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Building a kicksled



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 2nd 04, 01:15 PM
Jason G Tucker
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Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

I am very interested in building a traditional (mostly wooden)
kicksled. If anyone out there has blueprints or at least a fairly
detailed drawing and could post them or e-mail them to me directly I
would greatly appreciate it. Thank You J. G. Tucker Warren,Pa
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  #2  
Old February 2nd 04, 09:48 PM
David Dermott
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Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

On 2 Feb 2004, Jason G Tucker wrote:

I am very interested in building a traditional (mostly wooden)
kicksled. If anyone out there has blueprints or at least a fairly
detailed drawing and could post them or e-mail them to me directly I
would greatly appreciate it. Thank You J. G. Tucker Warren,Pa


Several years ago Tom Strang, from Ottawa, had a WWW site with plans
for a kicksled. Unfortunately the WWW site and Tom Strang have
disappeared. I tried e-mailing him, but my mail came back.

Lucky I saved his plans!

The plans included a text file (spark_bu.htm) plus about
20 picture files, totaling about 350 kbytes. I think I've got them all.
The easiest way so send all the files is to put them in one ZIP file.

Can you uncompress a ZIP file? I have temporarily put the ZIP
file at:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/ski/sparkbuild.zip

Download that file and "un-zip" it. It will create a
directory "build" with all the files. The main file is
"spark_bu.htm"

The project requires some blacksmith skills, bending the metal rails
for the sled runners. Tom said it was easy! But my propane torch isn't hot
enough. I was going to take the rails to a blacksmith or welder and have
them bend them.


Also, check out Jeff Potter's "rustic" kicksled:
"http://www.outyourbackdoor.com/articles2003/spark.sled.html"

Everything I know about kicksled at:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/ski/spark.html

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
WWW pages:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/




  #3  
Old February 3rd 04, 02:15 AM
Jeff Potter
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Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

I'm working on figuring out how to make a snowkicksled that STEERS. Our
current sled just tracks a straight line. Good for going down hills, as with
a snowsled, but...

I'm also thinking that a pulk on skis might be better than a
trail-smasher---and it would also need to steer.

I looked up some uber-DIY snowsled website for the Boy Scouts and they all
seem to use bobs---a front ski assembly separate from the skis that you ride
on. You usually steer with your feet. I'll look into that some time.

--

Jeff Potter
****
*Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
publisher of outdoor/indoor do-it-yourself culture...
...offering "small world" views on bikes, bows, books, movies...
...rare books on ski, bike, boat culture, plus a Gulf Coast thriller
about smalltown smuggling ... radical novels coming up!
...original downloadable music ... and articles galore!
plus national travel forums! HOLY SMOKES! 800-763-6923


  #4  
Old February 3rd 04, 03:23 AM
Tim Dudley
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Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

The steering happens due to flexing the runners, just like on the old
American Flyer sleds, but more so, since the runners are probably two meters
long. If you want to turn right, pull on the right handle, push on the
left handle, stand on the inside runner, and you will either turn right or
spin out. Same idea on the other side. Gobs of fun, especially on the
Rideau Canal during Winterlude...


Tim

(spectacular conditions in the Gatineau Park yesterday and today...)



on 2/2/04 21:15, Jeff Potter wrote:

I'm working on figuring out how to make a snowkicksled that STEERS. Our
current sled just tracks a straight line. Good for going down hills, as with
a snowsled, but...



  #5  
Old February 3rd 04, 01:44 PM
Jason G Tucker
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

David Dermott wrote in message ...
On 2 Feb 2004, Jason G Tucker wrote:

I am very interested in building a traditional (mostly wooden)
kicksled. If anyone out there has blueprints or at least a fairly
detailed drawing and could post them or e-mail them to me directly I
would greatly appreciate it. Thank You J. G. Tucker Warren,Pa


Several years ago Tom Strang, from Ottawa, had a WWW site with plans
for a kicksled. Unfortunately the WWW site and Tom Strang have
disappeared. I tried e-mailing him, but my mail came back.

Lucky I saved his plans!

The plans included a text file (spark_bu.htm) plus about
20 picture files, totaling about 350 kbytes. I think I've got them all.
The easiest way so send all the files is to put them in one ZIP file.

Can you uncompress a ZIP file? I have temporarily put the ZIP
file at:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/ski/sparkbuild.zip

Download that file and "un-zip" it. It will create a
directory "build" with all the files. The main file is
"spark_bu.htm"

The project requires some blacksmith skills, bending the metal rails
for the sled runners. Tom said it was easy! But my propane torch isn't hot
enough. I was going to take the rails to a blacksmith or welder and have
them bend them.


Also, check out Jeff Potter's "rustic" kicksled:
"http://www.outyourbackdoor.com/articles2003/spark.sled.html"

Everything I know about kicksled at:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/ski/spark.html


Thank you very much. These plans are exactly what I was looking for.
Great details, it looks like it will be a nice challenge to build. I
have a couple of questions about the runners. I tried a Crossled a
couple years ago on some groomed x-country trails with the snow
runners and it went great. I'm considering making this kicksled with
wood or wood and plastic runners of about 35-50mm in width. The metal
runners seem as though they would only be effective on ice or very
hard snow. Is this the case? We frequently get heavy lake-effect
snow so there is rarely open ice and the tracks we set get covered up
quickly. Also what is the deepest snow you can use a kicksled in and
still have fun?
  #6  
Old February 3rd 04, 04:43 PM
Jeff Potter
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

Yeah, I'll just set up a torquable handlebar connected to the skitips of
my skispark at first, before worrying about separate units.

