Sleigh build

justallan1 · February 09, 2014, 08:52:41 AM

Nice work, John. That thing will look great when you're all done.

Allan

Holmes · February 09, 2014, 10:00:04 AM

This is very enjoyable to follow. Thanks for posting

thecfarm · February 09, 2014, 12:16:49 PM

That sure does look good.

21incher · February 09, 2014, 12:47:30 PM

Amazing job. Thanks for sharing the journey with us.

Stinny · February 09, 2014, 01:14:26 PM

My brother and I let an old family cutter go years ago to an auction house. It was in about the same shape as this one was when you started on the re-build. I have always thought I should have kept it and re-built it myself (you know. big plans an all)... After looking at it actually being done... whew... an amazing amount of time and skill is needed to do it right. You guys have done a very impressive job on it!

My brother and I? ... We made the right choice...

isawlogs · February 09, 2014, 01:30:05 PM

Good on you for fixing this sleigh. 8)

mesquite buckeye · February 09, 2014, 02:42:05 PM

Looking good. ;D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

hardtailjohn · February 10, 2014, 12:26:54 AM

Thanks everyone! It's a lot of fun and good to "get lost" in.... everyone needs something like that!
John

ND rancher · February 10, 2014, 06:56:46 AM

Looking good!

We had a neighbor that does rebuilds like this,quite the craft.

CHARLIE · February 10, 2014, 02:42:48 PM

Wow! I'm very impressed with your workmanship. Restoration has to be harder than building new.

Farmerjw · February 10, 2014, 11:02:08 PM

John, I have only read and viewed the pictures of assembly after you removed the parts from the bending jig. My first thought was, "are you making a second set of parts while you are doing this? There is surely an excellent market for running gears/skis/??? for cutters. That is excellent work and a very nice shop. Looking forward to seeing this continue to completion.

Magicman · February 11, 2014, 02:49:22 PM

This has been a very worthy restoration. Thanks for taking us along.

hardtailjohn · February 11, 2014, 10:56:04 PM

Quote from: Farmerjw on February 10, 2014, 11:02:08 PM
"are you making a second set of parts while you are doing this? There is surely an excellent market for running gears/skis/??? for cutters.

I've kept the bending jig and am about to do some more runners for some running gears that I have. I also have to do a few "dash boards" which are bent as well...that's going to be interesting....I hope. hahha There is a market for runner blanks, but not much of one. So many are just a little different that it usually takes a new jig almost every time.
Thanks for the compliments, everyone!
Stay tuned!
John

Lud · February 12, 2014, 11:01:59 PM

Quality work and good pics too? 8)

hardtailjohn · February 13, 2014, 01:45:43 AM

Got the front seat pillars in and epoxyed as well as the front seat beam. As you can see in the background, I've been fussing with the running gear, spraying featherfill, getting ready to paint. The gear is going to be black and shiny, so has to be right, or every flaw will show!

I wanted to mortise the rear seat beam into the rear corner pillars for a little extra support, and was scratching my head as to just how I would do that. The back is all bonded, so it's too awkward to drag over the shaper with any accuracy. Just before lunch, I settled on the plan to use my router with a straight flute bit, suspended by 2 aluminum angles. This gave me the right angle for the beam as well as a nice flat surface for the epoxy.

Tonight, we salvaged some nice old floor for the seat boards. I may have to take it down on the floor and sit in it tomorrow!

mesquite buckeye · February 13, 2014, 10:11:48 AM

Super cool and even better improvising. ;D ;D ;D

SwampDonkey · February 13, 2014, 11:35:59 AM

Looking like a fine job. I wouldn't mind sitting in it either, but I need some cushion for my bones though. ;)

hardtailjohn · February 20, 2014, 01:53:50 AM

Well, I finally got to sit in it! (and I made horse noises too! ;D )

I set the bare bones body on the running gear (in primer) and made a few last minute measurements.

Then it's time to start skinning the back of the seat. On goes the West System Epoxy and a couple clamps....

Oh yeah...and a few screws where I couldn't reach with clamps....

After supper, Larry (the sleigh's owner) showed up to help and I put him and my wife to work, cutting out sides. (I was busy getting ready to bend some dashboard stringers, seen steaming away in the lower right of this pic...)

Tomorrow, I'll steam and bend the rest of the stringers and get ready to lay another layer of skin on the back.
8)

thecfarm · February 20, 2014, 09:26:43 AM

That is looking REAL nice. And it's not even done!!

SwampDonkey · February 20, 2014, 10:02:38 AM

By the time your done John, I'd say you built it, not rebuilt it, from the ground up. ;D

hardtailjohn · February 22, 2014, 01:57:47 AM

Swampdonkey, it's still a rebuild... I kept the original knees and arches.....but it's going to get one of my "makers" tags on it!
Thanks CFarm...I'm happy with the way it's coming along.

Today we layed up the second and final layer of skin on the seat back. I'm hoping it's going to turn out as good as the first layer, and wont find out until tomorrow. I had to borrow some feed sacks from my wife to help make sure there was contact in the center. I was told those were needed tomorrow...

Next order of business was to steam and bend up the second batch of oak strips for the dashboard supports.

While we were waiting for the oak to steam, we made the form to bend the dashboard skin as well. You can see it in this pic, just behind the dash support strips.

That's where we quit for the night...

hardtailjohn · March 08, 2014, 03:50:12 PM

Well, I finally got to shoot a little of the Stewartsystems EkoCrylic on the running gear... I do love it!

I got the sides cut out and stuck on, and am checking the fit of the arm rails...

Both sides are fit and on for the fitting of the bracing...

Here, I'm fitting the inside bracing on the upper and lower rockers. We're going all the way around with this 4" wide brace on the inside and a smaller one on the outside, for a little added strength as well as "depth" to the finish...