Conference wahoo::fishing

    Just about any box will do.  Most folks put rails or skis on the
    bottom.  I made a simple 2'x4'x4" sled with a 2"x"4 frame and a 
    plywood floor.  I nailed some old skis to the bottom.  It's big enough
    to hold traps, auger, etc..  I also made a tubular frame for it from 
    some old tent poles and fitted a blue poly tarp to it.  The tarp covers 
    3 sides and the roof.  I set a small chair inside the sled and it makes 
    a nice windbreak - although in high winds it's more of a sail 8^).  
    
    Anything will do, you do not have to be a carpenter to make something
    like this.  Weight is the key factor in my opinion, you have to carry
    them occasionally and you do not want to have to lug 100lbs of sled
    around.
    
    good luck, donmac
    
    ps: I was planning to put this sled in the ads note when ice fishing 
    comes around, because last year I got a portable shack that doubles 
    as a sled as well and I nolonger use the smaller shed. 

    At first I had my tackle thrown into a bushel apple crate on top
    of an old sled. Works, so long as the snow isn't 6" or deeper.
    Then you work and sweat and are not having fun.
    
    Later a friend who could no longer endure cold, gave me his wooden
    box made of 1/2" plywood with a couple old wooden kids skis nailed
    to the underside. This was big enough for the big coleman, large
    bag of groceries, 16 tilts, jiggin' stuff and then some. OK on ice
    or with 1" of snow. Any more'n'at and we were again killin' our-
    selves with that thing plowin' snow. Then came the snowmobile, that
    made it a bit easier but with #1 son and I on the machine and the
    box plowin' the white stuff, belts were smokin'.  Turned that box
    into a kindling wood container.
    
    Sat back and started doodlin'.
    
    Ended up with a box long enough for the coleman + a couple inches.
    About 6" wider than the coleman, 18" high with a shoebox cover hinged
    on one of the longer sides, made of 20 guage aluminum with handles
    front and rear for lifting into the truck. Eyebolts on the front
    for the tow rope, eyebolts on the back for the stringers while they
    dangle in a hole.  Then I went to a few snowmobile dealers looking
    for old skis. Got a pair for $5.00 from John Deere. I made 4 sets
    of braces which resemble the struts which go from the fuselage and
    wings of small aircraft with wings overhead. This put the skis 4"
    below the box and 4" out which gave the box stability while flying
    behind the machine at 40+mph.  Well, the ole snowjet has since passed
    on and now it's back to basics: MUSCLE!  This thing pulls real easy
    even on top of a foot of snow. The power auger is strapped to the
    top. Bait is carried.  The tow rope is long enough so that it can
    be put around my waist in a loop, this frees my hands. I also carry
    a couple of folding aluminum lawn chairs.  They have to be hooked
    to the box via stringer/tow rope when it's windy. Take the auger
    off and one averaged sized person can lift it into the back of a
    3/4 ton chevy.  OH, almost forgot. I had to make new runners for
    the skis out of 1/4" square steel. formed and welded the bolt so
    a sharp edge is facing down. This keeps it behind you while towing
    when it's windy.  I did, on occasion, have a third person sit on
    the box when I had the snojet. Towed beautifully!!
    
    If any of you who are not fairweather fisher"persons", would like
    a rough sketch, I could go and measure it up and show how I made
    it.  Send EMAIL with mail stop.
    
    BUTCHYAGOTTA GET THE BOX UP OFFA DA WHITE STUFF!! Even this polak
    figerr'd dat owt.   :^)
    
    Fred
                                                                   
      

	I ready....Pulled out the equipment this weekend, Auger fired up on 3 
pulls and pured like a kitten, just some new leaders on the tilts and I'll
be all set. 

	I was thinking of building a "sled" to carry the tilts, bait bucket,
gas, skimmers, grill, food and drink. I have a pair of old maple skis about 
5'. I was thinking of a box about 15" wide, 15" long ang 5' long. I figured to 
make a yoke type mount on top of the box for the auger. I would like to keep 
it light ...any suggestions...

	JR

    
    RE:  .3.
    
    Only one suggestion as I pointed out in .2, and that is to
    raise the box off of the skis.  Take a look at an airplane
    with skis and do about the same. Leave the snow plowin'
    to the trucks. Believe me, it makes pullin that sukker a 
    helluva lot easier.  And keep the material light.
    
    Fred

    I'm looking for some plans and ideas on building a utility box
    for ice fishing. What I have in mine is a wood box that will mount 
    onto a toboggan or skis. I want too be able to store all my ice fishing
    equipment, (minus the auger), and cooking supplies such as stove, coffee
    pot and frying pan. It would be great if the top could open into a
    table for the stove as well,- but maybe the size and weight would
    prevent this ? Anybody got some plans or ideas ? If not, maybe I
    gotta design one. 

    Anyway this note is for the purpose of coming up with the ultimate
    utility box.


    Jim

    
             Just a note of interest...a fisherman told me to use
    an old snow sled, like a "Flexable Glider" we had when we were
    kids. This will create about a 4-6 inch clearance...mount the
    skis to the sled runners.
    
    
    

    RE:6 
    I thought about the sled with runners, but it would seem to be more
    work than just mounting the box to a toboggan. Thanks for the input
    though, I'll keep it in mind.


    This may take more time than I expected. I put a hint to my
    wife for  an power ice auger for Xmas. If Santa doesn't deliver
    I'm buying one anyway. -:) Soooo! I got a question for
    you guys that already own one. 

