Made my "Smitty Sled" today.

[SamSteele]

I got a pair of old downhill skis given to me and planned to use them to build a "Smitty Sled" for my smaller ice fishing sled. Thought I would share some pics for those thinking of doing the same.











Cost me a total of $7 for two cut off 2x4's and the eyebolts. Skis were free and I already had the sled. Hoping to give it a go this weekend.

SS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bigwoodsman]

Sweet! I've got all the materials, hope you don't mind me copying your setup!

BW

[lromanchuk]

Looks awesome! I don't know what your plans are for this sled, If you're going to just use it to walk out and drag it, or if you plan on pulling it behind a machine.

I made something very similar in years past to pull behind my sled, and the only issue I had was the distance between the front of the ski and the start of the cargo box was too long. The ski's ended up snapping after only a few uses. I remounted the skis(bought old ones from totem for cheap) with only 8-12 inches of distance between the start of the ski and the cargo box and that worked a lot better for me.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I got a pair of old downhill skis given to me and planned to use them to build a "Smitty Sled" for my smaller ice fishing sled. Thought I would share some pics for those thinking of doing the same.



Cost me a total of $7 for two cut off 2x4's and the eyebolts. Skis were free and I already had the sled. Hoping to give it a go this weekend.

SS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks good! Should pull better.

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

Sweet! I've got all the materials, hope you don't mind me copying your setup!



BW

That's why I put it up! Knock yourself out.

You'll notice that I only used 2x4 risers. Some guys use 2x8 or 2x10 to get the sled higher but I was worried about it being top heavy if too high. Advantage would be more clearance though.

SS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wbaj]

Please don't take this the wrong way but can I ask what advantage this has over just pulling the sled as it was?
I love repurposing ideas and home made projects, I have completed many over the years, but I don't see what the benefit is here. I made something like this many years ago but found that the skies simply were harder to pull thru the snow then the original sled.
Great workmanship though......and good luck with your project. If your planning to pull this behind a quad or sled you will need to make a hitch, using a rope will not work well on ice, again speaking from experience.
Cheers

[huntsfurfish]

Easier pulling in the snow. Sled would plow without the skis.

[SamSteele]

I usually park a ways away from the lake and pull the sleds behind a quad. The trails often have some gravel and sticks on them which wears the bottom of the sled through earlier. Using skis is more durable and keeps the sled usable for longer.

All told it cost me $7, gave me a Saturday afternoon project, and if it helps my sled last longer I figure it's worth it.

SS


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wbaj]

I hope your right, and agree it will work in hard snow, as would just the sled. However in soft snow the rig as it is built would only need to sink about 2 inches before the 2x4 crossover pieces start to create a great deal of resistance/drag and in fact will be harder to pull. In terms of the supporting area per square inch vs weight the skies offer way less than the sled itself.

I certainly don't want to sound negative here, I admire initiative and as I mentioned before love projects such a this, but I built something very similar to this and from my experience the skies do not offer any more support then the sled and in fact offer less.

Please don't let these comments dissuade you, try it out and keep that mind churning out ideas!

Cheers

[calgarygringo]

Built mine last year and is way easier to move. I built mine on 2x10 so a little heavier but always stays above the snow at least so far. I also put a push handle on mine too and find it easier than pulling though the rope is there if I need it. This year I have not even pulled it out as I have been able to drive either right up to or close to my spot so put them back in the shed after the first few trips. Everyone should have a Smitty sled. If you want to see some really unique ones go over to the iceshanty forum and search Smitty sled and there are lots of pictures of different designs.

[SamSteele]

I have one of the big Pelican sleds with a hitch and cover from Costco that I use mostly. This one will be used behind my sons little quad for him to pull out the cooler, his rod bag, tackle box, etc. Should be light and easy to move.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk