Micro sled version 2.0

[jhl.verona]

As with most sleds it works best on packed snow - or at least a hard crust. Most ski resorts around here have a baby run where you can sled, or even a special sledding slope. If you're an extreme sledder, this is probably not the sled for you. Hmm, "Mad River Rocket Killer B" what a name for a sled!

Now I have to finish the beasts. I'll be using polyurethane varnish (monocomponent) but the problem is the temperature. The next few days will be sunny, but the temperature is down to single figures during the day (say mid 50's).

Strangely enough I didn't get permission to varnish in the bedroom from my better half - can't think why. I've made arrangements to use a friend's shed.

The temperature worries me somewhat. The can says 5°C minimum, and I'm close to that during the day. I won't use any thinners because that will increase the curing time, so it'll be a brush job. Any ideas you have to see the job through will be appreciated. I don't think I can heat the place, though I was thinking of an electric oil heater (the element heats the oil, the oil heats the room), but varnish is inflammable.

Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed...

John

[Bobby Slack]

Wow ... extreme sledding ... I never knew it existed.

[jhl.verona]

A quick roundup of events.

I spent two hours hunting in the cellar for that oil heater. Couldn't find it. I must have lent it to someone, I wonder who?

On Monday I piled the sleds and painting equipment into the Fiat 500 and rushed (hey 60 kph in a Fiat 500 is rushing) over to Nicola's house. Got there at 10:30, we went in, the thermometer read 3°C, and it had got all the sun it would get for the day. Soooo, plan B.

Back in the car, and rushed round to my long suffering parent's in law. Thermometer in hand. The cellar was 9°C, but the attic was 14°C - they really must get better insulation

Put up some plastic over the door, there was a slight breeze (a zephyr really) blowing into the room - good, no smells on the stairwell. There wasn't enough time to paint the sleds, so I painted a couple of test pieces (and as a smell check), and laid out some string to hold the sleds:

That might seem cruel, but it's the only way I can paint the entire surface, and I have to wait 24 hours between coats. Time is definitely of the essence right now...

After the first coat of varnish, things are looking good:

Next day, next coat of varnish, it said 'incolore' (transparent) on the tin, but I really like the amber hue:

(I moved the halogen out of the way on this photo, and the flash makes the sleds look much paler than they really are). Even the poplar looks interesting. Blotches? That adds character!

Today, third coat:

Looking good, and today I actually enjoyed spending three hours painting.

I had to get another can of varnish. I'd been using a 'big box' paint brush. The thing didn't load well, and I had runs all over the place. Plus the varnish felt like a sort of liquid glue.

Since the colorificio (paint shop) is close by, and the big box store isn't, I went there. I asked for a 'good' paint brush, and walked away with a pura setola - pure bristle.

What a difference! The varnish felt like, er, varnish, and not some sort of glue, the brush loaded nicely, and really did it's best not to run, you could hear it grunting almost.

Wish I'd done that before the first two coats, but you live and learn. It's not love, exactly, but I may have a crush on that brush. Same varnish, same temperature, same sleds, same idiot on the other end of the brush - big difference.

John

P.S: The rafters are very low and solid in this attic room. I'm 6'3", so rafters 5, John 0. Ouch.

[jhl.verona]

Fifth and last coat of vanish today. I hereby declare this project finished! Yahoo!

After applying the fourth coat yesterday, I got another encouraging message from the snow gods:

This was confirmed even more strongly this morning:

Which made my helper very happy (he helps with everything except the finishing - can't stand the smell of varnish):

Of all the sleds my favourite is the one where the laminates slipped during glue up. Having to plane the edges at a sharp rake it has a sort of Krenov look (not his furniture, his planes):

I'd just like to thank you all for having followed my little 'odyssey', you've helped push me to produce something I can be proud of...

The new owners of each sled will receive a little note referring to this thread (or the Italian equivalent) so that they can follow the construction. I'll also ask for photos or films of the sleds 'in the wild', which I'll add in a few days.

With just one week to go, I'd like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Chrsitmas and Happy New Year.

John

[Onboard]

Great work and perseverance John! I noticed a metal eyelet on the back of the sled. Is that where you attach the “drag-chute”?

[Bobby Slack]

Ciao Caro John,

First I remember the Fiat cincuecento, my uncle had a 600 when we grew up. It was amazing how he took his family on vacation.

The streets remind me of Buenos Aires. This an architecture very different from what we see in Southern California (San Francisco is closer ... without the snow)

Buono lavoro Gianni. Aspeto che il giocare n la neve

Fino alla prossima volta

Fifth and last coat of vanish today. I hereby declare this project finished! Yahoo!

