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Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:30 pm
by Durham68
I saw the same thing. Aside from forming some kind of keel or runners with epoxy or fiberglass, I was thinking that the person in the rear seat would have to have an oar or something else to drag behind the sled to keep it from spinning. It is a drag, but less so than the hand steering we used to do when we were kids and that wasn't too bad once you really got moving. This is the backup plan along with a refrigerator box.

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 8:50 pm
by Durham68
What about piecing together runners with layers of cardboard and covering them with tape or epoxy? They could be assembled like the image below and shaped as needed to smooth out the steps and minimize the weak point at the tip.

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:06 pm
by Durham68
Or like this. Less cutting and assembly. Same effect. Triple-walled sheets are 5/8" thick so It wouldn't take more than a layer or two to create the runners.
runners 2.JPG

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:47 pm
by MarkD
Coat the bottom with a high temp epoxy. If it's well below freezing coat with water and let it freeze, ice on ice is low friction. If above freezing heat the surface with a propane torch, layer of water is even lower friction. Put some sort of drag on the back to keep it pointed nose first, either a chute or snow anchor.

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 12:06 am
by Precision
sounds like lots of fun. I think the top runners on the bottom and the lower picture inside for foot purchase and lateral rigidity. Says the guy mostly from Florida.

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 12:37 am
by Old Grafton
Follow the suggestions, after all the above (except epoxy, keep the costs down) drown it with Thompson's Water Seal (paraffin and mineral spirits, basically). I used big cardboard boxes (think upright Freezer) for deer blinds and used TWS and they'd hold up for the entire Ohio deer season!

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 2:20 am
by Netpackrat
Your 2 part epoxy with milled glass fiber mixed in for bulk is an adhesive....

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:20 am
by Netpackrat

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:58 am
by HTRN
Fiberglass resin, then wax once cured.

Re: Cardboard Sled Race Help

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 2:31 pm
by Precision