Building a heavy bob sled from scratch, this is the completed runner assembly with the iron shoes fitted, the bridge irons installed, and the tips reenforced. I also begin the roller assembly for both front and rear bobs. These sleds are commonly known as Farm Sleds, Sloop Sleds, Log Sleds, Hay Sleds, Sledges, and Bob Sleds. In the latter 1900's the term Bob Sled became commonly combined into a single reference as a Bobsled. In Noah Websters 1828 Dictionary the term bobsled does not appear. However, in early 1900 carriage catalogs these sleds were referred to as Bob Sleds.
Light passenger vehicles made for snow travel were often called sleighs and Individual runners that were used to replace wheels were referred to as bobs. When bodies were equipped for snow travel only, and had two sled assemblies, they were called a bob sled, while bodies with long, slender runners were more commonly referred to as a sleigh. Tall, long, slender runners, with a body for generally two persons, were often classified as a cutter sleigh and designed to cut through deep snow, and hence the term 'cutter'.
There continues to be a variety of terminologies used for different sleds, often being derived from middle English 'sliden', high German 'sliten', or Dutch 'slede'. Terms of European influence often varies from Canadian or American cultures.
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