holes in plastic tub

[Fishin2]

Help, wore a couple small slits in my frabill glide trax runner area. I installed hyfax on the just not quite wide enough, the edges kind of wrapped around the hyfax because of hauling weight in the tub going out. Need to get a couple pieces of hyfax that's about an inch wider after repairs, what type of repair solutions does anyone have, I'm thinking epoxy with fiberglass matted in it on the inside to seal it and maybe a thin layer outside of matted glass/epoxy to help hold, then new hyfax. Sure would appreciate any help on type of repair, Mike

[3300]

heres some recent work from Nwfisherman in our michigan board

I patched the bottom of my shanty with epoxy and fiber glass, then painted it. Looks really good!! Picked up some cheap skies and plan on making a smitty sled. over spring break.  Will be already to go for next year:) thanks all, for the suggestion !!!

[FISHN NIK]

Build a Smittysled,just 2 skiis with 4 risers screwed on and slotted for the crossmembers,pics.and directions are in N.Y. forum,they also make the drag a whole lot easier,those tubs aren't made for pulling in the snow,hope this helps.

                FN

[3300]

Build a Smittysled,just 2 skiis with 4 risers screwed on and slotted for the crossmembers,pics.and directions are in N.Y. forum,they also make the drag a whole lot easier,those tubs aren't made for pulling in the snow,hope this helps.

                FN

smittys first post about his sled is here
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=103927.0

[Fishin2]

Glass job looks good, something like I was after, just want it to stick to the plastic good, did he use resin or epoxy on his sled do you know ?
 Got a friend that can get me either just don't wanna melt my sled with the resin!

[Fishin2]

Sorry, paid a little more attention and saw that he used epoxy, any more ideas be glad to check em out, a smitty sled would kind of defeat my purpose as rough as erie gets crossing those ice jams.

[FISHN NIK]

You got that right,tried it last year,outbound was good on the path but we got turned around and came in a different way and went through a field of shoves 1/4 mile from shore.My lightbulb was frozen so didn't think to take apart skiis,a trip I'll never forget!I've seen some posts where guys welded their damaged hubs,maybe do some research on that and give it a try.

               FN

[ICE WANDERER]

       If you happen to know someone that works for the gas company, the can extrusion weld the hole over with Poly ethylene, the same material you tube is made of. It can be ground to look new again.

       IW 

[4426]

I only have one sled, and it is a smitty, and I use it on Erie all the time. Admittedly I did have my first one break while I was out there last year but I built a new one for this season and it worked great and will work great for seasons to come. I built it out of 2x4 and made it so it can't come apart. I gorilla glued all wood joints and used long wood screws coated in the glue before I put em in, trust me, I can't break this thing if I tried. I'm not sure if ur towing with a machine or walking but this should still be stong enough to be towed as long as u re enforce it a lil more. It is 48" long with 3 uprights on each ski. There is a cross member on each upright(all 2x4) and then on top of the cross members there are a brace running front to back that is 2x2. It isn't as heavy as ud think either, all in all it's only about 14 board Ft of 2x4, and 8ft board feet of 2x2. If u want it even stronger u can  go to ur local hardware store and buy corner brackets for every corner

[Uncle Al]

4426, do you pull your smitty sled with a sled or a quad, any pics? How far do you go to fish when you're pulling it? thanks

[Fishin2]

I drag my shack with a snowmobile or an atv. This sled would have to stand up to 20 mph most times and the rough surface would eat it. Put a set of ski's on my fish trap and wore the bottom of them off in 1 yr. Need all of my gear in the tub, covered, easy to drag without extra loading and unloading to fish, smitty is not for me thanks, Mike

[Uncle Al]

I pulled my clam pro this year with my sled, and everytime I went out everything inside was flipped upside down and backwards. Minnows in a locked cooler had all the water come out, broke a rod I had just made, I was pissed. guess I need to make some compartments for next year. I only drive about 20 or 25mph max.

[Fishin2]

Mine is so full, there's no room for movement !! I use a tall Tupperware type bread container for minnows, never lose a drop of water or minnows, froze a couple times but never spilled ! Always got the gas auger in the back, seats towards the front, heater and tank in the middle, but now got a new tackle bag, big sucker , gonna have to re-arrange again !! Mike

[Allen66]

Cut strips from an old pickup truck bedliner and use those to fill and weld the holes.

[4426]

4426, do you pull your smitty sled with a sled or a quad, any pics? How far do you go to fish when you're pulling it? thanks

I mainly pulled it by hand but I did tow it a few times with my Atv while I had it before the motor went on it. I probably went out about 2-4miles depending on trip. Worked fine. My trailer hitch was a 2x4 also reinforced with a metal brace with a hole in it where I had the hitch pin go in(one to go into atv hitch and one to go into hole on snotty also reinforced with metal.)

[Fishin2]

I mainly pulled it by hand but I did tow it a few times with my Atv while I had it before the motor went on it. I probably went out about 2-4miles depending on trip. Worked fine. My trailer hitch was a 2x4 also reinforced with a metal brace with a hole in it where I had the hitch pin go in(one to go into atv hitch and one to go into hole on snotty also reinforced with metal.)

How would you weld with bedliner strips, maybe melt them and drip them in ? Doesn't seem as they would stick. Curious ?

[Uncle Al]

I was wondering the same thing. maybe use JB weld?

[4426]

My guess would be pop rivets? Or some type of epoxy or glue and then place a cut off section of plastic truck bed liner over it to it seal it. And here are the pics of my sled as requested earlier. Only wear is the paint stripped off on the skis. Also I think my dimensions were a lil off earlier but not too bad haha

[merkleyb]

Help, wore a couple small slits in my frabill glide trax runner area. I installed hyfax on the just not quite wide enough, the edges kind of wrapped around the hyfax because of hauling weight in the tub going out. Need to get a couple pieces of hyfax that's about an inch wider after repairs, what type of repair solutions does anyone have, I'm thinking epoxy with fiberglass matted in it on the inside to seal it and maybe a thin layer outside of matted glass/epoxy to help hold, then new hyfax. Sure would appreciate any help on type of repair, Mike

Stop towing your friends in the sled down the road behind the pickup - you wont get any more holes

[Uncle Al]

You're not kidding about it being strong. I put a piece of 1/2 plywood across the top of my smitty, my clam pro kept falling between the cross pieces because I measured the top of the tub and not the bottom when I built it. I left it on the smitty one day fishing the river, and I moved a little while sitting in it, and it fell through on one end, My risers are only 5 1/2 inches but the drop felt like 5 1/2 ft, scared the crap out of me. No more sitting on the smitty.

[77tech]

Just ran across a link to this product on a woodworking forum earlier tonight .  http://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-Plastics-Bonding-System-681925/100371829    It should be available from other sources too.  Don't have a clue how well it works but the reviews are mostly positive with the negatives only because one or the other components had dried out.  If you want to glue a patch on it might be worth a try.  If anyone gives it a try please let us know how it worked.