Author Topic: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"  (Read 819493 times)

Offline tbern

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,277
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1800 on: Dec 19, 2018, 11:22 AM »
Tbern, i am actually doing that right now. Do you have a camera on me? don't give about my coordinates!

Tight lines!
some guy in a red suit gave me the info...

Offline DTro

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 969
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1801 on: Dec 19, 2018, 02:11 PM »
Well, I finally decided to build one for myself.  Got a steal on some skis I couldn't pass up.  Thanks for all the help in this thread.

Quick question:

Does anyone use a large tote to carry all their crap in?   I'd like to get one big one to carry my Big Buddy, my auger/drill, tackle, propane, sonar etc.   I found this one at Home Depot that looks like it will work pretty good.  I need it at least 40" long to fit the auger bit. 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-Heavy-Duty-54-Gal-Storage-Tote-with-Lid-235599/303083143

Online missoulafish

  • Team IceShantyholic
  • ***
  • Posts: 6,949
  • TēM HîPē FÿSh
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1802 on: Dec 19, 2018, 02:45 PM »
that tote looks solid! I just toss everything in my sled but extra protection would be nice for some of my gear.

Offline Icephishwyo

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 345
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1803 on: Dec 19, 2018, 03:20 PM »
DTro mine is a tote build page 56

Offline DTro

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 969
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1804 on: Dec 19, 2018, 04:26 PM »
Stopped at HD.  Found a bigger better one for less money.  Only thing that didn't fit was my chair. 




Offline smitty0312

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,250
  • Build A Smitty Sled.......it's a back & lung saver
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1805 on: Dec 30, 2018, 09:46 AM »
All the "Smitty's" looking great!! Keep em coming!!.....61 pages now of replies/pics....WOW!! That blows me away!!
[email protected] if you don't have a FB account.....or search "The Original Smitty Sled" on FB....thank you

Offline tomturkey

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 2,921
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1806 on: Dec 30, 2018, 11:52 AM »
Hopefully any tote you buy you will be able to open when it is cold. I have one tub that is impossible to open unless you have a 5 gallon bucket lid opener. PIA  If it is out in a cold garage.

Offline DTro

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 969
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1807 on: Dec 31, 2018, 09:43 AM »
Yeah I've decided the lid stays home.  I can pack a lot more stuff in it without a lid.

Offline 32footsteps

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 565
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1808 on: Jan 03, 2019, 05:47 PM »
Cut back on the weight quite a bit over my wood versions by using PVC.



Offline tbern

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,277
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1809 on: Jan 03, 2019, 05:51 PM »
Cut back on the weight quite a bit over my wood versions by using PVC.


.   How did you fasten the pvc to the skis?

Offline 32footsteps

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 565
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1810 on: Jan 03, 2019, 09:20 PM »
.   How did you fasten the pvc to the skis?

PVC caps bolted to the skis. I used a hardened bolt and didn’t countersink them at all. What I lose with the minimal drag those cause I gain back and then some by a ton due to the reduced weight of PVC vs. wood.

Inch and a half PVC is what I used for most of it. On the elbows I put a reducer in that took it down to an inch. Glued 5” pieces of 1 inch PVC and those slide into the uprights attached to the skis. The only thing glued together are the cross pieces and those elbows/upright one inche pipes. The pieces that run parallel with the skis are not glued at all. They come apart when you aren’t using the thing but when it’s all pieced together they fit quite snug and won’t pull apart.

Offline tbern

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,277
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1811 on: Jan 03, 2019, 09:34 PM »
Tnx for all the info, nice design.

Offline ActiveTrapChecker

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,704
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1812 on: Jan 03, 2019, 09:37 PM »
PVC caps bolted to the skis. I used a hardened bolt and didn’t countersink them at all. What I lose with the minimal drag those cause I gain back and then some by a ton due to the reduced weight of PVC vs. wood.

Inch and a half PVC is what I used for most of it. On the elbows I put a reducer in that took it down to an inch. Glued 5” pieces of 1 inch PVC and those slide into the uprights attached to the skis. The only thing glued together are the cross pieces and those elbows/upright one inche pipes. The pieces that run parallel with the skis are not glued at all. They come apart when you aren’t using the thing but when it’s all pieced together they fit quite snug and won’t pull apart.

