Scoutcraft DIY

I recently discovered a new pioneering technique used by Scouts in Italy.  It is called CatDrill and it uses holes drilled in small poles secured with cordage.  It is an ingenious technique that uses an overhand knot to lock each end.  It uses a lot less rope or cord than the pioneering techniques we are used to in the US.  Check out the CatDrill website .  ScoutmasterCG did an article on CatDrill 5 years ago, so I am late to the party. Here is an example of a CatDrill joint (image borrowed from CatDrill website). I decided to reinvent the Scout stave dishwashing rack that I learned to make from from the Scout Pioneering website .  This time, I'm going to make it using the CatDrill technique rather than traditional lashings.  Our Troop has built the dishwashing rack on numerous outings.  One problem they have is getting all the staves oriented just right so that the basins are held securely.  By pre-drilling holes where the staves intersect, we will eliminate this pro

I came up with another take on the Scotch eye auger that I made about 9 posts ago.  Auger bits come in different shaft diameters.  Those made by Irwin are 7/16".  The Harbor Freight ones are supposed to be 3/8" but are more like 11/32.  I wanted to have one "eye" that I could use with any auger bit, but still use the bit in a power drill if I want.  So I got a 1/2" to 3/8" socket adapter and welded it to a piece of 1" pipe.  Now, by selecting different sockets, I can use any auger bit.  This should even work with the tapered square end bits used with a brace and bit.  I bought a 3.5" double threaded 1" pipe from Lowe's and a set of socket adapters from Harbor Freight.  This cost me about $5.  I cut the threaded ends off of the pipe.  You can use an angle grinder / cutting disc for this but a chop saw is even better. Then I ground a curve into the end of the socket adapter with a die grinder.  Again, an angle grinder with a th

In a previous post titled " Rope Maker ", I made a rope making machine per the specs in the Pioneering MB pamphlet, but bolted it to a trailer hitch for stability.  That arrangement was kind of clunky, and expensive for anybody who doesn't have extra trailer hitches lying around.  So I came up with a different solution.  I mounted the rope maker to a 2x2x20" piece of wood and drilled a 5/8" hole in it for the hitch pin. First I took some 2x4 scraps and cut them 20" long, then ripped them to 1x2". Then I glued them together and clamped them up overnight.  If I had it to do over again, I would have cut them slightly oversized, then trimmed them to 2x2" after the glue-up. Then I marked the location for the hitch pin hole at 2-3/4" and centered on both sides.  I measured 3 hitches that I had in my garage.  2 of them had the hole centered at 2-3/4" from the end and the third was at 2.5",  so I went with 2-3/4".  I d

I have been wanting to have a vise mounted on my truck for a while now.  The main reason for this is so I can work on messy projects in my driveway where I can cleanup with a leaf blower.  It would also let me use the axe sharpening jig from a recent post during a camping trip, or to have a vise available at the job site while assisting a Scout with his Eagle project, or a million other uses. I already had a pintle hitch plate laying around that I wasn't using, since I no longer have a trailer that uses a pintle.  The one pictured below is not mine, but it is just like mine.  I forgot to take a picture of mine before I mounted the vise on it.  You can get one of these for $35 on Amazon. I started this project by cutting up a pressure treated 2x6 into 5 10" pieces.  Then I drilled 4 9/16" holes in each one that line up with the holes in the pintle hitch plate.  I also bought 2 pieces of 24" x 1/2" threaded rod, cut them in half, and put a nut on one e

We have a fairly large Troop trailer with tandem axles and 7500 lb GTW.  Usually the Scoutmaster hauls it with his 1 ton diesel truck with dual wheels.  Occasionally, I have to pull it with my F150.  As you can see below, it put a strain on my truck.  This picture was taken before I modified the suspension on the truck. To be able to handle the weight, I had to modify the suspension on my truck.  I decided to use a kit from Auto Spring Corp .  It includes an add-a-leaf for the rear leaf springs that adds 900 lbs of capacity.  The trailer weighs 7500 lbs, but most of the weight is on the trailer wheels.  The weight pushing down on the rear of the truck is called the tongue weight.  For a tandem axle trailer, that will be approximately 10% of the GTW, or 750 lbs.  So the extra 900 lbs capacity is plenty.  The add-a-leaf lifts the rear suspension about 2 to 2.5 inches, so front coil spacers are needed to even out the front with the rear.  The kit is about $200.  I installed it myse