Human Powered Cross-Country Ski Groomer
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- In this video I use the Human Powered Cross-Country Ski Groomer to make a trail to ski on. This device is now called My Trail Groomer and it is sold at www.mytrailgroomer.com. Snow conditions vary widely. On a nice day I can groom a 2 Kilometer loop in 30 minutes and than ski a number of laps on it for exercise.
Human Powered Ski Groomer Dimensions
All measurements are in Inches (this was clearly designed in inches and uses inch dimensioned white UHMW Polyethylene
Main Surface 30 by 24 (30 wide) made out of 3/16 thick UHMW 2 holes at front corners for 2 tow ropes that run to the back of the operator. A lager oval hole at the front center is the carrying handle. The runners stick out 4 past the back edge of the main surface.
Ski Runners 12 inches long and trapezoidal in cross section. They are 1-9/16 thick. the top is 4 wide and the bottom is 2.5 wide the front is sharp like the bow of the boat. (They look more like boats than skis the bottoms are narrower than tops and sharp in the front.) The runners stick out behind the main surface by 4.
Weight Box is 6 by 6 by 30, but the sides of the box are rhomboid. When the main surface is flat on the floor the front and back wall of the box is leaning forward at 70 degrees. This makes the sides of the box a 6 by 6 rhomboid with 70 and 110 degree corners.
When you tow the device it rides in the snow like a water ski with a 20 degree nose up attitude. The box and the weights are then perpendicular to the ground. The snow is gradually compressed as all the weight is concentrated on the back edge and the heels of the runners that stick past the back edge.
This is assembled with 1-1/4 drywall screws driven into pilot holes.
God bless ya dude, that has to be a workout!!
Good job
Are the ski runners a single solid piece of plastic, cut to shape? Or are the runners made of pieces of plastic fastened together somehow?
I can't see any fasteners in the runners in your video, so I'm guessing they are solid plastic, or glued.
I ask because I'm thinking about making a classic trail groomer modeled on the one in this video.
I purchased one of Peter's skate trail groomers in 2013, and it has been a fantastic thing to have. I was just about to order a classic groomer when the business paused.
I had to replace the main sheet on the skate trail groomer this year. It was cracking and a bit brittle, and there was some self-inflicted wear on it :-). The main sheet on my 2013 groomer is only 1/8-inch thick. I used concrete pavers as weights, and in low snow conditions, the pavers can bounce around a bit, damaging the plastic main sheet easily. At least that's my theory.
Solid pieces, they are screwed to the sled from the top with wood screws
If you weigh 200 pounds. Then should you put 200+ lb of weight in it to properly pack the snow?
The 60 to 80lb weight is intentionally concentrated on back edge of the groomer where a small but wide area of high pressure is created. The person on snowshoes or skies distributes his weight over large surface area so that they can stay on top.
How did you make the ski runners? Are those 3d printing?
I did not make it, I bought it from a little company that has since closed. All parts are UHMW plastic. The runners are shaped like flat bottom boats, a trapezoid with the narrow side down, pushing the snow. They are approximately three times the thickness of the ski under foot. I suspect they were cut on the tablesaw with the blade tilted 10 to 15° to produce the side bevel.
if anyone has one of Peter's units that want to get rid of, I will buy! message me.
Are you still selling these? Website doesn't exist.
I think the guy who sold them is out of business. I am not that guy, I am just playing in snow.
@@compulsivediy8036 Hi and thanks so much for posting the video! I'm the guy who was 'Human Powered Trail Groomers' and later 'My Trail Groomer'. Great video and answers to the questions above. It looks like you were exactly the type of person I was aiming to serve, someone who wanted to groom a small loop and get in a few laps. To the folks reading this I shut the business down a few years ago; I'm no longer making or selling the groomers. With a bit more Googling you can find other's plans for groomers that will help you make a small ski loop, not as good as you'd find at a commercial ski center with a $150k groomer but still your own ski trail. If you have a snowmobile I'd recommend www.snowgroomers.net. Have a great winter!
Thanks for posting here Peter and thanks for a great product. I understand why there is not enough demand for a commercial product like this but, I have enjoyed your groomer!@@MrPetermfoley
This is too bad you are not selling them anymore. Could you sell the plans to make some ? Or more pictures ? What material did you use ?
@@nicholasfrenette material is UHMW. Sorry but just don't have the time to detail more. There is much info on the web that might help. Have a great winter.