Volume 5 Issue 7
February 1999

WEBELOS

Handyman
Heart of America Council

Handyman is one of the easiest and flexible activities in the Webelos program. There are fourteen requirements from which the Den can choose a minimum of six and these can be selected on the basis of aptitude and availability. Also, the activity can be worked for the month allocated in the Webelos calendar, or it can be done in fewer meetings, if the Den Meetings are prepared and organized. Some of the requirements can be used for Den Meeting fillers, if you exhaust a topic early or some of the resources you need for another activity are unavailable.
Plan on doing more than the minimum number of requirements. The added exposure adds value, and if a Scout is shaky doing one activity, he'll have an opportunity to do other activities more confidently and feel better about earning Handyman.

Den Activities
Heart of America Council

  • At a hardware store, visit the repair shop, and acquaint the Scouts with a few specific and varied sections in the store, like electrical supplies and hand tools.
  • Arrange a presentation at a well-equipped home workshop.
  • Build a sawhorse.
  • Arrange for a local mechanic to visit your Den or visit his garage, perhaps he can show your Den the safe way to change a tire, light bulb and to check the oil and transmission fluid.
  • Put on a bicycle rodeo for your pack or Den.
  • Check with the local fire marshal or poison control center to find out how to store household cleaners and materials that will be safe from small children.

Projects & Activities
Heart of America Council

Leaking Faucet

  • A leaking faucet is usually due to a defective washer and is a problem that can easily and quickly be resolved.
  • Shut off the water! If there isn't a valve under or near the sink, turn off the main supply valve.
  • Unscrew cap nut of faucet.
  • Using a flat wrench, unscrew nut on faucet and pull out stem assembly. (Cloth or cardboard under wrench jaws prevents scratching.)
  • Remove screw on stem assembly, pry out old, worn washer, wipe out grime and put in new washer.
  • Replace screw and reassemble faucet. Turn water back on.
  • Check the garage or storage shed in your house to ascertain the tools or implements are properly and safely stored.
  • Have a clinic on the care and repair of bicycles. Set it up like a shop and have each boy bring his bike and do repairs.
  • Have Webelos bring tools to a Den Meeting and demonstrate different ways to mark them.
  • Hold a nail hammering contest. See who can hammer a nail in the fewest number of strokes.
  • Have a family car inspection.

Bicycle Maintenance

Purpose: To familiarize scouts with basic bicycle maintenance and adjustments. To acquaint the scouts with the pride and satisfaction associated with being able to personally take care of one's property. To build the can-do spirit.

Tighten chain, adjust saddle and handle bars

Lubricate chain crank

Check tire pressure

Inflate tire (empty first)

How to determine proper tire pressure

Every Saturday:

  • Give it the air!
  • Pump tires to the recommended pressure:

Balloon 22 to 35 lbs.; lightweight 50 lbs.; single tube 40 lbs.

Every Memorial Day and Labor Day

  • Is your chain a daisy?
  • It won't be unless you dunk it in oil, let it drain overnight, blot and apply graphite. Skip the dunk, if you're lazy, and squirt oil on the chain without taking it off the sprockets. If it crackles and squeaks, oil it more often than twice a year. A good chain should be seen, not heard. Clean and re-grease the crank bearings.

Don't be a poor pedaler! Squirt oil into the inner ends of the pedals. Spin them now and then. If they don't spin quietly, oil them more often or repack with grease.

Materials found in Baloo's Bugle may be used by Scouters for Scouting activities provided that USSSP, Baloo's Bugle and the original contributors are cited as the source of the material.




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