    Would you recommend that this utility box I'm planning, in re:5
    should hold the auger on the outside, or would you
    prefer to carry the auger ? 

    I'm thinking maybe I could have some sort of bracket on the top of the
    box in order to hold the auger ?

   
    Jim

Jim,

If you build the sled & box combo to enclose a power auger, be aware that 
it will probably leak some gas which could get all over things.  Also, if 
you are a smoker and open the box up, there could be a build-up of fumes 
that could ignite.  

On the otherhand, if you strap the auger to the top (ie outside), make sure 
that the sled is not too top heavy.  This has happened to me more than once 
and the sled and all contents got dumped into the snow.

Joe

    re .7 
    	Mount it under the box, that way it wont be top heavy.:-)

    Making a mount for the top is the way to go for the reasons Joe
    mentioned, also the Auger would take up a lot of room. You would loose
    valuable room for important things like Beer, Food, stoves etc.

    You do not want to carry a gas auger for any distance. They get 
    heavy. 


    Rich

    I'm in the process of building a sled. I'm actually still at
    the "gathering materials" stage. It's going to be 2 x 4 x 14"
    for the box, with the skis 3 ft apart. The skis I collected are
    6 ft long so I'm going to put some sort of a bracket for the power
    auger behind the box. One thing to keep in mind is the law requires
    a solid hitch if it is to be towed with a snowmobile. You just can't
    tie a rope to the sled. 
    
    My wife told me of someone she works with selling a dogsled for
    50  bucks last night. I would think that would be a good price.
    Does anyone know what they go for. I'm tempted to set aside the
    materials I already have, and just go for the sled....
    
    Marty
    

    re:-1
    Are you using plywood for the box ? If so how thick, 1/2 inch ?
    
    Thanks
    Jim

    The bottom of the box is 3/8 in plywood, with 1 X 10" with a 1X4"
    on top of it for sides. Support is from 2X3"s at hopefully the
    right places. I'm using 2x4s in 6 inch lengths with a hole drilled
    through the middle, and long carriage bolts inserted through the
    ski, up through the 2x4 and through the 2x3 supports to attach the
    skis. I still am not happy with the amount of support for the skis
    though. There's alot of leverage from side to side when you raise
    that ski up 6 inches. I wanted to go about a foot but ruled it out.
    I may angle the front of the box to help eliminate the build up
    of snow when it get's deep. I'll probably end up adding some supports
    to the ski supports.
    
    Marty

	My experience has been that skis are better then a sled or a toboggan
	as long as you space the skis outside the sides of the box and you
	elevate the box off the skis by about 5-6 inches.  This clearance for
	the full length of the skis is critical - otherwise the box may act 
	like a plow is snow.  The reason for separating the skis outside the
	sides of the box is for stability - my box is about 18" wide with the
	skis mounted about 30" apart (it's best to be to wide then not wide
	enough).  I ice fish allot and since I added the skis, (4 seasons) I've
	never dumped the box.  The same box on a sled and/or toboggan always
	gave me problems with it tipping over and that was before I acquired
	"Auger's auger".  The diagram at the end describes my box as it exists
	today - keep in mind that it's design evolved over the past 20 years
	especially around the undercarriage and the addition of the power auger.

	I carry my auger (and an Auger knows augers!!!) on top of the box.
	I notched out a 2x6 with a router and mounted it horizontally to the
	box cover to stop the auger handles from sliding.  The blade end of the
	machine overhangs the front of the box and is held in place by another
	piece of 2x6 mounted vertically (bolted through cover) with a notch
	to place the drill shaft in.  The machine is held down with a bungee
	cord, which also serves to hold my bait bucket in place next to the
	drill by wrapping the cord through the bucket handle as it goes up and
	over the drill.

	What is really nice about this setup is that I can PUSH or PULL the
	rig across the ice.  I find pushing it much easier on the back.  I
	simply grab hold of the auger handles and push.  I also drilled holes
	in the ski tips for a rope for pulling.  As far as ease of pushing/
	pulling across a variety of conditions it's great.  It slides like a
	sled on ice and I've pushed it through 1 foot of snow where conditions
	make sleds impossible.  One little hint is that when you build your
	ski mounts, angle the skis slightly, such that when on a flat surface
	like ice, the ski will ride on only one edge (probably less then a
	5 degree pitch).  

	I used 3/4' plywood (because I had it).  It may be a little heavy, but
	with all the stuff I bring what's a couple extra pounds.  Besides I've
	been using the same box for nearly 20 years - I doubt that thinner
	material would have survived this long.  The box has had many
	different undercarriages - but the same box.  I also have a couple of
	different compartments inside the box - one for the stove and tipups
	and the other for food/clothes etc.  Help keep things organized.


	Side View:                                   B=Notched piece of 2x6 to
                                              |-|<-- hold drill end of power
	         _______                      | |    auger - bolted through
	         |  A  |                      |B|    cover - blade overhangs
		---------------------------------<- 
                 |                             |   \
                 |                             |    - Hinged Cover with chain
                 |                             |
                 |                             |<---- Box dimensions are about
                 |                             |      18" wide, 18" high and
                 |_____________________________|      4' long.
                /-\                           /-\
               /---\                         /---\             /
	   __________________________________________________-/   <--~6ft ski


	Keep your worms warm !!!
	Dave