Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Arrow Sample for Cub Scouts

This post is a follow-up on our Cub Scout arrow project, for the boys who couldn't make it and are just putting kit together on their own.

The pictures I had on my phone did not have the added coup feather at the end, so I cut all of the boys out of a picture (last pic) so you can see where it's attached.  Below are some basic written instructions to go with the picture.  You will need black electrical tape (or whatever color you want to use); it is not included in the kit.

I fitted each arrowhead to the arrow it is with.  If it feels too snug, don't force it (I soaked all of the arrow tips in water for a couple of hours so they would be more pliable - try soaking it if necessary).  Holding the arrow upright between your knees you can fit the arrowhead and secure it with electrical tape (see photo below).  If you want to set in with hot glue first you can, but we didn't do that at the meeting.  


Next, turn the arrow over and work on the back end.  The feathers (fletchings) are trimmed so that there is a thin piece of the feather vein with no feather on each end.  Line those up on the arrow and secure them with more electrical tape (see photo below) (you can cover the tape with leather cord if you choose but we did not do this at the den meeting).  


My faux snakeskin that I thought I was soooooo brilliant creating (can you hear my sarcasm?), turned a bit brittle and flaky so that when the boys wrapped it the color started flaking off.  My suggestion is (if you don't have a heat embossing tool) to cover it in a thick layer of Elmer's glue and let it dry to make it pliable (hopefully) before using it.  It is metal plumbers tape and can be applied by removing the backing and wrapping the middle of the arrow shaft.  We finished the edges with electrical tape. 

 If you do, indeed, have a heat embossing tool just run it over the top to heat it up a bit to reconstitute it to make it pliable again.  Make sure you use it as soon as it starts to cool.  I made my sample right after cooling at it hasn't flaked at all.


The add-on coup (coo) feather is pre-made and needs to be secured by tying it just below the fletchings. This is that really bad phone picture I mentioned, from which I cropped all of the boys and enlarged the feather - so don't critique the photo, just use it for your sample!  lol.  If I remember later I will replace it with a better photo, but in case you are already working on it, I wanted to have instructions ready. 

Have Fun!
Wendy

No comments:

Post a Comment