Frydenlund's Ideas for Camporees

Collected and Edited by David Frydenlund (last revised in 2013)

Woods Tools

Sawing Slabs

Using a bow saw each member of the Patrol saws a one inch length off the end of a 2x3. Every member must cut. This is a timed event. The final score is the time for the Patrol divided by the number of Patrol members. This event could be done with 2x4 or closet rod or hand rail. It could also be done using natural wood but natural wood varies in thickness, density and dryness.

Two Man Saw

A two man saw is used to buck a log about one foot in diameter (thicker if the wood is soft). After every ten strokes one sawyer must be replaced with another. No one is allowed to saw twice until everyone has pulled once. (Note that one of the first sawyers will go 20 strokes before being replaced and this will only count as one turn). The patrol is allowed up to four short strokes to set the kerf before the clock is started. This is a timed event. Time stops when the cookie falls from the end of the log. Lowest time wins.

Axemanship

For a hand ax use a four inch log if individuals are going to cut it, an eight inch log if it is to be team cut by the Patrol. For a ¾ ax use a six inch if individuals are cutting and a ten inch if it is going to be team cut. (Logs need to be thicker if the wood is soft). This event is pretty straight forward. Chop through the log. For individuals cutting the Scout score is their time. The Patrol score is the average of all the Scout times.

For team cutting, each Scout takes ten strokes and then passes the ax to the next Scout. Each pass must be safely done including saying thank you. An otherwise safe pass where they do not say thank you results in a penalty of having to pass the ax back and forth three times (six total passes) saying thank you each time. An unsafe pass results in a warning and a one minute penalty. Three unsafe passes is a DQ. Team cutting is timed. Lowest time wins.

Match Splitting

Using a ¾ ax and/or a hand ax each Scout will be given up to ten swings to split a match which is standing vertically on a chopping block. If "strike anywhere" matches are used, one stroke is deducted if the match is lit by the ax blow. If both size axes are used the maximum score per scout would be 20 and the minimum would be zero (both matches lit on the first stroke). Patrol score is the average of the Scout scores. Low score wins.