Wayne's Scouting Wisdoms
I
don't make the product, I make the product better
Wayne Johnson
July
6, 2002
Wisdom overview
Here are some tips that I have found useful in my
scouting career. As you go through these tips, you will find that thrifty,
safety, and practicality is the first and foremost objective i am trying to
achieve. I use all these tips on every camp out I go on. I really hope these
tips help each one of you and make your camping trips easier and more fun.
Table of contents
1.
Coleman stove grill reinforcements
2.
20
pound propane tank stabilizer
3.
9
pound and 5 pound propane tank stabilizer
4.
Propane lantern case
5.
Gas lantern case
6.
Tent storage bag
7.
Tent pegs (personal)
8.
Tent pegs (troop tents)
9.
Tarp pegs (troop tarps)
10.
Tarp stakes (light weight)
11.
Tarp support poles
12.
Bucket seat
13.
Waterproof containers (cheap)
14.
Trash bags
15.
Clothes line
16.
Water jugs
17.
Hot spark fire starter
18.
Dutch oven cooking tips
19.
Ax sharpening log
20.
Trivet for dutch oven cover
1. Coleman stove grill reinforcements
Heating large pots full of water tends to warp the
grill on coleman stoves. My solution is:
a.
Two 1/8 x 1 x
5 inch flat bar bent into the shape of a c
b.
Place under the
two middle grill rails for support
c.
Two 3/8 x ½
x 19 inch flat bar
d.
Place across
stove under grill rails for support
e.
This prevents
the grill from warping when hot and heavy pots are used
2. 20 pound propane tank stabilizer
This solution stops the propane tank from tipping
over, creating a safety hazard while you are on a camp out or while travailing.
a.
Use a 12 x 12
inch plastic milk crate
b.
20 pound
propane tank fits inside
c.
You now have a
1 square foot for stabilization instead of the 8 inch ring on the bottom of
the tank
d.
The tank will
pack better for traveling and cannot role around
3.
9 pound and 5
pound propane tank stabilizer
a.
Use 9 ½ inch
square plastic buckets
b.
Drill holes in
bottom of bucket to let the rain water out
c.
You now have a
9 ½ inch square for better stabilization instead of the small ring at the bottom
of the tank
d.
The tank will
pack better for traveling and cannot role around
4. Propane lantern case
This solution has the lantern ready for use right
out of the case and stabilizes it so the mantles don't break as often.
a.
Use 2, 9 ½
inch square buckets and 1 cover
b.
Put base and
propane cylinder (empty) on lantern
c.
c.
Cut out the
bottom of one of the buckets
d.
Hot glue the
buckets together so they are 18 inches tall
e.
Use 1 or 1 ½
inch thick foam rubber cut to fit in the bottom of the bucket
f.
Use 4 inch
thick foam rubber 8 ½ inch square, cut out hole for propane cylinder in the
center, make knife cut through the foam rubber
g.
Use 2 or 3-inch
foam rubber for top support cut 12 x 9 ½ inches to go over top of lantern
h.
Buckets metal
handle can be replaced by line to form a handle, this allows the lantern to pack
more secure in the vehicles
i.
Extra mantles,
matches, and gas match can be stored in the bucket
j.
The completely
assembled lantern now fits inside case for immediate use
5. Gas lantern case
a.
Use 9 ½ inch
square bucket and cover
b.
Use 1 or 1 ½
inch foam rubber cut to fit in the bottom of the bucket
c.
Use 4 inch
thick foam rubber 8 ½ inch square with hole cut out to go around the base of
the lantern
d.
Use 2 or 3
inch thick foam rubber cut 12 x 9 ½ inches to go over top of lantern for
support
e.
Buckets metal
handle can be replaced by line to form a handle, this allows the lantern to pack
more secure in the vehicles
f.
Extra mantles,
matches, and gas match can be stored in the bucket
6.
Tent storage
bag
Does the tent have a ground cloth? Now you don't
have to wonder if it’s with the tent or not, you can feel it in its pouch
a.
Sew a three
sided pocket on the out side of the tent storage bag
b.
This gives you
a place to store the plastic ground cloth
c.
In the case of
troop tents, everyone will know at a glance that the tent has a ground cloth in
it
d.
At the end of
the camp out, the dirty ground cloth has a place of its own with out messing up
the tent
e.
Use a small
plastic bag to put ground cloth in before putting it in the pocket keeps
everything clean
7.
