Polymer pipes are a universal material that is perfect for installing water supply, sewerage and heating systems in a house or apartment. However, in the hands of a home craftsman who has remarkable imagination and an insatiable desire to make something on his own, PVC parts can turn into quite intricate, but no less useful products. For example, in a snowmobile sled from plastic pipes, the manufacturing process of which will be discussed below.

Types of sled trailers

It should be noted that you will not find a universal model.

There are many factors that influence which sled to use:

• the specifics of the route to be overcome;
• height and density of snow cover;
• terrain features and so on.

Let's look at a few of the most common types.

Freight

The design of these sleds is quite complex. For sliding, skis are used, which can be connected to the frame using shock absorbers. There are varieties designed for transporting heavy and oversized cargo.

Sometimes a special box is placed on cargo sleds, with which you can go on long tourist trips.

The main advantage of cargo sleds is their large load capacity and excellent maneuverability. These parameters depend on the size of the frame (the wider, the more stable the sled will be) and the area of ​​the sliding surface (the type of runners used).

It is also desirable that the platform is high from the snow crust. This way the cargo was protected from getting wet. But you should not make the sled too high, otherwise it will often tip over when turning.

Volokushi

A very common type of sled. Their design is extremely simple. They are sold in all specialized travel stores and are relatively inexpensive.

Dragging trucks have one big drawback - due to their characteristics, their leading edge and coupling device are often damaged.

But there are also advantages:

• little weight;
• low center of gravity;
• fast loading and unloading of luggage;
• no freezing of the body;
• the ability to transport small cargo by water.

Volokushis are absolutely not intended for transporting people. The entire surface of the body is in contact with snow, and therefore it is not possible to install shock absorbers. In addition, unlike models with skis, these sleds absorb the impacts of stones, snowdrifts and unevenness with the entire body, which undoubtedly affects comfort.

Passenger

They are not very common in our country due to the lack of appropriate infrastructure (equipped snow trails and parking areas). Often such sleds are made independently by winter fishing enthusiasts.

They are a plastic or plywood body mounted on skids. The cabin can be equipped with a heater and lighting fixtures.

The disadvantage is the heavy weight, so for transportation you need to use powerful snowmobiles equipped with a four-stroke power unit.

Design features of the sled

Before you begin design work, you need to understand what basic elements the sled consists of. The fact is that the manufacturing process includes several stages, at each of which some key part is made.

It is necessary that you have a good understanding of the purpose of each of them:

1. The main part of any sled is the frame, which is the basic supporting element for the entire structure.
   It must be as durable as possible, since it depends on:

• safety of operation of homemade sleds;
• duration of trouble-free operation;
• reliability of the device as a whole.

Considering that the snowmobile sled will be used in difficult conditions, the frame must be able to withstand negative ambient temperatures well, as well as the impacts that the sled is constantly exposed to when driving through forests or bushes.

Otherwise, you will be unpleasantly surprised when the loaded sleigh falls apart while riding and dumps all your belongings on the snow in the middle of a forest clearing.

1. Second important element– runners. Strength is also very important here, however, another important detail is ease of control. This determines whether the sled will tip over when cornering or not.

The last point is the dimensions of the structure. This parameter is selected individually based on the tasks that are supposed to be solved with its help.

The sled may be small, but maneuverable and light. Either it will be durable reliable design, designed to move significant loads. You decide.

Making a sleigh

Tools and materials

Once you have decided on the sizes, you can start working.

In order to make a snowmobile sled from PVC pipes, you will need the following tools and materials:

• (they are purchased at the store, but you can also use old ones left over after repairing or dismantling an old water supply system);
• a hacksaw or special scissors for cutting plastic pipes;
• apparatus for welding pipes and fittings;
• an industrial hair dryer that will be used to warm up, and;
• sharp mechanic's knife;
• sanding paper, file;
• marker for marking parts;
• bolts and nuts for securing parts;
• metal corners that will strengthen the assembly points.

Operating procedure

It’s not difficult to make a sled from plastic pipes with your own hands. The price of the material is low, which will save a significant amount Money, which you would spend by purchasing ready-made models sold in specialized stores.

The manufacturing instructions consist of several successive steps:

1. The first step is to mark the lines on the pipes along which they will be cut. Need to pay Special attention to carefully observe the dimensions, otherwise the sled will turn out asymmetrical, and the work will need to be redone.
   The ends of the pipes should be fused or connected using fittings. If you are not going to do this, you can saw the ends of the parts at an angle of 45 degrees and fasten the frame using metal corners.

