TROOP 215:
On April 23-25 2004, Troop 215 will participate in the District Pioneer-O-Ree. Our goal is to have the boys camping on specially designed patrol tent-platforms that they build themselves. Below is a picture of the tent platform that we are modeling from. As you can see, it accommodates 3 tents, sleeping up to 8 boys. A built-in table with benches in the base serves as the Patrol kitchen area. This will be a real accomplishment for your son that he will remember all his life, and proudly tell his own children about. Cameras will be a “must-have”!
Troop 215 is presently working on the Pioneering Merit Badge at our meetings. Pioneering is all about using ropes and wood to build camping equipment and structures. Mr. Bob Beck, an expert merit badge instructor, is providing this specialized training with the boys. The boys will make rope with a rope-making machine they build themselves. They will also learn all different types of knots and lashings.
We will need to build these platforms at the Troop barn, and practice assembling them so we are prepared. As you can see, we will need long straight pieces of natural wood, called “spars”. If any of you have access to wood spars like these, please start to gather them together for the Troop.
Generally, pine makes the best spars because pine trees are straight. Also, when pine is stripped of bark and dried out, it makes spars that are not too heavy. Otherwise, spars should be cut from the straightest trees you can find. It might be an advantage to make spars from hardwood species of trees. Given the strength of hardwoods, we could use smaller diameter spars as a weight saving measure.
A “Pioneering Kit” contains a mixture of spars that can be used to build a variety of structures. Each patrol will want to start to get together their “Pioneering Kit”. On the next page are suggested sizes for spars that each kit should contain. The “Butt Diameter” is the diameter at the thickest end of the spar.
PIONEERING KIT
Each patrol will need a kit containing the following suggested quantity of wooden “spars” in the suggested lengths and diameters:
QuantityLengthButt Diameter
202’2” to 2 ½”
204’2”
104’3”
406’2”
86’3”
358’2 ½”
88’3”
3510’3 ½”
810’4”
1012’3 ½”
612’4”
614’4”
414’5”
The Troop is also looking for several parents that have some skills or experience with architectural design, blueprints, or other talents that could be helpful in designing the basic pattern for each tent platform. If you have talents that could be helpful in designing these platforms and putting the design on paper, please contact Scoutmaster Dave Servin at 215-412-0888 (work), 215-272-3865 (cell), or .