Homebrew sled out of skis

skisled.jpg

Jeff at Out Your Backdoor recreated his brother's fast sled design this winter:
What you do is take a plastic tub sled ($10 hardware store) and screw a pair of XC skis to the bottom of it---if it's a sled for kids---or a pair of metal-edge downhill skis if adults might use it. Use stout, short screws and big washers to avoid pull-thru. Then you glue foam-padding to the inside of the tub.
Apparently the only problem is that you can't turn. If I lived in a place with snow, as I once did, this would be on my project list; great for recycling an old pair of skis! - [via] Link.

Posted by Becky Stern | Jan 9, 2008 04:00 PM
DIY Projects, Transportation | Permalink | Comments (9) | Email This | Bookmark and Share | Digg this!

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Posted by: Dax on January 9, 2008 at 6:23 PM

And it would be the fastest sled on the hill!

A lot of cross country skiers and snowshoers will build these to load gear on to pull behind them. If you do that it is called a Pulka and not a sled though.


Posted by: Roger on January 9, 2008 at 7:18 PM

I'm also thinking you could mount the skis directly to the runners of a flexible flyer type sled and possibly retain some semblance of steering. I think you would have to bolt up through the bottom of the ski's. A carriage bolt (rounded head) and a little counter sinking might do the trick. Drill through some pipe brackets, fasten with washers and nuts and you're good to go.

To paraphrase a certain dwarf we all know, "Chance of success slim, probability of death high, what are we waiting for?"


Posted by: M@ on January 9, 2008 at 8:14 PM

Tie the ropes to the tips of the skiis and you'll be able to steer... if steering is your goal, which it usually isn't the pure form of sledding... MMmmmm... sledding.

M@


Posted by: Will on January 9, 2008 at 9:01 PM


Thank you so much! I'd almost forgotten about Out Your Backdoor. I last read OYB#7, with the Yurt, when it was back in the 1995 paper 'zine scene. I loved it, I missed it, and now we're having a tearful reunion. You rock!


Posted by: JS on January 10, 2008 at 12:53 AM

I have already made my own sled : http://tuningluge.js-zone.net/realisation.html

It's in french, but it's good !


Posted by: amp on January 10, 2008 at 5:52 AM

I'd use one of those plastic sleds that had the handbrakes on both sides. Then you could selectively apply the brakes to steer.


Posted by: amp on January 10, 2008 at 5:53 AM

I'd use one of those plastic sleds that had the handbrakes on both sides. Then you could selectively apply the brakes to steer.


Posted by: Dennis Buettner on January 19, 2008 at 11:12 PM

You instantly inspired me to make a sled for our 3 children who are all under 18 months old. I bought the skis at Goodwill for $7.00 and the rest of the wood and hardware worked out to be just about $90.00.

I have installed hardware to allow their respective car seats to be safely latched down.

I haven't tried it yet, but I know it will kick butt out of anything store bought.

I am gonna put some heavy duty stain or paint on it so it will last for 4 or more years.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2352/2205030913_640d9d035b.jpg?v=0

More pics and video to come on our blog www.GoRocketGo.com

Thanks
Dennis


Posted by: cw on January 26, 2008 at 4:48 AM

My Dad cut a kayak in half and bolted skis to it when I was a kid. It was fast and insane.


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