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

[Ice Scratcher]

Could have a titanium core?

<°)))>{

[TheDL]

Maybe...i guess that would explain it...seems unlikely but I know nothing about skis 

[Lavman]

When I built my SS I saved the screws that held the bindings in place and re-used them to attach the 1"x 1" aluminum angles to the top of the skis. I used two angles per riser and sandwiched the riser between the vertical leg of each angle then put two bolts through the angles and vertical.

I did notice that when I drilled through the ski tips to attach the rope that the metal core of the ski was quite hard. I started with a small (1/8") SHARP drill bit to make the pilot hole then followed with a 1/2" bit to punch the larger hole.

Sharp bit it the key and start small then go to the bigger bit.

[Duke]

Well fellas- I was close - I've had skis directly attached to the bottom of my Fish Trap Guide for years now!!! After seeing this thread they are now off and the smitty sled will evolve. I have a quick question-I noe have 4- 3/8" holes in the bottom of the shanty. Can anyone on here suggest a way I can plug them so that if I am in wet conditions it won't leak water into the sled? Any help or suggestions would be great! I will try to post before and after pics once the smitty is done.
Thanks,
Duane

[hardwater diehard]

Well fellas- I was close - I've had skis directly attached to the bottom of my Fish Trap Guide for years now!!! After seeing this thread they are now off and the smitty sled will evolve. I have a quick question-I noe have 4- 3/8" holes in the bottom of the shanty. Can anyone on here suggest a way I can plug them so that if I am in wet conditions it won't leak water into the sled? Any help or suggestions would be great! I will try to post before and after pics once the smitty is done.
Thanks,
Duane

Quick search I found this ...may be other options

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-9-16-in-x-3-8-in-Black-Rubber-Hole-Plug-808198/204273786

please post your resolution

[IFF]

Flex seal ?  over some kind of patch ?  TV ad's claim looks pretty good.

[Ice Scratcher]

Well fellas- I was close - I've had skis directly attached to the bottom of my Fish Trap Guide for years now!!! After seeing this thread they are now off and the smitty sled will evolve. I have a quick question-I noe have 4- 3/8" holes in the bottom of the shanty. Can anyone on here suggest a way I can plug them so that if I am in wet conditions it won't leak water into the sled? Any help or suggestions would be great! I will try to post before and after pics once the smitty is done.
Thanks,
Duane

You should leave those skis on your shanty...

For days you don't need the Smitty...

Get another set for your build... Goodwill Store $5

<*)))>{

[kmer]

My first Smitty sled (and first post I think?... Um... Hello.). After a couple years of lurking on this thread, I finally got one together and have photos to prove. Tested it out at the Lac Seul ice derby today. The sled exceeded expectations. Thanks for the inspiration Smitty et al. I've probably enjoyed this thread the most seeing how creative everyone is at extending the idea.

The box is a Plano model that has 'horns' that let me bungee it down yet still allows the lid to open. That's handy. I stapled some rubber backed carpet strips (rubber side up) to the 1x4 cross arms to grip the box. The legs of my chair also fit nicely into the holes I drilled in the 2x4. My wife saw the chair and said "so, who exactly do you expect to tow you around on that?".

[Illinoizboy]

Nice work Kmer.
I put the rubber backing on my cross beams and it really keeps cargo in place.
The chair stand is a nice option. Beats sitting on a bucket.

[Duke]

You should leave those skis on your shanty...

For days you don't need the Smitty...

Get another set for your build... Goodwill Store $5

<*)))>{
Good idea-thanks Ice Scratcher - I really never thought of that, I think that is exactly what I'll do then I don't have to worry about plugging the holes!
Thanks again,
Duane

[DANMAN]

Do I need to have a seperate rope attached to the ski tips.   Or can I just pull my fishtrap rope?

[tbfisherman]

Do I need to have a seperate rope attached to the ski tips.   Or can I just pull my fishtrap rope?

DANMAN.... You will find The Smitty Sled is much easier to pull with a much longer
rope then the one on your fishtrap.

Bob

[smitty0312]

DANMAN.... You will find The Smitty Sled is much easier to pull with a much longer
rope then the one on your fishtrap.

Bob

Absolutely........I suggest a 16' rope in my plans.......that means 8' long after installed......if that makes sense.

[tomturkey]

That long rope also allows you to control the Smitty and its load from the back if you need to go down hill with it. Sure beats bruised legs for a run away Smitty.

