Make your own sled cheap, It will run over snow up to about 8-10"

[musky8it]

I posted this on the Indiana site, thought I would post it here to. This is a great sled for ice with deep snow. Make it as high as you need. Snow on ice in Ind. usually is less than 6", so this has worked great for me. Its hard to drag those flat portable shanties around on snow...

For 2 pcs of 1" conduit, 1 treated 2x4x8, and a small pc of plywood(2'x4') it makes for a cheap sled. One sheet of plywood would make 4. All you need is a conduit bender. Make sure you bend the legs parallel. Or you will have a hard time adjusting them so they both point up. And when you bend your conduit, its kind of hard to get the legs to end up 4 foot apart. You have to know where to start the bend to end up with 4 foot. Don't ask me how, can't remember its been to long ago.

[skulldugary]

I built one a couple of years ago that has conduit runners on it for when the snow is deep...works like a charm....

[musky8it]

Ya, that's what my runners are made of. Dragging a flat bottom sled or shanty wheres on the legs. Last Monday I had forgotten how my 2man Viking pulls hard, no matter if there's only 1" theres to much drag. It builds up in the front, hard to pull.

I seen there was some snow, not much so i didn't load it up. And I regretted it, especially with the load i take out with me. This sled sure makes it easy on my legs/back in the snow, and cheap to make.

[princecraft]

Musky8it,........I like your idea.  Very cheap, very light and it looks like the runners could be taken off and it could be stored easy.  Does your runners just slip in the holes so they can be removed or are they fastened some way?  If I was to build one I think I would try either 1/2 in conduit or 3/4 in. conduit.  Do you really think you need 1 in. conduit?  How long have you been using it?  I would hope you could get a couple years out of it.

[hardh2ofish]

Great idea and nice cheap easy sled..  I desperatley need to make something for my Clam Voyager.  I fished this last Sunday and nearly 4" of fresh powder fell while I was out fishing and I could not believe just how dang hard my sled pulled.  Back up two steps and heave ho for  about 250 yards, darn glad it wasnt further.  Guy here in town supposedly has a conduit runner frame that clamps on to his sled somehow and hoists it several inches.  Am going to have a look at it and will make something for mine.  Will post pics when done.  All I know for sure is theres got to be a better way

[dirk327]

great idea...I may have to look into building one..Thanks

[musky8it]

Musky8it,........I like your idea.  Very cheap, very light and it looks like the runners could be taken off and it could be stored easy.  Does your runners just slip in the holes so they can be removed or are they fastened some way?  If I was to build one I think I would try either 1/2 in conduit or 3/4 in. conduit.  Do you really think you need 1 in. conduit?  How long have you been using it?  I would hope you could get a couple years out of it.

I have never tried to take the runners off. There is nothing holding them in, but they have never falling out. If I remember correctly, they was a tight fit. I don't think you would want the to fit loose, they would wobble inside the holes and make the sled unstable.

Smaller conduit might work if your load is not heavy like mine is. Bet I have 50+lbs total. My big plastic tote is full. Then theres my 2man shanty,auger,aqua cam, vexilar,minnow bucket,etc. I don't think 1/2 work hold up for me, 3/4 might.

I have had it at least 5 yrs. I used treated 2x4's but the plywood is not. Up until last year, i store it on a hook in the basement out of the weather. So it looked as good as the day i made it. But It has been outdoors in the weather since last winter, so it doesn't look to good. I used it to cover a stack of shingles. It looks alittle ruff, but still pretty solid after 5-6 yrs. And the legs are still solid and tight in the holes.

[musky8it]

....... Guy here in town supposedly has a conduit runner frame that clamps on to his sled somehow and hoists it several inches.  ......

I have an idea on how to make a clamp on. But it probably would weight as much as my sled, but less bulky. And i doubt it would have solid/stable runners. Since it would attach to sled, I would think it could wobble from side to side.

I had a one man clam, and it was hard to pull thru the snow loaded down. I got cold in it, even with carpet under my feet. So i upgraded to a warmer 2man box shanty, then I found out I could not pull it thru the snow with a load on it. So i made this sled and man o man, my back and legs sure like it...If the snow is real real deep sometimes it gets ruff when breaking a new path, but not near as bad as pulling a loaded 1man Clam with no runners under it.

