Winter Games. DIY snow scooter
Today, purchasing skis or snowboards is not a problem. They are sold in every sports store, however, you can always stand out from the crowd and ride along the slope on a homemade sports equipment for descending the mountain.
In addition, commercially produced slide equipment is poorly suited for teenagers and entertainment. It is this gap that can be filled by making snow scooters for going down the mountain with your own hands.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the sliding coating; factory ones use plastic; it glides well on snow; for homemade snow scooters, you can use linoleum to cover sliding surfaces. It is cheap and easy to change as it wears out, and it glides on snow just as well as branded plastic!
Winter sports equipment, which you see in the pictures, allow even a beginner, after a little training, to become a real slalom skier. And this despite the fact that on one apparatus they slide down the hill while lying down, on the other - while sitting, and on the last one, and even more difficult - standing.
Do you want to build yourself such shells?
Then let's get to work! You have probably already noticed their design feature: the main detail is wide board. And one more thing: none of the shells have a rudder. However, if you practice well, you can master all the elements of slalom. We will tell you how to achieve this for each projectile. For now, let's start our conversation with the most labor-intensive part.
ON THE BOARD STANDING
This projectile is assembled from a wooden platform board, two movably connected brackets (unit with parts 1-6) and two wooden skis. Some brackets are fixedly fixed on the platform, others - to the skis. Special axles allow the fixed brackets to swing in the plane of the transverse main center line. The angle of inclination of the movable bracket, and therefore the platform, depends on the elasticity of the rubber shock absorber pads, which is why the suspension of our projectile is called swinging.
How and from what to make a platform and skis? The easiest way to make these parts is from a board. The thickness of the workpiece for the platform is at least 25 mm, and the skis are 20 mm. Select strong, smooth boards without knots or strands. Oak, elm, and birch are suitable. If you cannot find the recommended wood, use the usual, most popular - pine or spruce. True, in this case the board needs to be taken a little thicker, and the places where the brackets are attached must be reinforced with steel plates. To be able to bend the ends of the workpieces, boil them in a bucket for at least two hours. While hot, fasten them in a bent state with blocks on the slipway, let them dry.
There is another way to prepare the platform and skis. The figure (View B) shows the form. Assemble it from boards and blocks. Glue veneer sheets one after another onto the top curved surface using epoxy resin. When the glue has dried, the workpiece should be processed so that it looks as shown in the figure. The thickness of the multilayer workpiece should be at least 10 mm.
On finished parts mark the fastening points, but do not drill holes yet - it is more convenient to drill them in place, that is, when the pendants are ready.
There are four swinging pendants. They are the same, so we'll tell you how to make one. From a steel sheet (the thickness of the material is indicated in the figures), cut out parts 1, 3, 4 and 7. File sharp edges and burrs and drill holes. To make it easier to bend steel blanks (parts 4 and 7), heat the bends first, and only then start bending.
Make axis 6, on which the bracket swings, from a steel rod with a diameter of 8 mm (its length is 130 mm). You can cut threads at the ends of the axle, or it’s easier to drill holes with a diameter of 2 mm for cotter pins. The finished axle should be welded to part 4, and the cover (part 1) and plate (part 3) to the top bracket.
The suspension is assembled in the following sequence. First, fixed brackets are attached to the platform with screws. Movable brackets are attached to the skis. Elastic rubber shock absorbers 5 are installed inside parts 4. The assembly is finally fastened with axles with a diameter of 6 mm and secured with cotter pins.
The athlete slides down the slide in a straight line, he stands on the platform and, pushing off with one leg, trying to maintain balance, keeps the board in a straight position - the projectile rolls straight. Now you need to make a turn to the right or left. To do this, you need to tilt the body in the direction of rotation. The center of gravity moves, so the athlete puts more force on the edge of the board. Under load, the rubber shock absorbers are compressed, the platform tilts and the supporting movable brackets rotate relative to the stationary ones, rigidly fixed to the board. The skis turn in the direction the athlete is leaning.
ON THE BOARD LYING
This projectile is shown in the picture above. As we noted earlier, the main detail is a wide curved board-ski. To make lying more comfortable, a support board is provided. Pay attention to how it is attached to the ski: at the front using two door hinges, and at the back - two springs. The springs serve as shock absorbers - they soften the shock when descending an uneven hill. A foam mattress, which is tied with straps to a support board, also serves the same purpose. In a lying position, it is difficult to change the position of the body and thereby make turns. A wide cross board will help make this easier. Handles are attached to the top of the board, and wide runners are attached to the bottom. The board acts as a rudder. Holding these handles, the athlete easily moves his body left and right, shifts the center of gravity and turns.
