By Dan Beard
The sled with high runners looks odd to a Yankee, but it has its advantages when the snow is soft and deep, and it may be for this reason that the runners of
The Native Sleds of the Ohio Valley
average more inches in height than the sled runners of New En gland, where the snow is seldom slush as it is further south. Anyone can make the Ohio sled who has access to a lumber pile, a saw, a hammer and some nails. From the inch pine board 1, 2, 7, 6 (Fig. 497) saw off the triangles 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, 7, then with your jackknife round off the comers at 1 and 3 as shown in the diagram (Fig. 497).
A few inches from the stern, saw two slits one inch deep and 2 inches apart, then knock out the block, leaving a rectangular 1 inch deep by 2 inches broad (see 8 of Fig. 497); trim it evenly with your jack-knife and make a duplicate notch near the bow of the runner (9, Fig. 497); these are to hold the ends of the two braces shown in the diagram (Fig. 497). Lay the runner on another inch pine board and trace its outline, then make the duplicate runner in the same manner that you did the first.
Now take two strips 1 inch by 2 inches, and about 15 inches long, fit them in the notches so that the runners will stand about 1 foot apart (Fig. 497); see that the ends of the braces are flush with the outside of the right-hand runner and fasten them securely in place with nails or screws, after which saw the protruding ends of the braces even with the outside of the left-hand runner. Next hunt up a piece of board long and wide enough for a top; cut it as shown in Fig- 498, and nail it to the runners, and the sled is finished.
To make it run smoothly the runners should be shod with iron; narrow strips of sheet-iron will answer the purpose, but half-round iron is the ideal thing.
On a short sled the half-round irons will be sufficiently secure if fastened only at the bow and stern of each runner, as shown in the diagram of the bob (Figs. 502, 505, and 507). The Ohio sled may be made of rough lumber, or it may be made of good planed wood and finished in the most elegant style.
In "the good old days" I have seen such sleds 7 and 8 feet long, loaded underneath with pig-iron to give weight and velocity.
