Anyone have firsthand experience or know of a web site or other source for directions on toboggan building? I roughly imagine bandsawing some 8’+ planks, smoothing them, and then steam bending them around a piece of pipe. Plenty of subtleties come to mind though.
Pete
Replies
Sorry for the irrelevance of this reply Pete, but I still have the scar on my head from the 28 stitches I got the last time I was on a toboggan. When toboggan meets picnic bench, passengers get hurt.
Jeff
I'm still using the one I made 40 years ago in junior high wood shop...lots of fun.
DJK
There is a show on the Woodwright Shop (last year I think) that has a guy building skis, tobogan, and pram. I think there are also plans in one of the woodwright books. The basic idea is you get something like 3/8" birch where 3 will be the width of your project. You steam or hot water bend the curve around something like a ply wood form. Then you take the three pieces, and bring them together around something like a pipe so that all are even, you may even need a littl re-heat if they aren't perfectly even. Then start installing the crosspieces. These get attached at the top of the curve, and at the bottom, and in seating position along the bed. Use copper clench nails, ring nails or lash them.
Ok, I checked the WS books I have. It is in the"Eclectic " book. There is almost less material in there than I have given. He mentions ash, cedar, and the show uses birch. He has used oak but said it was only ok in a pinch.
These things really are just three boards nailed to some crosspieces that are either spilt rounds, or pieces of wood like a hockey stick. The only hard bit is to get the wood. You need some long pieces that are thin, and aren't kiln dried since KD is hard to bend.
Copper rivets are a good choice for fasteners, and can be purchased at boat suppliers, or LeeValley.
Here are some plans for a toboggan, I think they're from a vintage Popular Mechanics or similar magazine.
http://www.vintageprojects.com/kids/snow-toboggan.html
Vintage projects is a pretty cool website, by the way...lots of interesting plans from old magazine for all kinds of things.
before moist hot air they used green wood mostly maple bend to form tie up and dry ,start in july ride in dec. luck oh my back
toboggan building.. I just saw a show on PBS of some guy that gave up everything and moved to Alaska! He hand made a cabin and a dog sled!
No toboggan but close!
Very long ago.. Almost killed my wife.. Before we were married.. I got her a toboggan.. She did NOT want to go! I pushed her.. To the ER.. She still married me! Dang Girl!
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