# smitty sled



## Michael Wagner

I finished mine the other day, cross members are just temporarily screwed on till I get down to Home Depot to pick up some bolts.* A question*, do you put the rope through the ski tips or on the leg? I have seen pics both ways?


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## Craig M

Everything I've read is through the ski tips so when your pulling the skis get pulled up so it glides over the snow and doesn't get pulled down to create a plowing effect.


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## GWPguy

I put eyelets in the tip of the skis. easier to pull over stuff in my opinion


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## d_rek

Sorry I don't have a better picture.

I had to rebuild my smitty sled this year. The 1x2's I was using as mounts to the skies split clean in half on my second time out this year. 

But basically I went and picked up some ski's at the thrift store for $15. Sawed them down to a reasonable length. Drilled 3 holes in each ski - one at the tip and two for mounting a piece of lumber with hardware. 

I cut down a couple of treated 2x4's and mitered the front. I then drilled holes through the width of the 2x4's that align to the holes in the ski. Then I picked up 1/4" SS carriage bolts, washers, and wing nuts to secure the 2x4 mount to the ski.

I then secured two more 2x4's width-wise to the mounts using 4" deck screws. This year I added a 'shelf' that you can see in the picture so that I can put buckets, etc. on there too. The shelf is made of 1x2's mounted to the 2x4's using small SS wood screws. I added a 1x2 to the front and back of the shelf so that items stay secure and don't fall off the front or back. 

I added a single 2" eye bolt to the end of the width-wise 2x4's so that I could bungie things to the sled. 

The last item was attaching a pull rope. The length is pretty generous probably easily 12ft. 

I can bungie my eskimo 949i, a folding camp chair, auger, 2 buckets, and a small tackle box to this thing with no problem. I've had a couple guys comment on it out on the ice this year already. Someone even asked me if I ever thought about making them lol! 

Total cost for the sled was about $30 - $15 for the skis and another $15 for the hardware. All of the lumber was scrap that I had laying around.


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## Buddwiser

Tron322 said:


> I have one that loves breaking thru crusted ice and pulls like garbage.
> 
> 
> I am thinking about putting a snowboard in the middle and between 2 and 4 skis on the outside, might make it longer too. any thoughts.


1st remove the center support. 2nd, move the other two closer to the middle. These two things will allow the skis to float on the snow better, not dig into it. 3rd attach your tow rope to the tip of the skis.


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## Michael Wagner

Craig M said:


> Everything I've read is through the ski tips so when your pulling the skis get pulled up so it glides over the snow and doesn't get pulled down to create a plowing effect.


So if I sit way back you should be able to pull me through the snow with little effort?


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## Craig M

Sure... I could but I thought you wanted to ride bitch on my 2-up quad?:lol:


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## Michael Wagner

Craig M said:


> Sure... I could but I thought you wanted to ride bitch on my 2-up quad?:lol:



Ummmmm Errrrrrrr Nahhhhhh :lol::lol::lol:


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## Ice Scratcher

I had everything except the stainless bolt, nut, and wing nut (X4) that are used to attach the cross boards to the uprights..

1/2" Birch ply for the uprights, 1x6" for the cross boards, and 3/4" angle iron (sourced from bed frame rails).... The angle irons on the cross boards force everything into perfect alignment, and also make it stronger too...

I have been building and using sleds with down hill skis for 25 years now and prefer using only one mount in the ski's binding area.. The ski can flex and work like a suspension system for a very smooth quiet ride..

This is my first break down style sled though, thanks for the idea Smitty!!

Walked it out 1 mile on Erie tonight and it pulls like a dream!

Pictures....


























































<*)))>{


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## Ice Scratcher

Craig M said:


> Everything I've read is through the ski tips so when your pulling the skis get pulled up so it glides over the snow and doesn't get pulled down to create a plowing effect.


I have been pulling sleds on skis for a while now and never had any trouble with pulling or riding on top of the snow myself.. The main reason I am not pulling from the ski tips is it will want to pull the tips together possibly causing slight "V".. I think when you have weight too far forward or are running front and back blocks is when pulling from the tips can be a big benefit.. My skis, only mounted in the area where the bindings go, can flex like they were meant to (with a 200lb skier) which allows them float more.. A good long rope does help though...

<*)))>{


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## TK81

Ice Scratcher said:


> I have been pulling sleds on skis for a while now and never had any trouble with pulling or riding on top of the snow myself.. The main reason I am not pulling from the ski tips is it will want to pull the tips together possibly causing slight "V".. I think when you have weight too far forward or are running front and back blocks is when pulling from the tips can be a big benefit.. My skis, only mounted in the area where the bindings go, can flex like they were meant to (with a 200lb skier) which allows them float more.. A good long rope does help though...
> 
> <*)))>{


I like your sled. You sound like an M.E. Think I will copy it for my next Smitty! My basic does fine, but it looks you have optimized the design.


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## Ice Scratcher

TK81 said:


> I like your sled. You sound like an M.E. Think I will copy it for my next Smitty! My basic does fine, but it looks you have optimized the design.


Thanks man!!

<*)))>{


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## FIP

"I think when you have weight too far forward or are running front and back blocks is when pulling from the tips can be a big benefit."
Agreed - built my first smitty this year with skis that were too short and front support too far forward. As a result skis flexed up in the middle and sled pulled like a pig. Temporary fix of adding small middle support helped a lot.


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