Drop Down Smitty Sled…Ideas?

OK, it’s time for a Smitty sled. I walk out a lot and am tired of the huffing and puffing I end up doing when there is snow on the ice. I have a flip over, and because I am lazy, I don’t want to have to take it off the sled and put it back on every time I want to move. It will probably end up keeping me from moving as often as I know I should. I also don’t like the idea of being up higher off the ice than what I currently sit. The current height of my seats in the sled are a perfect height for me right now. I am guessing someone somewhere has designed a “drop down” version. I have a full wood shop and make furniture for a hobby, so I am confident I can make whatever design I find that I think will work. My problem is I am not very creative to come up with my own ideas. I really like to “borrow” others I have also been known to over build things. My theory is why build it when you can go the next step and over build it. When screws will do, mortise and tenons and dovetails will REALLY do. Any ideas or plans anyone has seen that they like?

Coffee table hinges

Bman’s got it. You can get a set for $20 on Amazon x2 for two skis

I’m starting a smitty build right now. Not sure what i will do… Id like to put as few holes in the sled as possible but might just go with the coffee table hinge idea.

Keep us posted on what you decide to do!

One other thought, you may want to devise a way to lock the skis in the down position, like for loading, as a lack of weight compressing the struts will cause them to extend.

Thanks Luttes!
Doesn’t get any easier than that. A little disappointing though. I thought I was going to get to make something cool and custom in the shop today. Sometimes simple is the way to go I guess!

Lol, i still think you could make it cool and custom! I don’t see many smitty’s out there in the first place and seeing one with hydraulic suspension would we sweet!

I’m curious if you could build something using one of these:

Would be cool to flick a switch and have your sled raise to the perfect height and go back down with another switch flick

Brew if you walk at all ice fishing you are not lazy.

This was the video I was watching and am going to make this model just because if you want to use the sled for multiple sleds or shacks it works. I have a Frabill Flip over that I use and then I just have a plain sled so this set up for a Sled allows me to rig up a couple set ups and if I am going to use the car when Ice is good I just take off the pieces from the botton of my sled.

The set up above looks good but this is just another simple alternative.

I am ready for ice!

tim hurley wrote:

Brew if you walk at all ice fishing you are not lazy.

I’m using this next time my wife tells me I watch too much NFL!

I just finished building a pretty simple drop-down smitty sled for my jet sled tub. I designed it so that a person could build it with simple tools and it mounts directly to the tub of your flipover or jet sled.

Not allowed to post links here but all the details are on my website, String Theory Angling dot ca!