Tent pegs
(personal)
a.
10 inch steel
wire pins
b.
BSA catalog #
xo1447
·
Cost $7.00 for
a package of 12
c.
The only tent
peg approved at Philmont
d.
Hand fits into
the ring at the top to allow for easy entry into the ground
8.
Tent pegs
(troop tents)
Standard tent pegs are expensive and are always
being lost. This is a very inexpensive way to replace them
a.
Buy 20 feet of
1/8 diameter cold roll steel rod
·
Cost about .02
to .05 cents per foot
b.
Cut every 10
inches
c.
Bend 1 inch of
the peg 90 degrees in a vise
d.
Tent peg cost
less than .05 cents each
e.
Some steel
companies will donate the steel to the Boy Scouts
9. Tarp stakes (troop tarps)
a.
Buy 20 feet of
¼ diameter mild steel rod
·
Cost about .05
to .10 cents per foot
b.
Cut every 16
inches
c.
Bend 1 inch of
the peg 90 degrees in a vise
d.
Tarp pegs cost
about .15 cents
e.
Some steel
companies will donate the steel to the Boy Scouts
10.
Tarp stakes (light weight)
a.
Use 14 inches
3/8 diameter aluminum rod
b.
Thread top of
aluminum rod for ½ inch
c.
¼ x 1 aluminum
flat bar cut into 1 inch pieces
d.
Drill 3/8 hole
in the 1 inch squares and thread
e.
Screw the 1
inch squares onto the 3/8 rod
f.
Hammer the top
of the rod so the flat bar can not screw off
g.
Rod and flat
bar can be found in aluminum recycling plants
h.
Some recycle
plants will donate the aluminum to the boy scouts
11.
Tarp support poles
This is a very inexpensive way to support the center
of a tarp so when it rains, the water will run off
a.
For a 10 foot x
1 ¼ inch ridgepole
1.
Use 10 feet of
chain link fence top rail
2.
Cut in half for
2, 5 foot sections
3.
Opposite ends
slide together
a.
May use 20 feet
of chain link fence top rail, cut to fit your tarp
4.
Drill a 7/16
hole in each end so BSA’s adjustable upright will go in
5.
1 inch diameter
electrical steel conduct fits in side
6.
BSA has a 2
piece 9 foot 6 inch adjustable ridgepole that fits in side
a.
Adjustable
ridgepole BSA # xo1432
7.
For ridgepoles
longer than 10 feet, use an other section of chain link fence, steel conduit, or
adjustable ridgepole
b.
For support of
long ridgepoles
1.
Use a 1¼ inch
pvc tee
2.
Glue in a 12 x
1¼ inch piece of pvc pipe
3.
Use BSA 2 piece
adjustable ridgepole in side the 12 inch tee for support from the ground so
ridge pole will not bend
4.
12 inch tee
will slide over long ridgepole
c.
8 foot
adjustable upright
1.
BSA adjustable
upright # xo1413
2.
Use in tarp
corners and at the end of the ridge poles
12. Bucket
seat
From camp outs to summer camp, everyone needs a
practical place to sit
a.
5 gallon bucket
1.
Adults use a
bird seed bucket as they are taller
2.
Boy’s can use a
standard 5 gallon bucket
b.
Home Depot and
other stores sell a plastic seat for about $6.00
c.
Leave the
bucket handle on for carrying
d.
Drill small
holes in edge of the bucket to tie rope for loops on each side of the bucket
1.
A shoulder
strap can be attached to the loops for carrying on your shoulder
2.
When not in
use, the shoulder strap fit inside the bucket
3.
Can now be
lugged by handle or on your shoulder
You now have a seat where ever you go in scouting
plus 5 gallons of dry storage
13.
Waterproof containers (cheap)
Free water proof containers for canoe or rafting
trips
a.
5 gallon paint
bucket with rubber ring in cover
b.
2, 13 gallon
plastic bags with ties
c.
Snap for bucket
handle
1.
Put the 2
plastic bags inside each other and inside the bucket
2.
Fill the
plastic bags
3.
Twist and tie
off inside bag
4.
Twist and tie
off outside bag
5.
Snap on the
cover
6.
The snap on the
handle can then snap on rope tied to the supports in the canoe
7.
If the canoe
tips over, everything stays with the canoe
14. Trash
bags
How do we tie up trash bags in camp?
a.
