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snowshoes

Started by redpowerd, February 04, 2004, 10:16:49 AM

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Furby

AD, try spray foam.  ;)

ADfields

I am thinking on foam but wonder if it will be tough enough.   Also thinking of putting a rope inside and then inject fiberglass resin.   I don't know how well it would cure or what kind of weight that will add.   If I could come up with a way to inject foam with the rope we could have a winner I think! :P
Andy

Corley5


Here's a pic of my snowshoes.  They're laced with plastic coated aircraft cable and have aluminum frames.  I believe they are military surplus.  I like 'em.  Wet snow, dry snow it doesn't matter.  I haven't used them this winter because snow conditions aren't good for snow shoes.  Too much fluff.  You'd go to the bottom even with them on.  This coming weekend Dad and I are going to Da U.P. to shovel off the cabin and garage roofs and it requires a half mile walk so they'll get some use.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

Corley:

They are becoming popular here too. But, I recall some folks were having trouble with the aluminum frames breaking. You notice any stress cracks on the underside of your frames?
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Corley5

Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

redpowerd

went out this mornin to harvest some clean sappers for this project.  threw on the ol'  bearpaws. the first step was up to my knees, each after was progressivly deeper, pullin up 10 pounds of snow every step. tookem OFF! waided thru some nipple high snowdrifts. got an armload of some ash+elm, a few sticks of hophornbeam just for fun?
i guess i cant make shoes biggenough for this stuff. supposed to be over freezin for a few days, so itll settle some feet. no fun loggin in this crap. combinin' either, some ears are buried!
NO FARMERS -- NO FOOD
northern adirondak yankee farmer

Corley5

Hophorn bean  That's what we call ironwood over here ;D  Makes about the best firewood there is especially when cut standing dead.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

My uncle says he cuts the odd ironwood and can't get much out of it for heat. But, I'm sure he's mistaken on that. Its our densest hardwood up here. I agree with Corley. I thought cherry would make good heat, but all it does is smolder and mine was 2 years seasoned. Weird because its dense and hard on the saw chain. I've seen some huge ironwood on crown lands, usually it's a small tree on private woodlots. Wish I'de taken some pictures. I think I'll take a trip over to some of my old trout fishing grounds this July and take some snaps of bird's eye maple stands, ironwood, yellow birch and ash on crown. I'll take the yard stick along to see the scale.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Gus

Gonna end up with the snow shoes on around here before long. Lotsa snow. Plowed Sat. & Sun. And will plow again tonight :-/. Seems all I get done lately is plow.

I've got the leather bindings on mine but am getting ready to switch to rubber. Soon as I'm tired of fixing this old leather pair. ;D
"How do I know what I think unless I have seen what I say?"

Gus

Oh, I forgot. Thawing out frozen hydrants too. >:( Winter sports is getting a might tricky around here. ::)
"How do I know what I think unless I have seen what I say?"

Ron Scott

High-Tech with Snowshoes. I've gone through several pair of quality wood snowshoes over the years. They usually gave out after continued use even with regular maintenance.

Though I resisted it for some time, (a forester should use wood, right) I finally broke down and went to  the lightweight "high-tech" snowshoes with aluminum frame, puncture resistent hypalon decking, ratchet bindings, stainless steel ice crampons for traction etc.

This pair has been in service going on their 4th winter now and have been serving me well so far with little or no maintenance needed under wearing conditions.

Their original color has been changed on top though from my continued use of bright blue tree marking paint. (It's a shame to cover a $250.00 pair of snowshoes with tree marking paint, but winter timber marking is one of their main uses).

My economics of wood snowshoes vs. "high-tech"" shoes.
 Â 
Wood: 1 pair/winter @ $80.00/pair each year for 4 years = $320.00.
High-Tech: 1 pair @$250.00 with 4 years still in service = $250.00.
I guess I'll stay with the High-Tech. (buy good quality though).

 



Note the steel ice crampons, a big help for stability on hills.

The Toyota isn't bad in snow either.  ;)

~Ron

SwampDonkey

Ron:

I use my wood snow shoes 3 days a week, but not all day long. I've had them for 3 years now. But, I could see where they would break down faster when in service for full days and especially in spring time snows. Slop, slop, slop, sloosh. ehehhe. You have some fine snow shoes there. I won't comment on the Toyota, I might end up with one in 3 years time. Simply a matter of economics with regard to maintenance and gas mileage.  Happy tree marking. :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Kevin

Ron;
I had problems with that style kicking snow up on the back of my legs.
Do you notice that with these?