1. Considering that the sled, as a rule, has a rectangular shape, the frame will need two long and two short parts. After marking and cutting, the ends must be thoroughly cleaned sandpaper or a file.
2. After this, the frame is placed on a workbench or floor and checked again to ensure compliance with the design dimensions.. Then it is welded. If you do not have a special soldering iron, the connection can be made using bolts and nuts. In this case, metal corners are used to add strength.

Advice!
Usage welding machine preferable.
With its help, stronger connections are obtained, and it will take less time to work.
If you don't want to buy specialized tools, you can rent them from a specialized hardware store.

1. To give the frame strength (especially when you are making a cargo sled), it needs to be reinforced with additional cross members.
   For this purpose, you need to cut several pieces of pipes of suitable length and process their ends with a file, giving them an oval shape corresponding to the diameter of the pipe.
   Next, they are inserted into the frame in the form of spacers and melted or secured with metal corners. Remember, the strength of the sled will depend on the quality and thoroughness of the frame assembly.
2. The next stage is the manufacture of racks. The height of the sled above the level of snow crust will depend on their length.
   In this case, it is advisable to take into account the following nuances:

• a sled that is too tall will often flip over when turning due to its high center of gravity;
• a platform on low racks will not pass well through deep snow, and the cargo located on it will get wet.

Advice!
The optimal height of the sled is from 20 to 30 cm.
The racks connecting the frame to the runners should be exactly this length.

1. The number of supports depends on the length of the sled, but for strength and reliability they need to be made larger. It is advisable that 6-8 pieces are mounted on each side. They should also be processed with a file ( round section) for a tighter fit to the frame. As you work, constantly try on the part to the place where it is welded.
   The lower part of the racks can be different:

• flat - if you plan to use flat wide runners (for example, from cut polymer pipes big size);
• semicircular - if the runners of the sled are round (from ordinary plastic parts of small diameter).

1. After adjusting the dimensions, the runner stands are attached to the frame using a soldering iron or corners. Make sure that they are all installed smoothly, without distortions.
2. Now it's the runners' turn. To do this, you need to decide on their shape. The easiest way is to make round skis from ordinary pipes. However, this option is less comfortable to use, since the sled will often fall through the snow crust and turn poorly.

Homemade sled made of plastic pipes with flat skis are more stable and maneuverable. When the snowmobile turns high speed they will not tip sideways.

1. To from round pipes to make flat skis, they need to be cut lengthwise and bent. A hair dryer is used for this. As a last resort, you can heat the part over an open fire, but this must be done carefully, as the plastic may melt.
   After heating the pipe with a hairdryer, place a board with a weight on top of it and leave until it cools completely. The fold in front is done in the same way.
2. In order for the sled to pass through deep snow, the bend of the skis must be made large and the upper end must be secured to the frame, forming a semicircle.
   A seat, a box for transporting things and other accessories of your choice can be installed on top of the frame.

Don't forget to attach a drawbar, with which the sled will be secured to the snowmobile's towbar.

Advice!
It is recommended to assemble and install a simple electrical circuit with a light bulb that is mounted on the dashboard.
When the sled is separated from the towbar, the circuit will open, which will be signaled by the light coming on.
This way, you won't lose your sled while driving through the forest.

Conclusion

In addition to a trailer for a snowmobile, children's sleds can be made in a similar way. You just need to choose the right sizes. For more details, see the video in this article.

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Homemade snowmobile sled from plastic pipes: a 3-volume novel detailing the difficult path they need to go through before making their first trip

It is a well-known saying that the sleigh must be prepared in the summer, absolutely true. In winter, when the snow falls, suitable for new weather conditions the vehicle must already be ready for use, and not just in the development stage. That is why I have taken appropriate assembly work even when the summer sun was warming in the sky, and there were still several months before the first frost.

You can find out how it happened later in the article.

Volume No. 1: First decisions

I would like to note right away that in my case we were talking about transport sleds for a snowmobile, but everything described below can be quite successfully applied even when making small children’s sleds, since the basic principles of assembly are absolutely similar.