Use plastic
trash bags that have built in draw strings
b.
You now have a
way to hang up the bag in the camp sight
c.
Bag can be tied
in trees for use as bear bags
15.
Clothes line
a.
Double 20 feet
of rope and twist
b.
Tie rope
between trees
c.
Loosen twist
and put cloths in the twist
16. Water
jugs
a.
Use jugs that
hold no more than 3 gallons
1.
Water weights
about 7 ½ pounds per gallon
2.
The average boy
can carry 3 gallons but not 5 gallons of water
b.
The yellow jugs
that pool companies use for chlorine are 2 1/2 gallons
1.
Can buy brand
new from pool companies
2.
Cost $3.00 to
$5.00
3.
The jugs stack
one on top of each other for storage
c.
Attach the jug
covers to jugs
1.
Use a wire net,
#10 bolt, 2 #10 washers, 2 #10 nuts, 2 small pieces of rubber, 12 inches of
twine
2.
Drill hole in
cover smaller than #1o bolt
3.
Put wire nut, 1
of the nuts, 1 of the washers, and small piece of rubber on bolt
4.
Screw the bolt
into the hole of the cover
5.
Put the other
piece of rubber, washer, and nut on bolt and tighten both nuts so the wire nut
will swing 360 degrees
6.
Put the twine
through the wire nut and around the handle of the jug and tie in a loop
7.
Cover now stays
with the jug
17.
Hot spark fire starter
a.
BSA catalog #
01167
1.
Cost $1.95
b.
0000 steel wool
for emergency fire tinder
1.
Steel wool
burns at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit
2.
Do not touch
the hot steel wool as it will cause second or third degree burns
c.
Dryer lint
d.
Hair from palm
trees
18.
Dutch oven cooking tips
Here are some tips that make cooking in a dutch oven
easier and fun
a.
Army folding
shovel with pick ax
1.
Use shovel to
put coals on dutch oven
2.
Use pick ax to
move dutch oven or to lift the cover
b.
10 x 2 inch
cake pan or trail chef cook kit large fry pan fit inside 12 inch dutch oven
1.
4, ¼ inch
nuts inside dutch oven will raise the pan off the bottom of the dutch oven
2.
This gives
indirect heat all around the pan so food doesn't burn
3.
Use wax paper
to line the cake pan or the bottom of the dutch oven so food will not stick
a.
Paper burns at
750 degrees fahrenheit
b.
Electric stove
oven at home only has a temperature of 500 degrees fahrenheit
c.
Use pliers to
lift out pans from inside dutch oven
19.
Ax sharpening log
Now we can teach the totin' chip and ax sharpening
requirements at the scout meetings in stead of waiting for camp outs.
a.
Cut a log 4 to
5 inches in diameter 3 feet long
b.
With a ax
flatten one side
c.
Screw log onto
a 12 x 40 inch piece of plywood
d.
Cut a 1 ½ inch
diameter branch into 6, 1 ½ inch lengths and drill small holes into them so a
wood screw will go in with out splitting them
e.
Screw 4, 2 on
each side of log to look like stakes holding it on the ground
f.
Screw the other
2 in position to hold the ax to the log for sharpening
1.
Go to a metal
shop or welding shop and get a 4 x 6 x ¼ inch piece of mild steel flat bar
2.
The boys can
practice using the file on the flat bar with out the worry of if the file slips,
they can not get cut
3.
When the flat
bar starts to get sharp, you can grind it down on a grinder
20. Trivet for dutch oven
cover
What do you do with the dutch oven cover when it is
not on the dutch oven?
a.
1, 14x 1/8 x ½
inch flat bar
1.
Bend ends 90
degrees 2 inches from the ends in a vice so you have a total length of 10 inches
b.
1, 13 ½ x 1/8
x ½ inch flat bar
1.
Bend ends 90
degrees 1 7/8 inches from the ends in a vice so you have a total length of 9 ½
inches
c.
Drill a hole,
larger than a nail (which you will use as a rivet) in the center of the 2 flat
bars
d.
Cut nail ½ inch
from the head
e.
Put nail
through the hole of the two flat bars and round off end with a hammer
1.
Do not pound so
hard as the trivet will not open or shut
f.
You now have a
place to put your dutch oven cover when it is not on the dutch oven
g.
Trivet folds
and stores in dutch oven when not in use
h.
This may be
used as one of the qualifications for the metal work merit badge
