Building a Toboggan

[Wayland]

After the excessive wear I had on my pulk last year I decided to replace it with a toboggan that could be rolled up to fit inside my Flight luggage.

Teepee, Shewie, Udamiano, Maddave and Riam were also up for the same project so Teepee ordered two 5mm sheets of PE1000 which he cut into 6 - 16" wide strips which we collected at the weekend.

I've just finished making the wood work for the sled and have already sourced the tape, rivets, washers, nuts and bolts.

Just waiting for a dry day so I can get out to drill and countersink the sheet before putting it all together.

I promise I'll take some pictures as I go but the weather has been lousy today.

 

[Mesquite]

Look forward to seeing the end product Gary

 

[Imagedude]

If you've got a depth gauge fitted to your drill I'd suggest that you take the time to use it. Drilling too deep when countersinking is all too easy.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Something like this, perhaps?

 

[Shewie]

Looking forward to seeing the progress Gary, are you using Hoops tutorial or have you found another source, in one of your books maybe?

If you get chance could you post the links to where you ordered the hardware from

 

[Andy BB]

Sounds great - lots of details please! In addition to the normal role of pulk, I'm currently butchering a kidddies sled and adding some removable wheels to turn it into a trolley for the trips to/from the airport on non-snowy ground!

 

[Jared]

There's a video linked off http://www.blackriversleds.com/index.php/toboggan-kits of putting one together, though not too convinced with some bits of it.

 

[Wayland]

Something like this, perhaps?

I looked at a lot of sources but one of the most useful was Hoops tutorial on Winter Trekking.

Looking forward to seeing the progress Gary, are you using Hoops tutorial or have you found another source, in one of your books maybe?

If you get chance could you post the links to where you ordered the hardware from

I got the stainless slot headed bolts and nylock nuts from Clas Olsen and the rivets and washers, again stainless, from here.

The tape I'm using is this.

 

[Karl82]

they are very much like the 3 Clive made for our trip on the 4th Jan to Norway enjoy making it, I know Clive spent a lot of time researching the concept be for making them.

 

[Shewie]

I got the stainless slot headed bolts and nylock nuts from Clas Olsen and the rivets and washers, again stainless, from here.

The tape I'm using is this.

Thanks mate, once xmas is out of the way I'll be starting on mine.

Have you made a jig at all for the front curve?

 

[Wayland]

I'm not sure if I'm going to heat a curve into it.

I'll put it together and then see if I think it needs it or not.

 

[Imagedude]

Here's a trip report of a family using their home made toboggan.

http://www.wintertrekking.com/community/index.php?topic=2181.0;topicseen

 

[Wayland]

OK a bit more info on the build but the weather is still too lousy to get any pictures of the finished sled.

I selected oak for the hauling bar and stiffeners and marine grade stainless steel for the bolts and nylon locking nuts for fastening them.

I counter-bored the bars using a flat wood bit before drilling the holes through for the bolts. This allows the nuts to sit no higher than the top of the bars. There is also a slot worked into the underside of the hauling bar for 25mm climbing tape which forms the first link in the hauling system.

The 10mm tape, shown above, ise secured along the edges for load securing with counter sunk pop rivets and washers, stainless steel again.

One of the main objectives on this build was to produce a sled that could be rolled up tight enough to fit inside an expedition barrel bag of a size that would be acceptable on most airlines as checked in baggage.

The complete toboggan, weighing in at just under 7 kg. easily fulfils that objective and once in the bag can be filled with much of the awkward shaped equipment such as snowshoes, boots and shovels that are often troublesome when packing.

As soon as the weather improves I’ll post up some shots of the finished item but in the meantime you’ll just have to use your imagination..

 

[thebushcrafter99]

looks good am watching this thread eagerly

 

[Wayland]

Here you can see all the important parts of the rigging.

The side tapes are fitted directly to the base which makes them the only part that is not field interchangeable. A bit of a risk but I think there are enough attachment points that if one fails the rest should suffice.

The curl is held in place with a simple cord and prusik knot system. I had intended to make “whoopie” slings for this but in the end I went for the simplest approach.

Running through the front stiffener bar is the all important hauling loop for man handling the sled over awkward ground and obstacles.

The black tape forms the first link of the hauling system. I will attach a loop of shockcord to this and the harness will attach to that.

The sticker was salvaged from my old pulk, I don’t know how long it will stick on this new one but time will tell.

At the trailing end of the sled we have another stiffening bar and another grab loop. Currently this goes through the base of the sled. I think this may be a mistake on reflection so I may well change it to run through the bar, parallel to the sled surface where it is less likely to snag.

Loaded on the sled below are the barrel bags that I am using to fly all the gear out.

Although not completely waterproof the one I used last year proved to be airport and snow proof which is good enough for my needs.

The toboggan rolls up tightly enough to drop into the top of the bag and slide up to the end for packing.

These two bags leave a considerable amount of the load area for another bag which will contain the provisions we obtain locally.

Now I just wish this rain would turn into snow so I could get out and give it a test run.

 

[Shewie]

That looks great Gary, nicely done

Did you end up pre curving the front? Any chance of a close up of the prusik system, it looks like you've fed it along the top of the front bar somehow?

Hoping to make a start on mine next week

 

[Teepee]

Looking nice Wayland, the blue tapes work well with it.

Out of interest, what made you omit the "pushing shelf" behind the rear cross member? (the recess for a following hauler to be able to push the toboggan with a pole/stick )

 

[drewdunnrespect]

Gary

Does the fact i am BRAS-SICK SKINT mean anything to you because well your getting like shewie posting all this super sexi kit that well this kit ***** wants

only messing mate and looks awesome were did your group source the plastic from

drew

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

Nice work, after reading the Snowtrekker link, thinking that in softer snow the front may snow plough ? I suppose with the traditional sledge, two rails, is more for harder snow.

 

[Wayland]

Looking nice Wayland, the blue tapes work well with it.

Out of interest, what made you omit the "pushing shelf" behind the rear cross member? (the recess for a following hauler to be able to push the toboggan with a pole/stick )

I didn't notice that on Hoops thread to be honest, should have read it closer.

I'm not sure exactly when that would be useful though, seems like a good way for someone to do a lot of damage to the gear or bags at the back of your sled to me.

That looks great Gary, nicely done

Did you end up pre curving the front? Any chance of a close up of the prusik system, it looks like you've fed it along the top of the front bar somehow?

Hoping to make a start on mine next week

I didn't pre curve it because I want it to lie flat in the loft for the 11 months of the year when I'm not using it.

The prusik line is one piece of para-cord threaded across and through the front bar and down to holes running through the pulling bar. The cord then doubles back onto the line with a prusik at each end.

There is a bit of spare cord in the system which is kept neatly in line with a couple of overhand knots.

Nice work, after reading the Snowtrekker link, thinking that in softer snow the front may snow plough ? I suppose with the traditional sledge, two rails, is more for harder snow.

That's why the toboggan pulls from the bottom bar. It tends to lift the sledge rather than plough it.

My old pulk worked in a similar way but the larger surface area of the toboggan should make it float higher.