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How I Make the Perfect Winter Trails | Homemade Snowmobile Trail Groomer
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- čas přidán 21. 01. 2021
- I'm showing you how I make the perfect winter trails today with y homemade snowmobile trail groomer. This newly acquired trail groomer is a HUGE step up from my previous winter trail groomers which included a chain-link fence and a pallet attached to a rope. As I"ll mention in this video, the two previous trail groomers got the job done in some situations but failed miserably in others. I'll talk about why this DIY-friendly winter trail groomer has features that make it very user-friendly and even useful for tight trails like the ones I have. Watch as I talk about the materials used to make it along with the measurements you need to replicate this design. With not much more than a welder and some steel, you too can make this trail groomer at home and start creating a flat and consistent winter snow trail like I have without much effort. Thanks for watching everyone, here we go!
Measurements as stated in this video from the back of the trail groomer measuring towards the front:
19" , 31" , 55" , 70.5", 79.5", 97", 103.5", 11' 0.5" (11 foot, one half inch)
This is beautiful in it’s simplicity. I operate a groomer on the OFSC trails and our drag has all the same basic concepts. I call the back plate a beaver tail because I adjust it hydraulically.
That’s great to hear! I’m a new guy to grooming so all the help I can get is great
I made one pretty well the same way. Mine was 4’ wide and 16’ long all out of 1” square tubing had a chain from each corner to pull it. The chain the way it was would make it glance off the trees. The drag was perfectly flat except for one side had 1/2” x 1/2” square steel bar and the other side was rounded as the tubing comes. The side with the square bars would groom a hard packed trail and the round side would groom a trail with fresh snow., just had to flip it The V shapes would pull the snow to the middle and the cross bars would flatten the trail. Built the groomer in 1989 and it is still grooming the trail today ( in the winter). Works fantastic!!
Sounds like a solid build!
Nice little drag. I have a JT 4x8 which work's awesome but I think I'd like to make one of these. Much lighter to pull in fresh snow. Does a good job too.
That trail groomer certainly does a good job. Just like a tractor land plane but for snow. Once that groomed trail cinters up, it will be quite easy driving through those trails for the rest of the season.
First thing I was taught about running a drag like this is to use a not-too-heavy rope rather than a hitch. That way the rope will break rather than launch you through the windshield when you snag.
Replacing the hitch pin with wire is a good alternative if you have this sort of tongue and hitch though. 👍
They make a hitch with a shear bolt
Im a embracer and groom snowmobile trails on a snowmobile and trail drag in Alberta. Our snowmobile is bigger and our drag a bit heavy dutyier. That drag really sets a good trail. Well done. Sandy it nice to see your more than sawdust and roughcut lumber. Thanks for the video
I never thought of grooming a trail for you to use. I just figured your snow machine just blazed a trail & that was all you had for a trail! Pretty clever contraption! Thanks, Sandy.
Yeah sure does help with firming up the trails for me to walk on
I love grooming my trails. Thank you for the rear plate trick. I also just up graded to a metal groomer. I use a V plow on the first because of the heavy snow falls in Northern Ontario. Love your videos
🍻
Yeah can imagine it would keep ya busy with all that snow
Looks like fun, if you like the cold! Very pretty trail ride.
It’s a fun time for sure
I've never owned or riden a snowmobile. It doesn't snow much where I live but I watched the whole video and I'm all set if I ever move north. 🥶❄️⛷️⛄
another great video and super cool groomer! well done fine sir
Thanks Tony
Good stuff man.
Thanks for the video great information
Awesome! I just built mine a month ago and love the job it does. So satisfying to see the result and after a freeze, it is just like walking on a sidewalk. However, I did have a design fault that caused it to come to a sudden stop this weekend. Will have to get out my big hammer ;)
Yeah the sudden stops sure aren’t fun. I know the feeling haha
Really great camera work sandy. That takes a bunch of time. I can't say I embrace Winter here in SE Pennsylvania but I'm glad it's not a long winter like yours and we dont get a great deal of snow. Thanks for sharing. I'm enjoying your channel and look forward to episodes.
Glad to hear you’re liking the channel. Thanks for watching
Great job bro. And yes we can Learn a lot If we embrace it. My 1st "groomer" was made from 3/4" waterpipe and it held for 30 years. Back and fourth 7f trail. I even used my '97 Storm once 💪 At that time we used 4" steelnail as the pin. And it worked well. Love to se The ideas and The sprit here. 👌👍
Thanks Tomas!
