Author Topic: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"  (Read 819351 times)

Offline smitty0312

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2010 on: Oct 31, 2021, 04:23 PM »
Where's all the new 2021/2022 Smitty Sleds? Let's see em.....
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Offline StringTheoryAngling

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2011 on: Nov 01, 2021, 04:34 PM »
Not a new Smitty Sled but here is mine from last season:

https://www.stringtheoryangling.ca/the-smitty-sled/

Huge thanks and shout out to the original Smitty and all the ideas here on the forum! My next smitty will have telescopic legs to lower my flipover to the ice - pics posted once built!

Offline Spider1

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2012 on: Nov 02, 2021, 06:26 AM »
sorry smitty, I'm still using the same old beat up sled I made years ago.  :icefish:

Offline river_scum

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2013 on: Nov 27, 2021, 07:11 PM »
smitty you ever think about a powered S S?   i was thinking about that last year after going up a long hill. haha  had the idea of a motor on the back, attached to handle bars, that you could just push down on and engage the ice to go.  kind of an "ice scratcher" "smitty sled" hybrid.

 i know it defeats the fast break down stow away design but im getting lazier every year. ;D  wish i could draw worth crap.

ok ok stop laughing. 
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Offline river_scum

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2014 on: Nov 28, 2021, 05:43 AM »
looking on the net, last night, i see the sweeds are already all over the motorized smitty.  go figure lol
real fishermen don't ask "where you catch those"

OANN the real story

- member here since -2003- IN.

Offline smitty0312

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2015 on: Nov 28, 2021, 05:41 PM »


[email protected] if you don't have a FB account.....or search "The Original Smitty Sled" on FB....thank you

Offline regulator

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2016 on: Dec 05, 2021, 10:34 AM »
Sled was an old Fish Trap flip over, saved the hinge brackets and one of the seat frames. Added T-Nuts and thumb screws to attach the tub to the Smitty frame. Brackets that hold my hub are a set of pole mount brackets, for installing a meter pan or disconnect on a telephone pole. Costs: Skis - $15, T-Nuts and thumb screws - $12, Utility hooks for augur and spud - $12, Cheap can of black spray paint - $2






























Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2017 on: Dec 05, 2021, 11:35 AM »
nice setup. Great photos.  just curious, about how heavy is that sled loaded, would you guess? are you pulling by hand or other means?

Offline regulator

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2018 on: Dec 05, 2021, 11:56 AM »
I'd guess around 120 pounds loaded, I'll be pulling it with a rope/harness setup.

Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2019 on: Dec 05, 2021, 12:09 PM »
I'd guess around 120 pounds loaded, I'll be pulling it with a rope/harness setup.
I'd last 100 feet and be done if there was any amount of snow! LOL

Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2020 on: Dec 21, 2021, 07:35 AM »
not that long ago, I saw someone post their build where they used joist hangers to sttach their cross pieces to the uprights. I want to take another look at it but can't recall where I saw it. Anyone else see it and recall where it was posted?

Offline maddogg

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2021 on: Dec 21, 2021, 08:58 AM »
not that long ago, I saw someone post their build where they used joist hangers to sttach their cross pieces to the uprights. I want to take another look at it but can't recall where I saw it. Anyone else see it and recall where it was posted?

Instead of using pins to hold the cross members I just slotted the 2x4s and risers.


Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2022 on: Dec 21, 2021, 06:18 PM »
nope. that wasn't it. it was using joist hangers

Offline badger132

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2023 on: Jan 06, 2022, 06:12 PM »
My buddy with MS with his version of the smitty. He gives it all he’s got to keep fishing.


This post made me think of an idea I have had for a while.