You could, of course, just go to a specialty store and buy the most suitable model. In fact, that's what I did at first. As an example of what they offered me there, I can give the PGMP 2500 sled:

But I returned without purchasing for the following reasons:

• Streaming standard models could not “catch” me visually, I wanted something more original;
• The price of the finished product, taking into account its execution, turned out to be unexpectedly high.

As a result, the idea came to me to assemble a sled for my snowmobile with my own hands. This option allows save money, fortunately I just had some free time, and with the help of my own ideas make the design unique.

But in the process of unsuccessful shopping, I became familiar with the main elements of the sled:

Name of the component	Comments
Frame	The “skeleton” of the product must have the highest strength, ensuring its reliability and resistance to collisions with various obstacles that the sled may encounter on the road
Skids	Here in addition to the fortress great importance also have the following qualities: The presence of a smooth slippery surface in contact with snow, thereby ensuring the desired speed of the vehicle; Ease of use, lightweight products are easier to maneuver
Body	Directly where passengers or cargo are placed, it is worth paying attention to the dimensions, which also affect the complexity of control and comfort, especially if the sled is intended for people

This information forced me to take seriously the choice of the most suitable material for the future snowmobile vehicle:

Material selection

1. Metal. This immediately brings to mind the classic children's version with aluminum, covered with planks. But even aluminum is heavy enough in weight and difficult to work with so that you can independently assemble a comfortable and visually interesting sled from it, not to mention steel or cast iron, which ready product will generally be turned into “real estate”;

1. Tree. This was the choice of our ancestors, who, however, had no alternative. Of course, you can build incredible things out of wood. beautiful design, which will also be very expensive and, again, heavy;

1. Plastic. Cheap, light, easy to process and durable - these are just flattering adjectives. The only negative that can be noted is the relatively low strength indicators, but on the other hand, it is better to let the impact force as a result of an accidental collision with an obstacle be absorbed by the sled, and not by the bones of the passengers.

Thus, the third option turned out to be the most suitable for me. But where can you get so much plastic? In this capacity PVC water pipes are ideal, from which, thanks to their plasticity, you can build almost any structure.

If you have old PVC pipes, then you can use them to accomplish your plans. They have all the necessary characteristics for making sleds and will allow you to get by with virtually no financial costs at all.

Volume No. 2: Preparation for the main action

At this stage I made sure I had everything the necessary tool and drawing up a drawing.

Preparation of accessories

In addition to the PVC pipes and fittings themselves, you will also need metal bolts and a certain set of tools, most of which a good owner will find in his workshop:

• Hacksaw or special pipe cutting shears;
• Pipe soldering iron for PVC products;

It is not rational to buy a soldering iron for a one-time job, so I recommend renting one. This will be much more economical, and you will not become the “lucky” owner of something that you may not need in the next ten years.

• Construction hair dryer. It will be needed so that the plastic can be heated, thereby making it more pliable for bending;
• Well sharpened knife;
• Drill for creating holes for bolts;
• Sandpaper, file By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to have it on hand either;
• Pencil with tape measure for marking;
• Aluminum or at least steel corners, it is better not to leave the sled completely without metal.

Drawing

If you want the dimensions of all sides and individual structural elements to coincide, then it is better mark them on the drawing. In addition, it is not at all necessary to “invent a wheel.” You can easily find a lot on the Internet detailed diagrams sled, choose the one that suits you best, and make your adjustments if necessary. Personally, that’s what I did.

Volume #3: The Act of Creation

And now I finally started making sleds from plastic pipes with my own hands. Frankly speaking, I preparatory work always somehow tire you, and you want to move directly to the most active actions, the very process of creation, as quickly as possible:

1. First of all, as happens in any job, I marked the cutting areas on all prepared pipes, carefully checking the drawing;
2. To create the frame, I cut two long and two short pieces using a hacksaw;
3. I laid out a rectangle of pipes on a flat surface, once again checked that all dimensions corresponded to ensure that there was no distortion, and I soldered them using fittings and a pipe soldering iron. Here brief instructions soldering, which will be useful in the future:

• Clean the edges;
• We insert attachments into the “iron”;
• Turn on the device;
• We connect the fitting and pipe section to the nozzles;

• We wait a certain time until the edges begin to melt;
• We take out and connect the plastic elements together;

