MAKE YOUR OWN SNOWSHOES

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CUT A NEWSPAPER PATTERN

Begin making your homemade snowshoes by fashioning a pattern for the frames. I generally use newspaper for this purpose, although any large piece of paper will do. If you're using newspaper, fold a full sheet diagonally to form a triangle. The crease, when the paper is opened, will mark the centerline of the snowshoe . . . but you'll want to cut out the template while the sheet is folded so that the finished shoe will be perfectly symmetrical. Since the pattern is for the inside dimensions of the frame, it doesn't include the Trail Blazer's 5" tail.

Mark a point about three-eighths of the way down the snowshoe's length (on my 31" Trail Blazer, for example, that would be 11-1/2 to 12 inches), to indicate the location of the widest part of the frame. Then, working from that point, draw the outline of the shoe from toe to heel, as shown in the diagram. (You might want to use a flexible metal ruler, on edge, as a guide .. . in order to maintain a smooth curve.) At the toe—or leading edge—the snowshoe should be almost round . . . and it will taper to a point at the heel, where the tail will be formed. Try to cut the pattern so your shoe will have as much surface area as possible.

Finally, mark the line at which the toe will start curving up. I've.found that a ratio of 1:2 works well, so this particular shoe's three-inch turn-up will begin at a point six inches from the front.

MAKE THE BENDING JIG

Before you proceed any further, you'll need to construct the two jigs you'll use to bend the frames into shape. Assemble these devices carefully, since they'll directly affect the quality of every pair of snowshoes you make on them.

For each jig, you'll need to acquire two 40"-long 2 X 4's, four more that are 18" long, and another that measures between 30" and 40". First shape one end of each board to conform with the upturned toe of the shoe. (Try to make this arc as gentle as possible, since the toe area of the frame will be most liable to stress while being bent.) Now, cut a 1/2" jog in each plank, at the end of the curve (as shown in the diagram).

Next—stand the 2 X 4's on edge-side by side-with the 40" lengths on the outside, the 30-40" section in the center, and the 18" pieces in between. Glue and nail them together, using 10-penny galvanized nails . . . cover the level portion of the re sulting support frame with a sheet of 1G, plywood to fit flush in the 1/2" offset... scribe a lengthwise centerline ... and sand the planks' shaped ends to assure uniformly curved surface.

Once the basic form of the shaping jig is made, you'll need to cut wood block "stretchers"—as illustrated—to fit inside the toe, middle, and heel of the frame. Outline your paper pattern on the jig so that the centerlines match and the 6" mark on the pattern coincides with the line where the plywood meets the curve Starting at that line, position the series of three or four crosspieces (each should be about 3/4" thick) that will shape the turned—up toe of the shoe's frame. If you use hardwood for this purpose, drill the pieces first to avoid splitting them, then glue and nail the slats in place. Next, attach—in the same manner—a crosspiece to fit the widest part of the outline, and another at a point 6 inches or so behind that.

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