Boys' Life magazine » Hobby Hows

An easy meal for camping

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:48:55 +0000

An easy meal for camping: Wrap a hamburger patty, some frozen peas and diced potatoes in foil and place in your campfire until cooked.

Keep your peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:47:18 +0000

Keep your peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich from getting soggy by spreading peanut butter on both pieces of bread and then spreading the jelly in the middle.

When I go on camping trips

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:45:49 +0000

When I go on camping trips, there are always some boys who stay up late and are really loud. I always bring foam earplugs so I can get a good night’s sleep. They also work great as bobbers the next day when we go fishing.

If you are into LEGO Bionicles

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:44:05 +0000

If you are into LEGO Bionicles, try not to take them apart unless you have to. I’ve taken pieces apart and broken several.

Keep the number stickers on your derby racecar

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:42:36 +0000

Keep the number stickers on your derby racecar by putting clear nail polish over the stickers after you put them on your car.

Use the clips that hold old socks together

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:40:58 +0000

Use the clips that hold old socks together as a money clip.

For perfectly round pancakes

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:39:52 +0000

For perfectly round pancakes, put the batter in a turkey baster and squeeze it onto the griddle.

When you are modeling with clay

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:38:28 +0000

When you are modeling with clay, put it in a bag with a damp paper towel so it won’t dry out.

For a Klondike derby

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:37:11 +0000

For a Klondike derby, always bring extra rope. A lot of extra rope.

If you have a good baseball card

Boys' Life — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:34:41 +0000

If you have a good baseball card that you want to keep in mint condition, put it in an individual plastic case instead of a binder with sheets. Cases keep cards in much better condition.

Tape four or five air-pump needles

Boys' Life — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 05:01:32 +0000

Tape four or five air-pump needles together on a thin strip of duct tape. This makes them easy to find in your junk drawer.

Whenever you are doing a hobby that involves measuring

Boys' Life — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:28:55 +0000

Whenever you are doing a hobby that involves measuring, make sure you measure, then double-check the measurement before you do anything else with it.

When collecting tree leaves

Boys' Life — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 19:25:49 +0000

When collecting tree leaves, dip them in vegetable oil and cover with wax paper. This will preserve them for a long time. They will not dry out and tear.

Shooting in daylight

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:06:31 +0000

For all photographers: When shooting in daylight, stand with your back to the sun, if possible.

Save empty Altoids tins

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:04:29 +0000

Save empty Altoids tins. They make a great place to store small parts, such as the gas pedal for model cars, that might get lost if put in a big box.

Use canning rings to cook eggs

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:03:14 +0000

Use canning rings to cook eggs for sandwiches made with English muffins or hamburger buns.

Dent in a plastic part

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:01:32 +0000

If you put a dent in a plastic part of a model, mix wood glue and sawdust together, place in the dent and sand down. When you paint it, it will look as good as new.

To keep your neckerchief slide from falling off

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:00:00 +0000

To keep your neckerchief slide from falling off on the go, wrap a rubber band around the middle of the neckerchief below the slide. The rubber band will stop it from coming off.

Tired of playing a super-slow game of air hockey?

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:57:35 +0000

Tired of playing a super-slow game of air hockey? Use some boat wax to coat the surface of the table to get the game flowing at top speed!

Use old wooden clothespins

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:55:28 +0000

Use old wooden clothespins to clamp the small pieces of your wood-frame model when glueing. The clothespins have just the right amount of pressure.

Bringing trekking poles on a plane

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:53:38 +0000

If you are going on a plane and bringing trekking poles, put them in a PVC or map tube.

Save the shavings

Boys' Life — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:51:30 +0000

Whenever you skin a walking stick or carve something, save the shavings for campfire tinder. Put the shavings in a plastic bag and put it with your Scout gear for your next camp-out. Save a lot because you will need it.

All wired up

Boys' Life — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:58:35 +0000

ALL WIRED UP Antennas, small gun barrels, flagstaffs and other fine details look clumsy on plastic models. Substitute thin wire to make your project look better. Beading or jewelry wire works well. Find it in craft stores. This wire comes in gauges from 22 (the size of a pencil lead) to 32 (hair). Snip it with cutting pliers or notch it with a metal file, and flex until it breaks at the notch. Attach with glue or epoxy. For a stronger fit, drill a small hole where the wire sits, put glue in the hole and push in the end of the wire.

Always forgetting things to take?

Boys' Life — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:50:45 +0000

Always forgetting to take stuff to school? Just put it smack in front of your bedroom door before going to bed so you’ll trip over it in the morning as a reminder!

Storing LEGO pieces

Boys' Life — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:48:28 +0000

Use clear plastic storage containers with dividers to store small Lego pieces. It’s much easier to find them when I’m building something, instead of searching for them in my larger storage containers.

