What do you do in your spare time when you're working in Antarctica maintaining snowmobiles for the U.S. logistics hub and you do mechanical and fabricating work back at home? Well, you could build something out of some of the junk and discards found at the station, like a snow chopper, maybe?
Bob Sawicki and Toby Weisser did just that using the engine and track from a totaled 1981 Ski Doo, bent pipe, a crowbar, whatever would work and except for a couple of odds and ends that cost a grand total of $10, they built what you see here.
The 2 tanks are old fire extinguishers, one now holds fuel and the other compressed air for the refurbished air horn. They say it does 30 to 35 mph on the snow. The build time of about 120 hours makes up most of the cost.
The machine is in the February 2010 issue of Popular Science with a couple of other home made snow machines, but those cost money to build, this just took ingenuity. I like it.
So, ... what's in your parts bin?
Link: Popular Science
Link: Antarctic Sun
Related: Radix and Rogue
Related: Ktrak
Tin Man 2 says
The cold weather fosters creatitivity!! These Big Guys went to work and built a Chopper Sno machine instead of sitting inside and staring out the window, Great use of parts. Good Fun!!
dannyb278 says
What else is there to do in the arctic? Very Cool…..(pun intended)
Ax1464 says
Very nice. I could sure use something like that right now with the snow- and ice-covered roads in the Midwest. Don’t care for the chopper styling, though — give me something designed for function instead of looks. How about a “Snotard”?
Thure says
WOT, a chopper that does not have a Harley motor, is that even legal? I think this need to be reported somewhere. Don’t think it’s the cold that fosters creativity, it’s more what they put in the air if you know what I mean….
All kidding aside, cool project.
kneeslider says
@ Ax1464: follow those related links I included below the post. Those may be more up your alley, of course, none come close on price.
Thomas Carpenter says
I would guess the snow that it throws up between you legs would get pretty freaking cold.
Mel Beaty says
Fun unless you slide off the back, at speed.
Walt says
I like the springer front end, and the crosshairs to keep you on target. What’s that dangling below the seat?
Wave says
I don’t know about the idea that this cost “about $10” to build. Whether they had to buy the parts or not, a running snowmobile engine/track/ski and a whole bunch of steel tube and welding consumables still costs something. Not to take anything away from their efforts, it looks great, but the budget is fairly irrelevant when you can scrounge parts from work. Would love to ride this thing though. Any videos?
HoughMade says
Walt, if you don’t know…I ain’t going to be the one to tell you 😉
Phil says
@Walt Its snowballs of course! wahhh wahh wah
pabsy says
fantastic !!!
(might want a rear fender tho ouch !)
spencer says
Actually a pretty terrible idea. Without the gyroscopic inertia from fast-spinning wheels to keep it upright, I bet this thing is a pain to keep from falling over. And that’s just going in a straight line, making turns would be even worse because the tread is flat, you can’t really bank into a turn unless you’re in very deep powder. Making any kind of steep turn is going to roll this snowbike.
Mike Miller says
If the US Logistics hub is a government agency or if any of the “trash” they used was government trash, they would be required to bid on and pay for the items. Trash is still government property and cannot be taken because it is in a scrap bin. As petty as it sounds, they could be guilty of theft of government property. I worked 32 1/2 years for the government. I salute their ingenuity and craftsmanship but cringe at the potential legal implications this raises.
CaptDangledoo says
That is totally sweet and way to go gents good use of spare parts and spare time. Weight distribution looks pretty good.
Denell says
That is so my cousin..im soo proud of him