Hi Sandy. Groomer does a very nice job on the trail. Wish we had the snow here in NB that you have, I too love the outdoors in the winter. It hasn't been a lot of snow here YET!!. Great looking trail and property you have. I can see why you enjoy the winter season.
Sure is a nice spot to be in winter!
It's nice when you can make a chore fun! Jealous of all the snow you have. Only been able to go snowshoeing once this winter. Even then the snow was so wet it was getting packed between my boot and shoes, like wearing high heals and that's no fun. Have fun with your new toy!
Thanks Jill. Hope snow hits you back gone soon!
Sandy with new fashion!!!!
Breaking out the cold weather clothes
Thanks so much for sharing. Can’t wait to build this.
It’s a handy and cheap piece to have around for sure
@@sawingwithsandy Did you include a width? I didn't see that measurement. Thx
@@sawingwithsandy Almost done. Can't wait to take it out.
Gee Sandy every time I watch you without gloves in the snow my hands get cold...lol..more power to you
Haha my internal heater was turned up in this video keeping me warm
I groom snowmobile trails and I'm impressed at how well it works it seems to fill in your low areas well if anything I would make it a bit wider but nice job
That's great to hear Cory!
I like the groomer works well and pulls with a short track
Thanks John. I made a mistake in the video, my sled is a 136” track
@@sawingwithsandy Still a pretty small track.
You’re having way too much fun
Guilty as charged
Hi Sandy,
I have been looking to build a simple groomer. I like everything about the one you have, simple no-nonsense but does the job nicely.
There are a couple of things I might change. The first would be the width, something in the 42-46" range. The second might be a longer tongue, which might keep the front end from raising up when the pulling gets hard.
Your idea of using wire for a pin is an awesome safety feature!
Great Video!
Yeah I think a touch wider may work even better. I love this groomer and in fact I was just out using it again
Live in north western Ontario have a similar design to your grooming slide. Made it two yards ago. Used Square Iron Tube C-Channel 6 garden rackes (can be removed easily ) Blade in the front. 19" , 31" , 55" , 70.5", 80" , 97", 103.5", 11' 0.5" ( Wide 2.5 half inch)
I groom many miles of snowmobile trails every year, your drag is similar to our trail drags , fun times !
It’s a fun time out making tracks isn’t it?
@@sawingwithsandy I run 12 hours a night ....it's absolutely awsome
Now you must cover some serious ground
@@sawingwithsandy a few miles, lol
Hi buddy how are ya? Your groomer looks great. I sure wish I had miles of trails through a forest. Oh I saw you cabin in the back ground looks like it weathering just fine. It’s snowing here to it’s so nice for a change. Thanks for sharing God bless you and tours
Glad you had a chance to check out the video. Hope all is well with you
Wow love what you did. I bought a home built one but doesn’t have a pan at the back. Would you have any pictures of the pan in particular please.
I gotta make me one of these
I want a woodlot.
I just want to enjoy the woodlot and the trails.
I won't be buying a mill. I don't need the lumber; I don't have any building projects. But I enjoy watching you mill your wood.
It sure is nice and am sure you’d get great enjoyment out of it
I can’t believe you didn’t fab this out of green lumber red pine haha, looks good!
If the price was anymore than $25 I may have got the idea to try making it out of wood haha
Great video, thank you! It seems much longer than the store bought groomers that I've seen, how well does it work when going around a tight corner, and how does it work when going over a narrow dip in the trail? Do you think a shorter version would work?
Works great.. No metric system? Whooooa..... you da man :)
Yeah we have the metric system but I don’t tend to use it all the time. I go back and forth depending on what I’m doing
THANK YOU SANDY! it looks like it should be an enjoyable project!
I agree!
I think you could just about make one of these with an old metel bed frame and a couple things more but I could see me trying to make one of these
I guess all our toys aren't the same, I got a Yamaha Sidewinder....Finally getting some snow here in Maine, time to head to my camp up north...Braaap Braaap!!!
Have fun!
Have some fun up north
Good video Sandy but I though I was watching a Boatworks Today video when the music started up, LOL Andy Miller uses the same music as a theme for his channel.
Haha
50 Fahrenheit here Western Kansas
Looks really cool. What is your full time job if I can ask?
Good Question Craig. Pa.
Quick question what year and model is your snowmobile not looking to get a brand new one just wondering
I just pull a front end loader tire with my tractor, the tire is about six feet wide and weighs around a thousand pounds. It kind of acts like a tow behind V plow, pushing all the snow to the sides.