The figure shows: 1 - ski; 2 - T-shaped keel; 3 - loop; 4 - support board; 5, - runner; 6 - handle; 7 - steering board; 8 - MB screw; 9 - foam mattress; 10 - spring; 11 - block; 12 - slipway.
Let us draw your attention to the manufacturing technology of individual parts. The front end of the ski bends in exactly the same way as in the previous case. A T-shaped keel is nailed to the bottom surface of the ski with short nails. It is made from a duralumin corner of a T-shaped profile. To give it the appropriate bend, place the workpiece with the upper shelf on the anvil and “pull” the metal with short blows of the hammer on both sides of this shelf. Check the curvature of the bend as often as possible by applying the keel to the ski.
Springs can be taken ready-made from an old bicycle saddle. The method of attaching the springs to the ski and to the support board is shown in the figure.
SITTING ON A BOARD
This projectile is the simplest (Fig. 3). Using a hacksaw with a narrow blade, cut out a ski from a board 40-45 mm thick (part 1). Its outlines are shown in the figure. Give the required curvature with a semicircular file. The runner will be a steel plate 2 with a thickness of 1-1.5 mm and a width equal to the width of the ski. The runner is attached to the ski with short screws. Seat 6 has dimensions of 300 X 200 mm, and low back 5 has dimensions of 200 X 80 mm. Cut these parts out of a 20 mm thick wooden board. The seat and back are attached to the ski with screws. Additional strength is provided by brackets 3 connecting the ski and the seat. For ease of use, the skis are equipped with 4 handles.
You should ride this apparatus only on a well-rolled hill, where the crust is strong enough. It is very difficult to sit on it, so your legs will help you maintain your balance.
See also:
- allow you to drive down the mountain “ahead of your squeal” and are equipped with air rudders.
- allow you to ride across the expanses of our Motherland in winter and drag skiers up the hill.
- In the summer we ride on a krating, in the winter we go on a snowmobile.
So that my first-grader grandson, in his free time from school and on weekends, would not spend too much time on gadgets, but would spend more time in the fresh air, I made a snow scooter for him. I took a design from my childhood as a basis and modernized it a little.
It took: sheet of plywood size 800x300 mm, thickness 8 mm two slats of polyethylene sheet 50x750 mm three pieces of pipe d 20 mm two bicycle handles two strips sheet metal 60x20x4 mm rubber mat 220x250 mm.
Making a children's snow scooter
Prepared a design drawing (see figure). One edge of the plywood was rounded and bent using blowtorch. To do this, I clamped the workpiece in a vice, heated the bend, bent the part to the required radius and secured it with a weight.
Then I processed all the surfaces of the resulting ski sandpaper, first large, then small. On outside of plywood along the edges, polyethylene slats (runners) were secured with aluminum rivets.
I welded a steering rack from a pipe and metal strips and secured it to the ski with rivets.
I glued a rubber mat where the legs were installed. I painted the structure with waterproof paint for exterior use.
My grandson really liked it the new kind transport, and he immediately began testing.
Anatoly Matveychuk, Zavodoukovsk.
Photo by the author
CONSULTATION WITH A SPECIALIST
We are mastering new transport
Nowadays, snow scooters have gained significant popularity, because they are an excellent means of active recreation for children, compared to ordinary sleds. But, like other designs, this winter type of children's transport has both pros and cons, which caring parents should be aware of.Easy to carry;
High speed and fairly high maneuverability on descents;
Easier to learn than a wheeled scooter, as the wide ski provides stability;
Teaches the child to maintain balance and develops the vestibular apparatus. Manufacturers claim that riding a snow scooter even lays the foundation of knowledge for a child’s further mastery of snowboarding;
Not suitable for small children who do not yet have sufficient coordination of movements;
Your child will need to practice and have their share of falls before this type of winter transportation is mastered;
Suitable only for going down slides, but not suitable for transporting a child around the city.
Dmitry Maksimovets, sales consultant, Volgograd region.
