Sap Collection Sled

[gator330]

With a pole for both, just the pole is a little diffrent at the end. Go from runner to runner with something sold I would use steel with a brace V shaped to the pole the tractor pole will have an end you can drop a pin in and will pull the sled forward and hold the sled back. For horses the pole only hold the sled back. They pull with the tugs on there harness.

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

You need to have a way of hooking that will prevent the sled from over running you if you stop fast or are going down hill. With the horses it is a pole that is held up by the neck yoke. It serves to steer the sled as the horses turn (the longer the runners, The harder it turns) and it holds the sled back by transferring forward pressure on the pole to the Breech strap around the horses back end, thus enabling to "hold back" the load. With a tractor you would need a regular tongue.

[gator330]

Or what Doug said.

[KenWP]

I grew up my whole life in a Mennonite community but there were only a couple of familys of actualy Amish the rest just never had radios and TVs. There are a few French Mennonites here but few and no Amish. Ontario has a big Amish community. I get hell every time I bring up the horse eating bit. Actually not many horses here maybe they all got eaten.

[C.Wilcox]

Alright guys, here's my progress on the sap sled so far. The runners are white ash and are about 2" wide and 3" tall. The cross beams are hackberry and are 3" by 3" square. That should be plenty strong enough to support all the sap I'll ever have access to. When done, the sled will be 64 1/2" long and 38" wide. The wheels on my tractor are about 70" apart so maybe the sled will track directly behind the tractor and not fall into the tire ruts, but we'll see. I'm not holding my breath. The other question in my mind is whether the width of the runners will be adequate to support up to 800 pounds of sap. Guess time will tell. I still need to put the deck boards on, some side supports, a tongue, and the runner protection. I know iron is traditional for runner protection, but I was thinking I might try splitting some heavy duty PVC pipe lengthwise, heating it up so it's pliable and molding it to the bottom of the runners. IF it works it should be more slick than iron, lighter, and still have fairly good wear resistance.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Looks very nice and very well thought out. Let us know how it works!

[Thompson's Tree Farm]

Looks Good! The runners should be lots strong. Ash is a traditional runner wood. With a runner the weight is spread across the entire length so you limit the stress. Runners usually break from turning or twisting. The idea of plastic shoes sounds good. Like the polyslick floors they put in trucks and manure spreaders. Added advantage would be it will not freeze down as hard between uses (this problem can also be limited by throwing a stick down and pulling one runner up on it when you park).

[KenWP]

Will PVC pipe stay pliable when cold or does it shatter. I like puck board or even a kids crazy carpet for plastic bottoms on a sled.

[C.Wilcox]

Will PVC pipe stay pliable when cold or does it shatter. I like puck board or even a kids crazy carpet for plastic bottoms on a sled.

Good question Ken. I guess we'll find out. What exactly is a kid's crazy carpet? And by puck board do you mean the plexiglass they use to keep the puck from flying into the stands or is it something different?

[KenWP]

Puck board is the white plastic sheeting they line the rinks with. A crazy carpet is those cheap plastic sheets of plastic kids use that roll up. The puckboard will take so much abuse its not funny. I have used truck loads of it to line the walls in pig barns.