My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"

[nicjohnsrud]

Nice and clean Dizzy, I like!

[Dizzy]

Very nice looking set up. I see you don't mess around when it comes to lounging around. I have never see anyone with a lounge chair in their set up. Better to take a nap when things are slow huh?

Exactly... sometimes comfort trumps functionality! 

Very nice!! For a $15 investment you are going to have many years of fun!  Great job!! 

Thanks. And yeah, about that $15... the ski's alone cost me $10... I stopped tallying after that! 

[golffanman]

Picked up a set of X country skis from Goodwill today.......$8.99. Dragging my flat bottom sled is killing me. Some of the lakes I fish require a long walk to get to the fish. I did lengthen the rope and that did help a lot. But tomorrow I'll be building a Smitty sled......ditching the old flat bottom and I bought a heavy duty tool box with a hinged lid. Time to get organized and get fishing..........more to come.

[Dizzy]

Picked up a set of X country skis from Goodwill today.......$8.99. Dragging my flat bottom sled is killing me. Some of the lakes I fish require a long walk to get to the fish. I did lengthen the rope and that did help a lot. But tomorrow I'll be building a Smitty sled......ditching the old flat bottom and I bought a heavy duty tool box with a hinged lid. Time to get organized and get fishing..........more to come.

I hear that! I was amazed at how easy the ski-mounted sled glides across the slush and snow. Welcome change from that snow plow (aka Jet Sled) that I was pulling around. 

[fishinnut]

ok here is the finished sled, had to move the front bar a little back.
have to undo 4 screws to take it apart

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Can improve by replacing screws with quick release pins. Drill thru fitting to accept the pin. Easy in, easy out, no need for a screwdriver.

[efka]

little update... had it out twice, held like a champ when fully loaded.
i was even sitting on the bucket that was in the sled and i didn't break the elbows or bent the pipes.

fishinnut... i was thinking exact same think after 2nd day on the ice, it only takes few turns with mini screwdriver but pins are much easier. already bought them and will be ready for the next trip.

[frozengator]

Finally made one, I had some left over wood from the deck so I cut down the 4x4s and used 2x6s on the cross beams. Now I need to figure out how I want to attach the wheels. I really don't want to have to take them off and on. Thought about a hinge system. Just haven't had a real good idea yet.

[golffanman]

Ok, I've put in some garage time and got a sled built............well, do you ever have it completely done? The first picture is my old fishing sled. The rods/reels aren't in there, but you get the picture. Throw everything in and hope for the best. This little sled would have me huffing and puffing across the ice I tell ya. And when its snowing or raining the thing would fill up with water.......everything would be wet.......and then freeze........well, you get the picture.




Now, thanks to Smitty, I have a sled beginning to take shape. I used 2x6's on the skis and 2x4's for cross braces. I'll use the Xcountry skis for now, but plan on finding downhill skis to replace them. I hope this rig isn't too heavy. I haven't really had a chance to get out since the warm up.





The box I used is a Contico Xtreme toolbox. It has a hinged lid that I can sit on and will keep my stuff drier. Mounted my Nils on one side, buckets on the back and pole holders across the front. I'm working on a really nice way to store my rod/reels on the back side of the lid. I'll post that soon. We got some snow last night, so I'll take her out for a test drive today.

[hounds]

Smitty was a genius.

[efka]

why is it called smitty again?

[lefty2053]

why is it called smitty again?

Just go to the first post.

[efka]

oh i saw the first post, i see it was created in 2009, but what made me ask this question is another post that i came along which goes to 2004

Here is one I built this year. I love it!..It's a little heavy to load in the truck, but I can still do it by myself. I can also carry ALL my gear without stuff falling out, and it pulls like a breeze.

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not trying to be smarta$$, but am i missing something?

[Nightbird]

36 pages later I'm ready to start mine. Thanks to all who have shared so much info!

[beeverfishing]

oh i saw the first post, i see it was created in 2009, but what made me ask this question is another post that i came along which goes to 2004

not trying to be smarta$$, but am i missing something?

The "original" Smitty sled breaks down, easy to transport.  Many have used skis before, (I build my home made "portable" on ski's several years ago.) but the Smitty sled is ideal for most of us.  cheap, lightweight, compact, and glides across the snow / ice even when fully loaded.

[smitty0312]

I never called it the "Smitty Sled" from the start, but........the reason I made it and posted it here was...........affordable to build, easy to build, and compact enough to fit in a car, people have coined the phrase which I am very flattered by, and the , well, 35+ pages of threads speaks for itself. I just wanted the guys that are on a budget to know, that they can have a sled too that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to build.

[efka]

Thanks for instructions, you made everyones ice fishing much easier...was just wondering where the name came from, thats all..

[TrackerG]

Smitty is a bonafide living legend.....on Ice Shanty anyway!!! lol

[Water and ice]

Is there a reason why people cut an angle on the base?

How long do most people make there base?

[Dizzy]

1) Is there a reason why people cut an angle on the base?

2) How long do most people make there base?

1) Looks cool? I don't know 

2) Just as an example, I used 2x8's for the base and I think they're 16" on the bottom with a 45° angle cut starting 1" up from the bottom. The result up top may have been 10½" or so. It was really a look/feel thing for me... no hard rules here.

[fishinnut]

Smitty was a genius.

Smitty IS a genius!!

[jepik]

I think the next step is to get smitty on mt. rushmore.

[lefty2053]

Smitty is a bonafide living legend.....on Ice Shanty anyway!!! lol

I am on Colorado Boards and Smitty is a legend there also. I send anyone that wants to learn to this site.

[TrekJeff]

Is there a reason why people cut an angle on the base?

How long do most people make there base?

The angled base pieces are so it cuts through snow rather than pushes.  Make your base to suit your needs.  Make it so the width and length suit your needs.   I went a couple inches narrower on width so it turns easier and the length suits the lodge style shanty I use.. Just run with it.

[servocam]

I almost made my SmittySled this year.  I think I will have to for next year.  This year I just put two small sleds side-by-side.  Clip in front and bungee strap in back.  I think I need to put slot & pin.  All the gear just fits in the trunk of my car.

[fishinnut]

The angled base pieces are so it cuts through snow rather than pushes.  Make your base to suit your needs.  Make it so the width and length suit your needs.   I went a couple inches narrower on width so it turns easier and the length suits the lodge style shanty I use.. Just run with it.

How do the angled bases cut thru the snow? The snow is flattened by the ski before it makes contact with the angled base.

[lefty2053]

How do the angled bases cut thru the snow? The snow is flattened by the ski before it makes contact with the angled base.

I think it is more of a JUST IN CASE deal with the angles. Or it could be for the young bucks that run across the ice to get to their spots. They don't want any wind dragging them down.

This  | Blocks snow.
This \  Doesn't.

[TrekJeff]

How do the angled bases cut thru the snow? The snow is flattened by the ski before it makes contact with the angled base.

Not when you factor the Coriolis effect

[Idahogator]

Not when you factor the Coriolis effect

Au contraire !     

The axis is linear.     

[servocam]

After 36 pages...there has to be a Mechanical Engineer or Drafter here that could work up blue-prints/assembly instructions with a BOM and post on Google Drive for everyone? 

Or just read the past 36 pages (or first 4 or 5) :-)

[TrekJeff]

Au contraire !     

The axis is linear.