Do you make your own sleds?

[Eskimo Carol]

I think I'd have to make my own, it would be too much to purchase from someone. We have a toboggan sled out there now, nothing fancy and it needs ... what do you call that are in the back , where you put your feet? I feel silly asking. And it also needs handles. But it would be a pretty good dog sled, at least for recreational use. It can't win a race but good to practice on

Around town people make small sleds for their kids, sometimes they take their dogs and go for kiddie runs so the kids can have fun. Cute little sleds! My niece is a mushing fan so I think we'll make her one someday and let her have fun with a dog. If you buy your sleds, where do you get them? Thanks.

[Musher6]

well there are a few ways to make a sled.. you could go my rout an make it up as you go (lets just say my mom wont be skiing any time soon and i spent more time in the wood place at home depot, oh and i have a LOVELY scar on my thumb thats about 3/4 in long from a minor slip with a saw... at midnight... both parents asleep...) long story short the sled never saw the outside... not only because it wouldnt fit up the basement stairs but it want safe enough for dogs... i mean it was sturdy and heavy as heck and actually looked like a dog sled.. well for the most part besides the skies and lumber but i was more comfortable using something made by professionals so i bought one. Or you can use a website http://www.ooowoo.com/JUNIOR/doityourself/k12sled.html http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/1704/dog1.htm
or what i would recommended the most would be to find a sled somewhere... it would ultimately be the best for new dogs and for a new musher... if one part of the sled is slightly off that could cause problems.. but once you have one then you could consider using it as a model to build your own along with websites.
Whatever you choose good luck!

PS. i got mine from sawtooth sleds in Minnesota.. its a toboggan.. the Sprint http://www.sawtoothsleds.com/catalog.cfm?CatID=tobb its the first one... not pictured (don't know what happened to it) but it looks exactly like the one below... well more like the one with the sled bag i guess cause mine has one.. though its loose not tight like that
I also have been considering getting (maybe making) a good racing sled though mine weighs next to nothing (24 lbs)

[Eskimo Carol]

Wow thanks Mel for the sites, I just scanned them now and I'll print em' out. I used to steam wood when I was in jr. high, we used to make eskimo drums for singing and dancing. My grandma still has mine hung up on her wall. It looks like a lot of fun making a sled, I'll try it someday but with help of course.

Those are some nice sleds on the sawtooth website, yeah I think I'll buy just one someday. A long time ago my ancestors used washed up logs to make sleds for their dog teams, they worked to get around the Island and hunt for food. It's pretty neat to read about them and hear stories from grandparents.

[AlaskanKristen]

Here's a list from Sled Dog Central with a bunch of places: http://www.sleddogcentral.com/equip_sleds.htm

[Woofy]

I made my sled. It sucks. Mostly cause we didn't have a steamer, so we soaked the wood for a week and bent it, but the runners got bent the wrong way, and so they weren't parallel the entire length, and so it drags to the side. Has a cool-looking brushbow, though. Eventually, I'll take and post pictures, I reckon. Fun to make, though, and I'll probably be making my next one, too, though I am thinking about purchasing runners instead of making bad ones again, ! This sled is a basket sled. The next will probably be a tobaggan.