Info on making wood snowshoes?

Plank or gut strung?

Stephen Shepherd in the State of Deseret

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Re: Info on making wood snowshoes?

John in New Mexico

>When I was a kid, I got to visit a snowshoe shop in Caratunk, Maine - my father was buying a bunch of snowshoes for his company to use in Northern Maine. What I remember is that they were bent around a form and bolted through a short straight section at the back (it had a wedge or Y shaped infill too, to ease the transition). There are others that are just ovals, don't know how those are joined. You could look into how to make landing nets for anglers - the traditional ones are bent up similar to snowshoes.

The webbing was rawhide that was treated with something, it was clearly strung and tied while soft and then turned hard and stiff like a chew toy. Obviously, it would need to be treated with something for water resistence. I think there were also rails across the shoe under the foot to help stiffen the whole thing - but again I'm not sure of that.

I would bet there would be some old printed references on this if you can't find much on the web. Maybe one of our Mainiacs can find you something in the library.

Re: Info on making wood snowshoes?

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA, drying out a bit

>Fine Woodworking Issue #49 had an article on making snowshoes by Henri Vaillancourt. As I recall, it was a pretty decent article - this is back when FWW had substantive articles. This issue's no longer in print, but maybe someone here organizes back issues better than I do; or you could search eBay. I've found that some of the eBay sellers of magazines run used-magazine businesses and can provide issues not listed on eBay auctions.

M. Vaillancourt apparently wrote a book, "Making the Attikamek Snowshoe," that I believe is an expanded version of the article in FWW. No idea how common it is in library systems - our local library lists no books at all on snowshoes - but you're more likely to have it there in snowland than we are out here. Snowshoes don't float very well when they're strapped on.

Re: Rawhide webs

Dave Mount

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Re: Info on making wood snowshoes?

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Dave,

There is a pretty good treatsie on the subject in a book called The Salt Book. It is along the lines of the FoxFire books, but is all about crafts in Maine.

You will most likely need to consult several different sources, tho this one is pretty good. The oval snowshes that was mentioned are call "bear paws".

T.O.

Re: Rawhide webs

Stephen Shepherd in the State of Deseret

>The traditional rawhide for snowshoes is beaver rawhide. With the hair slaked and removed it is cut into a continuous circular strip from the round shaped beaver rawhides. It is soaked in water and woven on wet. You have to weave it a bit loose as the wet rawhide shrinks.

It is protected with a coat of spar varnish and the varnish is repeated yearly or as needed.

The weave is fairly easy to do, especially if you have an old pair to look at. It is also easy if you have the instructions. As it were it is the same weave used on certain chairs in the nineteenth century. I did an article for Woodworker's Journal a number of years ago on the Quebec Chair with a snowshoe weave rawhide seat. The directions are the same for snoweshoes, some of the weaving is done through holes, some over struts, but the technique is the same.

Stephen

Re: Info on making wood snowshoes?

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Dave,

I posted another reply with a link to abebooks.com, but for some reason it didn't show up. Go to that site and in the title Search block put in "The Salt Book" There is a copy on page 2, #48 IIRC. For the $1.00 selling price you can't go wrong, and you might even like the sea moss pudding that you'll learn how to make.

T.O.

Did you find it Dave?

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

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Re: Yes, thanks, already ordered a copy for $6!

Dave Mount

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Re: Thanks!

Dave Mount

>Thanks for the pointers. I do have several pairs to use for reference re: the weave pattern. I don't have any beaver hides handy, though I could probably get one from a local trapper if I put some effort into it.

Best,

Dave

I'm Glad,

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>Do let me know how you like the book and if it was of any help.

T.O.

Making the Attikamek Snowshoe

Don in Northern Arizona

>Dave,

I checked WorldCat, the humongous online library catalog database offered by my local library, and it lists 10 libraries in the US and Canada that own _Making the Attikamek Snowshoe_ by Henri Vaillancourt. Interestingly none are in Maine. Two public libraries have it, one in Grand Rapids, MI, and one in Buffalo, NY (naturally). This means that you could probably get it through your local public library by asking for it via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). You can usually keep ILL books for a week to a month depending on the owning library's rules.

Don

Re: Gil Gilpatrick

ThomD

>http://www.amazon.com/Building-Snowshoes-Snowshoe-Furniture-Gilpatrick/dp/0965050734/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200181259&sr=1-7

I haven't seen this book, but his Canoe book has been around a long time.

I used to sell snowshoes, and a key thing is selecting the style and size for the intended conditions.

Re: Gil Gilpatrick

ThomD

>http://www.gilgilpatrick.com/snowshoe-furniture.html

Mother Earth also has some online articles for making snowshoes.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/1990-11-01/Making-Your-Own-Snowshoes.aspx