Lola and her sled
- Thread starter JackandKelly
- Start date
Astounding craftsmanship!
If I might make a suggestion for your next cart (I hope you will keep building them...hint, hint), shorten the shafts. It will make turning the cart a lot less work for the dog and help prevent getting tangled in or accidentally stepping over the traces. Especially if the dog has to back the cart or make tight maneuvers.
Her hocks should only be about a foot or so from the front of the cart if using a spreader bar (which should rest lightly on and just above her hocks) or a direct attachment to the cart, or much closer to the singletree. The brakes will prevent the cart from running into her rear legs.
At least that's what I was told by several NCA draft judges when I asked them to critique my setup (my shafts were also too long). Other than that, it's a pure work of art and I think you could ask a whole helluva lot for a cart of that quality!!! Good job!
If I might make a suggestion for your next cart (I hope you will keep building them...hint, hint), shorten the shafts. It will make turning the cart a lot less work for the dog and help prevent getting tangled in or accidentally stepping over the traces. Especially if the dog has to back the cart or make tight maneuvers.
Her hocks should only be about a foot or so from the front of the cart if using a spreader bar (which should rest lightly on and just above her hocks) or a direct attachment to the cart, or much closer to the singletree. The brakes will prevent the cart from running into her rear legs.
At least that's what I was told by several NCA draft judges when I asked them to critique my setup (my shafts were also too long). Other than that, it's a pure work of art and I think you could ask a whole helluva lot for a cart of that quality!!! Good job!
The Doctor
New member
I REALLY have to bite my tongue on a response to THAT one...........:devil3:
JackandKelly
New member
Thanks so much!
I knew she needed to be moved back after seeing the photos. After I move her back, should the shafts be ever so slightly in front of her shoulder area? Or should the ends of them be next to her? I was going to have them slightly in front of her so they didn't jab her when turning. Is that correct?
Right now the ends of the shafts are too far back in my opinion, but I don't know anything other than what I have seen in photos
I can have hubby shorten these shafts after we are sure we have the correct length. Then he can make the next ones shorter for her wagon
SheilaT
New member
Kelly, I was told at our carting seminar that the shaft should end right at the point of the shoulder (mind out of the gutter, Casey!). That's how I have Angus and Riley set up...and like Jane said, the shorter shafts will make turns a heckuva lot easier!
Oh, and .... GORGEOUS!!!!
I'm thinking I need one of those, set up for a team for next winter. While everyone else is out on their snowmobiles, I'll be dog-sleddin' it! May start a new trend, what do you think?
Oh, and .... GORGEOUS!!!!
I'm thinking I need one of those, set up for a team for next winter. While everyone else is out on their snowmobiles, I'll be dog-sleddin' it! May start a new trend, what do you think?
JackandKelly
New member
Hannah,
We have some snow boards we are going to try first. The snow is mostly lake effect here so it's super fluffy. It doesn't pack or make a snowball. We need something wider I think so that it stands a better chance of staying more on top.
We will probably make it so they can be changed easily.
After the snow is old and packed down more we could switch to more narrow skis, but not as narrow as what is on it now.
We have some snow boards we are going to try first. The snow is mostly lake effect here so it's super fluffy. It doesn't pack or make a snowball. We need something wider I think so that it stands a better chance of staying more on top.
We will probably make it so they can be changed easily.
After the snow is old and packed down more we could switch to more narrow skis, but not as narrow as what is on it now.
JackandKelly
New member
Fantastic idea Sheila! I can't wait until you are here to "play Newfie" with us
I am not sure what "point of the shoulder is"
Do you have a photo that will show me where they should end?
Turning with the long shafts and the deep snow was definitely an issue. We needed approx 30' to turn so it was easy. If we tried in a smaller space it was too hard
JackandKelly
New member
I just told Jack about the shorter shafts..his response was..
Yes with a two wheel cart the shorter shafts would make it easier. Lola's skis on this are approx 3' long. She needs the extra leverage of the length to turn it. Think about when you can't get a bolt undone, you get a long bar to hook to your ratchet. The bolt then turns very easily. Then he started quoting Archimedes and I stopped listening
Does that make sense?
So anyways, my job this afternoon is to take the cart out myself.
Try to turn it in the snow from close to the cart, then again from the end of the shafts. ...and NO, no photos of ME pulling the cart will be posted LOL
Yes with a two wheel cart the shorter shafts would make it easier. Lola's skis on this are approx 3' long. She needs the extra leverage of the length to turn it. Think about when you can't get a bolt undone, you get a long bar to hook to your ratchet. The bolt then turns very easily. Then he started quoting Archimedes and I stopped listening
Does that make sense?
So anyways, my job this afternoon is to take the cart out myself.
Try to turn it in the snow from close to the cart, then again from the end of the shafts. ...and NO, no photos of ME pulling the cart will be posted LOL
I have been told that the shafts should end just at the front shoulder point, but I have seen some that went just a bit beyond. I agree that there is a possibility of them jabbing her if too short, so error on the side of them being a bit too long. You can always take some off, but it's difficult to put it back.
If they are way too long, it only increases the chances of YOU getting jabbed if you are walking close to the dog and just in front. You may want to hunt up some of the old draft photos that people posted when they went to the Nationals. I'm sure someone has a collection or there were threads that will point you to someone's photo site. You also might ask someone here to measure their shafts from the point of attachment and use that as a starting point.
Those shafts are so beautifully crafted, you sure don't want to ruin them, so you should probably take off smaller sections until you have it right. A lot of the carts that I see at tests have the shafts attached at the sides of the cart with u-brackets (not having the lovely brace between them, like yours has) and that way, it makes the cart easier to adjust for different dogs (by sliding the shaft forward or back) and easier to store the shafts more compactly. You do have to adjust the width if they are connected that way. But your's is so nice and unique that I would keep that feature and just make them shorter. Again, it's gorgeous!
And yes, I agree that in the snow and with runners, your turning radius must be much larger than with wheels. It would make sense that you can't do tight maneuvers in the snow because you are pushing sideways against the snow and any ruts in it. Still, the shorter you can go, the less far the dog has to travel to accomplish the same task.
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jacqueline
New member
awesome sled , lola looks beautiful with her sled , cant wait to see the video ,
jacqui,x
jacqui,x
JackandKelly
New member
Jane
Thank You so much for all the input. Since we are using skis in deep snow I may just be expecting to turn sharper than is possible. Maybe I should be happy with the wide turning radius. I assume the tighter packed the snow is the less the turning radius. If it were tightly packed down the skis would ride on top of it and turn pretty easily. I may take her up to the top of the property where the snow has been packed down and try it there.,
Thank You so much for all the input. Since we are using skis in deep snow I may just be expecting to turn sharper than is possible. Maybe I should be happy with the wide turning radius. I assume the tighter packed the snow is the less the turning radius. If it were tightly packed down the skis would ride on top of it and turn pretty easily. I may take her up to the top of the property where the snow has been packed down and try it there.,
JackandKelly
New member
Thanks so much Sheila!!
JackandKelly
New member
On Rileys' photo, see the loops that are right in front of the rings that the tracers hook onto? Those are the loops I put the shafts through. That made the harness all twisted because they lay horizontal and I was trying to make them be vertical so I could slide the shafts in.
Today I will put them in the correct loops and move her back some
Today I will put them in the correct loops and move her back some
donna mote
New member
Jack and Kelly, what incredible workmanship , and as usual, Lola looks totally in her element. Jack did such a fantastic job , absolutely stunning.
When do you start production for the South, wheels required LOL snow skis generally not necessary .
When do you start production for the South, wheels required LOL snow skis generally not necessary .