IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community

Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Equipment => Topic started by: sploke on Jan 15, 2024, 07:23 AM

Title: ladder bracket smitty sled
Post by: sploke on Jan 15, 2024, 07:23 AM
I'm upgrading/modifying my plywood smitty sled this year to the ladder bracket style - my wife got me a hub shelter for Christmas, and my original sled isn't wide enough to carry it.


I see a lot of people using these steel post base brackets (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BND894VL/) to attach the ladder brackets to the skis.  Has anyone found anything similar in aluminum?


The closest thing I found was these little aluminum post bases (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3CQZBS4/), but they're not very tall (only 1-1/8").  I'm not sure there's enough meat there to get a pin through them to attach the ladder brackets and still have a robust connection.  Anyone found anything similar that has worked out?
Title: Re: ladder bracket smitty sled
Post by: davef2 on Jan 15, 2024, 09:45 AM
I'm not sure exactly what your doing but I built a type of smitty sled that has adjustable poles for either raising or lowering the load from the skis.   I used an aluminum walker that I got for a dollar or two at a yard sale.  They have 4 legs that are adjustable for height and will adjust up or down several inches.   I had a friend who was a welder and he rigged up a plate to screw to the skis.

I don't remember but it's possible I used 2 walkers to get all the aluminum I needed.
Title: Re: ladder bracket smitty sled
Post by: sploke on Jan 15, 2024, 10:05 AM
I'm not sure exactly what your doing but I built a type of smitty sled that has adjustable poles for either raising or lowering the load from the skis.   I used an aluminum walker that I got for a dollar or two at a yard sale.  They have 4 legs that are adjustable for height and will adjust up or down several inches.   I had a friend who was a welder and he rigged up a plate to screw to the skis.

I don't remember but it's possible I used 2 walkers to get all the aluminum I needed.


This one isn't mine, but same idea.  It uses aluminum extension ladder stabilizers as the crossbars.  I need some sort of bracket at the bottom to attach them to the skis.  Mine won't have the wood blocks, I'm just going to have the crossbars mounted directly to the skis.



(https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,onerror=redirect,width=1920,height=1920,fit=scale-down/https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/attachments/e6560386-ff2b-437c-ad50-46b3abf9085e-jpeg.883289/)
Title: Re: ladder bracket smitty sled
Post by: SirCranksalot on Jan 15, 2024, 07:49 PM
why use AL? The steel bracket weight is insignificant compared to your payload.
Title: Re: ladder bracket smitty sled
Post by: Ronnie D on Jan 15, 2024, 08:17 PM
Wealrit 4 Pcs Square Post Bases Stainless Steel Flange Anchor Bases Heavy Duty Post Brackets for Fence Deck Railing Support(1" x 1") https://a.co/d/8OH7UQk
Title: Re: ladder bracket smitty sled
Post by: cajuntony on Jan 16, 2024, 08:44 AM
Sir is onto sumtin once  you are on ice anything  will slide ez jus be high enuff above  the snow if any