I made this snowmobile literally in a couple of weekends in the garage at the dacha. Although its design at first glance looks very simple, nevertheless, in terms of cross-country ability in deep loose or wet snow, it is not inferior to most industrially produced snowmobiles.
A few years ago I built a snowmobile for my nine-year-old daughter. homemade caterpillar from conveyor belt and plastic water pipes as lugs. At first I had doubts about the reliability of such a caterpillar and how it would behave plastic parts in the cold. But during two years of winter operation, no breakdowns or severe wear of the pipes occurred. This inspired me to create a light snowmobile for myself with the same homemade track.
Understanding full well that the smaller the mass of the snowmobile and the larger the supporting area of the caterpillar, the better its cross-country ability in loose and deep snow, I tried to make the design as light as possible.
The operating principle of the snowmobile is very simple (Fig. 1). There are four wheels installed inside the caterpillar, which, when moving, roll along a conveyor belt on which lugs are attached. And the caterpillar drive from the motor is carried out by a chain through the driven shaft using special drive sprockets. I took them from the Buran snowmobile.”
With an engine from a conventional walk-behind tractor with an automatic clutch with a power of only 6 hp. you won't accelerate quickly. I planned to ride the snowmobile not on compacted paths, but on loose snow, so I abandoned the soft track suspension and skis to reduce the weight of the snowmobile and simplify the entire design.
First I made the caterpillar. Plastic water pipe 40 mm in diameter, cut into blanks for lugs 470 mm long. Then I sawed each piece lengthwise with a circular saw into two equal parts.
Using the device shown in Fig. 2, circular saw I cut plastic pipes for lugs along the wood.
I attached the lugs to the conveyor belt with two 6 mm diameter furniture bolts with a large semicircular head. When making a caterpillar, it is very important to maintain the same distance between the lugs, otherwise they will run into the teeth of the drive sprockets and the caterpillar will begin to slip and slide off the rollers.
To drill holes in the conveyor belt for mounting bolts with a diameter of 6 mm, I made a jig. The holes in the tape were drilled using a wood drill with a special sharpening.
Using such a jig, you can drill 6 holes in the conveyor belt at once to attach three caterpillar lugs.
At the store I purchased four inflatable rubber wheels from a garden cart, two drive sprockets from a Buran snowmobile and two sealed bearings No. 205 for the caterpillar drive shaft.
I asked a turner to make the drive shaft of the caterpillar and supports for the bearings. I made the snowmobile frame myself from square pipes 25x25 mm.
Since the axes of the ski and steering hinges are on the same line and in the same plane, you can use a continuous tie rod without ball ends.
Ski turning bushings are easy to make. I welded 3/4″ female plumbing couplers to the front cross member of the frame. I screwed pipes with external threads into them, to which I welded the bipod of the ski steering rack.
I recommend using skis from the Argomak children's snow scooter. They are lighter and more flexible, but they need to be equipped with corners for attaching to the snowmobile's rotating stand and a metal undercut at the bottom - for better control of the snowmobile when moving on crusty or compacted snow.
The chain tension is adjusted by moving the motor.
Driving a snowmobile is very easy. When you increase engine speed with the throttle handle located on the steering wheel, the automatic centrifugal clutch is activated and the snowmobile begins to move. Since the estimated speed of a snowmobile is low (only about 10-15 km/h) and depends on the density of the snow, the snowmobile is not equipped with brakes. It is enough to reduce the engine speed and the snowmobile stops.
I will share a few tips that may be useful when repeating this design.
1. I cut the pipe for the tracks along the hand circular saw on the wood, first on one side, then on the other. This makes it smoother than cutting both walls at once. It is more convenient to process small workpieces. If you immediately cut a long pipe lengthwise, then the plastic will melt and the saw blade will jam.
2. Caterpillars can be made of any width. And each designer has the right to choose what is more convenient for him: to make a wide but short track or a narrow and long one. Just remember that with a large caterpillar the snowmobile will be difficult to control and the engine will be more loaded, and with a small one it may fail in loose deep snow.
3. Some of my photos show that there are plastic “barrels” installed inside the caterpillar.” These are guide stops for the slide, which should prevent the caterpillar from sliding off the rollers. But during the operation of the snowmobile, the caterpillar did not slide off the rollers even without slipping, so “barrels” can not be installed, which will reduce the weight of the snowmobile.