1. Then reinforced the frame with metal corners, screwing them with bolts for which I drilled the corresponding holes in advance. It was possible to do without this step, but I still planned to use the finished sled as a trailer for a snowmobile and did not want it to fall apart one day at a decent speed, catching on a snag protruding from the snow, thereby losing passengers;
2. I cut off the crossbars, cut out and filed semicircular recesses on their edges, and then soldered them;

1. Now cut off 8 posts. For them I chose a size of 250 mm, which, in fact, determined the height of the vehicle itself. I processed the edges and soldered them to the frame frame, then strengthening them with corners, since these are load-bearing fragments of the structure;
2. After the steps taken moved on to creating runners, for which I cut the required sections of pipes across, since round form for this part of the sleigh is not entirely successful;

1. Heated the plastic with an industrial hair dryer, which made it pliable, and aligned it into even stripes;

If construction hair dryer If you don't have it in stock, then don't rush to run to the store or to your neighbors. A piece of cut pipe can be heated even over a stove burner, and then laid on a flat surface and pressed down over the entire area with something heavy. The effect will be similar, although somewhat more labor-intensive.

1. The finished skis were heated again, only this time in order to bend their leading edges. I compared the bend angle on both parts so that they were absolutely the same;
2. Further the runners were attached to the lower ends of the racks, and fixed the bent ends on the front part of the frame, after which it was a snowmobile sled made of plastic pipes that began to appear in the structure, and not something unintelligible;

As an alternative, instead of cutting and straightening the pipe, you can connect several products in the form of two narrow rafts. This solution will make the vehicle less fast and more difficult to control, but will increase the strength of the runners. Plus, you won't have to worry about heating.

1. Now it’s the body’s turn. I bent the pipes to create a nice back and arms, again using a hair dryer, and then attached them to the frame;

1. Further cut a suitable size piece of plywood for the seat, but before committing it, covered with foam rubber and covered with leather. You can also use an old blanket and leatherette for the same purposes in order to save money;
2. And finally attached the finished seat to the frame using the same bolts, although here you can get by with self-tapping screws.

It is noteworthy that it is the last three points that make it possible for your creative imagination. With the help of a backrest, handrails and a seat, you can not only make your PVC pipe snowmobile sled comfortable, but also beautiful.

You can also use an old car seat to decorate the body. Anyway, you are no longer using it for its intended purpose, but on the sled it will make you feel as comfortable as possible.

Conclusion

Plastic water pipes can be used to make excellent sleds for both a snowmobile and a child. The main thing is to collect everything you need for this and methodically follow the recommendations described above. And at the same time, do not forget to make your own adjustments to the process so that your vehicle acquires its own individuality. Happy building!

The video in this article will allow you to familiarize yourself with some additional information that is directly related to the material presented.

If you have any questions on the topic, ask them in the comments.

July 30, 2016

If you want to express gratitude, add a clarification or objection, or ask the author something - add a comment or say thank you!

A real, experienced fisherman always has additional equipment. For winter fishing It is advisable to have a tent, ice screw, fishing rod, box, and so on. In this case, a lot depends on the fishing conditions of a particular region. If a body of water is somewhere nearby, then there are no special problems. In such conditions, you can hide from bad weather at any time and return to take what you accidentally left at home.

If it takes a long time to get to a reservoir, then you need to have a device that could facilitate the process of movement.

The fact is that moving in winter, especially with all the equipment, is very difficult. Not only does clothing restrict movement, but you also need to carry equipment. But if you have a sled for fishing in winter, then this problem can be solved. In addition, if you approach this problem correctly, the sled can have more advanced functionality. For example, a sled can serve as a stool or a tent.

Available great amount various designs sled specifically for fishing. Sleds on metal runners are widely popular. Sleds can be either folding or solid. Unfortunately, such sleds move well on ice, but on snow, and even with a load, this is a problem. Alternatively, instead of runners, you can use children's skis, then there will be no problems with moving on the snow.

In this regard, many anglers began to switch to plastic structures with wide runners that do not fall through the snow. At the same time, such structures have low sides, which can be considered a disadvantage, since the load has to be secured additionally. Despite this, this factor suits many winter fishing enthusiasts.

How to make a fishing sled with your own hands

Anyone can assemble such a structure. The main thing is to decide what kind of sleds you need and with which ones. functionality. If you need a sled to deliver fishing equipment to a fishing spot, then it can be made from wood, plastic, aluminum or iron. It all depends on the capabilities of the fisherman and the purpose of the sled.