After applying the fourth coat yesterday, I got another encouraging message from the snow gods:

This was confirmed even more strongly this morning:

Which made my helper very happy (he helps with everything except the finishing - can't stand the smell of varnish):

Of all the sleds my favourite is the one where the laminates slipped during glue up. Having to plane the edges at a sharp rake it has a sort of Krenov look (not his furniture, his planes):

I'd just like to thank you all for having followed my little 'odyssey', you've helped push me to produce something I can be proud of...

The new owners of each sled will receive a little note referring to this thread (or the Italian equivalent) so that they can follow the construction. I'll also ask for photos or films of the sleds 'in the wild', which I'll add in a few days.

With just one week to go, I'd like to take the opportunity to wish you all a Merry Chrsitmas and Happy New Year.

John

[petersb]

Hey John, those are great! If we had more sledding here, without having to drive to the mountains, I would definately copy that sled design. They look really fast.

I also nominate you for The Woodworker of the Year award. Your diligence in getting these completed is commendable. Thanks for sharing this and remember, don't eat yellow snow!

[Bobby Slack]

Watch out where the huskies go

Hey John, those are great! If we had more sledding here, without having to drive to the mountains, I would definately copy that sled design. They look really fast.

I also nominate you for The Woodworker of the Year award. Your diligence in getting these completed is commendable. Thanks for sharing this and remember, don't eat yellow snow!

[jhl.verona]

Great work and perseverance John! I noticed a metal eyelet on the back of the sled. Is that where you attach the “drag-chute”?

Uhm, well I was thinking more of a chain and boat anchor, you know, for that emergency stop effect You'd keep the anchor in your lap, then fling it over your shoulder just before colliding with that tree...

So your sharp eyes noticed the hook the sled hangs from during painting. I still had the fifth coat to do at the time, so I hadn't taken it out. Once removed I had a little hole, of course. So I searched high and low on the woodworking sites for some thin tapered dowel. Finally found these. Still got about 90 left! I'll keep them for the next project.

Ciao Caro John,

First I remember the Fiat cincuecento, my uncle had a 600 when we grew up. It was amazing how he took his family on vacation.

This little gem in the photo is from 1972. My wife's parents drove back and forth to Sicily in a 600 with the entire family (5, later 6) and their parent's in law. Well, three, then four of them were youngsters, but that's still pretty impressive - took about 20-25 hours before the motorways.

Buono lavoro Gianni. Aspeto che il giocare n la neve

Fino alla prossima volta

Oooh. El italiano no es malo, Roberto.

OK, so I use Google translate for Spanish - I can muddle through talking - Italian is similar, with exceptions 'imbarazzante/embarazadas' embarassing (it) / pregnant (es), but writing it is beyond me I'm afraid.

Hey John, those are great! If we had more sledding here, without having to drive to the mountains, I would definately copy that sled design. They look really fast.

We'll see. Be a damn shame after all that effort if they don't work .

I also nominate you for The Woodworker of the Year award. Your diligence in getting these completed is commendable. Thanks for sharing this and remember, don't eat yellow snow!

High praise indeed, Brett, but having seen the chest you're building for your son, maybe I can take the 'falegname dell'anno' award instead?

Yellow snow? Huskies? Wha.. you mean... no, really? So that's why it's yellow. I won't eat any more then .

John

[petersb]

maybe I can take the 'falegname dell'anno' award instead?

Carpenter of the year? Italian version of woodworker?

Either way, you got it! And I think that you are on the right track with the yellow snow.

[jhl.verona]

Carpenter of the year? Italian version of woodworker?

Falegname means 'someone who works with wood' - literally 'makes/does wood', so if you go back to Google translate, you'll find that both carpenter and woodworker translate to falegname. Personally I would have used carpentiere for carpenter, which GT gives as an alternative.

Marc would be a sussurratore di legno - try working that one into a conversation .

It's a lot of fun finding the translations for some of this stuff so I don't sound a complete idiot on the Italian WW forum, I can tell you. Dovetails are code di rondine - Swallowtails, for example.

It always makes me smile when Italians fill up their car - they 'fa benzina' literally 'do or make petrol/gasoline'. Can you imagine the savings if we could make petrol/gasoline too?

John

[jhl.verona]

Finally, what makes it all worthwhile, the new owners on their first trial run.

Well it took a while, hope you weren't holding your breath. Snow, sled, and camera - choose two. Sigh.

On the 6th February we managed to get a day out with my brother in law and family in the pre-Alpini just north of Verona - only to discover that the abundant snowfall had almost disappeared. Since then it has snowed again, but my sister in law forgot the camera. So it goes...

Here are my photographs of the day:

I had to leave early, but luckily my bother in law had his mobile phone, only it took a month to develop the films (so he tells me). Not the greatest of slopes for a trial run, but they enjoyed themselves.

First Matteo (he's shouting 'Hello Uncle, thanks", before loosing control)

then Margherita:

John