Baby powder and model rockets

Boys' Life — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:43:44 +0000

Add baby powder to the inside of the parachute of your model rocket. This will help you see whether or not the parachute deployed.

Pine needles for campfires

Boys' Life — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 01:37:04 +0000

Before camping trips, my troop collects pine needles for our campfires. We let them dry for a week, and they work perfectly.

Waterproofing matches

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:45:50 +0000

Put wax over the heads of matches to keep them waterproof. All you have to do to use them is crack and pull the wax off.

Keeping your feet warm while camping

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:38:33 +0000

During a camping trip, make sure to change your socks before going to bed. If you wear the socks you wore all day, the sweat in them will make you much colder.

Removing a broken light bulb without getting hurt

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:37:33 +0000

How do you take out a broken light bulb from a lamp socket without cutting yourself? Just put a potato through the two metal pieces inside the bulb and twist counterclockwise!

Dressing up your base display

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:36:23 +0000

YOU PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT INTO YOUR MODEL. Put just as much into the base. Display your aircraft on a base of gray cardboard cut to look like a runway’s concrete slabs. Or make Popsicle-stick planking that looks like an aircraft carrier’s deck. Another option: Sprinkle sand on a glue-coated wooden base. Paint it black to make it look like asphalt. Or leave the sand-covered wood unpainted to create a field for an armor model. Show off both top and bottom of a model with a mirror as a base.

How not to loose your model rocket

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:35:16 +0000

If you have a model rocket that goes 800 feet or more and you worry about losing it, try this: Cut a hole in the middle of the parachute about three inches in diameter. It will slow the model down, and it will fall straight.

Carabiner patch holder

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:28:11 +0000

If you have a lot of pocket patches that have a loop lying around, clip them onto a carabiner (D-clip) and clip it to your daypack. If the patches don’t have loops on them, you can add them by folding a piece of ribbon into a circle and sewing it to the back of the patch.

CD reflectors

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:27:23 +0000

If you have a CD that has a scratch or doesn’t work in your computer or PlayStation anymore, it makes a really good reflector for your camping trip.

Asphalt for dioramas

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:04:18 +0000

Black sandpaper makes great asphalt roads for dioramas. Just paint a white stripe down the middle.

Remove black scuff marks

Boys' Life — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 19:00:57 +0000

Cut a hole in an old tennis ball and glue the tennis ball to a broomstick. Use your new tool to remove black scuff marks from a floor. Rub the ball over the marks and they disappear.

Starting a fire with waxed string

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:30:41 +0000

Having trouble starting a fire? Melt a candle in a saucepan. Coil up some string and dip it into the melted candle. Then be sure to put the coiled and waxed string near the tinder. Light the string and watch it burn for hours.

Painting small soldiers

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:29:51 +0000

When painting small lead soldiers, use a toothpick instead of a brush. You’ll have to make more trips to the paint tray, but using a toothpick allows you to keep lines neat and defined and makes it easier to paint the small areas, such as belt buckles or eyes.

Guitar pick in a pinch

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:29:06 +0000

In a pinch, use a paper clip or penny as a guitar pick.

Cleaning fishy hands

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:28:22 +0000

Whenever I come back from fishing, I use toothpaste to wash my hands. This completely removes the fish smell.

Icicles on a diorama

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:23:59 +0000

To create icicles on a roof in a diorama, make tapered strings (the shape of an icicle) on a piece of cardboard with hot glue, then peel them off and glue them onto your roofs.

Coffee can emergency container

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:20:36 +0000

A coffee can makes a good emergency gear container. This past summer for camp I was able to pack a poncho, emergency blanket, fire starter, rope, first-aid kit, fishing line and hook in the can. All was protected due to the plastic lid, and in a pinch you could cook in the can.

Grass in scenery formula

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:19:32 +0000

Hobby shops sell an expensive glue formula for grass in scenery. I have found that two parts white glue and one part water works just as well, if not better. Simply mix, paint on a flat surface and sprinkle on hobby grass.

Replacement hinges for ice chests

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:18:27 +0000

Use leather to make replacement hinges for most large ice chests. Cut a piece the size of the original hinge. Punch holes in the leather in the appropriate locations to accommodate the screws from the old hinge. Then simply attach the leather hinge using the original screws.

Don’t loose your screws

Boys' Life — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 01:17:32 +0000

When you are building a model with small metal pieces (like screws), set a magnet on the table. The pieces will stick to it and keep them from getting lost.

Make a tennis ball caddy

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 23:03:24 +0000

Make a tennis ball caddy from a plastic gallon water jug. With scissors, cut a circle on the opposite side from the jug’s handle. The circle must be big enough so tennis balls can go through. You can carry up to 10 balls the next time you play your favorite sport.

