Author Topic: Portable shack runner ideas? (Read 9913 times)

kerosenecounty17 · « **on:** Aug 09, 2005, 07:41 PM »

I've tried a bunch of different ideas to make my fish trap easier to pull. Silicone sprays, waxes, different runners, etc. Some helped, but not that much. The problem that I always run into is that the entire surface of the bottom of the sled is in contact with the surface of the snow. Most of the runners available are only an inch or two high. Once I pile all the gear into the trap, it's too heavy to be supported by the runners. If the snow's deeper than (and it always is) the runners, I'm pulling against 10+ square feet of friction. So, I started thinking that higher runners might be the answer. If I could raise the bottom of the sled above the surface of the snow then I'd only be pulling against the friction created between the two runners and the surface of the snow/ice. But, even if high runners would be an advantage when moving over long distances, they'd be a big disadvantage when trying to fish. So, the logical conclusion is some sort of collapsable/foldable/removable runner that lifts the bottom of the trap 12" + above the base of the runners. I'm kicking around the idea of runners made from 1/2" conduit that preferably fold out of the way when not in use. Anybody got any suggestions or ideas? I'm going to give it a try. Just thought I'd get some input before I give it a go.

kc17

transplantfromMN · « **Reply #1 on:** Aug 09, 2005, 08:00 PM »

I am currently building a 4'x6' portable and for the runners and the cross members to support the floor I am useing 1"x1" square aluminum tubing all welded togather. I know that everyone doesnt have the access to a welder so you could use bolts. anyway if you made a contraption like I am using for my portable you could just use bungie cords to tie your portable to it and than just slide it off once you get to you spot. the cool thing about useing the tubing is it cuts right through the snow and for an even more slippery surface you could coat the bottoms of the skids with teflon. I know up here in Maine I can get 20 ft of the aluminum tubing for about 15 bucks. If you want I can send you some blueprints of how I am doing mine.. You could go to a local welder and have him weld it up for ya..

dick621 · « **Reply #2 on:** Aug 09, 2005, 08:35 PM »

You could get a pair of skis, either snow or water then make a frame to hold your ice hut. I got a pair of water skis at a thrift shop. Works pretty good. dick 621

Waubay Fisher · « **Reply #3 on:** Sep 01, 2005, 09:22 AM »

I don't know how novel of an idea this is.. but here is what I do with my 5600 clam.... I had an old wooden tobbogan (sp?) that was in perfect condition. I took about a 3 1/2' x 4' section of sturdy board, a couple of 2x4's a few feet in length and made myself a custom platform on the tobbogen held together by wood screws. After that I screwed in 4 steel circular thingys (not sure what they're called

) on the sides to hook my bungies over my sled, auger, and my gear. It holds everything perfectly, doesn't look too shabby, and is pretty darn easy to pull over the ice and even over small drifts. When the ice is thick enough I stick the pull roap on the end of the hitch on my truck and just drag it across the lake! By doing this I don't have to worry about scraping the bottom of my shanty, have something to put all my gear on, and it didn't cost me a dime except a few books for the bungies and steel thingies they hook onto!

Hope this gives others an idea... it works for me - so that's all I care about!!!

fishin4eyes · « **Reply #4 on:** Sep 01, 2005, 08:38 PM »

I would agree with TransplantfromMN on the sled/skis idea. I have a Fish Boat portable and while not too heavy, it creates a lot of drag in the snow. I made a simple lightweight 2x2" frame that the shanty sits on. The skis are blocked up so they ride approx. a foot above the snow. I used some old downhill skis. I weaved rope tightly from one side to the other and then from front to back. The sled is lightweight and even fully loaded pulls easily. I have never bottomed out because the skis ride high in the snow.

C.C. · « **Reply #5 on:** Sep 02, 2005, 06:54 AM »

I just started last night on my snow runners. I have some of those old aluminum porch posts that are an inch and a half square tubing with those little squiggle things in between them for support. I cut them the length of the sled and will fasten a short length of the tubing up from the back so the shack doesn't fall off the back. On the front I cut part way thru the bottom piece and bent it up to the top piece on an angle just like a regular sled. I will take two pieces of the tubing and fasten from one to the other as cross members and that should be it. I will take pictures when it's done.
Jim

MikePike · « **Reply #6 on:** Sep 08, 2005, 09:32 PM »

skilsaw a board the shape of a ski, buy some lexan. put it on. No effort neccasary, no frustration needed.

OTIS · « **Reply #7 on:** Sep 09, 2005, 07:31 AM »

If you can get with RG he built a cradle type sled out of conduit just like you mentioned and removed his trap from it when he got to his spot. He said it worked great. Somewhere on here are some pictures of it.

TJG · « **Reply #8 on:** Sep 13, 2005, 10:54 PM »

Two words, puck board.
Add snow and your flying!

adkRoy · « **Reply #9 on:** Sep 14, 2005, 10:12 AM »

Have you tried a bunch of Helium ballons? They'll lighten your ice fishing load and make your day festive.

