Order or make your own AoL awards?

[Scoutfish]

Just curious.

 

I like working with wood. Not This Old Shack like, but every niow and then like.

 

 

Last year, I made 4 outgoing leaders some custom carved hiking sticks. I took a Dremel tool and carved out the diamond pattered hand grips, and carved a symbol that coorulated with the leaders position:

 

ACM had cub scout symbol carved into hiking stick and i had every scout in the pack sign the hiking stick.

 

The Webelos DL had the Webelos symbol and AoL symbol carved into his stick and all the boys from the den signed it.

 

The CC's hiking stick had a judicial gavel carved into it and all the leaders and committee signed it.

 

The Advancement chair's hiking stick had 3 of the triangle shapes on a belt loop with some markings in them ( too small to even tell it was random) .

 

So this year, I decided to make the AoL awards for our 3 AoL Webelos.

 

Pictures of the progress should be on scouter.com very soon.

 

All I have left to do is mount the arrows to the bottom and paint the scouts names on the awards.

 

 

So anyways...do you buy your awards or do you make them yourselves? Not judging.....just curious!

[Scoutfish]

Heres some of the pics so far. I'll be done with them this Saturday and will post more pictures

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/groups/172739770499/#!/photo.php?fbid=401517409876548&set=a.401516543209968.100378.100000548768654&type=1&theater

[Eagle92]

Me personally, I think the handmade AOL awards are better than the bought ones. Yeah the bought ones are nice, but knowing someone spent the time and energy making something for you, just means more IMHO. I still have a homemade arrow that I was given at a ceremony, and it means a heck of a lot to me.

 

But my pack buys the really nice, and IMHO expensive, AOL plaques. It started out when the pack had more money than it does now, and when we tried to cut back last year, it didn't happen. Some of the leaders feel it needs to continue.

 

Hopefully when oldest gets ready to Crossover, I'll be in a better position to encourage some changes. I don't mind making arrows, and sis-in-law said she would even help make them.

 

But I do need to keep an eye on her, she may try to use one with her longbow. Luckily she won't use Native American arrows with her Elven LOTR costume.

 

EDITED: for got to add, I WANT COPIES OF THOSE TEMPLATES!!!!!!!!!!!! (and yes that is me screaming at ya )(This message has been edited by Eagle92)

[Basementdweller]

We give nothing beyond the Patch and certificate for the AOL.

 

We give a Career arrow to every out going Webelo

 

 

But this entire endeavor does not need to be expensive. This years arrows are just about completed.......

 

Let me see, do you have a turkey hunter in your parent pool????? or someone at round table???? Feathers for free

 

Walk around and find sticks for the shaft or go to home depot and buy the shafts for less than a buck a piece....

 

You can get artificial sinew at most craft stores.....for 10 bucks for 10 years worth.

 

Arrow heads, I like the flint arrow head as opposed to obsidian...they are less than a buck a piece from crazy crow.

 

Then just a bit of time assembling them....

 

 

Part of our Craftsman badge the boys cut out plaques for their arrows to rest on.....

 

Gee a little planning goes a long way

 

Well I get out of hand and have a couple of hours a piece in mine.....

[Eagledad]

I made my own awards to show how proud I was of the scouts. You can never know what the scout think about the awards, but I saw many of those awards displayed later at the scout's Eagle Court of Honor.

 

Barry

[Eagle92]

You can get artificial sinew at most craft stores.....for 10 bucks for 10 years worth.

 

10 PLUS years if ya ask me Someone gave me a partially used roll, and i am still using it!

 

BUT a cheaper alternative, and yes I'm cheap, is UNWAXED (that is for emphasis not shouting, and trust me you want unwaxed) dental floss stained in coffee ( what I prefer) or tea (not dark enough IMHO but doable). EDITED: Once you have the stuff unwound and stained, THEN run it through wax to wax it.

 

Now this is where I may go overboard, and I admit it. This is the dancer in me coming out. But instead of using the dye job imitation eagle feathers or turkey feathers, I handpaint the feathers used for fletching. Right now I paint them to look like immature golden eagle feathers, aka the black tips. Eventually I want an airbrush to make the bald eagle feathers.

 

(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[AKdenldr]

We MAKE AOL arrows displayed with leather lacing not a plaque.

 

Cost for the first set where I had to buy supplies (paint, paint pens, sinew, etc) $ 6 a piece.

 

I made them for the last 3 dens crossing over. Pretty sure the tradition will continue but plaques may be added as the Carpenter Eagle Dad gets to that level.

 

Just saw one on display in someone's living room. Certificate detailing the colors still attached.

 

-- AK

[Scoutfish]

Finished pics up.

 

Technically, I am done, but thinking that maybe I should tie a feather on each arrow?

[Nike]

Make sure you sign the back! My 17 year old has a great one that someone in the pack of troop made, and I can't remember who these days.

[OwntheNight]

Awesome Job Fish!! Those are Great.

 

We only do Career Arrows for all the boys who are leaving the pack. We let the DL's choose the arrows and how they want to decorate them. The parents usually spend the last "official" Den Meeting making the arrows for the boys.

 

The last few years have been different designs. One Year, all the parents used the colored thread to signify the achievements. Last year, they used tape or painted them. This year, they had the arrows with the hanging feathers and added beads for the achievements. I do like the added personal touch you gave it.