Old scoot returned to service.

[LongViewFarm]

Odd story:
I was up in Lisbon, NH Fri night for a Quatro de Mayo party with some friends I only see a few times a year (childhood friennd, his wife’s a spanish teacher). It’s all fire and beer and relax and pinata, and as the night goes on I got to talking with another fellow who’d just bought 2 barns on 4 acres for $38k and is in the process of restoring them. Long story short, when he found out I worked with horses he said there was some piece of equipment in there he thought was use by horses. “It has runners, I think.” he said. In the morning we stopped by, and sure enough, buried in an old standing stall, was this thing:

The wood’s in great shape, is some kind of hard wood. The pole’s been cut short to be used behind a tractor, but I found another pole that I think came off a sickle bar mower. We’ll have it out at the wood bee, and get everyone’s opinion. I think it’s pretty old, but in great shape.

Your thoughts?

[john plowden]

looks like the bunks are on up side down –

[Does’ Leap]

I think that would be a called a 3 beam sled. It is different from a scoot b/c it has a fixed pole and 3 fixed (judging from the picture) bunks as opposed to 2 articulating bunks. This looks like a similar sled made in the movie “Ben’s Mill”. You should check it out if you haven’t seen it. I agree with John that the beams look upside down. Maybe the rave pins have enough play that you can pop them off and put them right side up.

I am not sure what the advantages of a 3 beam sled are. Maybe Mitch or Carl could chime in on that one. Otherwise it looks serviceable from the picture.

George

[LongViewFarm]

I didn’t think about them being upside down until you mentioned it. I can see how this would be a bit harder to unload. They actually come off pretty easy- I brought the whole thing back in pieces in the back of my tacoma. I don’t know why 3 beams would be more advantageous either, but all three of them do have play. Each runner can move about 6″ independent of the other. I’m hoping to get a pole figured out on it intime to use it at the wood bee. We’ll see.

[mitchmaine]

Don’t have a lot of knowledge about this scoot, except like most, saw the film with its step by step directions to making one, and made one. Choked in the end and put a loose pole rigging in front. So I can’t say I have had a lot of experience with them. But for the most part, it’s a ben thresher three beam sled, and behaves a lot like a woods scoot. Lots of flex and good float. In my whole life here in maine, I have only run into a couple similar sleds, old and run out, and to a one, were called by the owners, sap sleds. Makes me wonder, with vermonts sugar industry, if that particular sled is a combination woods sap sled. Its how we use ours. Low and flat with a deck added is perfect for collecting sap. Then again, I can’t say. You could always bolt a pole on to the stub pole and get a little use out of the sled and put in a proper pole when you had a moment. Pretty sled though. First time I saw one in that film, I had to have one.

[LongViewFarm]

Makes sense as a sap sled. That would explain the 3rd beam. If only I had a sugarbush I’d use it as such. Thanks for the info.

[Ed Thayer]

Jay,

I have a sugar bush you could use it in 🙂

Ed

[Author]

Posts