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Description

Guide Campers Way Bronze:
09. Complete one of the following
a) Learn how to make two camp gadgets

Guide Campers Way Silver:
07. Make two camp gadgets

Guide Campers Way Gold:
09. Make 2 camp gadgets using lashings.

Resources

Three suitable lengths of wood
Tripod
Lashing ropes
Cross frame
Guy ropes
Branched stick
Mugs

Instructions

Gadgets

Camp gadgets are a part of every Camper’s Way Badge requirement and can be a super way to help teamwork skills at camp whilst having fun and making something practical for your campsite! Here are three ideas for you to try:

Bowl stand

A bowl stand is perhaps the most 'common' gadget made at camp. Simple to construct and useful, it is a good item for those learning about pioneering and gadgets. All you need to do is select three suitable lengths of wood (good strong and stout branches, not thin weak ones as they will not take the weight of the bowl of water). Simply lash the three branches together about one half to a third of the way down the length. Then open out the tripod so that the three legs are interlocking and 'resting' upon one another. Place a bowl firmly into the top and ensure the stand is sturdy. You may want to secure the feet by driving them into the ground a little.

Note that several different lashing types could be used – although I recommend a simple shear lashing with frapping turns. The trick is to make the lashing and frapping turns slightly loose so that the tripod can open out.

To finish off, you can attach a cross frame around the top or bottom of the tripod and add optional extras like towel holders.

Drying line

A line for drying tea towels and clothing items will be essential for any camp. This is very simple to construct, as you can see from the picture. Simply drive two uprights into the ground and lash a cross piece to join them across the top. To ensure the structure is sturdy, you could add two further poles lashed at an angle to form a simple 'A' frame at either end. Attach guy ropes to the two ends and peg out to keep the clothes rack on the ground in those high winds. You can add several lines by lashing ropes across the uprights (or even saplings), on which you can hang your towels to dry.

Mug tree

Find a suitably branched stick onsite. Cut off the very twiggy ends. Make a hole in the ground with a tent peg and insert the branch. If this is too difficult, leave the tent peg in the ground and tie the branch to it. Position with care. Hang mugs over the stick, not by the handle as this can collect rainwater and odd bits of twigs, ash, grass etc. This is great storage and also saves drying up!

Tags

• camp gadget
• camping
• Guide Campers Way Bronze
• Guide Campers Way Gold
• Guide Campers Way Silver
• Guide Diva Badge
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