Metal sleds can be made either collapsible or non-collapsible. More recently, other designs simply did not exist. The metal structure is a rigid and durable base, on top of which there is a platform made of wooden planks or from plywood. This is the so-called cargo area, which is used for transporting cargo. Their only drawback is the difficulty of operating in snowy areas. Due to the fact that the runners are narrow, they sink in the snow and a person needs to expend a lot of effort to move them, and even when loaded.

Similar plastic sleds are made in the form of a trough. They have good performance characteristics. They move without problems both on ice and snow. In this case, you should pay attention to the dimensions of the structure and workmanship. Although many argue that such a design is not difficult to make on your own.

Wooden sleds are very popular. This is the most affordable and easily processed material, and structures made from it will last long years. The main thing is to have the following tools and materials on hand:

• pine boards;
• wood glue;
• sandpaper;
• jigsaw;
• electric drill, etc.

Manufacturing technology

1. You need to take two boards from which two runners will be made. The appropriate shape should be drawn on them and cut out with a jigsaw.
2. The runners need to be fastened together. For this, cross bars of the appropriate size are used. The connection may consist of glue and round tenons.
3. To strengthen the structure, additional transverse strips are attached to the front and back of the runners, mounted with glue and spikes.
4. For a more aesthetic appearance, all excess is cut off and cleaned well.
5. The board, which will serve as a cargo platform in the future, is prepared for subsequent fastening by cutting out all the necessary grooves and drilling the corresponding holes.
6. An additional bar for fastening is attached to the back of the 2 runners.
7. The places where the runners are rounded are reinforced with strips of aluminum or iron. This is necessary so that various obstacles do not damage the runners of the sled.
8. Before final assembly It is better to check all the parts for proper size. At the same time, you need to make sure that all elements are sanded and coated with waterproof varnish.

After the sled is assembled, it should be tested for strength by placing on it all the equipment that is used in winter fishing. Only after this does it make sense to take them with you.

Factory-made fishing sled

For those who do not want to spend their time making sleds, there is the opportunity to purchase ready-made ones at a retail outlet.

• This is a light and, at the same time, durable sled, weighing 10.4 kg.
• They are roomy and have dimensions: 165x81x43 cm.
• Relatively high sides.
• Transports well on icy surfaces.

This is a very light sled, weighing 3.6 kg, which is easy to transport by hand. They are made of polyethylene, which is not afraid subzero temperatures. Thanks to the presence of wide skids, as well as a low center of gravity, they are stable under all operating conditions.

Some anglers use baby sleds for their fishing needs. If they are available, there is no need to specially make or buy sleds. Unfortunately, in the presence of noticeable snow cover, problems arise with their operation. In addition, these sleds are not intended for fishing and you will have to come up with additional elements.

This is the most simple design, which are very easy to transport as they take up very little space. Unfortunately, such sleds do not fit many accessories necessary for winter fishing. In addition, inflatable parts are not particularly reliable.

Such sleds have a number of advantages. Firstly, they are quite spacious, and secondly, they will pass over any surface without any problems, due to the wide contact plane. The main material is plastic, which is not afraid of frost. They are easy to move on ice or snow using a regular rope. These sleds have high sides, which securely holds the load inside the structure.

Due to the use lightweight material, the sleds themselves are not heavy, which means they are easy to use. There are structures that are attached to the snowmobile. This is especially true when there is a long hike ahead. Naturally, such conditions require more spacious sleds, up to 2 meters long.

How to make a drag sled with your own hands

Dragging sleds are not at all difficult to make with your own hands. For this you can use any available material, from wood to metal. The simplest design is wooden. This is what is being done for wooden frame, consisting of two runners and two bars connecting these runners. A sheet of plywood is attached to the beams on top or ordinary boards are stuffed. A metal handle or hitch must then be attached to the structure so that the sled can be moved by the snowmobile. If you use metal instead of wood, the structure will be much stronger, considering that you will have to move quite far.

In this case, special attention should be paid to the strength of the coupling mechanism. To make it, you can use two pieces of pipe, one of the ends of which should be attached directly to the frame of the sled.

Option for attaching to sleds

• Holes are made around the entire perimeter of the sled.
• Metal cables with a special fastening should be inserted into each of the holes. Moreover, rubber bands must also be used for fastening, which always guarantee reliable fastening of the entire contents of the sled.
• For ease of use, you will need a rope, which is attached to special bolts attached to the sled frame. The rope can be folded in four, and its length can reach about 20 meters.