Great design. What are you pulling with it?

Offline 32footsteps

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 565
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1813 on: Jan 03, 2019, 10:22 PM »
Great design. What are you pulling with it?

A rope held by my hand.

Offline ActiveTrapChecker

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,704
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1814 on: Jan 04, 2019, 05:32 AM »
Apologies, I meant what are you hauling? Flipover? Jet sled? Custom stoatage?

Offline 32footsteps

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 565
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1815 on: Jan 04, 2019, 05:42 AM »
Apologies, I meant what are you hauling? Flipover? Jet sled? Custom stoatage?

Ah....

Well, that depends. Sometimes it’s a one person flip over and gear. Other times it’s an otter sled with a hub and gear. Drill/clam plate set up or a gas auger.  Really depends on which direction I’m heading. Or it could be hauling supplies back into a maple sugering camp.

Offline ActiveTrapChecker

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,704
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1816 on: Jan 04, 2019, 05:49 AM »
Multi faceted, love it!

Offline ActiveTrapChecker

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,704
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1817 on: Jan 04, 2019, 07:03 AM »
Nice work, can you upload pictures?

My natural procrastination may work in my benefit. I have the skis, bindings off. Want to build something to hold my jet sled, with the Quickfish 3i on the side of it. These PVC designs have me thinking, love the thought of lighter. Now i need to sit down and figure out the design. I would love to have verticals coming off the cross pieces to hold both in place

Offline KMacari

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 11
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1818 on: Jan 04, 2019, 07:20 AM »
While waiting for good ice, I completed two different sleds over the last few weeks.   While they don't fit within the 15$ category, both utilize the basic Smitty Sled concept.   I designed them both to fit within my SUV, which was only a part of the design challenge.  The first one (black) is meant for hauling more gear...it has a 12v system with usb charging, running lights on the back, side, and front, along with LED headlights.   The headlights are probably overkill, but the other running lights are a huge plus to help with being seen when coming in late (a lot of snowmobilers on the lakes around me)!   My popup tent fits nicely on top, auger on the side, and overall room for a ton of stuff.   Being it's almost all PVC, the weight is not bad at all.  The removable wheels come off quick and easy, but I may come up with a different design later on.
The second sled (blue) I made to have a very light sled, which sits up higher, that will handle deeper snow that we get.   No wood, PVC frame attached directly to the skis, and still room for a good deal of stuff.   The only part not glued is the table in the front...it's just pressed on in case I want to go out without it (or load more stuff up on it).


Offline ActiveTrapChecker

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,704
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1819 on: Jan 04, 2019, 07:56 AM »
Both very well designed. The auger hanger on the side is another thing i wanted to do

Offline PaddyO

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 173
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1820 on: Jan 04, 2019, 05:47 PM »
that's a lot of beer in that design..    very nice!
Clam Kenia Pro Thermo Stealth
Otter XT X-Cabin Thermo
Clam Kenia Pro
Marcum Showdown
Marcum VS485C
Labatt Blue Light

Offline 32footsteps

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 565
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1821 on: Jan 04, 2019, 07:38 PM »
Nice work, can you upload pictures?

My natural procrastination may work in my benefit. I have the skis, bindings off. Want to build something to hold my jet sled, with the Quickfish 3i on the side of it. These PVC designs have me thinking, love the thought of lighter. Now i need to sit down and figure out the design. I would love to have verticals coming off the cross pieces to hold both in place

I don’t have pics of the other ways I can set this thing up. This one is right around 32 inches wide if I remember correctly. I have another set of cross pieces that are 44” wide. That’s my “bringing the flip and a hub” configuration. I look at this foray into a PVC sled as my Mercury and Gemini missions. Learn a bunch of stuff from them and use that knowledge for my “moon shot Apollo” mission.”  Let me explain...