SwampDonkey

Kevin:

First off no insult intended here, but:

You may have the bindings attached incorrectly if your kicking snow up your back. The snow shoe should be hinged at the toe end of the bindings and your ankle should not be bound to the shoe. When you lift your foot the back of the snow shoe touches the snow and the front is picked up. Snow shoes are like skies, not ment for backward motion unless you point your toes downward and heal upward, but its difficult.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Kevin

The shoes I had were laced with rawhide but the same shape.
I think the company that made them called them otter tails.
The harness at the time was leather, secured in the normal fashion just behind the opening for the toe and my heel was free to move up and down.
The shoes would gather snow on the back and when you raised your foot to walk the snow on the back of the shoe got tossed up on the back of my legs.
It wouldn't have been a problem with nylon pants but anything else and the snow would stick not to mention lifting the extra weight of the snow.

SwampDonkey

Kevin:

The shoe must have been poorly designed because the back of the shoe should not be leaving the ground. That was an interesting delemna.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Kevin

Are you familiar with Faber?

They call them bear paws now.


Faber Link

Corley5

I had a Toyota Tacoma truck with 4 cyl and a 5 speed.  It was the best truck I've ever had and I've had them all.  I traded it in on the Cummins Dodge Dee's driving and I took over the 94 GMC 1500 4X4.  I hate it.  It's a V-6 with a 5 speed and is absolutely gutless.  Since I've been driving it it's needed a starter, battery, exhaust, brakes all around ($400.00 on that one), 4X4 actuator, plugs wires cap and rotor and now it's got an exhaust leak that I hope will only require new donut gaskets at the manifold but the studs look pretty rough.  It looks like it's going to be a major overhaul.  The truck has 112,000 miles on it.  I ran the Toyota to 135,000 and put a starter on it and front brakes in that time and it ran fine.  I miss that truck.  Should of traded the GMC instead ::)  My next truck stands a pretty good chance of being a Toyota.
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

Kevin

Was it good in the snow?   :D

Corley5

You bet 8).  Other winters when we cut cedar or hardwood I drove it to the swamp/woodlot.  It was narrow, didn't take much room to turn around and would go about anywhere.  I'd drive it down the skidder trails so I didn't have to carry the saw so far.  This winter I'm driving Fitzner's Yamaha 4 wheeler to the swamp.  Just not the same and it's pretty hard to get warm in it ;).  One time in particular I was driving cross country from Dad's to my place and when I finally gave up and reversed there was a perfect impression of the grill, headlights and Toyota emblem in the snow I was pushing.  I miss that truck :( :'(
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

SwampDonkey

Kevin:

My bear paws are more rounded at the rear, and I like them quite well. No snow slapping me on the legs or kneck. Bear paws have been around for along time.

Corley I here ya, I had a small GM pickup S15 and couldn't keep the ball joints on'er. But the truck ran well and got good mileage. Made two marathon trips across the continent. Had it 11 years and only replaced an altinator, battery and battery cable under the hood. Toward the end I had to replace the cab corners and fenders and reinforce the bed and replace a rear axle bearing. Sold it and the guy ran it for 3 more years.

 :)
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Kevin

They use to call the round jobs bear paws and the ones in the picture were otter tails.
Seems to me they didn't have much of a taper but pretty close to the posted picture.

Ron Scott

No I haven't noticed any snow throwing problem Kevin. They have a well made pivoting binding and track very well in all snow conditions. I believe that a good binding is more critical on these that the wooden shoes. It also may be the weakest link that could leave you in the woods.

I've used leather, the rubber, etc bindings on the wooden shoes and always carried some extra leather, rawhide, duct tape, etc for emergency repairs when needed and glad I did on some occasions.

As I said, I resisted them for some time as I wasn't subject to change from the wooden snowshoes,especially when some favorite brands of wooden shoes weres made here in Michigan.

I now like the endurance and ease of maintenance on the "high-tech" shoes, but like everything else get a quality pair made for your weight needs, and type of conditions to be used. I've seen some Wal-Mart types that I don't think would hold up under my use either. Maybe only for a Sunday afternoon strol in the back yard.


~Ron

Ron Scott

Keven, the Faber looks like a nice snowshoe.

Corley, my Toyota is the 6 cylinder Tacoma, 1996 and is turning over 156,00 miles tomorrow when I bring it in for an oil, filter, and lube. I change oil and filter every 3000 miles and that's about it. No real problems yet, still on the original mufler and exhaust system.

I did have the timing belt and tires replaced at 100,000 miles just because I thought they were needed for another 100,000 miles.

This is my 5th Toyota and probably not my last.
~Ron

junkyard

If you make the bindings from inner tube put a hot patch on top and bottem where it atatches to the shoe. It gives a little more strength to the weakest part. Also make an extra to carry in your pocket just in case.
                   Junkyard
If it's free, It's for me. If for pay, leave it lay.

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