Sledging

[Dibs-h]

Popped in Wickes yesterday afternoon and picked up a packet of M8 bolts and some large washers. 5 mins in the hallway (supervised by a 7yr old) and we had,

Shortly afterwards - cut up & slit some pipe insulation and used duck tape to secure that to the slats. A lot more comfortable than before - Or I should say less painful.

Then off to the woods for some testing. The handles are slightly long - so will shorten them this evening. From a brake perspective - pulling both certainly works well.

From a steering perspective - relatively pants.

In the end - reverted to the old fashioned technique, i.e. holding your arms out to the sides and using gloved hands to guide the sledge. We came off that many times, after the 3rd or 4th time - thought sod it and didn't give a hoot after that. :lol:

The folded up face towels in the back pockets of my jeans defintely worked a treat! :wink:

xy - thinking about that one. Might be time for MKII this evening. Probably limit the amount the the front ones can turn. That way hopefully it will reduce the chance of getting limbs\ankles caught up in it, if (more like when) you come off. Will probably make it a little lighter than MK1 - i.e. use roof lath offcuts for the seat rather than 2"x2".

 

[Qwibble]

I was over in rural Yorkshire for Christmas and with a stereotypical economy we sledged on empty plastic fertiliser sacks stuffed with straw. A bit of rope round the neck of the bag for reins. The ride was fast and comfortable, but no steering and just heels of your wellies for breaking.

Not even any kids as an excuse :lol:

 

[Dibs-h]

I was over in rural Yorkshire for Christmas and with a stereotypical economy we sledged on empty plastic fertiliser sacks stuffed with straw. A bit of rope round the neck of the bag for reins. The ride was fast and comfortable, but no steering and just heels of your wellies for breaking.

Not even any kids as an excuse :lol:

Now there's an idea! I've got some thick gauge rubble sacks (unused) somewhere and an old pillow in there - would be quite a laugh, along with comfortable!

 

[frugal]

I was over in rural Yorkshire for Christmas and with a stereotypical economy we sledged on empty plastic fertiliser sacks stuffed with straw. A bit of rope round the neck of the bag for reins. The ride was fast and comfortable, but no steering and just heels of your wellies for breaking.

Not even any kids as an excuse :lol:

Now there's an idea! I've got some thick gauge rubble sacks (unused) somewhere and an old pillow in there - would be quite a laugh, along with comfortable!

Fill 'em with snow at the top of the hill. That way you can empty them when you get to the bottom so they are lighter as you walk back up the hill.

 

[dedee]

scariest "sledge" I have used was a tin tray. Lighting fast in a steep hill.

Andy

 

[devonwoody]

just seen a motorcyclist going sideways, down hill, through our corner outside.

Think he was trying to get the next 6 months on sick leave :x

 

[Dibs-h]

scariest "sledge" I have used was a tin tray. Lighting fast in a steep hill.

Andy

As children we used to "liberate" the barriers on roadworks, like the red & white one below,

bend it half - sit on half, wedge your feet in the bend and pull the other end towards you & hold it. Insanely fast!

 

[BMac]

scariest "sledge" I have used was a tin tray. Lighting fast in a steep hill.

Andy

You should try a Ford Anglia bonnet some time. We used to ride one down grass embankments, it was very thrilling - especially at the bottom!

Brendan

 

[Harbo]

The trouble with the thin sheet type sledges is that you generally have to sit on them making steering difficult.

We used to sledge face down (and forward) using your toes to steer or brake. Also much easier to roll off and abandon ship from that position?

Rod (still snowing in Hants!)

 

[Dibs-h]

The trouble with the thin sheet type sledges is that you generally have to sit on them making steering difficult.

We used to sledge face down (and forward) using your toes to steer or brake. Also much easier to roll off and abandon ship from that position?

Rod (still snowing in Hants!)

I ain't that brave!

 

[speed]

today i had to remove a stud wall so had loads of 4x2 so i made a sledge.

i rounded the bottoms with plane and sander, bandsawn some into 4x1
result

 

[RogerS]

scariest "sledge" I have used was a tin tray. Lighting fast in a steep hill.

Andy

That's an Olympic sport called the luge!

 

[Oryxdesign]

Here's mine, aluminium tube with ash seat, it's about 30 years old now.

 

[wizer]

scariest "sledge" I have used was a tin tray. Lighting fast in a steep hill.

Andy

As children we used to "liberate" the barriers on roadworks, like the red & white one below,

bend it half - sit on half, wedge your feet in the bend and pull the other end towards you & hold it. Insanely fast!

hehe we did that too. Great fun. I really wish I could have another go

 

[big soft moose]

while walking the dog on a local bridleway down a 1in 2 slope from the ridgeway i went "sleding" earlier without the benefit of a sledge :shock:

The dog pulled me off balance and down i went on my @rse and back grabbing the dog as i went past - its amazing how much speed a man and a collie dog can build up going down a 100m slope !

fortunately i managed to brake by digging my heels in at the bottom just before we encountered the barbed wire fence

 

[matt]

Try adding some plastic conduit to the runners... Makes for a very fast ride. My school was on top of a hill...

A crowd of us would come down that hill on a sheet of rusty old corrugated iron. There was no stopping it, the only option was to bail out - each man for himself!