Turkeyhunter10ga · « **Reply #10 on:** Sep 14, 2005, 01:24 PM »

adkRoy forgot to mention when the day is done , you can inhale some of the helium and talk funny for a while LOL

kerosenecounty17 · « **Reply #11 on:** Sep 14, 2005, 07:52 PM »

adkRoy -

Maybe I could hook the Coleman heater up under a tarp of some fashion and make a hot air balloon to float my gear out

. Even paint some big 'gills on the sides of the tarp. Most people think ice-fisherman are crazy now. That would confirm it for them.

Otis -

Thanks. I'll get ahold of RG (you mean RGfixit, right?). I've been giving it some thought, and a seperate sled is probably the way to go. I was originally thinking of some elaborate folding mechanism attached to the bottom/sides of the trap, but a seperate sled will be much easier to build and just as effective.

kc17

Polar · « **Reply #12 on:** Sep 18, 2005, 02:59 PM »

Quote from: TJG on Sep 13, 2005, 10:54 PM

Two words, puck board.
Add snow and your flying!

Whats puck board?

TJG · « **Reply #13 on:** Sep 19, 2005, 06:15 AM »

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/app/ccc/search/navigate.do?language=eng&portal=1&estblmntNo=338901200000&profile=completeProfile

Rigid sheet for Agricultural and other uses made from internal
recycle

Product Name: Barn Liner

Agricultural Barn Liner

b1ak · « **Reply #14 on:** Sep 19, 2005, 02:50 PM »

BEING AVID "CROSS-COUNTRY SKIER", THOUGHT I WOULD WAS THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF MY PLASTIC SLED WITH A GOOD CROSS-COUNTRY SKI (GLIDE) WAX. SO I DID....EVEN USED MY "SKI-IRON" TO MELT IT ON GOOD. BUFFED IT OUT. EXPECTED IT TO SLIDE ACROSS THE LAKE WITHOUT EVEN PULLING...WELL, IT DOES, BUT ONLY ON BARE ICE. WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE ICE, IT DID NOT SEEM TO HELP MUCH. SO I AM THINKING OF TRYING SOMETHING... YOU CAN GET CROSS COUNTRY SKIS FOR FREE...JUST ASK SOMEONE WHO USES THEM...THEY GET NEW MODELS & NEVER USE THE OLD ONES AGAIN...JUST GATHER DUST IN THE GARAGE. USUALLY BECAUSE THEY WON'T FIT THE NEW BOOTS ETC. ANYWAY, I PLAN TO CUT THEM TO ABOUT THE LENGTH OF MY SHACK & PROBABLY BUILD A FRAME 8" OFF THE ICE USING EITHER WOOD OR MAYBE ELECTRICAL CONDUIT (CHEAP) OR SUCH. THEY ARE MUCH LIGHTER THAN DOWNHILL SKIS TOO & YOU CAN EASILY SCREW RIGHT UP FROM THE BOTTOM THRU THEM , (OR COUNTERSINK BOLTS IN THEM). THOUGHT...MAYBE WE ONLY NEED A FEW INCHES OFF THE ICE...THEY WOULD RIDE PRETTY HIGH EVEN IN DEEP SNOW...THEN NO NEED TO REMOVE THEM FOR SET=UP? COULD EVEN USE 3 SKIS...ONE DOWN CENTER.

Polar · « **Reply #15 on:** Sep 19, 2005, 08:51 PM »

Quote from: TJG on Sep 19, 2005, 06:15 AM

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/app/ccc/search/navigate.do?language=eng&portal=1&estblmntNo=338901200000&profile=completeProfile

Rigid sheet for Agricultural and other uses made from internal
recycle

Product Name: Barn Liner

Agricultural Barn Liner

Thank you for the link. Just have to find it now.

NorthwoodsIce · « **Reply #16 on:** Sep 21, 2005, 03:03 PM »

Isn't puck board the stuff that is around the bottom of hockey rinks? I heard that that stuff is the best, very durable and when attached to something it glides like you would not believe. How does a person go about getting some of this material, do hockey rinks just throw it out?

flagrunner · « **Reply #17 on:** Sep 21, 2005, 06:51 PM »

I tried a set of snowborads once they work pretty good,there wider and stay on top of the snow better than the skis.

NorthwoodsIce · « **Reply #18 on:** Sep 21, 2005, 06:56 PM »

Now how did you all attach the skis and now snowboard to the sled? Did you counter sink the screw from the ski side or did you go from inside the sled into the ski/snowboard?

flagrunner · « **Reply #19 on:** Sep 21, 2005, 09:41 PM »

The snowborads that i used were made from a high density plastic on a blow molding machine. On the bottom of the snowboards there was holes that the footstraps attached to,they went rite through the snowboards,when i cut off the footstraps it left four holes that i could put four lag bolts with half inch washers through.Then i cut four blocks of 2 by 6 or 8 about 10 inches long,i glued and screwed the two blocks together.Then i put the blocks on the snowborads and marked the holes and drilled them for the lag bolts,i used half by two and a half inch lag bolts eight for each snowboard.After you mount the blocks on the snowboards you can position on your shack drill holes through shack into the blocks on the snowboards making sure you offset them from the other bolts.You might need to use more than two snowboards depending on the size of your shack ,you might have to use more than two blocks,but im sure you get the idea.Hope this helps let us know how you do or what you do. Good luck

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Author Topic: Portable shack runner ideas? (Read 9913 times)

fishin4eyes