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hayseedman

Get a kid's plastic snow sled

hayseedman
22 years ago

I'm not limited, but I've found a great tool that I suspect might be useful to some of you, and everybody else, too.

Get one of those kid's plastic sleds like you see all over the place. Get a piece of clothesline type rope about 10 feet long. If they're not alreay there, drill two holes on each side, toward the front, on the "lip" edge of the sled. Just a wee bit larger than the rope. Two on each side to spread the load around and not rip the plastic. Tie a stopper type knot in one end of the rope(figure 8 sort works). Starting at the back of one side, weave this through the back hole, through the front one, around to the other side's front hole, on to the back, and tie another stopper knot. I'm making this sound more complex than it is: Tie some rope on it to make a harness loop for you to pull it.

Again, I'm not limited, but I find this is makes moving and hauling things around so easy. The sled is at ground level, so you never need to lift things as in a garden cart or a wheelbarrow, the usual tools. They indestructable. Up and down stairs, over gravel. I move tremendously sized transpanted shrubs around with it, no problem. Takes up little storage space.Weighs nothing. If you can walk, step inside the harness loop, place the rope around your waist, and pull. There's no stress on your back.

You got the idea. Good luck.

Comments (17)

  • Fireraven9
    22 years ago

    I rather like that idea. I hate having to make many trips from house to garden to being supplies out. I could do it all in one that way.

    Fireraven9
    Come my spade. There is no ancient gentlemen but gardeners, ditchers, and grave-makers; they hold up Adam's profession. - Shakespeare, Hamlet V,i

  • sheila0
    22 years ago

    I had one of those round aluminum ones as a kid, and I think this is a great idea. Really light, and easy to pull.
    I am thinking of a million things I could do with it.
    Gotta go and write them down, unlike my PAST GOOD MEMORY,
    I don't remember anything these days.
    Thanks again,
    Sheila

  • taba
    22 years ago

    Great idea, hayseedman! Will work well for moving mounds of mulch around, and many other things. Now to *find* one when winter's waning and spring stuff is on store shelves everywhere.

  • hayseedman
    Original Author
    22 years ago

    Your eye will start to see them at the tag sales in the summer for a couple of dollars or so.

    Happy hunting.

  • onlyme
    22 years ago

    I use a childs little red wagon, everything goes in it. If i don't finish my planting that day,, in the shed it goes till the next day.I leave everything in it all spring and summer. Works great !

  • wannadanc
    21 years ago

    Another source (on the cheap) is to go to a couple garage sales!!!! I have used small tarps for the same purpose, but I really like this idea a great deal more!!!!

    THANKS!!!!!

  • wsos_girl
    21 years ago

    Great idea! I will check the yard sales this weekend...

  • Miztiki
    21 years ago

    I have a bad back, and I used to knock a bale of hay down on the sled (or if I missed, then roll it) and drag it out to the horses. Couldn't have done chores without it!

  • Judith
    21 years ago

    I have used a child's snow sled for about 4 years to carry hay to my horses. It does get a little heavy with a full bale and my land is not level. I usually break the hay bales into several flakes. I pile the flakes on the sled and secure them on with the elastic bungee cords that have the metal hooks on each end. The hooks fit nicely on the edge of the sled. That way the flakes don't fall off. The one I have been using is the tabogan kind and I also bought a round one to haul rocks from the field to my yard to use for edging the flower beds. The sleds are so handy for lots of things. Judith

  • hayseedman
    Original Author
    21 years ago

    After moving rocks around in a sled all day, I remembered another nice thing you can do with the sled. I've used a long six or eight inch wide strong board as a ramp to get heavy things in and out of the back of trucks, and I just used one to ramp up some large stone steps.

  • Crey
    21 years ago

    I love this!! We thought we were so smart when we started using our broken sleds (repaired with duct tape of course) for my 9 year old to clean out the rabbit cage - It made both of our lives a lot easier - He will actually do it and nag time is cut in half! Glad to hear others are using this fabulous tool!!! - Crey

  • mehitabel
    21 years ago

    this is a wonderful forum, and a great idea for hauling without lifting. I am really starting to look forward to gardening again.

  • jenny570
    21 years ago

    Thanks for the idea! I have severe arthritis in both knees, and so I am always looking for ways to make gardening easier. I will certainly try using a plastic sled to haul things. My husband made a garden cart using an old tricycle stroller frame, PVC pipe, and wire fencing, and it works great; rolls easily with the large wheels and will fit between rows in the garden.

  • BertAl
    21 years ago

    I've had one in the garage for years and never thought to use it to move a huge Hosta 50ft. It would've made the job much easier. Now i'll keep it with my garden tools

  • LynneinMD
    16 years ago

    When I was a kid (in Vermont) it was my job to fill the woodboxes, and I wasn't tall/strong enough at that time to get good leverage on the wheelbarrow when the ground was wet, muddy, or snowy. The red plastic sled worked great, and as long as I didn't try to load it too high or pull too fast, I could fill it with enough to load the whole woodbox in one trip!..

    I use the wagon now - we have a plastic one with big wheels, so the kids can help me haul things around the yard too. BUT I think I'll be looking for a sled too...

    Lynne
    =)

  • susaninthegarden
    16 years ago

    I had to laugh at this idea because all spring I have been tossing that blue rubber sled thingy out of the way. Where ever I turned there it was!
    Think its like a puppy and was hinting best it could how to help me?

  • luna_llena_feliz
    16 years ago

    The plastic sled is a wonderful idea! My boyfriend found an old desk chair in the trash. The seat part was in bad shape but he took the wheels off - you know that pedestal thing with the wheels coming off of it. He attached a big plastic Rubbermaid tub to the top of it. It is nice because I can adjust the tub to my level - higher for pushing or lower for taking things out of. It works best on even surfaces because of the wheels. Sometimes garbage picking works out great!