Hand Tool Donations for Boy Scout Camp

[Todd McGee]

I am a leader in the Boy Scouts of America in the San Francisco Bay Area. One of the activities that I help with is organizing overnight campouts for Cub Scouts and their families in the Bay Area. We invite 150 Cub Scouts and Family Members up to one of our Scout Reservations and provide a weekend program of Scouting activities, including a woodworking and leatherworking area. We run 6 camps a year so around 900 people served, all served by high schoolers volunteering to run the camp for the Cubs and their families. We call these Cub-ONs, where the ON stands for OverNight

A few years ago our main camp near Santa Cruz, CA, Cutter Scout Reservation, burned to the ground in a wildfire, taking with it all of our tools and buildings. Rebuilding will be more than a decade in the doing, if ever.

In the meantime we are using a secondary camp to provide our program and I am trying to restore our woodworking area. I can get donations of raw lumber and leather but tools are a challenge. So I'm reaching out to this group in case anyone has some second quality or extra tools they might be willing to donate. We can't let the Cubs use power tools, hand tools only. That's why I'm targeting this forum.

Specifically, I'd like to get 6-8 of each of the items on this list:
Claw hammers
Toolbox saws (12-inch-ish)
Coping saws and blades
Hand drills, either brace and bit or hand crank eggbeater style or other hand drills
Measuring tapes
Sanding blocks
Pliers
Handy clamps, C-clamps
Screwdrivers
Rulers
Leather working tools, stamps, etc

I can't offer you tax documents for the donation but if anyone has any extra items they would be willing to send me I will get these in the hands of small kids who will have a blast building whatever they can imagine. My 18 year old son, who is an Eagle Scout, is the one who will be running the woodworking station and he says building simple projects was his favorite part of this camp experience.

My address, if you'd be willing to send them to me
Todd McGee
PO Box 370706
Montara, CA 94037

Thank you very much for any consderation you can lend us.

Yours in Scouting - Todd

[Frederick Skelly]

This sounds very worthwhile and I’ll go look at what may be available in my shop.

Many of these are inexpensive - have you also considered approaching local hardware stores, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc for donations?

Good luck!
Fred

[Todd McGee]

Thanks for looking, Fred.

I am going the donation route as well, I've written to a few outlets and am hoping I get some help there.

Todd


This sounds very worthwhile and I’ll go look at what may be available in my shop.

Many of these are inexpensive - have you also considered approaching local hardware stores, Home Depot, Lowe’s, etc for donations?

Good luck!
Fred

[Jim Koepke]

What about chisels, planes or drill bits?

Do the Scouts learn to rehab old tools or do they need tools to be ready to go?

Will they have sharpening stones?

I have a bunch of auger bits made before Russell Jennings patent. I should check to see how well they cut. Also have a lot of twist drills with tangs for fitting in a brace.

jtk

[Rick Whitehead]

Todd,
I have some saws I could donate. I have two that are about 18" long, and four that are about 12"long.They are sharp and ready to use.
I also have some block planes, if you need them.514617
Do you need any specific sizes of auger bits? I have lots, and could supply several sizes, if I knew what you needed.
Please let me know by PM.
Thanks,
Rick

[Todd McGee]

Rick,
Thanks, that is very generous. We could probably use one or two block planes but they're not critical. The target age range is about 6-9 years of age and mostly the kids want to hammer nails and cut things. They're doing really simple projects.

I have a box full of bits for braces but more small bits of 1/4 to 1/2 inch are always great to have. Bigger than that and the kids would have a hard time using them.

Thank you for your offer to help, it is very much appreciated.

Todd




Todd,
I have some saws I could donate. I have two that are about 18" long, and four that are about 12"long.They are sharp and ready to use.
I also have some block planes, if you need them.514617
Do you need any specific sizes of auger bits? I have lots, and could supply several sizes, if I knew what you needed.
Please let me know by PM.
Thanks,
Rick

[Todd McGee]

Jim,
Drill bits are super helpful. I have a box of old bits for hand braces but more bits are terrific. Planes and chisels are not priority items, the kids are quite young and mostly just want to cut and hammer some pieces. They will be doing very simple projects and, to be honest, keeping as nice edge on the chisels would be a challenge and I wouldn't want to give a kid a dull chisel or plane.


What about chisels, planes or drill bits?

Do the Scouts learn to rehab old tools or do they need tools to be ready to go?

Will they have sharpening stones?

I have a bunch of auger bits made before Russell Jennings patent. I should check to see how well they cut. Also have a lot of twist drills with tangs for fitting in a brace.

jtk

[Rick Whitehead]

Todd,
I sent you the saws today via USPS Priority Mail.
I also included 2 hammers and 2 block planes.
Thank you for doing this.It's important to teach kids that they can actually make something.
I was a Scout, both a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout. It was a great influence in my life, and I learned a LOT from it.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Rick

[Todd McGee]

Thank you very much, Rick, I will be sure that the tools see good use in young hands.

[Jim Koepke]

Todd, I was going to send you a private message but you do not have an SMC account.

I'm sending some bits your way 1/4" to 1/2" augers and twist bits for a brace. Also sending a couple screwdriver bits for use in a brace.

Young kids tend to like making birdhouses. You might consider investing in a small hole saw ~1-1/4".

https://thebackyardnaturalist.com/wordpress/resources/how-to-choose-bird-houses/

If you us the USPS Informed Delivery you should see the tracking show up after I go into town later today.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Todd, USPS tracking indicates your package should arrive tomorrow.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Todd, USPS tracking indicates your package should arrive tomorrow.

jtk

Looks like the USPS tracking was a bit too enthusiastic about how fast things move along the coast highway.

It currently indicates the package is in Half Moon Bay.

It still indicates today for arrival. It does not indicate "Out For Delivery."

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Looks like my misunderstanding of how the USPS works along the coastal routes >

515309

Enjoy,

jtk

[Todd McGee]

Thanks, Jim, I picked up the bits today and will include them in the tool collection for the kids. Very much appreciated.

[Jim Koepke]

You and the kids are welcome.

jtk