Camporee Event Idea - How to build?

[Gags]

Our Fall Camporee is an "Amazing Race" theme, and I came across the following "brain teaser" - ideal for a "Survivor" immunity challenge, but just as good for my purposes. It's called "The Tower of Hanoi", description here: http://www.shurdington.org/Downloads/TowerOfHanoiPuzzle.pdf

 

Side note - take some time to look through their main downloads page - a wealth of good information (and good diagrams!) to be found - http://www.shurdington.org/downloads.htm.

 

Anyway, I'm looking for some thoughts as to how to construct this on a larger scale for use during a camporee event. I was thinking rebar for the stake, but what to make the discs out of? Plywood? I'd say frisbees, but who has that many laying around to drill holes through?

 

Thoughts / Suggestions are welcome.

 

YiS,

 

Gags

[dg98adams]

Every time I have done this it was computer programming project... but fun.

 

To do it non-virtual, I would use inflatable tubes, like cheap life rafts.

 

The key would be to finding 5 sizes or 5 colors (since it's not size or color, but some specific order).

 

You could do it with the translucent plastic tubing in 5 different circle diameters, then cover it with vinyl wrap leaving a hole in the middle.

 

Another way is 5 different hiking stave's (length) with a hole in the center. This one is probably lighter and more durable and maybe cheaper.(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

[DancesWithSpreadsheets]

When I looked at that, the first thing that came to my mind was inner tubes, but that may be bigger than you want to scale up to.

 

Regards,

DWS

[CalicoPenn]

So what would be wrong with using a couple of stout wooden poles, or fence posts, or even 4x4's and 5 tires, with the numbers painted on the treads?

 

Do you have a service station or tire shop nearby? Someone who might be willing to lend you 5 tires they're going to be sending to the tire landfill anyway? (A Scout is Thrifty, a Scouter should be Thrifty too).

 

As long as you aren't using truck tires, they aren't that heavy, even if moving 3 at a time, for a patrol to handle as a team.

 

 

 

 

[sailingpj]

I think the inner tubes would be perfect. They are lighter than tires, but they are bulky enough that it would take a couple people to lift them in a stack. Plus, if 3 or 4 inner tubes fall on you it won't hurt very much, also tires have a tendency to make you very dirty and they stain clothes.Rebar, or some wood poles of some sort would be just fine.

 

I would suggest using one of the three pole versions rather than the two pole one. They just take a little bit more thought.

[CalicoPenn]

"tires have a tendency to make you very dirty and they stain clothes"

 

Goodness gracious - can't have the Boy Scouts getting dirty, can we?

[sailingpj]

"Goodness gracious - can't have the Boy Scouts getting dirty, can we?"

 

It isn't the dirt that is bothersome, it is the fact that the marks that tires tend to make are difficult to get off.

[SSScout]

Oh, this is sweet! Logic, cooperation, physical exertion, communication, all in operation at once!

The little table top game I have has seven wood discs on three poles and was called the "Hindu Temple Puzzle", and all along it was a french mathematician?

 

I would favor 4x4 poles sunk securely in the ground, about 5 feet tall, (Boy Scout hieght). Grind/sand off till smooth, chamfer the top edges and use tires of graduated size. Inner tubes are too bouncy and light weight, maybe use them for the Cub Scout version.

Go to the local Merchant's or Tire Kingdom, they have been very Scout friendly in my experience. Ask them for the "loan" of sufficient number of different size, old tires. Even the biggest car tire should be manueverable by two or three boys. Go to the tractor/lawn mower place for the smaller tires, if necessary. Paint the tires (a good latex will stick fine) if you want more "pizazz", different colors, of course.

If you expect rain, you may want to punch three or four holes in the bottom edge (sidewalls) of the tires for drainage.

Make up two sets, side by side, for speed competition.

I would favor the three pole set up because when the first "pyramid" is successfully transferred, then you can merely direct the game to the other end, rather than taking the time to mix up the stack on purpose.

 

If possible, avoid steel belted tires, when the steel bands fail in a worn tire, the steel wire will stick out and be a decided hazzard.

 

Gotta pass this on to our camporee folks...

[Gags]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I think SSScout has convinced me to go with the 3 pole system - as the whole camporee will be a timed event, the less time spent doing a "reset" to get the tubes / tires in the right order, the better.

 

I'm still considering the tires, may need to stop by a junk yard or tire place and check on availability - I'm thinking motorcycle tires may work best - actually drove by 3 that were on the curb, but didn't grab them as I was worried about how to keep everything uniform (why does the Panther patrol get to carry the training wheels while the Cobra patrol has to carry this monster truck tire?).

 

The backup plan will be pool tubes - a trip to the dollar store is in my future.

 

Thanks again,

 

Gags

[AvidSM]

For the disks, I would use high density foam, as used to insulate a house. You can get boards of it from a hardware store - in my area, that would be Home Depot or Lowes.

 

The foam comes in different colors and you can cut it and glue it together to make what ever shape and thickness you need.