Store and Display Neckerchief Slides

[resqman]

I started carving neckercheif slides about a year ago. I remember as a boy not being pleased with my carving skill so I thought I would give it a try 30 years later. I have happy with the items I have carved so far. I have been using the supplied kits from the scout store so far and have a dozen or so. This week I bought some basswood and will start designing my own.

 

Does anyone have a method of storing or displaying neckerchief slides? Right now they are all just dropped into a plastic bag but I am not happy with that method.

 

I was thinking I could get a piece of foam about 2 inches thick and cut rows of slots about half the depth. Then lay a piece of cloth over the foam and tuck the cloth into each slot. This would allow me to slip the back of the neckerchief slide into the slot. I am thinking I have seen similar displays for rings in jewelery stores.

 

The foam could be sized to fit in a hinged shadowbox so it could be hung on the wall and display my handicraft. Each time I wore my uniform, I could open the shadowbox and select one for the occasion.

 

I have a few that are more of a tube so the above method will not work. For example, I carved my own version of this dinosaur egg that gets a lot of attention when I where it. http://hometown.aol.com/gfire/myhomepage/page11.html I

[madkins007]

Slides can be a bit awkward to store with their variety of sizing. I saw a rather cool plan for a wooden cutout of a hand to hold slides on the fingers though.

 

You could do a simple rack- a board with several dowels poking up and a slide on each short dowel. Line up another rack that is a bit taller behind the first, etc. to show off a lot of slides.

 

A simple knick-knack cabinet or printer's drawer with a lot of small compartments might do the trick.

 

Based on your description of a moderately elaborate set-up, I think I would build a shadow box with a door on front, then rig up some Plexiglass shelves for the slides. Install pegs if necessary to help hold them correctly.

 

 

[Eamonn]

How about on Neckerchiefs?

Eamonn.

[Hunt]

Yeah, you could get a bunch of those styrofoam heads and put a neckerchief with a slide on each one. Line 'em up. It would take more space, sure, but it would be kewl.

 

(By the way, that dinosaur egg slide looks great. How difficult did you find making it?)

[resqman]

While the idea of lots neckerchiefs as a display sounds intriguing, I am not sure just where you are going with it. Are you saying for each slide, I buy/make another neckerchief? Ok, so I do but how to I display the neckerchief slide combos?

 

The idea of two or three dozen wig stands with neckerchiefs would make a interesting wall of shelves. I am not sure I want to have that many blank stares in one room.

 

I did follow through on my inital plan. I purchased a shadow box with a hinged glass lid. I picked up a piece of foam, had it cut to fit the interior of the shadow box, purchased some black velvet, and asssembled them all. I made cuts 3.5 inches apart about 1 inch deep into 1.5 inch thick foam. I just laid the velvet over the foam and then tucked it into the slots. The slides fit nicely. The shadow box is 14x18 interior size and with 4 rows of slots I can fit between 4 and 6 slides per row depending on their orientation. Some tend to be short and wide like a racing car while others tend to be tall like the tomahawk. Roughly 20-30 slides at one time.

 

I have not yet determined how to display the other style. At this point I see more of my slides being made of 1/2 inch basswood with a ring on the back vs. starting from a 1.5 inch square block with a hole through the center.

 

The dowels on a board idea is not quite what I want. If I install the dowels at a angle, they will tend to look at the ground. I looked at the hardware section and there were a few coat hooks that were more U shaped so more of the slide would be visible while displayed. They may need to be in more of a typesetter storage type box. Only have 3 of this style so far so I will mull it over and see if I start carving more of this style.

 

The dino egg was pretty easy to make. I found the most difficult part was drilling the hole thru the egg. The eggs from the craft store were made of a hardwood. The egg is difficult to hold or grip in a vise while drilling. I only had a spade bit which tended to grab the wood and want to spin it out of my hand or vise. I was not willing to pay the xtra money for a fortsner bit which might work better. Once I had the hole started, the bit did OK until it started to exit the other end. Again it grabbed and spun the egg. I stopped and tried drilling from the other end of the hole with limited success. The exit hole did chip a bit.

 

I sketched the eye hole and cracks first. Then I used an xacto knife to cut the cracks. Then back to deepen the eye hole and carve the eye. I spray painted the egg the base color. I used a dark brown and toothbrush to speckle the egg next. I think next time I would use two or three shades or colors when making the speckles to add depth. I purchased a very small paint brush at the hobby store for several dollars. It makes a big difference in being able to paint in the cracks and other details on the slides. Seemed expensive at the time but many of the slides don't truely come to life until painted. The ability to paint details makes a huge difference.

 

I have only worn the egg once or twice. I try to wear a different slide every time. This gives me a reason to keep carving. I also hope that by seeing their leader wear a neckercheif, I lead by example and have less resistance from the boys in wearing theirs. My son complains halfway thru every meeting that it is too hot to wear a neckerchief. That is yet a different battle.

[beasties mom]

Hi

I went to a Pow wow afew years ago. we made a display out of peg board. Decorate it or paint the board as you like. To hang the slides from it we took a small washer twisted a twist tie to it and put the tie thru the holes. then all you have to do is twist the tie around the slide. Add something on the back to hang it from the wall and your set. It's easy to make and could be used as a craft for cubbies.We have 3 one for each of boys.

[briantshore]

I was at round table last month, and our group leader was showing off necherchief slides. He displayed his as follows.

Take a piece of wood, or plywood. Cut it into any shape that you would like. Stain and varnish, and use cuphooks to hang slide. This can be mounted on the wall. This is a good project for the boys. For a long time Scouter that has lots and lots of slides, I am not sure what to do. But if you are talking about a dozen or so this will work out just fine.

[captainron14]

Great Slides!

Thanks for some great ideas!!