Building a drag sled

[Joe Hart]

I am planning on building a drag sled out of wood. I am wondering if you all have some advice. I am going to pull/push it on both grass and the street.

1. What would be better for the runners. A 4x4 or 2x6 or 2x4. 2x6/2x4s on edge. Should I worry about putting some metal on the runners ( I am thinking angle iron on 2x6 or 2x4, not sure about 4x4) or just let it go?

2. What is the optimal height for handles/bar for pushing? Ideas for attaching said handles/bar. The sleds you can buy seem to have them pretty low, about 18inches or lower off the ground.

So the thought is to use deck screws and screw 2x4s (to make the deck)to what ever choice of runner. Then the standard pipe and flange bolted to the deck. I have thought about pipe for the handles or using 2x4 uprights with a diagonal brace and a pipe for the bar.

I have seen the wooden sled that is roaming around on the CF site and there are a few on other sites that are mostly plastic sleds (winter) with ropre attached. Yeah a prowler would be nice, but I would rather spend my money on a good squat rack, which I did. Bought the BWs. I digress.

Thanks

[Matthew Bacorn]

http://www.straighttothebar.com/2008/10/the_sled.html WFS

Still not sure about the runners though...

Let me know what you try though, i like building stuff and a sled seems pretty doable

[Jay Cohen]

Joe;

After seeing that Pic on the CF thread, I emailed it to my buddy that can pound nails/saw better then me. I can draw blood hanging a picture, you should see me with a chain saw.

He's going to construct the frame, then get with me to establish heights of pipe for push / pull/

The design looks basic and not only will it work, it's going to save me about 300 bucks. Then only down side, present design does not look like it will work on grass, but we're going to work on that.

Money saved, just allowed me to order a 32kg KB.

So, don't over think it, get some wood, screws, pipe, put the dang thing together, you can always modify.

I'll post my pic in a week or.

[Ken Urakawa]

I don't know if you're set on that, but you can always just get an old tire, drill a hole in one side for an eye bolt, cut a small piece of 2x4 to act as a giant washer on the inside of the tire, and you're good. We just cut 2 pieces of 2x4 to fit inside the tire, with a straight-from-Home-Depot pipe fitting to stack plates on. Works like a charm, very durable, goes on any surface, and costs about 5 bucks and time.

[Dean Saunders]

I just made my sled yesterday after months of thinking about it. I've seen some seriously sweet set ups, one of the best was a home made job I found on a firefighting training forum, (dont ask how I got there, I was drunk and havent a clue how to find it again)
Considered buying a ready made sled, considered the old tyre and bit of wood options, thought about the old wheelbarrow filled with cement, thought about a big piece of chain, ( I live in a mining town and you can get hold of old chain with links the size of basketballs if you know where to look).
But after months oftripping over a piece of conveyor belt rubber that was left over from the flooring of the home gym, I finally had an epiphany! I decided to try and use that. After cutting to size and cutting a hole and threading with 1 1/2 inch rope, not that easy I might add. this conveyor belt is nearly an inch thick and all I had was a stanley knife... And then I had my sled! Hooray!!

Got warmed up and started off by just pulling the rope arm over arm, fairly hard, thought I could do better and put a 20kg plate on and it felt like the weight had tripled. tried towing the damn thing with the rope around my waist , much much harder than I thought it would be.
The friction of the rubber just on grass was ridiculous and after 20 minutes of
alternating towing and pulling I was shattered

End result: One very effective sled, nearly indestructable and total cost was 20 bucks, 15 dollars for the stanley knife, the rubber was free and the rope I got for $5 from a garage sale the local scouts were having and had to get rid of it

Just got to work up the courage to use it a second time