Sheet of plastic

[I Like Worms]

I was wondering if it's possible for a guy to get a hold of a sheet of plastic anywhere? I am not talking about the thin clear stuff. I am talking about something the thickness of a kids red plastic snow sled. Like a sheet of 4' x 6' to put on the bottom of 1/2 of my portable with enough left over to kind of curve up in front so it is sled-like. Then I could pull it out easier.
Any thoughts/suggestions?
I tried doing this with thin plywood, but it didn't work out too well. I thought about using aluminum, and I might still, but I think plastic would work the best.

[Guest]

How about the stuff like they use on a kids BLUE plastic sled

[Pharcta2]

I know Menards sells 4x8 sheets of some kind of plastic for use in walk-in cooler or freezer walls. I can't remember the price, though...

[Jarrod32]

Why not just buy a kids' plastic sled (or two)?

In the color of your choice.....

-Jarrod (keen observer of the obvious)

[Guest]

check your hardware stores

[I Like Worms]

can't use kids sleds, it needs to be flat. I was just siting the kid's sled as an example of the thickness/type.

[Fish Toys]

I can’t think of the name of it but they line truck boxes with it so what they are hauling<sugar beets> doesn’t stick or freeze to the box. The stuff comes in sheets or in big rolls. I used to get some plastic from Horn Plastic in Fargo a few years back and I don’t have the info in front of me or where it is? Look in the yellow pages or the super pages on the net. Bed liners or a place that sells trucks & trailers or some plastic supplier? It is spendy but well worth the $$$ If you find the right place they can bend it so it is tapered in the front!
I’m sure with all the fishing family members there is somebody that knows what I’m talking about and guide you in the right direction to locate what you need? Make sure what you do find has the right properties for your application so it doesn’t wear out right away.
My .01 worth?
“FISH”

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http://www.icesaws.com/

[minneman]

why not make a sled out of conduit and some wood, similar to the old runnersleds, with the lack of snow lately, getting to the ice would make pulling the easiest, with less drag, like the whole bottom of the portable.

[Guest]

Here is web site for a place that handles sheet HDPE they may be able to help you. http://www.indelco.com/sheetrod.html

[kslipsinker]

I agree with NYGuy. Use sheet HDPE, which is high density polyethylene. It is the same stuff basically that they make Clam bases out of. Look in the yellow pages for under plastics and call a place close to you. They are all over the metro area. They can usually cut to size if you know what you need. I am not sure, but it may come in 1/8" or even 1/16" thick. It is fairly flexible and easy to cut, drill and bend, especially in thinner sheets.

[I Like Worms]

thanks nyguy, i'll give them a shot.
FYI, I don't want runners, because I want the bottom to be flush, it's a suitcase style portableand I just want to cover one half with this stuff and fold it up in the front. If I use runners, it won't be even. Thanks for the suggestions though.

[metrojoe]

They do make a sled that is flat. I just saw them at K-mart or Cub Foods. They are rolled up like a sleeping bag. I don't think they are as big as you want, but maybe two would work

joe

[Guest]

Worms,
Being in the plastics biz myself I know there are quite a few company's were you could purchase what you need, I'm sure you can find it at a menards or home depot type store another suggestion would be someone who sells to the agriculral community, they use a ton of that stuff in hog barns.
I would suggest that you stick with hdpe though there are different types that would probably wear better.
If it was me I would find an old pickup bedliner & cut the bottom of out to the size I needed, most of them have a few ribs on them so you wouldn't have the whole botttom surface dragging on the ice/snow. Should pull a little easier?
Try the guys that sell the liners, they bring em to me 2 or 3 times a year & their happy to get rid of them without having to landfill them.
Let us know how it goes.
Coldpole

[Guest]

Maybe it's a dumb idea, but if the plywood that you originaly put on it is still on it, you could try to put some formica (kitchen countertop) material on it. That might work. Otherwise the plastic would be best.

[doubleUcubed]

I'd go with a 60 mil or 80 mil HDPE. It comes in smooth or textured. We've lined dairy lagoons and secondary containments with it. If you were closer I've got the stuff! Somebody in that area should handle it though! I kinda like the bed liner with the ridges for less drag. Good Luck!

[Gissert]

Check out www.machinist-materials.com

They sell surplus UHMW and HDPE material in various sizes. I have used this stuff for wear strips on the bottom of my Otter tub.

[the big dipper]

Seeyle Plastics in Bloomington sells pretty much any size sheet and thickness of any type of plastic you would want. Most Metal supply shops also carry poly sheet on hand cuz its so versatile and is used alot in industrial applications. I would recommend 10 Gauge thickness (approx 1/8") or 1/4" for what your doing. I need to do the same thing myself to a big black tub sled the kids pulled across the gravel one too many times.

[Guest]

Helpful hint dont use the sheets from Menards they will crack easy in the cold and are fiberglass very sharp and itchy if they do crack.
Experiance in my young life

[kwkfsh]

You will need to use something that is thick enough that you can countersink the screw heads into. Forget anything measured in mils, and go with a minimum of 1/4" but 3/8"s would be better still. And whatever you do make sure you use a countersink bit for the screw heads. If you try and countersink with a drillbit it will suck into the material so fast that you will ruin the hole!