THE WOODEN TOBOGGAN

Interesting Read

Excerpt from The American Boy's Handy Book, Algrove Publishing – Classic Reprint Series, 2001. (First published in 1901.).

The Toboggan.

This sled, familiar to all who visit Canada or the Provinces during the winter months, is more like a mammoth snow-shoe than the ordinary sled, sleigh or jumper that we are accustomed to see. It is suitable for the deep snow and heavy drifts of the northern countries, where the runners of a common sleigh would be liable to break through the crust and bury themselves, thus impeding, if not altogether stopping, the vehicle. The toboggan presents a broad, smooth bottom to the snow, and glides over the crust. To make one of these sleds you must procure two pieces of quarter-inch pine lumber eight or ten feet long and one foot wide. Place the two boards side by side and join them together by the means of round cross sticks; the latter are bound to the bottom board by thongs; the thongs pass through holes in the bottom boards on each side of the cross stick, and are made fast by a series of "hammock hitches". Where the thongs pass underneath the bottom board grooves are cut deep enough to prevent the cord from projecting; the grooves are quite necessary, for if the cords were allowed to project beyond the surface of the boards they would not only impede the progress of the toboggan, but the friction would soon wear out the thongs and the sled would come apart. On top of the cross sticks two side bars are lashed; the front ends of the boards are then curled over and held in position by two thongs made fast to the ends. Editor's Note: This is a reprint of an article originally published in 1901. It describes what was recommended in accordance with the knowledge and practices of the day. While reading it, please consider this fact. This article is reproduced from Vol. 9, Issue 2 (November 2014) of the Lee Valley Tools Woodworking Newsletter Series.  It provides some very interesting insights into the manufacture of  wooden toboggans during the 19th century (and for hundreds of years before that).  I have often wondered just who made the dog team toboggans or toboggan boards that were sold in the thousands by the various fur trade companies.  We know what they looked like, usually made of oak or hickory (those made in the north were usually made of local birch).  This article gives some idea of just how they were made, although the "hood" or curl of a dog team toboggan would definitely require soaking in hot water or steaming before it could be bent....and bending the wood was one of the first steps in the process of making a toboggan, not the last.  My research has uncovered advertisements for both snowshoes and wooden dog team toboggans in catalogues issued by the Chestnut Canoe Company...it would seem that the manufacture of these "off season" items may have been a way to keep the cash flowing during the time of year when no-one was interested in buying a new cedar canvas canoe.,