The only other type of homemade sled I have seen better than mine. Was a sled with ski's for runners, it seemd to sink less in the snow than mine did.

[Slammerman]

Nice job. Simple, effective, and solid.

I've been planning to make a new runner sled or frame of some sort for the past couple of years. Well, our wonderful LAKE EFFECT snow came and pulling my one-man Frabill Ultralight with gear today was like dragging a dead deer out of the woods.

I want some kind of runner system that will lift my Frabill a foot or so off the ice. By chance - my Frabill Ultralight flip-over will fit and lock on top of my Shappell Jet Sled. I also made it so my fold-out accordian style shanty locks on to the Jet-Sled with De-Sta-Co clamps. The Jet-Sled is great on bare ice - I can put more gear in there too. But when the snow is deep I want runners or skiis like I USED to have on my fold-out plywood shanty. SOooooo my conduit runner frame must be able to either carry my Frabill Ultralight or my fold-out shanty.

I've got some ideas and have drawn some sketches. I have a conduit bender and cutter and may do some fabricating tomorrow.

[bassfishin]

great idea that looks like it would pull nice

[snelly]

Great idea!! I have a cabala's brand shanty with a plywood bottom. Very heavy. I put it on a snow tub and it pulls easy on light snow cover and glare ice. but snow deeper than a couple inches or slush forget it. And if the ice has thawed and refroze making rough edges on the ice it cuts the tube every time. This looks like a great idea. I'm going to get busy and get mine built soon.

[MnSportsman]

I like it! I think I 'd probably put some 2x2's to make a rail around the top of the plywood to keep things from sliding off though. Do you ever have any trouble with things sliding off?

[ejensen]

I like it! I think I 'd probably put some 2x2's to make a rail around the top of the plywood to keep things from silding off though. Do you ever have any trouble with things sliding off?

I was thinking of making the sled just a little wider than the tent and putting 2 eye bolts on each side and using bungee cords.

Ed

[gonephishin19]

Thats awesome

[purduebass]

Great design.  That would make pulling any shanty easier!

[musky8it]

I like it! I think I 'd probably put some 2x2's to make a rail around the top of the plywood to keep things from sliding off though. Do you ever have any trouble with things sliding off?

This would be ok if you didn't have a shanty sitting on top like I do. I need the top to be flat. When I load my shanty, I tie the pull rope on the front. This stabilizes the shanty's front and with the backstop on the back, the back is stabilized. I put most of my stuff in a tote with lid and strap that down on top the shanty with rubber bungee cords, hooking the strap hooks onto the bottom side of my shanty. I bungee cord my other items down, running straps thru bucket handle, vexilar handle, etc so they will not slide around. When I pull it I keep a close eye. I never usually have a problem, unless I go over big ice or snow lumps.

[musky8it]

Anyone who has any questions on how I made it. Or measurements, feel free to IM me. I will glady answer any questions.

[madmichael365]

i rigged up something similar to that, 14 inch 2 by 2's screwed onto a garage sale set of downhill ski;s. then screwed through the jet sled with fender washer backings. my 10 year old daughter likes to pull the sled with all our gear for the day, she say's...........it's easy dad.

[PhatboyC]

Good work.

Put some used cross-country or downhill skies and it would be perfect even in deep snow! You can find them cheap I'm sure.

[fishinjim]

This is what I use to pull My shanty out, the wheels are for dry ground or ice, the skis are downhill they slide better on snow, crosscountry dig and are harder to pull, the small one by ones hold the shanty in place,the flat board on the back is for my minnow cooler that I bungee on. the shanty I use a ratcheting tie down. the I bolts in front are for a removable pull rope.

[shortyonice]

I believe the original sled pictured is actually 3/4 inch emt conduit which measures close to 1 inch in diameter. 1 inch conduit wouldn't allow enough wood to remain on the 2x4 after driiling hole, only about a 1/4 inch on each side, would be afraid of splitting it.  With a balanced load, 1/2 inch emt conduit would be plenty good enough. Great idea, I have been trying to figure out an easy sled to make, My Frabill is hard to pull with snow on the ice.