A couple of years ago I build a wide wooden version with a floor where I could fasten a 2 person hub and move it around. It was simple and worked to a degree but moving it was like dragging a dead elephant up a mountain...even with it elevated on skis. The weight was just incredible. Threw on the thinking cap a bit, scribbled out a PVC design for the same type of “hub sled” concept, and proceeded from there. It’s a matter of getting a sense of how much a PVC sled with a floor will have to be braced up to hold my 185 pounds of twisted steel and sex appeal plus gear. I already suspect that I will have to use at least one if not two more skis because the span would be just a bit too much....or offset placement of the hub where my hole placement is on the outside edge of one of the skis. Basically, it would hang over by about a foot.

I’ve seen some attempts at doing a sled specifically for a hub but those all give me the sense that they would be dang heavy. The other downfall would be anchoring the sides so they don’t pop in with a gust of wind. The solution I’m working on is to basically build a cage out of PVC with its high point being the middle of the hub so those pesky sides can be strapped directly to the cage. Nothing screwed into the ice except running ice anchors through a hole in the rear of the skis if necessary.

So long story short, this is a test run to check durability and size of the materials used in order to build something a wee bit more radical for next year. I might need to jump up a size in PVC...or I might be ok. I don’t quite know yet.

Offline jiginit

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 54
  • That's my story and stickin to it
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1822 on: Jan 04, 2019, 08:08 PM »
You guys have advanced nicely from the primitive 1980s
Bravo! Nice work. I might add that we didnt have heaters or shelters to haul back then. Just braved any weather and loved every minute.


Offline 4x4Dad

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 479
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1823 on: Jan 06, 2019, 09:13 PM »
Well , I know this will be opening a can of worms , but , I got the skis , 2x8 legs cut and hardware to put it together . Yes , I do really like the PVC designs you guys have , but figured my first one will be a Classic Smitty .
 So , before I start screwing & glueing , is there any last minute pointers or modifications that may make it better or stronger ? I'll be painting everything before final assembly to waterproof the wood . The glue I'm using is Weldwood contact cement by DAP . Supposed to be good for wood & plastic . Any thoughts ? Thanks .

Offline Uncle Al

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 961
  • STAND FOR THE FLAG, KNEEL FOR THE CROSS
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1824 on: Jan 07, 2019, 06:21 AM »
You guys have advanced nicely from the primitive 1980s
Bravo! Nice work. I might add that we didnt have heaters or shelters to haul back then. Just braved any weather and loved every minute.

heres one I used to use, made from a coca cola crate



Offline Uncle Al

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 961
  • STAND FOR THE FLAG, KNEEL FOR THE CROSS
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1825 on: Jan 07, 2019, 08:55 AM »
4X4Dad, you won't need any glue, just run the screws through the bottom of the ski after you pre drill and countersink.

Offline 4x4Dad

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 479
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1826 on: Jan 07, 2019, 11:39 AM »
Thanks Al , but I always overbuild everything . Even got steel L brackets to lock over the top of the 2x8 for a little more reinforcement where the 2x4 sits in the notch . I already pull 200 lbs. of equipment onto the ice . Another 5lbs. won't make any difference . :flex: :woot: :roflmao:

Offline Stickhick86

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,142
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1827 on: Jan 07, 2019, 11:45 AM »
Thanks Al , but I always overbuild everything . Even got steel L brackets to lock over the top of the 2x8 for a little more reinforcement where the 2x4 sits in the notch . I already pull 200 lbs. of equipment onto the ice . Another 5lbs. won't make any difference . :flex: :woot: :roflmao:

I used L brackets as well because my big frabill pop over is heavy
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to ice fish, have his wife mad for ever.

Offline 4x4Dad

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 479
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1828 on: Jan 07, 2019, 11:52 AM »
I understand . My Eskimo Quickfish 5i goes about 60+ lbs by itself . Then I place a big plastic container in the sled with heater , food , drinks , spare clothes , tackle box , poles and 5000 other things . Good news is , it's like fishing in the living room once we're all set up . :thumbsup: :roflmao:

Offline Stickhick86

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,142
Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #1829 on: Jan 07, 2019, 11:55 AM »
You aint kidding
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to ice fish, have his wife mad for ever.

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.