Cleaning clear plastic model part

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:02:16 +0000

IF YOU DAMAGE A CLEAR PLASTIC MODEL PART WITH GLUE OR PAINT, YOU CAN FIX IT. Be careful and patient. Start with ultra-fine sandpaper. Rub it gently over the damaged area until it’s smooth. Put some toothpaste on a cotton swab or fine cloth and rub it over the area. Rinse. Repeat until the piece is clear. If it’s still cloudy, polish the area with brass polish. When finished, wash with mild soap and rinse thoroughly.

Take the batteries out

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 22:01:03 +0000

When you pack your stuff away after a camp-out, take the batteries out of your flashlight, lantern, air pump and any other items. Doing this will prevent corrosion by the batteries.

Rubber cement for paper models

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:59:53 +0000

The instructions for paper ship and plane models say to use glue and tape, but I like to use rubber cement. Rubber cement dries quicker than glue and looks better than tape.

Keep dry from snow

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:58:30 +0000

When you go skiing or just play in the snow, you can protect the space between your gloves and jacket from snow and moisture. Take two old soccer socks and cut a thumbhole and a bigger hole for your fingers where the toes usually go. This works great!

Lint fire starter

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:55:06 +0000

My troop collects lint from the clothes dryer at home and brings it on camping trips to help start our campfires. It works like a charm!

Fishing weights for your pinewood derby car

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:47:46 +0000

Use fishing weights to make your pinewood derby car heavier. Drill holes just a little bigger and deeper than the weight, then pour glue into the hole before putting the weight in. Set the car upside down until it dries. Be sure to weigh the finished but unpainted car until you’re close enough to the weight limit.

Finding things in the dark

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:46:11 +0000

Put glow-in-the-dark tape on things you might need in the middle of the night during a camping trip.

Painting model rockets

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 21:44:07 +0000

Never paint model rockets in camouflage. It will be too hard to find them after launching them.

Keeping track of merit badges

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:55:45 +0000

Use a scanner to scan merit badges into your computer to keep track of them.

Discourage squirrels from bird feeders

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:53:07 +0000

Use a metal Slinky to discourage squirrels from bird feeders. Wrap the Slinky around the pole and hang it about five feet off the ground (or the highest possible) by fishing wire attached to the top of the feeder pole. When squirrels try to climb the pole, they bounce right off.

Cleaning up launch residue

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:51:32 +0000

Use white vinegar to remove launch residue from your model rocket launch pad. It fizzes up when it touches the residue, so you know how well you are cleaning.

Make your own fishing bobbers

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:43:24 +0000

If you lose a lot of bobbers when you fish, make your own. Take an ordinary cork, paint it a bright color and drill a hole through it. Then straighten a paper clip and put it through the cork. Bend the ends so that they dig into the cork. When you use it, bend each end up, wrap the line around it a couple of times and you have a homemade bobber!

Keeping warm while sleeping out

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:42:25 +0000

One way to keep warm while sleeping on a camp-out: Boil some water and put it in a hot-water bottle. Secure the lid tightly and place it in the foot of your sleeping bag. You’ll also have warm water in the morning.

How to handle rare coins

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:21:07 +0000

When handling rare coins, wear cotton gloves so you don’t leave fingerprints. Also, old medicine bottles make perfect air-tight storage containers for coins and coin rolls.

Bracelet of parachute cord

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:11:52 +0000

When my dad and I go fishing and hiking, I wear a bracelet made of parachute cord. We can use it for just about anything we need rope for. I can use it to make a snare or tie my shoes if my laces break.

Steady photography

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:08:53 +0000

If you’re into photography, using a tripod will help steady a shot and improve picture quality a lot.

Duct tape on hiking poles

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:07:40 +0000

The Scouts in my troop always put duct tape on our hiking poles. It can be taken off for emergencies or something simple such as patching up a hole in a pack. Different colored duct tape also helps us tell hiking poles apart.

Getting the smell out of your cooler

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 18:05:37 +0000

If your cooler smells gross after a camping trip, clean it, put a dryer sheet in it and close the top. The next time you use it, it will smell fresh.

Fishing for trout

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:56:51 +0000

When fishing for trout, put a marshmallow on the hook, then whatever small light bait you use. When it sinks, it won’t hit the bottom of the lake. It will float a few inches above it. You’ll get the big ones!

Change the colors of flowers

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:55:46 +0000

When you have a vase of flowers in your house, use different colored food dyes in the water to alter the color of the flowers.

Sand the wheels on your pinewood derby car

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 16:54:41 +0000

Sand the wheels on your pinewood derby car. It helps them spin fast when rolling down the track.

For a terrific fall/winter panfish bait

Boys' Life — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 17:33:16 +0000

For a terrific fall/winter panfish bait, try acorn worms. Gather a quart of acorns that have holes in them, put them in a can with one inch of dirt in the bottom, and the worms will crawl out so you can catch them. Keep the dirt moist so the worms won’t die.