mccuistion - Scouts

Ball and Chain

When Mark goes to Summer camp, inevitably the scouts start carving. And they carve, what else, spears. So to help them see that other more interesting things can be carved, I usually carve a Ball and Wooden Chain tool.

It's described as a 'Scout Behavior Improvement' device.

I carve it while hanging around the natural places that scouts hang at when they should be going to their Merit Badge classes. Random scouts stop by and admire the work, and I get to talk to them about how's it going and what are you working on and shouldn't you be at class right now. By the end of camp, I have a bunch of regulars that check in to see the progress.

I always give it away at the following Court of Honor to the Scout I feel has shown true Scout Spirit at camp.

Scout Hiking Stick

Lately I've been wanting to carve a hiking stick. While on a 10 mile hike with the Scouts, the last recipient of the Ball and Wooden Chain award (Dan the SPL) found me a really nice hiking stick. So I've begun my work. It'll go with me to Summer Camp this year, but I do not plan to let this one go.

Note the Red LED light on top. There's a 9-volt battery embedded in the stick, with a switch.

There's space and resources on the back for an FM-Transmitter and microphone. That would be for making presentations in front of a Campfire, with an FM Radio tuned to the transmitter frequency acting as a PA system.

Finished! It can broadcast up to 15 feet!

Of course the Scouting Fleur de Lis symbol.

BYU was where I received my MBA, specializing in Information Science; as represented by the Computer

I really like this Square Knot carving.

I received my Bachelors degree from UC Berkeley in Applied Math, as represented by the Abacus.

It's difficult to see, but I've carved a Pedigree chart near the middle of the hiking stick. Family History is real important to me.

This was the first thing I carved; the famous Ball in a Cage. I did a test carving with a cut-off piece of wood from the hiking stick. Yes, I carved the ball inside the cage. No, it wasn't easy. Yes, my fingers have memoirs.

The Thermometer/ Compass thing isn't as neat as I thought it would be.

I recently added a leather hand grip. And a Turks Head knot, highlighted with gold string.

Here's a couple shots of the MonkeyBridge we made at the Stake 11-year old Day Camp in Lebenon

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