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	Preface

I became a Cub Scout Den Leader in 1992. Soon I became interested in crafts that I could teach the boys. Boys love to make things. Since I have three sons, I knew I would be doing some of the same crafts over and over again.

When I started learning crafts, many of the instructions that I came across were difficult to understand because of the lack of details. Many assumed that the reader was well acquainted with the materials and techniques of the craft. Many left out important steps.

You've heard the saying "the devil is in the details." I found that the instructions left out a lot of detailed information and I spent a lot of time experimenting trying to make them work - and sometimes I couldn't get them to work or they would fall apart. I wanted crafts that the boys could make pretty much by themselves and it should be made to last.

So I started doing research and experimenting. I wrote down my ideas, thoughts, procedures, and hints for my own reference. My collection of instructions started to accumulate.

When I saw how helpful these instructions were to other leaders, I got the idea of putting them together and publishing a book. This effort really started in 1995. By 1998, I had accumulated a lot of material and started looking into what it would take to publish a book. By 1999, I decided that a book would take too much time and effort. It was at about this same time that I began to develop web sites at work. And so I applied my new web skills to the instructions and the first pages of this site began to take shape.

There are several advantages to doing a book on the Internet instead of using paper.

• It is more easily available. This may be debatable, but with the increasing number of people with Internet access, I believe more people will find this site than would be likely to come across this book in a bookstore.
• It is available sooner. If I were publishing a book everything would have to be almost perfect before it could go to press. By publishing it on the Internet, if I find a mistake or a better way of phrasing I can make the change and you will see it the next time you visit. Also, I don't have to hassle with a publisher, photographer, or printer!
• It is a living document. A book is static and often outdated by the time it is printed. An Internet site can be frequently updated and new pages or sections easily added.

What this site attempts to do is give the reader the benefit of my research, experimenting, and experiences. Each chapter is loaded with hints, clues, do's and don'ts as well as the reason behind them (which may not be obvious to the casual reader). This site is aimed at the novice - the new leader. However, the experienced leader will enjoy these unique slides and crafts. I believe that you will find many new and exciting ideas. I hope the reader enjoys them as much as my boys do!

There are more than 100 projects in this site. Most are my own creation. A few come from Circle Ten Pow Wow material and Whittlin' Jim's "Slide of the Month", and other sources. I would appreciate your comments and would enjoy hearing about your experiences. And certainly feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

A large number of the ideas in this site are for creating neckerchief slides. However, the same techniques can be used for girl's hair clips or pins. Many of the projects can be enlarged and used as a toy or display.

Take a look at my collection of neckerchief slides.

The purpose of this site is to give the reader a lot of good ideas for interesting crafts and the techniques to make them. In addition, it provides useful information on how to use the various materials for other craft projects.

The projects in this site are meant to be useful and durable. Why bother making a craft that will be taken home and thrown away in a week or two? What's the purpose then, except going through the motions? Have the boys make crafts that will be around twenty years from now and they will be proud to say, "I made that years ago when I was in Cub Scouts!"

This site is divided into chapters based on the different materials. It also includes a chapter on general tips and references. In the chapters that deal with specific materials or techniques, a section is included that describes the materials used, how to use them, how to do things, and what not to do. Each project contains a table of the materials and tools necessary to make the project. Things like glue and paint are listed under tools because only a small amount is used and you should always have these on hand.