Finnish fishermen widely use such sleds, while domestic fishermen do not really recognize them. The design consists of a chair, which is located on runners. Its advantage is that you can sit on it both while driving and while fishing. They are very convenient for moving fishing equipment.

First you need to provide yourself with tools and materials:

• Prepare sheet steel.
• Wooden blocks made of pine or other wood.
• A metal rod with threads on both sides.
• Metal linings.
• Tires.
• Bolts.
• Screws.

Assembling the sled contains the following steps:

1. The steel leaves bend on both sides.
2. In front of the resulting runners, two holes are made for a metal rod.
3. At the back, where the angler will stand with his feet, rubber pads are mounted. They will prevent slipping under the influence of snow.
4. The dimensions of the structure must be proportional. The upper bar, in size, should be shorter than the distance between the runners.
5. At a distance of 1 meter from the curved edge, weld on both sides along the strip. To do this, you need to use beveled beams with self-tapping screws.
6. Horizontal posts should be welded to the rod, in the center of the metal sheets.
7. It is better to make the seat and back wooden. If you use your imagination and ingenuity, you can create a real masterpiece for winter fishing.

If you have a snowmobile, then you also need a sled. Many fishermen have become convinced that a sled is a useful thing. The main thing is to determine which design is more suitable for specific fishing conditions. It can be a drag sleigh or a classic sleigh with two runners.

As mentioned above, such sleds can be made at home. By the way, if you try, you can make a snowmobile. There are a lot of interesting and simple designs on the Internet that can be easily replicated at home.

Purchased sleds, as a rule, require some modifications, although not significant:

• To prevent ice from collecting on the inner surface of the sled, they should be treated with a silicone-based lubricant or with a special ski wax.
• For driving in the dark, reflective elements should be attached to the sides of the sled.

Sleds or sleds for snowmobiles are simply irreplaceable for fishing and hunting. It is also a very practical and convenient solution for working in deep snow conditions. For example, for transporting firewood from the forest to home.

What is sold in stores is often very expensive and not always practical. Therefore, we will consider the issue of making a sleigh for a snowman with our own hands.

Sleigh-drag

This is the simplest type of sled. At its core, this is a trough attached to vehicle. Drags are well suited for transporting large volumetric loads at low speed using a snowmobile, but most often a motorized towing vehicle (motorized dog).

The bottom is flat, which ensures minimal pressure on the area and allows you to move through loose and deep snow.

Let's look at some of the simplest and most common sled options.

What we can buy in the store:

Simple drags for motorized dogs:

Despite the simplicity of the design, the cost of such a sled reaches 14 thousand rubles.

More comfortable and spacious sleds for snowmobiles that can withstand high speeds like these:

This option costs 26 thousand rubles, the drawbar costs about 5-6 thousand rubles.

To give you a rough idea of ​​the dimensions of the sleds, below is a drawing of these sleds with dimensions:

The cost of purchased sleds is quite high, and the durability of the drags leaves much to be desired. Therefore, it is worth considering making them yourself, since the design is quite simple.

Sleigh dragging with your own hands

Due to the simplicity of the design, the range of materials for the sled is enormous.

You can use everything that is lying around in the garage or at the dacha.

Below we will show you the simplest and most interesting homemade solutions collected by craftsmen from all over the world.

Wood is a universal and inexpensive material for making sleds. Quite a heavy design, but universal and repairable in almost any conditions.

Due to the simple design, there is no point in providing drawings, because It’s easier to make from what you have on hand. The size and model of the sled should also be taken into account according to your snowmobile. Too much heavy trailer The snowman may not be able to handle it.

An interesting version of a sled with a flat bottom can be made using small-diameter sewer pipes as a basis. We fasten the pipes together and get a very strong bottom with guides. This version of the sled behaves well in motion and is not afraid of tree roots and stumps found under the snow cover.

Sled for non-mobile with skis

This is a more complex option in terms of design. But it's worth it. Thanks to the use of skis, the sled becomes more stable and behaves more consistently at high speed. Also, when using skis, the body of the sled itself does not come into contact with the snow cover, which means it will last much longer.

Option 1 - steel frame and skis.

Durable and voluminous sleds for snowmobiles.