I have been thinking of making a small hole hopping Smitty for early and late season. It has been a warm snowy year, and pulling the Jet Sled is a lot harder than it was 10 years ago. I don't want to put my Jet Sled on a Smitty- I have that solution. I think a purpose built sled can be smaller and lighter. For the main body of the season I have a snowmobile, but this week I pulled a sled a few miles and my back is still sore. I am thinking I will take a drill/auger, dipper, flasher, 2 rods, lunch, and a bag for fish. I would like to build in some kind of seat. Has anyone seen one like this? Any ideas on how to make it as light as possible?

Offline rdhammah

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2024 on: Jan 06, 2022, 07:51 PM »
zip tie 2 milk crates together. separate the drill from the auger. drill goes inside one of the crates and mount the auger on top of the crates. make a smitty using kid's skis

Offline Iceassin

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2025 on: Jan 07, 2022, 04:15 AM »
This post made me think of an idea I have had for a while.

I have been thinking of making a small hole hopping Smitty for early and late season. It has been a warm snowy year, and pulling the Jet Sled is a lot harder than it was 10 years ago. I don't want to put my Yet Sled on a Smitty- I have that solution. I think a purpose built sled can be smaller and lighter. For the main body of the season I have a snowmobile, but this week I pulled a sled a few miles and my back is still sore. I am thinking I will take a drill/auger, dipper, flasher, 2 rods, lunch, and a bag for fish. I would like to build in some kind of seat. Has anyone seen one like this? Any ideas on how to make it as light as possible?

Looks like I have a project for next season. I really like this idea.
"Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice."
 


Offline fishEH

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2026 on: Jan 25, 2022, 10:20 AM »
Are you all waxing your skiis? If so, how often?
I used my Smitty sled for the first time this season in about 4-6" of snow and it was a bear to pull. I don't recall ever having this problem before. I'm wondering how much of an impact increased weight will have or skiis that need a good waxing?

Offline hardwater diehard

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2027 on: Jan 25, 2022, 11:15 AM »
Are you all waxing your skiis? If so, how often?
I used my Smitty sled for the first time this season in about 4-6" of snow and it was a bear to pull. I don't recall ever having this problem before. I'm wondering how much of an impact increased weight will have or skiis that need a good waxing?

Thats the sweet spot for a Smitty sled..you drag it aways across a P/lot ..or were the skis beat up prior ..adding some wax can not hurt.
Give a man a fish he eats for a day .Teach a man to ice fish he has an obsession for a lifetime

Offline Fishingjg

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2028 on: Jan 25, 2022, 12:19 PM »
I wax my skis, I use some old ski wax that I had, maybe a few times a year. It does help.

Offline fishEH

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2029 on: Jan 25, 2022, 08:59 PM »
Nope. They were a nice pair of skiis I owned since new. Always carry them to the ice, never on pavement. I own ski wax, an iron, and ski vise so I'll wax them up and see if it improves.

Thats the sweet spot for a Smitty sled..you drag it aways across a P/lot ..or were the skis beat up prior ..adding some wax can not hurt.

Offline badger132

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2030 on: Jan 25, 2022, 09:00 PM »
This post made me think of an idea I have had for a while.

I have been thinking of making a small hole hopping Smitty for early and late season. It has been a warm snowy year, and pulling the Jet Sled is a lot harder than it was 10 years ago. I don't want to put my Jet Sled on a Smitty- I have that solution. I think a purpose built sled can be smaller and lighter. For the main body of the season I have a snowmobile, but this week I pulled a sled a few miles and my back is still sore. I am thinking I will take a drill/auger, dipper, flasher, 2 rods, lunch, and a bag for fish. I would like to build in some kind of seat. Has anyone seen one like this? Any ideas on how to make it as light as possible?

Still working on it, but here it is so far:


Offline Old Goat

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2031 on: Jan 26, 2022, 04:19 AM »
zip tie 2 milk crates together. separate the drill from the auger. drill goes inside one of the crates and mount the auger on top of the crates. make a smitty using kid's skis
                         I went with 2 milk crates high on a 24-30 in. skies. Certain crates have a groove that a nice fat aluminum tent pole fits right in the groove at the top of crate. Same crate has a opening like a window on one side for watching flasher. Add more aluminum tent poles off the first one and you get 4 rod carriers a auger rack drilled a couple holes in one crate and can add a fold out table for cooking or whatever but I navn't figured how it folded out anymore need to play with again to see how I got set up before.

