Onto a new kick.........sled design

[SwampDonkey]

Well, one sled isn't enough. So here's the deal. A new concept I'm exploring "off the top" and maybe "over to top" by the time I done.  ;D :D :D

I'm building a little sled with steering. The skis will probably be touching 5 feet of surface, similar to last year's sled. But this sled will have a steering column controlling a single front ski mounted on a "board". It will turn left and right, not sure about pivoting on the nose (up and down) yet. I will also install some rear rudder/breaks to aid steering and of course stopping on some fast grades if need be.  ;D

Here's the first ski in the former, today I also bent the second. It was mighty toasty in the shop when it's nearly 50 F outside.  :



I made some blocking by laminating 2-1/2" x 12" scraps of ash. Here I have 4 blocks supporting two cross members with dovetailed ends into the blocking. I stood up a couple braces I'm going to screw into the blocking and cross members for added strength.



Here I laminated 3 ash strips and turned handles for a steering mechanism. The steering post I have not turned yet, but it will be 2" diameter when lathed. I'm thinking of getting some PVC pipe and cutting it length wise for a steering column sleeve and sandwiching it with the steering post to a steering column of wood using a couple thick wooden braces screwed to the column to hold the sandwich in place. The steering post will be slanted back about 10 degrees and you will lean forward when holding the handle bars. I will run steering rods to the front ski, one to each side to pull right or left.





Still a little bit of cogitating. Wish me luck. 


Come on snow and cold, where art thou? ;)

47 degrees on January first, still not below 0 F yet this winter. 

[Magicman]

I guess that you will also have to really lean into the turn?

[SwampDonkey]

The rudders operated by foot should aid in turning, probably only needed on hard surface. Will cause drag on either side of the sled you step on, right or left rudder. There will likely be some leaning just from the motion of turning (rotating) the handle bar. I don't plan on picking one ski off the surface. ;)

[Holmes]

I like your ideas,and hope they work. I am planning to build a basic kick sled, just not sure if I want to do 1" metal runners or 2" skis. Holmes

[isawlogs]

Last time I had any wood strapped to my feet I had surgery and was the proud owner of stainless screws holding my angle together and little weights helping out with heeling .....Now all sledding is done motorised .  ;)

[SwampDonkey]

The key is to not be strapped in.  ;D :D :D

OUCH Marcel!! That's why I would never down hill ski off a mountain. Nope, not for me. ;D

[isawlogs]

  Guess being pulled by the hay burners aint too bad either, sitting on the comfy haybale only having to say gidd-up , jee, haww, whoa makes sledding nice and peaceful !!!     

[SwampDonkey]

Yip. Always nice for a sled ride.  8)

[SwampDonkey]

Here's the steering works for the sled.



Front ski with half inch diameter carriage bolt, six inches long. Nut is accessible by removing a wooden spacer under the steering paddle, held in place by screws.



Over head of the steering column, rear paddle and rods.

[Mooseherder]

You're gonna need a Horse to pull your sled. :D

[SwampDonkey]

 :D :D :D  Marcel?!    ;)

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

SwampDonkey,

Maybe Marcel could lend you his moose to pull it...

Herb

[SwampDonkey]

Marcel, is user Isawlogs. He has some pet horses. ;)

Mooseherder is Glen, the cold drove him south.  The moose stayed behind to bother his game camera. ;D

For that matter......I have my own herd.
:D :D :D :D :D :D

[Mooseherder]

 :D :D
Yep, the cold was part of it but I was mainly an economic refugee 26 years ago.
If you run out of Moose, I know where you can find more.
My sister was driving by our place a few weeks ago and saw a Bull Moose by the road walking into our field.  He's runnin' the joint in our absence.

[SwampDonkey]

Rudders   ;D

[SwampDonkey]

[isawlogs]

What I hope you have is a helmet\head cam  ;)   oh .. and a long hill for the first run . Horses are available at any time, one is not quite used to a harness  ;D, cam is needed for this one to be in front  ;D

[SwampDonkey]

I'm thinking of installing an emergency hand break to engage both rudders at once. I'll not likely need it unless I get up to 40 mile an hour or more on the crust. You can really sale downhill on crust. Sometimes there is a ditch or terrace in a field that you won't want to go into orbit over. :D

[Stephen1]

Looking good SW , is it to be pulled, or used in freefall downhill

[SwampDonkey]

I hope both.  :D :D

[jim king]

And the mast for the sail ?¿

[SwampDonkey]

No sail for this one Jim. Baby steps before we build and sale an ice boat. ;D

I am working an a hand rail and support for the steering post. I steamed a piece today for the support. Took 3 attempts, couldn't quite cook 1" thick material, they were steaming hot, but wouldn't bend very good. Had to make it around 13/16" and cooked it an extra 45 minutes in the steam chest.

[SwampDonkey]

[Just Me]

Very cool!

Larry

[SwampDonkey]

The sled goes nice over the snow, I could coast along on a slow grade pretty easily with hardly any pushing off. Although we need an ice base to what we have because it is quite powdery and the field road has stones which are just under the snow surface. So the snow needs to crust up a bit. I may need a runner on the front ski to, slides a bit sideways on the teflon. We'll see when we get this ice/snow mix coming in a day or two.  It's a bit of a pull uphill though with 90lbs of weight behind ya. ;D