Sounds like that could work well for ya.
@@sawingwithsandy Also works good in the summer for clearing debris off the trails.
Hi sandy i see you are embraced . but why do you not go for snow blowers secondhand ?
Snow blowing these trails would take me days and days to do since there’s so much ground to cover and the snow is so deep
Having never lived in snow or even been on a snowmobile I'm not sure I understand the purpose for leveling??? Is it just for a smoother ride because it seemed pretty smooth already. Thanks in advance.
Yes - a smoother ride but also easier to pull loads of wood without throwing them off the sleigh. Every time a snowmobile drives over a trail - even it if looks smooth - the track tends to throw a bit of snow out of every little depression, and that snow eventually builds up one either side of the depression, eventually creating large and larger dips and high spots called moguls. On a busy snowmobile trail, a perfecting smooth groomed trail in the morning can become a serpentine mogul’d monster by afternoon. Regular grooming shaves off those high spots and deposits the snow in the low spots, thus keeping the trail smooth.
@@profdave2861 fantastic explanation. Thank you for taking the time.
I groom the trails so I can walk the trails without snowshoes as the snow is quite deep and so without grooming them I’d just sink in quite far
Tell us what you use for your lights in the sawmill shed
Hi Eric. Here’s the link to the video of me installing those lights and you can find the link to where I bought the lights in the videos description
czcams.com/video/M3R6Qbp1v6I/video.html
50 degrees Fahrenheit here in Western Kansas today
o my god..
7 degrees in northern Minnesota.
We had 3 degrees the last couple morning in northeastern Washington.
Thank goodness for google conversions. I’m not too good with Fahrenheit
@@sawingwithsandy Yes I have to go look at my ol style thermometer to convert when I watching you. Dang cold is what it is!
Will the drag smooth out a hard packed whooped out trail ? The trail you are grooming is smooth before you started grooming !
It does make a whooped trail smooth. It would take several passes though. Works best when fresh snow falls and the whoops get filled in while grooming
Very nice, but most sleds overall are near 4', not sure why its only 38" wide? Seems it was made at a time of vintage machines
Yeah very well could have. Sure seems pretty old. It is wide enough to cover the track width of my skidoo luckily
so that thing your ridding is like a winter jet ski?
Yeah that’s one way of putting it haha
A winter jet ski.... that's the funniest thing I've heard and that's what I'm calling a snowmobile from now on! Thanks How to Dave!
Only 37c here today.
Wow that’d make me melt
dayum i'd buy one of these. Soo tired of the moguls
It’s an old farm gate!
That would do the trick I bet Marc
What is the benefit to grooming the trails
It packs them down enough that I can then walk on them without snowshoes
@@sawingwithsandy ok that makes sense. I’m from Tennessee and we never see more than a few inches of snow at a time so I had no idea
Beautiful country side down your way
@@sawingwithsandy we are right at the Smokey Mountains.
Just a question? What’s the purpose of doing this ?
Removes bumps
That’s nice of you to do that for others
Ol looks fun but not for south alabama i I enjoyed the show though thanks
Yeah can imagine the temperatures arent quite the same there
Sandy, I've been thinking about your trees and they seem really small for 30 year old trees. Maybe they just need to be thinned so they can take off, or maybe looking at them on youtube videos is skewing my perspective. But I suggest having your soil tested. I don't know what state your in, but it should be free or cheap, contact your local farm bureau or conservation department, they will steer you in the right direction.
Lol, at the end of your video you said your in Canada, no clue how it works there, but if its more than $10 per sample, send them here...
www.uaex.edu/environment-nature/soil/soil-test.aspx#:~:text=For%20Arkansas%20Taxpayers%2C%20there%20is,around%20shrubs%20separately%20from%20turf.
The trees are planted a specific distance apart with the notion that some will die and some will be thinned. I haven’t had a chance to thin the entire forest yet and so there likely is some trees that appear small in the videos.
I’m not really wanting to hire out the thinning to a logging company as they will likely need to cut some really big access trails and will likely tear up the. I’ve ground cover so I’ll just keep thinning as I need more trees for lumber.
Yeah, I wouldn't want to hire that out either, rather thin it at my own pace. Totally with you on that
The trees around the trail you were grooming in this video look like 30 year old trees. I was really referring to the trees around the sawmill that look small.
Yeah I know what you mean. Some real variety in tree sizes despite the same age it seems. Now I just need my own tree harvester haha
Too much talking
Tell your story by video.