Offline Old Goat

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2032 on: Jan 26, 2022, 04:23 AM »
zip tie 2 milk crates together. separate the drill from the auger. drill goes inside one of the crates and mount the auger on top of the crates. make a smitty using kid's skis
                         I went with 2 milk crates high on a 24-30 in. skies. Certain crates have a groove that a nice fat aluminum tent pole fits right in the groove at the top of crate. Same crate has a opening like a window on one side for watching flasher. Add more aluminum tent poles off the first one and you get 4 rod carriers a auger rack drilled a couple holes in one crate and can add a fold out table for cooking or whatever but I navn't figured how it folded out anymore need to play with again to see how I got set up before.

Offline SirCranksalot

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2033 on: Jan 26, 2022, 07:52 PM »
My sled tracks sideways quite a bit and so does my buddies. Do they all do that? Any fix?  TIA
Keep yer stick on the ice!

Offline smitty0312

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2034 on: Jan 28, 2022, 08:48 AM »
My sled tracks sideways quite a bit and so does my buddies. Do they all do that? Any fix?  TIA

Pull rope long enough.....7-8' out in front of your sled.....also is your pull rope tied straight.......tight lines
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Offline 79rac

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2035 on: Jan 28, 2022, 10:08 AM »
My first smitty sled outing was a massive failure.  I used 5/16 bolts on my cross beams to slide into the vertical holes on my risers off the skis.  I was doing a 2 mile hike into our spot for a two night camping out.  Both sleds collapsed before we even hit the water so I hid the pieces in the bushes and got them on the way back.  The bolts just bent under the load and the whole sled collapsed to the side.  I pulled the bolts and replaced them with 1/2 inch bolts and added wood blocks on the cross beams on either side of the riser.  I am going to give it another try this weekend.  I told my son if they buckle again I will be tempted to leave the rubble where it lies. 

Offline SirCranksalot

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2036 on: Jan 28, 2022, 10:26 AM »
Pull rope long enough.....7-8' out in front of your sled.....also is your pull rope tied straight.......tight lines


Thx------my pull strap is certainly long enough. The next time, though, I will check to make sure both 'sides' are the same length i.e. that my body hands(or body) is really at the 1/2 way pt.
Keep yer stick on the ice!

Offline Stickhick86

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2037 on: Jan 28, 2022, 10:33 AM »
Pull rope long enough.....7-8' out in front of your sled.....also is your pull rope tied straight.......tight lines

Where do you have your rope connected? I have mine eye bolted to the ski tips and it makes a loop between them so I'm always in the middle and then i have it ran through a piece of pvc pipe to make a nice wide handle to grab onto. Have no issues of it not tracking.
Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to ice fish, have his wife mad for ever.

Offline hardwater diehard

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2038 on: Jan 28, 2022, 11:27 AM »
Where do you have your rope connected? I have mine eye bolted to the ski tips and it makes a loop between them so I'm always in the middle and then i have it ran through a piece of pvc pipe to make a nice wide handle to grab onto. Have no issues of it not tracking.

Should be tied to the tips of the skis ..knot on top
Give a man a fish he eats for a day .Teach a man to ice fish he has an obsession for a lifetime

Offline SirCranksalot

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Re: My Homemade $15 Sled! AKA The "Smitty Sled"
« Reply #2039 on: Jan 28, 2022, 12:32 PM »
I didn't bother with an eye bolt. Just put a hole near the tip and made a small loop of rope thru it, so the attachment pt has no 'bias' to it---- swings around freely
Keep yer stick on the ice!

 



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