to facilitate dreams and experiences for so many. May the signpost help you find your path on your journey.

The base of the signpost is carved from pallet pine and the post is a wooden dowel both painted with hobby paints. The signs are made from popsicle sticks and coated with shellac. The lettering is done with waterslide paper and a couple of coats of poly finish it off. I couldn't resist adding Earth to the sign post and Tsatsawassa, NY - well why not.

Slide of the Month Extra: Spoon

 

December 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: .5 hour

Original design:  Bill Macfarlane









I was on assignment for work when I noticed a large wooden spoon hanging on the wall in the office. Everyday for a week, this kind of carving on the spoon was calling out to me. So finally I had to ask what's with the spoon? The fellow I was working with smiled and said "Sometimes you need to spoon feed people." That's all I needed to know I had to recreate that carving.

As I was traveling, I could not bring a carving knife in my carry on so off to a hobby store (Michael's or Hobby Lobby) I went. Using an X-acto knife and a piece of basswood, I spent that night carving and sanding away until I made the slide affectively known as "Spoon". When I got home, I gave the slide a couple of coats of shellac to finish it off. 

Slide of the Month: Green Bar Bill Viking

 

December 2023

Time to make: 3 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Boy's Life October 1932, pages 20 and 49

 
Original design:  Unknown Scout/Bill Macfarlane







Before "Slide of the Month" became a regular feature in Boys Life, there was lots of encouragement about Scouts making their own neckerchief slides. In his regular feature "Hiking with Green Bar Bill", William Hillcourt had this to say; 

        "A few years ago, while visiting the Chicago Boy Scout Camps, a Scout presented me with what has become my favorite neckerchief slide. I never got his name and I'm really sorry I didn't, because this slide is a peach. It is a wonderful piece of wood carving in the shape of a Viking Chief. It has been with me through many countries and it has never failed to arouse interest,"

This month's "Side of the Month" is dedicated to Mr. Hillcourt and that unknown Scout. 

Using the drawing from article, I've created my version of this slide from a piece of leftover basswood. After drawing out the basic design, I began cutting out the outline of the slide not really sure how I was going to finish this. Well the more I carved, the more it came together. What I ended up with was a great looking slide. I sanded the slide but left some rough areas in the slide as scars because a Viking Chief I'm sure would have some. I finished off the slide with some shellac because it gives shows off some great details painting would not.    

Slide of the Month Extra: Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU)

 

November 2023

Time to make: 1 hours

Finishing: 1 hour

 
Thingiverse

Original design: MaxGrueter

The Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) was first craft to allow untethered astronaut space walks in 1984 during the  STS-41-B mission. On it's final mission on STS-51-A the MMU was used to capture the Palapa B2 and Westar 6 satellites and return them to the shuttle bay for return to earth for repair. Interestingly, the first planned device, the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit (AMU), was planned for Gemini/MOLE project using a rocket power propulsion. It was aboard Gemini 9A but because of difficulties during Gene Cernan's EVA the testing of the AMU was cancelled. Deke Slayton suggested in his autobiography, Deke!: U.S. Manned Space from Mercury to the Shuttle, the reason it was developed for the MOLE program was "they might have the chance to inspect somebody else's satellites". 

A very interesting 3d print to make as I needed lots of supports to successfully print it. When it was done, I first painted it with flat white Krylon fusion paint that sticks well to PLA plastic. Next I painted the visor with gold hobby paint. All the logos and stripes were done using water slide paper and I finished it off with a couple coats of poly