Snow Sled Runner Question

[Paul Steiner]

I am build a simple sled for my kid and I have a question. Should the runners be flat or round like a bull nose?

[Mike Circo]

Make them flat and square. If they are rounded (bullnose) the sled won't track in a straight line. It will have little resistance to yawing sideways.

[David Epperson]

Actually neither. They should really be a bit concave with sharp edges to either side. What makes ice slick is that it temporarily melts under the pressure of the runner, the shallow "hollow" center channels this but still allows the edges to bite for control.

[Paul Steiner]

Sounds good! What about finish I was think outdoor polyurethane?

[David Epperson]

Sounds good! What about finish I was think outdoor polyurethane?
Whatever you use is going to take a beating, so keep that in mind. Not sure any finish will last for very long...which is why they went to steel runners. :D

[Fred Belknap]

We made a lot of them when I was a kid. We just made the runners square. We sometimes made a small sled (about 18" long) and attached it to the front for steering. We also put handles on the sides to steer and brake. That was BP aka Before Plastic. :)

[Paul Steiner]

Here is the sled I built for my son. I love how projects evolve. Originally I was just going to whip something together with some #2 oak I had on hand. But I decided to mix in some walnut and now I am thinking I should add metal runners. I was thinking of taking 1/16" steel and bending it around the runners. Attaching them with countersunk screws and two part epoxy. I am still gonna poly urethane the body, is there anything I shoud do to the steel? Wax or paint or oil, anything like that? Thanks for the advice!