4. At the end of winter, I completely disassembled the snowmobile to determine its weight. The weight of its individual components turned out to be as follows: caterpillar - 9 kg;
drive shaft assembly - 7 kg; two pairs of wheels with axles - 9 kg; engine and steering wheel - 25 kg;
pair of skis - 5 kg;
frame - 15 kg;
double seat with posts - 6 kg.
In total, everything together weighs 76 kg.
The weight of some parts can be further reduced. Nevertheless, the weight indicator for a snowmobile with a track of this size is quite satisfactory.
The geometric dimensions of my snowmobile are as follows: snowmobile frame length - 2 m; the distance between the axes of the support wheels (rollers) is 107 cm; The width of the caterpillar is 47 cm. The pitch of the caterpillar lugs depends on the thickness of the conveyor belt and it must be selected experimentally (I got 93 mm).
I do not provide exact dimensions and drawings of the snowmobile parts, since anyone who plans to repeat the design will be guided by those parts and components that they can purchase or manufacture on their own.
Making a snowmobile with your own hands is much easier than it seems. This will require desire, a few parts from equipment sitting idle in a barn or garage, amateur skills in working with metal and a little time. Purchased components will most likely also be required, but the cost of a snowmobile or snow scooter with a motor, assembled in a few evenings, will be much cheaper than a purchased one.
General rules of constructions
Homemade products for driving on snow are varied in appearance, size, layout, power and even the principle of movement. But in each variety there are components that provide the properties necessary for snowmobiles, namely:
- Don't fall into the snow.
- Move along the surface with minimal friction and in the desired direction.
Obviously, the probability of sinking into the snow and the friction force depend on the weight of the unit, the contact area, and the shape of the surface in contact with the snow. Of course, the condition of the snow has its influence, but this must be taken into account.
To fulfill its main purpose, the following components are always present in the design of a snowmobile:
Making homemade products is simplified by the availability of parts from specialized equipment. Often spare parts are taken from Buran snowmobiles or any tools and vehicles with a motor - scooters, motorcycles, walk-behind tractors. The scope for creativity when creating each node is huge. There are many varied and proven solutions for every detail.
Simple children's snowmobiles
The easiest way to make a support is to install wide skis under the frame. The option of creating a motor sleigh is especially attractive because it uses a children's snow scooter and a tool with a low-power motor - for example, a screwdriver, a hand-held lawn mower-trimmer or a 2-horsepower chainsaw. 
A children's snowmobile is assembled from a chainsaw without strengthening its frame, but to transport adults in winter clothes, it is worth adding strength to the structure.
Ice motor sleigh
Walking along the river in winter is a slippery experience. However, if you replace the snow scooter with a sled and attach to it a motor from a Druzhba chainsaw with a power of 4-5 hp, you will get safe remedy movement on ice:
The efficiency and speed of the sled on ice is significantly higher than that of other designs. But such a design will work with great difficulty on loose snow.
Inflatable wheels
In terms of time consumption, the second most attractive design after snow scooters and sleighs is homemade snowmobile from a chainsaw on wide inflatable bladders from the wheels of a truck or tractor. A uniform layer is applied to their surface for strength. liquid rubber or other flexible and waterproof material is glued. Chains are placed around the circumference at equal distances from each other across the chamber or crossbars are firmly attached to increase traction. Wheel rims can be used for bicycles, motorcycle or do it yourself.
If the inflatable structure does not have runners, then it will be able to ride on the ground even without snow. Frames can be installed on such all-terrain vehicles along with engines from Izh, Ural or Dnepr motorcycles. Design disadvantages - dimensions, weight and high degree vulnerability of the wheels, but this does not affect the popularity of high-speed homemade pneumatics.
On caterpillar tracks
Track supports are used more often than others, simultaneously performing the function of propulsion. The reason is high efficiency and reliability. This design makes it possible to develop high speeds, maintaining stability and maneuverability. There are several options for how to make tracks for a snowmobile with your own hands:
- from a conveyor belt;
- from truck tires;
- from driving V-belts.
Plastic or PVC tubes no larger than an inch in diameter, sawn along the axis, must be bolted across the conveyor belt.
Even a child can handle such a lightweight device.
Old truck tires with winter tread can also be used as tracks if you cut off the sidewalls. They don’t need crossbars, but you will have to sweep the edges with fishing line in centimeter increments, otherwise the tire will quickly become frayed.
