# Otter lodge vs cabin with smitty sled



## U of M Fan (May 8, 2005)

I tow mine. If I can’t use a machine I use my one man clam flip.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

83mulligan said:


> Let's see how it goes first. I'm really not sure how it will perform or how often it will need to be applied. After that, well, you know a guy! I'd certainly be willing to let you and a couple others try some out. I do know a little goes a loooooong way on a tabletop conveyor chain.


Wow, sounds good. FYI, I certainly wasn't trying to hint at getting some from you, just a possible similar product if such a thing is out there for the general public. Hope it works well for you, look forward to hearing how it worked out.


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## Smallie12 (Oct 21, 2010)

Raylaser said:


> Wow, sounds good. FYI, I certainly wasn't trying to hint at getting some from you, just a possible similar product if such a thing is out there for the general public. Hope it works well for you, look forward to hearing how it worked out.


Ray, another option that doesn't need any lubrication and is durable as can be is what is called UHMW which is a type of plastic that you can buy in just about any dimension you need for your application. It's not the cheapest alternative but it will outlast everything else and more than pay for itself over time. I had it on runners on a smitty I built a few years ago and it was amazing and is still like new today. It glides across snow and ice like nothing and is actually described on US Plastics site (where I got mine from) as being self-lubricating and it is in the sense that it has a greasy feel to it all the time. It's similar to the stuff they put on the bottom edge of snow plows, or snow shovels you can buy, or like that fake ice that people make mini ice rinks out of. I got some 2" wide by 5' long by 3/8" thick and put it on the bottom of a couple runners and countersunk the screws and it worked to perfection. I dragged that sled across anything from what it was supposed to be to concrete, gravel, whatever was in my way and those runners are still smooth as new. Here is a website with the details of it on the left hand side if you are interested at any point:






UHMW Plastic


UHMW plastic is an outstanding choice for cost effective abrasion, impact, and chemical resistant properties.



www.interstateplastics.com


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## 83mulligan (Oct 25, 2010)

Smallie12 said:


> Ray, another option that doesn't need any lubrication and is durable as can be is what is called UHMW which is a type of plastic that you can buy in just about any dimension you need for your application. It's not the cheapest alternative but it will outlast everything else and more than pay for itself over time. I had it on runners on a smitty I built a few years ago and it was amazing and is still like new today. It glides across snow and ice like nothing and is actually described on US Plastics site (where I got mine from) as being self-lubricating and it is in the sense that it has a greasy feel to it all the time. It's similar to the stuff they put on the bottom edge of snow plows, or snow shovels you can buy, or like that fake ice that people make mini ice rinks out of. I got some 2" wide by 5' long by 3/8" thick and put it on the bottom of a couple runners and countersunk the screws and it worked to perfection. I dragged that sled across anything from what it was supposed to be to concrete, gravel, whatever was in my way and those runners are still smooth as new. Here is a website with the details of it on the left hand side if you are interested at any point:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


UHMW is great stuff. I have a bunch laying around from different jobs I did when I owned my own company. I'm thinking of running a thin strip of 5/8" down the center of my skis so I can drag it over parking lots/dirt roads, etc and still get the benefit of the ski float and lube, but not worry about beating them up or wearing off the lube or wax (if I go back to that). I've seen some cool wheel designs for officing the smitty sled but they look like more work and weight to carry around once you get to the ice.


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## 83mulligan (Oct 25, 2010)

I pulled my lubed up smitty and shanty with about 225 lbs in it on the pond behind my house this evening. There was only 1 inch of snow on the ice, so not a great test, but it only took 6 to 8 lbs of pulling force on my rapala fish scale to keep it moving. Too early to tell f this is better than wax, but at least its functional.


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## Raylaser (Jan 29, 2015)

Great info guys! Smallie, thx for the website, will have to look this up. I'm pretty sure I know what that stuff is based on where u say it's used. Mulligan, sounds like you're sliding pretty smooth too. Thanks again guys for all the feedback! Just what I consider these sites to be used for - info sharing!!! Looking forward to doing some hard water fishing next week!


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