This is a gadget which was shown to us at a recent Roundtable. It uses lashings to make a handwashing station from straight sticks and an empty gallon milk jug. So your Scouts can use this for the First Class Requirement – Use lashing to make a useful camp gadget.
We haven’t had a chance to try this one yet, but the Scouter who presented said it works great. And if you position it in the sun, you get warmer water. He recommended having a second milk jug ready to go underneath for when the first on runs out.
Printable copy of Hand Washing Station Gadget
Hand Washing Station Gadget
See the printable copy for illustrations.
First, last together three straght sticks to make a tripod. There are instructions for lashings in the Scouts BSA handbook.
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Next, lash three smaller sticks on to form an open “shelf”.
Poke a small hole into a clean one gallon plastic milk jug.
Poke a golf tee into the hole to close it up. Fill the jug with water.
Put a bar of soap in one “leg” of a pair of panty hose. Tie this to a convenient place on the tripod.
To use the handwashing station, pull the golf tee out and wash your hands under the stream, using the soap you attached. Put the golf tee back in to stop the flow of water.
The instructor used bar soap for this. Alternately, consider using environmentally friendly camp soap with this gadget. In this case, you might want to make two. One can hold a smaller container with the soapy water and the second can have water for rinsing.
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