A Sled Maker's Journal

In the springtime and early summer there isn’t much going on around the shop as far as building wooden toboggans and freight sleds. It is a nice break and time for outdoor projects. Like burning of...

Building wooden toboggans requires a suite of tools. Some powered, and some very basic. Last post I discussed the latest “powered” addition to my spring project of stocking wood for next winter’s h...

I guess I should eat a little crow. Hydraulic log splitters have been around for years and years I was pretty negative on them. I thought the expense of purchasing one was a waste of money. Just an...

Pat and I just got back from the cabin. With the early thaw we have going on this March I thought I should get my wood cut for next winter's heating season. At my age I like to cut the 2 ½ cords of...

 It’s nice to get a break from the normal routine once in while…in any season. A few weeks back we made an escape to the woods and got the stoves going in the cabins at the family hunting camp. My...

(John Harren in his shop at Northern Toboggan & Sled // Photo by Tim Bjerk, edited by Aaron Davidson) Thank you Kim Hruba! How appropriate that a friend and customer be asked by The Growler Mag...

  We recently ran across a wonderful short film on another sled maker out of North Carolina. Building our wooden toboggan and sleds we follow a similar process to how wooden sleds have been built i...

We enjoy summers in Northern Minnesota. Walleyes, gardening, mushrooming, berry picking, grilling, and most importantly, family. Fall has been in the air a bit early, and the season of being in the...

A few years back an older man who lives in the area stopped by the toboggan shop on his way to the boat landing to try a little fishing…I was outside oiling wooden toboggans. During our conversati...