Author Topic: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"  (Read 819495 times)

Offline DANMAN

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1590 on: Dec 12, 2017, 10:36 AM »
Folks:   Which is better  in your opinion for the sled ?    xcountry skis or downhill skis?  Why?

Offline missoulafish

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1591 on: Dec 12, 2017, 10:38 AM »
downhill....more, but not to much more, surface area to keep your sled more on top of the snow. If you never encounter snow, use the cross country skis.

Offline PaddyO

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1592 on: Dec 12, 2017, 05:14 PM »
My set up




Clam Kenia Pro Thermo Stealth
Otter XT X-Cabin Thermo
Clam Kenia Pro
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Offline Rugburn

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1593 on: Dec 12, 2017, 05:28 PM »
Nice PaddyO! Bought the same clam last year. My smitty was layed out for a Yukon, so I need shorten it a bit. I'll try and get a few pics.

Offline PaddyO

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1594 on: Dec 12, 2017, 06:14 PM »
Nice PaddyO! Bought the same clam last year. My smitty was layed out for a Yukon, so I need shorten it a bit. I'll try and get a few pics.
Its set up to add on the extra supports and the large storage container - grill, charcoal, food, drinks, ect, ect

Clam Kenia Pro Thermo Stealth
Otter XT X-Cabin Thermo
Clam Kenia Pro
Marcum Showdown
Marcum VS485C
Labatt Blue Light

Offline oc

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1595 on: Dec 12, 2017, 06:16 PM »
Folks:   Which is better  in your opinion for the sled ?    xcountry skis or downhill skis?  Why?

 Down hill, the front of the ski is wider and float over the rough crap and humps easy.

Offline Clank

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1596 on: Dec 12, 2017, 06:19 PM »
What length of ski is better kids or adults

Offline missoulafish

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1597 on: Dec 12, 2017, 06:52 PM »
the ones longer than your sled...

Offline Ice Scratcher

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1598 on: Dec 12, 2017, 06:58 PM »
Longer the ski, easier to pull...

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Offline Junkie4Ice

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1599 on: Dec 13, 2017, 07:25 AM »
Down hill, the front of the ski is wider and float over the rough crap and humps easy.

So down hill skis are obviously better, but is it still worth making if I only have cross country skis and have to deal with snow frequently? I have some old ones lying around that I want to make it out of and don't want to buy different down hill skis. Just wondering if it is worth it. I have the clam nanook, fine to pull on ice or packed snow but it can be a bear through a couple inches of snow.
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Offline Uncle Al

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1600 on: Dec 13, 2017, 07:37 AM »
Run what ya brung, use anything you've got, you can always change them. Follow this link and look at the pics of smitty sleds, there's everything from snowmobile ski's to water ski's, you make the decision, it's your build. have fun with it.

https://www.google.com/search?q=smitty+sled&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgxMmajYfYAhWK4SYKHYujCykQ_AUICygC&biw=1600&bih=769

Offline missoulafish

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1601 on: Dec 13, 2017, 09:40 AM »
have you looked around for any used down hill skis? I think mine cost like 10$ from Goodwill....

Offline 00tjwrangler

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1602 on: Dec 13, 2017, 06:27 PM »
 Can I see how you guys store your tip UPS in your sleds

Offline Ice Scratcher

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1603 on: Dec 13, 2017, 06:47 PM »
Can I see how you guys store your tip UPS in your sleds

Imagine a bucket... There.. ;D

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Offline 00tjwrangler

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1604 on: Dec 13, 2017, 06:51 PM »
Well I have mine in a milk container with wooden  dividers but it doesn't work the best. I hate tangle ups and get them sometimes usually carrying 15 tip UPS

Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1605 on: Dec 13, 2017, 06:58 PM »
have you looked around for any used down hill skis? I think mine cost like 10$ from Goodwill....
I just grabbed a pair at an indoor yard sale for $5

Offline PSC13

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1606 on: Dec 17, 2017, 06:54 AM »
Thinking about building a sled and have everything thought out but just trying to figure out the best way to attach the wood to the skis. Anyone have any input on what worked for them thanks!!

Offline Uncle Al

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1607 on: Dec 17, 2017, 06:58 AM »
3 or 4in screws countersunk through the bottom into the risers.