A pipe is used for the frame square section, diameter 20mm x 20mm.

The pipe is cut with a grinder and connected by welding.

Front sheet of metal 2mm thick. Serves to protect against snow and small obstacles. It is welded to the frame.

Skis are made from sheet metal, along the edges with additional stiffening ribs (made using a sheet bender)

The rigid hitch (drawbar) is welded from a 20x20mm profile, as is the main frame of the sled.

The end uses a spring to provide shock absorption during acceleration and braking. Without a spring, you risk rapid wear and tear on the towbar and its attachment to the snowmobile.

Sleigh drawing:

This version of the sled has one flaw - there are not enough guides on the skis.

Guides are needed for normal controllability of the sled, because... on flat skis the sled skids a lot when turning.

In the factory version, the ski with a guide looks like this:

If you do it yourself, you can weld a small corner or a steel rod of small cross-section to a metal ski (about 10mm for a 20cm wide ski).

Snowmobile sled made of plastic pipes

Interesting and affordable option snowman sled made of PP pipes. These pipes are used for water supply and sewerage.

Suitable for making frames water pipes 25-30mm.

For cutting, you can use special scissors, or a knife and a hammer (if you don’t have a lot of special tools)

To connect the parts we use a soldering iron for PP pipes. By the way, you can also use homemade devices based on an iron or even simply heating a tip from a piece of metal pipe on gas stove. The main thing is not to overheat the tip, since the special soldering iron does not have a high temperature.

How to make skis for a sled

Convenient to use for making runners sewer pipe diameter 100mm.

How to straighten a snowmobile ski tube:

Carefully cut lengthwise and heat with an industrial hair dryer or burner (with an open flame you need to be very careful not to melt the pipe).

We straighten it using two boards (pieces of plywood) placed on the floor and pressed down with a foot or a heavy object. You can also use a vice or a press machine.

It will not be possible to heat the entire length of the pipe at once, so we warm it up and bend it in small areas 30-40cm each. This way you won't need much effort.

There is one simple trick to secure the pipe to the runners.

The mounting method is suitable for any type and material of skis.

We push the heated pipe from above, thanks to this it fits tightly into place and immediately fasten it with self-tapping screws.

This option is ideal if you need to sheathe metal skis with a plastic pipe.

PP tube skis

You can also make skis from several water pipes with a diameter of 25mm

We lay it parallel and fasten it with long bolts or studs:

This design is less strong, but has a significant advantage over a solid HDPE pipe.

The tubes act as guides, making the skis more stable when turning.

I also use a combined option, when a supporting frame is made from PP tubes, and only then a large pipe is hemmed:

In this article, we tried to collect suitable ideas for making a snowmobile sled with your own hands. What kind of sled do you have? share your creations in the comments!

Winter always comes unexpectedly, even if you are really looking forward to it: one morning, waking up and looking out the window, we will see the long-awaited snow, which so attracts the kids to frolic! And adults are usually not averse to cheerfully throwing a couple of snowballs, enjoying the clean frosty air and squinting at the sparkling white, still untouched snow cover.

It would not be a mistake to say that the main attribute of winter games for children (and often adults) is a sled.

Parents who have to take their children to... kindergarten; An important help in the household is a sleigh, adapted solutions for various tasks. As a rule, any sled can be bought in a retail or online store: the choice of models is huge, the price range is very wide, the range of materials used and colors is also, as they say, for every taste. But what if you are a creative person, and your skilled hands miss the tools? Of course, get down to business! And the money saved, the feeling of satisfaction with the result and the child’s pride in his father, who “can do anything!” will be a well-deserved reward.

So, before you get down to business, you should choose the type of sled, think about its design and structure, and also decide on the materials. Let's be honest, you can assemble a classic-type sled on your own (“on your knees”)
or Finnish sleigh, which are distinguished by the presence in the front of a seat with a backrest and elongated runners with small anti-slip platforms for the feet.

As an option, you can consider a snow scooter with a front turning ski and steering wheel, but this is somewhat beyond the scope of this article and, in the strict sense, is not a sled.

The design and construction of children's sleds can be very diverse - from simple ones, aimed at solving strictly utilitarian problems, to carved ones, using openwork elements and parts made of bent wood, usually in a pseudo-traditional style. It will not be a secret that everyone House master chooses a design according to his capabilities and technical skills, often based on available materials.