Tim Dudley wrote:

The steering happens due to flexing the runners, just like on the old
American Flyer sleds, but more so, since the runners are probably two
meters long. If you want to turn right, pull on the right handle,
push on the left handle, stand on the inside runner, and you will
either turn right or spin out. Same idea on the other side. Gobs of
fun, especially on the Rideau Canal during Winterlude...


Tim

(spectacular conditions in the Gatineau Park yesterday and today...)



on 2/2/04 21:15, Jeff Potter wrote:


I'm working on figuring out how to make a snowkicksled that
STEERS. Our
current sled just tracks a straight line. Good for going
down hills, as with
a snowsled, but...

--

Jeff Potter
****
*Out Your Backdoor * http://www.outyourbackdoor.com
publisher of outdoor/indoor do-it-yourself culture...
...offering "small world" views on bikes, bows, books, movies...
...rare books on ski, bike, boat culture, plus a Gulf Coast thriller
about smalltown smuggling ... radical novels coming up!
...original downloadable music ... and articles galore!
plus national travel forums! HOLY SMOKES! 800-763-6923


  #7  
Old February 3rd 04, 05:18 PM
Melinda Shore
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

In article ,
Jeff Potter wrote:
Yeah, I'll just set up a torquable handlebar connected to the skitips of
my skispark at first, before worrying about separate units.


They're built basically the same as dogsleds, where the
driving bow (the thing the driver hangs onto) is U-shaped
and extends to the runners. There are several attached
cross-pieces higher up, so that it's possible to distort
what's essentially a rectangle into a non-rectangular
parallelogram by pushing the driving bow to the side while
keeping the runners weighted. That means that the runners
are no longer perpendicular to the ground, and since they're
curved, it means that the part of the runner making surface
contact is now curved. Better sleds have joints tied with
string or rawhide rather than being bolted so that they can
flex better, but even very loose sleds don't steer very
well.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

The US government has to borrow 22 cents of every dollar it spends
  #8  
Old February 4th 04, 01:15 AM
David Dermott
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled

On 3 Feb 2004, Jason G Tucker wrote:

I have a couple of questions about the runners. I tried a Crossled a
couple years ago on some groomed x-country trails with the snow
runners and it went great. I'm considering making this kicksled with
wood or wood and plastic runners of about 35-50mm in width. The metal
runners seem as though they would only be effective on ice or very
hard snow. Is this the case?


Yes. Ice and packed snow is kind of conditions a "spark" is meant for.
But metal on ice is so much faster and more fun than plastic on snow!
Most of our winters we have snow, followed by rain, then re-freezing
so we often have optimal kicksledding conditions. But this
winter (so far) we've just had cold, dry, loose snow.

The plastic runners are available in 2 widths - 30 mm and 50 mm
(cost about $20). The wider they are, the stiffer and more difficult
to turn. The plastic runners are designed to fit on 5mm wide rails
so use that size when building ( 3/16 inch should be close enough)
if you want to use the commercial plastic runners.


We frequently get heavy lake-effect
snow so there is rarely open ice and the tracks we set get covered up
quickly. Also what is the deepest snow you can use a kicksled in and
still have fun?


Well, if your boots sink much above the ankles or it is difficult to
walk in the snow, it will be difficult to use a kicksled, no matter
how wide the runners are.

--

David Dermott , Wolfville Ridge, Nova Scotia, Canada
email:
WWW pages:
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/dermott/





  #9  
Old February 5th 04, 12:41 AM
Terje Henriksen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Building a kicksled


"David Dermott" skrev i melding
...
On 3 Feb 2004, Jason G Tucker wrote:

I have a couple of questions about the runners. I tried a Crossled a
couple years ago on some groomed x-country trails with the snow
runners and it went great. I'm considering making this kicksled with
wood or wood and plastic runners of about 35-50mm in width. The metal
runners seem as though they would only be effective on ice or very
hard snow. Is this the case?


Yes. Ice and packed snow is kind of conditions a "spark" is meant for.
But metal on ice is so much faster and more fun than plastic on snow!
Most of our winters we have snow, followed by rain, then re-freezing
so we often have optimal kicksledding conditions. But this
winter (so far) we've just had cold, dry, loose snow.

The plastic runners are available in 2 widths - 30 mm and 50 mm
(cost about $20). The wider they are, the stiffer and more difficult
to turn. The plastic runners are designed to fit on 5mm wide rails
so use that size when building ( 3/16 inch should be close enough)
if you want to use the commercial plastic runners.


In addition, one may buy plastic runners that can be connected to the metal
runners so that the kicksled can be used in deeper snow. When it's hard snow
or ice you just taje them off.

--
Terje Henriksen
Kirkenes



 




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