[musky8it]

I believe the original sled pictured is actually 3/4 inch emt conduit which measures close to 1 inch in diameter. 1 inch conduit wouldn't allow enough wood to remain on the 2x4 after driiling hole, only about a 1/4 inch on each side, would be afraid of splitting it.  With a balanced load, 1/2 inch emt conduit would be plenty good enough. Great idea, I have been trying to figure out an easy sled to make, My Frabill is hard to pull with snow on the ice.

I have had the sled for 6-7 yrs I am thinking. And it has never split the 2x4's. And I doubt you would have more weight on the sled than I do. The sled carries a 2-man viking shanty, a 3 foot long tote full of gear, minnow bucket, vexlair, aquacam, auger, and big satchel I fill with 2 thermos's, pop, and food. All that weight hasn't split the 2x4's in 6-7 yrs, so 3/4" conduit is ok. But I imagine 1/2" would also work, but might be more apt to bend. I think I used treated 2x4's so they would not rot. That helps with them lasting longer.

[Grumpyoldman]

I posted this on the Indiana site, thought I would post it here to. This is a great sled for ice with deep snow. Make it as high as you need. Snow on ice in Ind. usually is less than 6", so this has worked great for me. Its hard to drag those flat portable shanties around on snow...

For 2 pcs of 1" conduit, 1 treated 2x4x8, and a small pc of plywood(2'x4') it makes for a cheap sled. One sheet of plywood would make 4. All you need is a conduit bender. Make sure you bend the legs parallel. Or you will have a hard time adjusting them so they both point up. And when you bend your conduit, its kind of hard to get the legs to end up 4 foot apart. You have to know where to start the bend to end up with 4 foot. Don't ask me how, can't remember its been to long ago.

(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)
(Image removed from quote.)

I like your sled. I see that you address the issue of keeping the runners from spreading by inserting them into the 2x4 a couple inches. How heavy is it?   

[Coach]

I have a Clam Sleeper, so you need a long sled to pull it. This was easy to build and you can pull it by hand or a wheeler

[princecraft]

What a set up.  Looks like you guys can tackle just about anything.  Nice looking sled.

[winchester 88]

 its kind of hard to get the legs to end up 4 foot apart. You have to know where to start the bend to end up with 4 foot. Don't ask me how, can't remember its been to long ago.

Retired Union Electrician-20year pipe bending instructor to the rescue!!!!

If you are using a thinwall bender you will find 2 marks on the side of it.
One is an arrow which is usually located toward the front of the "shoe" and a star which is located along the radius of the "shoe".

The arrow is used to calculate the height of the leg of a 90 degree bend and the bender will usually say how much to deduct for a "stub up",say 6" for 3/4 emt.

To bend a 90 deg bend that you want to come out to 12",come back 6" (12"-6") from the end of the pipe, place the arrow on the mark and bend the 90.Make sure that it is a 90 with a level or a square.
 
To locate where you want the back of the other bend to fall (say48"), measure out
48" from the back of the 12" leg that you turned up first  and place the arrow on this mark and bend another 90 degree bend and you should have 48" between the backs of the to bends.
 
To keep the to bends parallel so that there is no twist to them , before bending the 2nd bend get 2 cement blocks,set them side by side with the first 90 held upright between them and then bend the 2nd bend while keeping the handle of the bender as level as you can.This will keep the 2 bends in the same plane.

If you are using a 2"x4" block with a hole drilled in it to secure the pipe to the sled and you are worried about the block splitting, cut a piece of thin plywood the size of the face of the block and glue and nail it over the block and it will prevent it from splitting.

Winchester 88

[musky8it]

I like your sled. I see that you address the issue of keeping the runners from spreading by inserting them into the 2x4 a couple inches. How heavy is it?   

maybe 10lbs, not much to it. but been working gr8 for me the last 6-7 yrs.

[pooley]

here's mine. next year i will put 2x8's between the sled and skis for more clearance.

[pooley]

found it grumpy. check the top.

[Lobes]

This is what I use to pull My shanty out, the wheels are for dry ground or ice, the skis are downhill they slide better on snow, crosscountry dig and are harder to pull, the small one by ones hold the shanty in place,the flat board on the back is for my minnow cooler that I bungee on. the shanty I use a ratcheting tie down. the I bolts in front are for a removable pull rope.


(Image removed from quote.)

Training wheels?

     
NBG