Snow shoe questions

[SteveP]

So I need to make a couple of pair of snow shoes and I have a few questions.

What do you all use for the lacing for primitive shoes???

Also what type of wood do you use for the frame and the bracing on the inside???

Would it be better to use rawhide for the foot section of the shoe or is wood the best bet???

Also what do you use to make the part that will attach to your boot??

Steve

[sailordad]

i have done some research on making snow shoes
but have not yet started on them
i have read that ash works great for the fame and rawhide for the lacing
although the rawhide does need to be sealed
my research showed two differant forms needed to make the frames,dont know if that is really neccasary
good luck

[El Destructo]

I have only made three sets of Bear Paws...I used Ash For the Frames....Deer Rawhide for the Lacing...and a good thick Industrial Inner Tube from Farm or Mining Tires for the Stretch and Pull Over Boot Binder...the Rawhide needs to be laced wet...then let dry completely...then apply several layers of good Spar Varnish over the whole SnowShoe....hope that this helps

[SteveP]

Sailordad, I saw your post and watch a bunch of youtube vids thanks to that and actually made a frame from one of them that I watched with a couple scrap pieces of 2x10 and some left over 1x2 just like the one that was on the video that was linked on your post.

Destructo, thanks for the info. Now I need to get on the trading post and get rid of some of this rock so I can get some rawhide lacing!!! About how much do you need for a single pair of shoes?? I really want to make two pair but will most likely make 3 or 4 pair.

Thanks yall.

Steve

[El Destructo]

Steve...I really don't know ...because I have always used Homemade Rawhide from Deer that I have shot...and cut it into 1/2 wide Strips...I cut it into one continuous strip by laying it out in a big slow circle...and cutting a constant ribbon....once it is wet to string...the curve is pulled out as it is strung and tightened...then the 1/22 width shrinks down also as it dries.....hope that this helps

[SteveP]

I can see it in my head... thanks that helps.

Steve

[stickbender]

     You could also use hickory for the frames.  My Buddy still has his moms' cross country ski's, and her snowshoes, both of which were made out of hickory.  She had the long type, I forgot what they call that type.  Huron I think.  I would like to copy them, when I move out there.  I have an idea for making some out of aluminum, and also out of PVC pipe.  Hmmm, arrow bamboo........Light strong......hmmm, easy to bend with heat ......hmmmm, tonkin......   The envy of the hunt camp......
Wow, where'd you get those?!!!   Made em.  Just took those shafts of Tonkin, that didn't spine out right, and here they are.
waste not, want not.  

                                                                  Wayne

[SteveP]

I thought about tonkin cane but I need something that is roughly the same size for about 7-8ft of length.... and I don't think I can get a good piece 8' long. Now this will be a 40" long x 11" wide shoe in the huron style (think bent front like the bearpaw and pointed back like the ojibwa) looks like an easy build and with a slight modification to my forms (done this morning) no big deal really. Now the tonkin would work great for the ojibwa style I'm sure and rather easy as well the only interesting part may be making spreaders from cane.... but you could make the from some other wood and I wouldn't tell... heck I would be wearing tonkin cane shoes!!!!!!!!!! What could I possibly care.

What do you think should I attempt a build along for this???

Steve

[stickbender]

     Steve, absolutely, by all means!    What the heck are you asking a silly question like that for?  Might try the aluminum, or PVC, with " T " joints, etc.  But by all means, crank out the pictures, and bylines......   We are now awaiting, the pictures, of the beginning, the middle, and the falldown, I mean blowoff, sorry, my clown side, got in there,    The beginning, middle, and the glorious finished product!  Show us the molds also.   Well, what are you doing still reading this, turn your computer off, and start steaming, or heating those strips!

                                                                            Wayne

[SteveP]

E E EEeeeasy there killer!!! I'm actually took pictures of how I made the forms so I can go from the "very" beginning. I'll get to it soon enough, first I need to get a couple new blades for my thousand year old table saw (think sear and roebuck catalog in the late 40's)

If I were going to do the PVC I would go with the hot sand and for method. Very easy... heat sand so that it is hot (not melt the plastic hot but close) put on one end cap to PVC then fill with hot sand, bend around form, take cap off and tilt so sand drains out.... let cool and harden... attach lacing then to boot then head out into snow. That easy... scouts honor

Steve

[stickbender]

     Well dang it boy, why the heck are you asking questions, when you already have it figured out?   Well lets see pictures of that also.  I just might make me a pair of those to keep in my truck, besides the plastic ones I have already.   You can put the sand in the aluminum tubing also, and it won't kink, if you are making tight turns, but you should be able to bend it without problems, with an electrical tubing bender.  You can get em, in 3/4, and 1 inch sizes, at most electrical supply stores.  You will have to get a handle for it though.   Ok, uh, say, Steve, ya know, if you have time, and are feeling up to it, could we see some pictures, of you actually making your Snow Shoes?  Oh, and the molds also.  But no rush, just when you have the time, and are so inclined, we all would really appreciate seeing pictures of them being made step by step.....no not in the snow, I mean, from beginning to finished product.  Then you can go step by step, yeah, send pictures of that too.

[SteveP]

Ice fishing trip on Saturday then I plan to bend the ash, I have taken a bunch of pics of the forms and such, after I get them bent and about half way done I'll work together the step-by-step for you all....... promise.

Steve

[Buckhorn47]

Steve

I know nothing about building snowshoes but have certainly used a varied amount. Always used lampwick material to tie my feet into or on to the snowshoes. Cheap, primitive and works well.