slides

[SWScouter 34]

I'd go with something really simple, such as a wooden nickel with the pack number painted on it. Use 1/4" slice of 1/2" PVC hot glued on the back. You could even stamp the pack number on instead of paint. Something like that can be whipped out pretty darn quick.

 

One thing though, if you give these out each year, what are you going to do to make the slides different each year, or are the cubs just going to get the same thing each year? Will a Webelos scout want yet another of the slide he's received for the past several years? Now you're back to the same problem you're trying to solve, a different slide each year.

 

What about the Tigers in the Fall, will they be given a pack slide too? Perhaps the slide would be better given as part of a joining ceremony instead of part of the crossing to a new level ceremony.

 

SWScouter

[resqman 108]

Below is a link to a fella who hand carves slides. He has a variety of stock designs and is willing to make custom designs. He will carve a custom design, allow you to approve, and then makes a mold of the slide. He sells the mold so you can make duplicates from plaster of paris.

http://www.scoutguy.com/handcarved.htm

 

Michael's Craft supplies sell a mold kit. You simply mix the ingrediants, pour into a container, place the original in the mixture and allow to dry/cure. Remove the original and you have a mold you can use to make as many of something as you need. If you need to make lots of copies, make muliple molds and then you can cast many of the item at the same time.

 

You could commission ScoutGuy to carve a new slide each year, or one for each rank to keep the interest level high.

 

When my den were Wolfs, I bought the eight pack of leather blanks from the scout store along with some leather stamps. I bought the small number/letter set along with the rank logo stamp. As a craft project during a campout, each boy had an opportunity to stamp the leather, lace it up and make a custom slide. I one boy wear it to his AOL ceremony. The Pack could fund the cost of the leather stamp sets and each den buy their own leather blanks. That way each boy has ownership of thier slide, the Pack has a "standard" slide of leather, and you get a Den/Pack activity.

 

I recommend it as a den activity vs. a Pack activity. It takes the boys a while to find the right letters and spell out stuff. With more than about 5 boys, you will have a lot of standing around and loss of interest. The format I suggested was to have Pack NNN across the top, the rank logo in the middle and DEN N across the bottom. Vertically along the lace holes I had them stamp their first name, last name first letter. Since two edges butt against each other to lace, the other edge had the YYYY year number. That way if they loose it, we know who to return it to. The date allows them to stuff it in their keepsake box and pull out to show to their kids.

 

At Pinewood Derby time I went to the dollar store and bought an 8 pack of matchbox size cars for $1. I bought a 6 pack of super glue for $1. I had some scrap PVC pipe in the garage I cut into 1 inch lengths. For under $3 bucks, I was able to make a custom slide for every boy in the den. This could be a Pack meeting activity very easily for about $3 per den.

 

When my scouts were Webelos, I bought embroidery Webelos logo magnets at the scout store. I pulled off the magnet backing and glued some PVC pipe to the back. Gave them to each boy as they bridged from Bear to Webelos.

 

Neckerchief slides are cheap. They make great den meeting activities. Once my den started wearing custom slides, the other dens started to follow suit. One dad found a kit to make a car from pieces of wood. The kit car was about 8 inches long when finished. The dad bought balsa wood and down sized the kit so the finished car was about 3". He made a kit for all 16 Webelos. The boys glued the cars together and then painted as a den activity They proudly wore their custom slides.

 

The woggles of tied rope are cheap and easy. They encourage the boys to learn about ropes and knots. You can use different colored rope and add beads to the two ends of the rope for flair.

 

I understand your desire for the entire Pack to have a standard slide. Start with your den. The boys in the other dens will ask questions of your boys. They will ask their den leaders when they get their cool slides. Soon the other den leaders will be coming to you for ideas. The boys will drive the issue.