Where to find gadget poles?

[jhankins]

I attended my second troop meeting as a UC last night and the scoutmaster was asking the committee where to find new gadget poles for camporee. No one seemed to know so I took on the task of finding some.

 

Anyone have ideas where I should look?

[kbandit]

Are you talking about making a camp gadget? If you are then you can find staves at your local scout shop. Our scouts have used sticks and such for more light weight gadgets.

[Mike F]

Are you talking campsite gadgets or project lashing poles?

 

You might check at local parks. Invasive non-native trees are a huge problem in this area and they LOVE for us to come cut down all we want. Not only are you getting poles for camporee, but you're doing a service project!

 

[Basementdweller]

We put a post on Craigslist. We had a couple of home builders contact us and we could have filled a garage with what we collected, some of it ended up as fire wood.

[jhankins]

Yeah, campsite gadgets and pioneering stuff is what they're looking for. In the past, they had tipi type poles, but they were quite heavy and long.

 

I'll have them inquire about the non-native trees and see what our county parks think. Thanks!

[Horizon]

We use landscaping poles used when trees are planted. They are, admittedly, big and heavy - but they work for our needs. A regular Troop activity prior to the campout is tying them together in bundles of 10 or so for the Troop to be able to put on tops of trucks on the way to the campsite.

 

No sticks, cutting, etc. where we camp.

[cheffy]

in a pinch we have used 2"x2" pine from the local lumber yard. a few of our adults are carpenters and knocked the corners off on the table saw so they were 8 sided. not bad if you can't get the real thing.