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

[rdhammah]

i'm sorry. not sure what you mean, then

[MLRTYM]

Got my smitty sled finished. 2x6 bases, 2x4 cross members, green treated. Skis $10, lumber $10, hardware $5.

[rdhammah]

sweet!

[frigidaire]

Smitty sled version 2.0  Version 1.0 is on pg 17 or 19; I forget which.  This one uses 2x6 double bolted cross bars to make it more rigid.  Being personally inspected by Chester, world's darkest orange (fat) cat.

[frigidaire]

Here is version 2.0 fully loaded with 120qt cooler, Shapell 6000, Jiffy 30 (1982!) and a folding camp chair.  Four foot extra strong bungee cords to hold everything down.  Ready for the ice!!! Soon!!!!

I tried to get both pics into one post but I failed

[Corndog]

Got my smitty sled finished. 2x6 bases, 2x4 cross members, green treated. Skis $10, lumber $10, hardware $5.

SWEET!

[Corndog]

Here is version 2.0 fully loaded with 120qt cooler, Shapell 6000, Jiffy 30 (1982!) and a folding camp chair.  Four foot extra strong bungee cords to hold everything down.  Ready for the ice!!! Soon!!!!

SWEET!

[lefty2053]

Good work on the new version. I think I will have to go with the 2x6's next year and double bolts.

[diddly4]

Is there any need to compensate for the slight upwards bow that skids naturally have in the middle along with the slight taper of thickness from the middle to the end/tip. It seems to me that even with weight on top if the finished sled it the 2x6s that are being attached to the skis won't be exactly parallel to the ground. Will this slight angle really have that much of an effect? I plan on building my sled this weekend. Thanks.

[chuckrudy]

You did good

[frigidaire]

Reply to Diddy4.  The rise in the middle of the ski is of no concern.  If you use long-ish blocks like mine, 14" on the bottom, held on tightly with 4 countersunk screws each, you will forcibly remove most of the bulge. Otherwise your load simply straddles it anyway.

[Water and ice]

What are people using to cut the notch out of the base? I used a jig saw and made a mess of it. Got it to work some what.

I tell myself this is the test smity sled and the next one will be better.

[one last cast]

What are people using to cut the notch out of the base? I used a jig saw and made a mess of it. Got it to work some what.

I tell myself this is the test smity sled and the next one will be better.

drill two pilot holes in the crotch of the notch out if your going to use a jig saw, rather than trying to round the cut

[Water and ice]

I did that and still couldnt make a straight cut. Never could cut straight with a jig saw must be a left handed thing.

[Corndog]

I used a band saw then a nice sharp chisel..

[rdhammah]

What are people using to cut the notch out of the base? I used a jig saw and made a mess of it. Got it to work some what.

I tell myself this is the test smity sled and the next one will be better.

clamp all bases together. mark where you want the notch - just draw a line across the top of the bases. preset your table saw or circular saw to the depth that you want. make several passes to cut the notch. each pass can be like 1/8" from the last one so that you have a series thin pieces standing. knock out these standing pieces. your cross piece will fit in the notches. it's like cutting 1 and getting 4.

[killa1]

[jbird68]

I had to modify/repair my risers. While unloading my sled last year I dropped it off the back of my truck. I ended up breaking the cross beams as it crashed too the ground. I made new cross beams. Then while taking apart the newly fixed smitty sled one of the risers broke at the top. Since my cross beams were made from scraps I had in my garage (1 1/2 x 2"), I thought I would make new, stronger ones from 2 x 4's. So I had to cut my notches wider. What a pain in the butt to cut each one as it is still on the ski. I did it but it isn't pretty. And the one riser that was broken I had to screw on a "L" bracket. I might get through this winter and them redo it all next summer.

[mjmeyer]

clamp all bases together. mark where you want the notch - just draw a line across the top of the bases. preset your table saw or circular saw to the depth that you want. make several passes to cut the notch. each pass can be like 1/8" from the last one so that you have a series thin pieces standing. knock out these standing pieces. your cross piece will fit in the notches. it's like cutting 1 and getting 4.

Nearly exactly what I did . My clamps only allowed me to cut two at a time, but I got two for one. Exactly the same size.

[bee]

Finished this up today. I'm 68 and pan fish. So its travel lite for me. Its all in the tote and the tote is my seat. My Tanaka/Mora 6 in. rides on top.

[headjigger]

Wow the smitty sked is a awsome idea.. the people using jet sleds on top are you screwing the sled to the 2x6's or just setting it up there and bungieing it down ??Iam definitely makinone. of these this weekend.

[lefty2053]

I use bungees.

[mjmeyer]

I have an Eskimo Sled and use Cam-Lock straps. Quick and easy.

[dorion81]

hi all, new here and just started my build. i'm at the stage where i have to mount the skis/legs to the undercarriage of the sled and was wondering how far back on the skis should the sled be attached? should the back of the sled be in line with the back of the skis? should i leave a few inches of rear ski over-hang? should i put the sled dead center of the skis? any help would be appreciated!

[ship of fools]

hi all, new here and just started my build. i'm at the stage where i have to mount the skis/legs to the undercarriage of the sled and was wondering how far back on the skis should the sled be attached? should the back of the sled be in line with the back of the skis? should i leave a few inches of rear ski over-hang? should i put the sled dead center of the skis? any help would be appreciated!

dead center     ….    just like skiers on skis

[dorion81]

makes sense lol thanks for the reply!

[frozengator]

I still am trying to figure out a quick wheel setup.  Just for going across parking lots. Right now I have large bolts but I use my drill to put them on and take them off.

[Fontona19]

I still am trying to figure out a quick wheel setup.  Just for going across parking lots. Right now I have large bolts but I use my drill to put them on and take them off.

Maybe something like a quick release on a bicycle wheel.

[copperjohn]

I was thinking maybe some larger wider lawnmower type wheels mounted on my Smitty's crossboards -  so that it becomes a Smitty Kart when flipped over. Roll it down to the ice then detach sled/gear and flip then reattach ski side down. Permanently installing 6 or 8 inch wheels wouldn't be too hard.  My crossboards extend a foot out so that I can lash the auger or pop-up.

[mjmeyer]

I was thinking maybe some larger wider lawnmower type wheels mounted on my Smitty's crossboards -  so that it becomes a Smitty Kart when flipped over. Roll it down to the ice then detach sled/gear and flip then reattach ski side down. Permanently installing 6 or 8 inch wheels wouldn't be too hard.  My crossboards extend a foot out so that I can lash the auger or pop-up.

Oh! I like this idea! A cart, then flipped and now a sled again. The Smitty Sled/Copperjohn Cart!