Offline drewbop

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1608 on: Dec 18, 2017, 09:56 AM »
So I made a smitty sled last year, but on the maiden voyage it tipped over.  I went with 2x8 risers, then 2x4 cross members and put a bolt through the 2x4 through into the riser.  The bolts actually bent.  Has anyone else had this problem?  Any suggestions to remedy it?  It doesn't seem very sturdy...  I am debating of cutting down the risers a bit more and trying to put in longer bolts.  My bolts stick about 3" out of the 2x4 - is that sufficient?

Online hardwater diehard

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1609 on: Dec 18, 2017, 10:32 AM »
So I made a smitty sled last year, but on the maiden voyage it tipped over.  I went with 2x8 risers, then 2x4 cross members and put a bolt through the 2x4 through into the riser.  The bolts actually bent.  Has anyone else had this problem?  Any suggestions to remedy it?  It doesn't seem very sturdy...  I am debating of cutting down the risers a bit more and trying to put in longer bolts.  My bolts stick about 3" out of the 2x4 - is that sufficient?

Should post a picture and give measurements of cross braces  ....sounds like you need longer cross braces...what diameter bolt ?
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Offline FishDoc_1

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1610 on: Dec 18, 2017, 11:33 AM »
You can counter sink the screws a little deeper a use P-Tex to fill the holes.  P-Tex is the same material as the bottom of the skis are made of.  You can be find it at ski shops or on Amazon for a couple of bucks. Just light the P-tex with a match and drip it into the holes.  Once you scrape off the excess you'll never know that the screws are there.
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Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1611 on: Dec 18, 2017, 05:19 PM »
drewbop, I use 1/4 x5" carriage bolts to attach my cross bars to the 2x6 risers. there is a notch in the riser for the cross bar to fit snuggly in. how wide are the skiis spaced apart? how high is your load? what is on the top of the load? you do not want anything heavy on top. all heavy stuff should be in the bottom of the sled and weight evenly distributed around the sled. agree, pics og your sled and how you loaded it would be helpful.

Offline SirCranksalot

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1612 on: Dec 18, 2017, 05:26 PM »
  I am debating of cutting down the risers a bit more and trying to put in longer bolts. 

Bolt length doesn't matter for strength----it's the dia and the material that counts. Of course it depends on the weight of the load, but IMO even 2 x 4 cross members are overkill. 2 x 3 would work for most cases.
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Offline Baetis62

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1613 on: Dec 18, 2017, 06:03 PM »
Maybe a dumb question but are you attaching pull rope to your risers/crosses or to the skis.  I ran eyebolts through the upturned tips and snap in my rope with beaners onto those.  My risers and crosses are only joined with deck screws but all the torque from pulling goes to the skis not the the other components.  5 or 6 year’s and it’s still in one piece.  Maybe I misunderstood your dilemma though.

Offline Idahogator

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1614 on: Dec 18, 2017, 07:58 PM »
The real beauty of the Smitty Sled being rapid take-down is negated by deck screws through the cross members into the risers.

If the cuts into the risers are done with a planer blade in the proper tool ~ the cross members should be a nice snug fit. Use a single 1/2" grade 8 bolt, long enough to cut the threads off to use only the smooth shaft. Leave the threads on and it'll act as a file enlarging the hole for a wobble fit, which is useless. 

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Offline PSC13

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1615 on: Dec 19, 2017, 06:00 PM »
Alright thanks everyone for the input. What about waxing the skis should I go that far or does it not make that much of a difference and how do people do it without having the right waxing equipment?

Offline SirCranksalot

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1616 on: Dec 19, 2017, 06:18 PM »
I did mine with parafin wax and an old iron. I was easy to do so I just assumed it would help----couldn't hurt!
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Offline Ice Scratcher

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1617 on: Dec 19, 2017, 06:21 PM »
Alright thanks everyone for the input. What about waxing the skis should I go that far or does it not make that much of a difference and how do people do it without having the right waxing equipment?

Just get started by buying your wife/girlfriend a new iron.. use the old one for waxing the skis, cover the bottom with foil...... Drip it on iron/melt it out evenly and pretty thin.. Let it cool, scrape it off with a pretty sharp edge, not completely, and buff it smooth with a rag...

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Offline PSC13

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1618 on: Dec 19, 2017, 06:44 PM »
Alright thanks!

Offline Uncle Al

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1619 on: Dec 19, 2017, 08:02 PM »
Do you think waxing helps. I've had my smitty for a few years and have never waxed them, and can't tell any difference.

 



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