[lefty2053]

That long rope also allows you to control the Smitty and its load from the back if you need to go down hill with it. Sure beats bruised legs for a run away Smitty.

I always have to throw the rope over to the back of the sled and guide it down hills. One day I thought what the heck and just let her go. Boy did it go. About 25 yards out.

[DANMAN]

Do I need to have a seperate rope attached to the ski tips.   Or can I just pull my fishtrap rope?

The question was can the pull rope be attached to the fishtrap and not the smitty?

My guess is not as a pullrope 20 inches above the snow may cause the smitty skis to shovel.

[lefty2053]

Sure it can but it won't be very effective. Rope through the tip of the ski's is much better.

[prefect]

My first attempt at a Smitty. I can't believe how much easier all my crap is to haul!!!

[esp6494]

My first attempt at the Great smitty sled design. I milled the 2x4s and 2x8s so they key together along with 4" carraige bolts for added stability. So sturdy that I think it could handle over 500 lbs on it without any problem. Thanks for the idea smitty! The walk to and from my fishing spots(usually 1mile+) are much more enjoyable now! 

[Corndog]

My first attempt at the Great smitty sled design. I milled the 2x4s and 2x8s so they key together along with 4" carraige bolts for added stability. So sturdy that I think it could handle over 500 lbs on it without any problem. Thanks for the idea smitty! The walk to and from my fishing spots(usually 1mile+) are much more enjoyable now!

Nice Smitty Sled!
May I suggest a harness. I scored a fall arrest harness, free from a friend, that has a ring on the back. I can pull my Smitty with ease and still have my hands free. That way, when the snow is deep I can use trekking poles. Or sip some coffee as I walk.

[Ice Scratcher]

I like when my rope is in back....

<*)))>{

[Uncle Al]

Do I need to have a seperate rope attached to the ski tips.   Or can I just pull my fishtrap rope?

I drilled a hole in the tips of the ski's ran the rope through the holes and tied the rope to an eye screw I put on the front of the risers so I'm pulling on the sled base and not the ski's. the longer the rope the better.

Another question. Anyone use their smitty behind a snow machine? I fish a river on foot with the smitty, and also fish a wide open bay using my snowmachine and wondered how the smitty would hold up. the bay is big and brutal, I don't travel fast, 10-20 mph max, lots of snow drifts, cracks to cross, it isn't like the river where it's mostly flat. thanks

[Svengalli]

One of my Smitty's gets pulled behind a snowmobile all winter long over ridges and drifts of the likes most people have never seen and it holds up just fine with the caveat being that mine does not "break down" as the risers and cross members are screwed together.  I made a tow bar with chain ran through sch40 PVC pipe that run from eyebolts on the tips of the skis and even at -40 I haven't had any issues.  The pipe prevents the sled from slamming into the Otter sled it gets towed behind (tandem).

[Uncle Al]

One of my Smitty's gets pulled behind a snowmobile all winter long over ridges and drifts of the likes most people have never seen and it holds up just fine with the caveat being that mine does not "break down" as the risers and cross members are screwed together.  I made a tow bar with chain ran through sch40 PVC pipe that run from eyebolts on the tips of the skis and even at -40 I haven't had any issues.  The pipe prevents the sled from slamming into the Otter sled it gets towed behind (tandem).

How much do you haul on it?

[Svengalli]

That one's usually got between 100 and 150 pounds in it.

[Fishhouse5]

Looking to build a smitty this summer.  Looking to use 2 x 6 as the riser attached to the skies and 1 x 4 as the cross bars that the tub sits on.
Is it better to make the "riser" as one piece or make 2 separate ones that the cross bars join to??
Will the single one might give it more stability

[Fishhouse5]

Looking to be able to break it down to fit in the trunk of a corolla

[rdhammah]

how much weight you hauling?
single piece risers will add weight

[Fishhouse5]

Probably hauling more than needed.
a dozen tipups, 6 tip downs, 10" Jiffy, 5 jig rods, minnow bucket, bag chair and all the misc scoop, tackle.
Have looked at the old posts and saw that some were solid others were split.
Getting ideas before starting the project.

[rdhammah]

a dozen tipups  AND 6 tip downs? how many lines are you allowed in IL? we're allowed 5 lines. I bring 4 tipups and 4 rods. I always jig.