Drive belts, just like the conveyor belt, must be equipped with lugs. Several parallel belts, 2 or more, are connected to each other by transverse strong lugs, attaching them to the belts with rivets or with screws. The distance between adjacent hooks should be equal to the pitch of the drive sprocket.
Tracks made from conveyor belts or belts are often reinforced with chains, which increases the reliability and durability of the propulsion unit.
These snowmobiles combine lightness with a reliable drive.
One of the varieties of tracked snowmobiles is a motorized dog, which was named after its resemblance to a sled dog. At the expense of maneuverability, the design was lightened, and the traction force also increased. But this is the most effective towing mechanism in the snow.
To change direction, you need to make significant efforts to shift the center of gravity of the motorized dog.
The basic dimensions for assembling a two-seater snowmobile, indicated in the drawing, will help make the ride comfortable. Other sizes will depend on the availability of spare parts and assembly diagram.
When driving, discomfort from headwinds is alleviated by installing motorcycle glass and mudguards for the feet. But it is impossible to completely protect yourself from the cold wind on such transport. For comfort you need completely closed cabin, which means the weight will increase and a more powerful engine will be required.
Snowmobile with car engine Designed for long trips over long distances. With heat-insulating body material, the ride is comparable to the comfort of a passenger car.
And the easiest way to achieve comfort is to simply place a rear-wheel drive vehicle on wide supports such as skis, tracks or pneumatic wheel tubes, and also drive the standard wheels to the snowmobile propulsors and attach the front ski to the steering bipod.
During manufacturing, it would be useful to provide a replaceable scheme for replacing wheels with skis and back, if you use spare parts for the conversion.
Upgrading homemade snowmobiles
After riding a simple snowmobile assembled with your own hands, it is impossible to resist thinking about improving transport. First of all, you can reduce the influence of frosty wind. For this, ready-made fairings and windshields are usually used - for example, like the popular Buran:
On short winter days, the light from a motorcycle or car headlight will come in handy more than once. To make the lamp shine, you need a generator. For mini-structures, it is enough to install a bicycle generator driven by a motor gearbox. High-speed devices will require more powerful lighting.
There is no limit to perfection. Once assembled, the snowmobile can be endlessly equipped with new devices for performance, comfort and reliability. Many forums on this topic exist on the Internet, allowing you to share your own experience and take into account others’ experience in designing winter transport.
Attention, TODAY only!
Any boy can easily master this apparatus in a few training sessions, and it is not difficult to make it with your own hands.
As you can see in the figure, the projectile consists of three skis: the main one, the support one, and two side ones - the steering ones. You can also use an old ski (as the main one), and plastic skis are also suitable for support skis (see photo 1).
You can do everything yourself. Let's take a closer look at this. For the main ski, choose a board of birch, beech or other hard wood with a width of 200 and a thickness of 22 mm. It should be smooth, without knots or chips. Depending on your height, the length of the board ranges from 800 mm (height 120 cm) to 1400 mm (height 170 cm).
Marking.
Draw a life-size template of the main ski on cardboard or thick paper. Using scissors, cut the template along the outline. Place the template on the board and outline with a pencil. Using a hacksaw, carefully cut the workpiece along the contour. Use a file and sandpaper to remove all roughness and burrs.
Now the end of the board needs to be bent at an angle of 30°. Heat a bucket of water. Submerge the front end of the board in boiling water for about an hour and a half. The workpiece steamed in this way can be easily bent. Clamp the end of the ski in a pre-prepared slipway and let it sit until the wood is completely dry. The ski is ready. Paint it with bright nitro enamel.
The easiest way to make two short steering skis is from old cross-country skis or plastic skis, which are abundant in the store). Their length is approximately 300-400 mm.
Making the frame.
Next, start making the frame. Pick up the pieces steel pipes outer diameter up to 20 mm and steel strips up to 2 mm thick. Assemble a frame from pipes, and make brackets and a stop from strips. On Figure 2 The sizes are not given - you need to choose them yourself depending on the height and length of your arms.
Rice. 2 Snow scooter, ski mounting option.
The finished tubular frame is connected to the brackets using rivets. The brackets and stop are attached to the skis with screws. It should be borne in mind that the lower support plane of short skis is located 25 - 40 mm above the sliding plane of the load-bearing ski. All that remains is to attach the seat to the main ski, and you can go up the hill. The projectile is controlled by two short ski-rudders attached to a swinging frame.