The Practical Boy
By Joseph H. Adams.
Third Paper.
Ice-boats, Snow-shoes, Skate-sails, Sleds, etc.
Introduction
It is possible to purchase almost everything for winter sports; but the boy who is handy with tools and of an inventive and mechanical turn will take more pleasure in constructing his own things than in buying those that were made by others, and not, perhaps, in just the manner he would like to have them.
Very few boys would care to make their own skates, as the modern steel clamp skates are superior to anything they could make, both in lightness and strength; but the various kind of wind-boats, skate-sails, and so forth, which interest them cannot usually be bought ready made. During the leisure hours after school and on Saturdays a great deal of enjoyment may be had in constructing some of these winter “toys.”
Skates, sleds, and ice-boats are used the world over where there is cold weather; but in this country there are several things, the invention of the Yankee boy, that are distinctly American, but which can just as well be used by boys in other countries.
A Bob-sled.
Almost any boy can easily make a bob-sled, for it is not at all difficult to construct a substantial one from inexpensive materials, and with the tools that nearly every boy possesses.
Fig. 1. A Bob-sled
For the seat obtain a clear spruce plank 10 feet long, 10 inches wide, and 1½ inches thick, planed on both sides and edges. The front sled is 30 inches long and 14 inches wide, with the sides 5 inches high. The rear sled is 40 inches long from prow to end of runners, and is the same width and height as the front one.
The runners are of hard wood ⅞ of an inch in thickness, and braced with cross-pieces of hard wood 2 inches wide and 1½ inches thick. Under each crass-piece and at the sides brackets must be securely fastened with screws, as shown at A in Fig, 2.
Fig. 2.
