New weight sled design

I was in the garage wishing I had enough materials for another sled when I realized I have other stuff to build a sled from. This one is closer to the one that Kel pointed me to except I used square tubing instead of round. I have a ton of it for my kit car build and it's easier to work with than round. Anyway, tell me what you think. This one was a ton easier to build, but cut time was longer. All together it took about a long as the first type.

Jason-
That is nice too. Not as much metal to scrape on the gound either. It would probably cut down on rusting issues too? I like it.

Yeah, it's a little lighter too I think. it depends on where you are going to do your training as to which one is better. The flat one will work great in the snow since it will get up on top of it and pull better. The rail sled will work great on grass, dirt, or gravel. It might sink in the snow when you pull it. I guess it depends on who is buying it. The cost of this one will be the same as the other.

Yeah I think the flat one is better for year round training. I just saw that there is a weight pull going on in March. I hope to have Moose ready by then!

i might have to build one of those iv been wanting one to help mikey stay in shape

Now you just need to paint some racing stripes and it'll be ready to go!

I was thinking flames would be cool. Coming up from the runners as if the dog is pulling it so fast it's catching fire...

Jason,
I would like one of the original designs once you get a price.
Are you coming to Novi or Grand Rapids??
Jim

i may also be interested in one. Sarah is looking for ways to get Gumpy back in shape and to give Jitter something else to do.

I posted a reply earlier... but now it's gone. Not sure what happened to it.

Anyhoo, I think I may be interested in this design rather than the first. I don't really need to worry about it sinking in deep snow because if there's enough snow to pull on, we're using the dogsled instead!

Jason, you mentioned this one would likely be better on grass and dirt/gravel... Do you think the rail sled will have less of a rust risk involved also? When we do dead weights, it's usually over rough ground and/or mud, so I'm basically looking for whatever will hold up best.

I would also be interested in a sled.

Kel,
They will all suffer from rust issues since they are all made from steel. The best advise I can give on that is to keep them dry (or dry them off after use). The paint will wear off as you use it, so maybe a yearly repaint with just rattle can paint will help. I would love to use stainless steel but no one would be able to afford it. The rail sled will have fewer places for water to get into and cause rust so it will be easier to clean. Either one will last a long time if you clean it after use. As far as rust we are only talking surface rust, not full on rust out in a short period. They will both last for many years of use even with a little surface rust on them. I have the rail sled if you want it Kel. I made it this weekend, but I can make another.

For myself I might be more inclined to use the rail type sled. But it's really a matter of preference.

Falon,
What type do you think you want? I need to make a list of everyone who wants one and what type.

Aimee,
Same goes for you. I can also make them a little smaller for your guys if you want too.

What are the prices for each? Are there pros and cons beyond rust?

Jason,
Kel's mom here. I will have access to some old fashioned turnstyles this Wednesday. I'm fairly cerain that at least parts are SS (I think that the round x-sectional turning pieces and the plate that people step on are). Some of the flat pieces are painted and most likely regular steel. Anyway- there is a lot of metal in those babies. Is there an easy way to tell what is stainless and what is not? If there is SS then that might cut the material costs some.

There really isn't an easy way to tell. The round parts as well as the plate could very well be stainless but they could be plated steel. It's possible they are either Nickel or Chrome plated mild steel. If they are, then they can't be welded. If it's stainless, then they can be welded. When you look at them see if there is any sign that the plating is wearing thin. You will be able to see the layers underneath. Chrome or Nickel plating is done in layers. The first layer is usually copper so you might see some copper showing thru. If they aren't plated, then you won't see any wear or very little wear. Stainless steel is pretty hard, so it wears very well. If you can get a pic of one of them and post it I might be able to tell. Without having it in my hand I can't really say for sure though.

I am also interested in one of the sleds if you will have any at Novi or Columbus. Great job on them

That sled looks great, that is a pretty cool design. I have a couple of suggestions though. The width of the sleds could be cut down to save material. It doesn't have to be much wider than a 10 lb. weight. The MAX that I use to condition a dog is half of their body weight. Which for Maximus is no more than 3, 10lb wieghts. These sleds are made for conditioning and novice training ONLY, not for heavy, heavy loads.

Another suggestion, I don't know what the cost would be but you could always galvanize the steel you have or buy premade galvanized steel to help the life of the sled. This could be done after purchasing the sled or added into the cost of sled depending on the usage.

Galvanized tube is a good idea except it's hazardous to weld. The Zinc makes a pretty green smoke that is NOT good to have around. I could spray them with a galvanizing primer before I paint them. I could also powder coat them for a little extra money. It's more durable than paint so it will protect against rust. Honestly I'm not that concerned about them rusting. Mostly you won't use them in the rain so that's not an issue. As long as you dry them when you are done the worst you will get is some surface rust on the contact surfaces that will rub off the next time you use it. Like i said before, they won't rust thru in one season of use. I restore cars and trust me, it takes a long time to get full rust thru on sheetmetal much thinner than I use on the sleds.

If the owner really wants I can have them zinc plated to really help resist rust, but it won't be cheap. I will have to verify with my plater but I would guess about $60 for the rail sled and close to $80 for the flat (more surface area). That is cost OVER the cost of the sled. Just an idea.

I agree, they could be made narrower but the extra width also helps in stability. It would save only a few inches on material, so it's not a big cost saver. We will see how it goes with these ones and I'm sure I will modify the design as I make more. I'm still looking into other ideas for other sled designs as well.

You know more about it than I do. I just thought I would throw a few ideas out there. I've had mine for about a 1 1/2 years and has no signs of abuse yet and I use it at least twice a week on packed sand. keep up the good work!!!!

I'm trying to come up with a safe way to have a sled that can be used on the sidewalk/street but I'm not sure how to keep it from chasing the dog if they go down a hill. Can you imgine the terrified look on your dog as they are being chased down a hill by a sled with 50lbs of weight on it? I've got a few ideas, but I will have to wait until it thaws out around here to try them out.

Put shafts on it. Problem solved. No dog chasing sleds that way. However, the handlers would then need to purchase a chest strap... and most wpull harnesses do not have the extra loop that allows for proper placement of a chest strap. However, one could be sewn on fairly easily...

I'll post some shafts/chest strap/harness loop pics so it's clearer what I'm talking about later...

Without shafts, the only other option I can think of is either driving the dog from the rear and keeping hold of a second line coming off the back of the sled to make sure it doesn't run up on the dog... or having a helper come along with you on your runs to hold said line if you don't want to drive from the rear.

Now you see my dilema. I had thought of the shaft idea, but like you said most harnesses aren't set up for them. I think that's the best solution. ALthough it would be pretty funny to watch Rocky run when the sled started catching up to him. It is fun to mess with him sometimes.

I'm also thinking of some sort of friction wheel/brake that can be adjusted to keep the sled from catching up but not making it overly difficult to pull. Also don't want to build up too much heat on the brake. I will try some things this spring when the air is warmer and I want to be outside.

Jason,
I just picked up two of the turnstyles (they are sitting in the back of my vehicle as I type). I think that quite a bit can be put to use. I believe there is even some aluminum heavy piping- can you weld that?
Could you PM me withyour contact info? We live somewhat close by. Perhaps I could run over soon to show you the things and get your input. If you can use it for sled material, then I would just leave them with you.

PM sent.

Nice looking sled....you probably had a lot of fun making that thing.

The only comment I would make is thet the square tubing for the runners might catch where they are bent up at the leading edge??

Just a thought......