Author Topic: Champagne House- 8'x16' (Read 12304 times)

NHGunowner · « **on:** Nov 29, 2015, 08:34 PM »

This is my second build, decided to go real big this time. My current shack is 7.5'x10'. It has been a pretty good shack but there had always been alot of flaws. Plus my 3 kids are getting bigger, and starting to want to do overnights with me.
Biggest problem with my first shack was the skis. I used 4"x4"pt with a length of 2" metal conduit pipe under it. On ice, it glides like a dream, I could push it by hand and it would glide away. I once towed it a good mile with 4 guys in it, just hanging out. But it wasn't high enough, any snow and it was screwed. I actually had it so stuck in the record snow we had last year, it suffered major damage.
I also had some construction flaws, particular with luan sheathing. I sealed it as best I could- caulking, premium paint- didn't matter. De-laminated and rotted apart, quickly.

I spent alot of nights and weekends on those bunks, good times.

So I'm ready for a new one. I decided to go huge, 8'x16'. I do alot of overnights and basically am going for a small cabin. I have always wanted a closet with a head. Room for all 5 of us.
Here's the concept.

The skis are 10" high(nominal) and 12" wide(actual). 18' long. 3/8"UHMW skins underneath. I had this idea in my head for a couple years, seeing how another member's (jiggenfrogs)skis turned out finalized the design for me. I tried to seal them as best possible, I was always concerned about that empty void in the middle storing water.

The skis are be spaced so they are 6' wide, so it Will fit on a car trailer. That was another problem with my old one, skis were full width, 7.5" wide. So the only trailer that will work is a deck over, like a snowmobile trailer. And it was too heavy for 1 light axle.
The floor is 2"x4" joist, 24" on center. 3/4" plywood. TUFF-R foam board insulation, one 1-7/8" and one 1-3/8" fills the cavity, R21.

I painted the floor and secured it to the skis this weekend. I picked up some windows and a door. Framed my first wall. I won't work on it much till next weekend.

jiggenfrogs · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 29, 2015, 11:11 PM »

Looking good! I'm glad the ski concept worked out for you, I think they will work great

maxmartens · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 30, 2015, 08:08 PM »

Looks like your off to a good start!

manosteel00 · « **Reply #3 on:** Nov 30, 2015, 10:25 PM »

Looks awesome! What did you paint the skids with?

PRICE COUNTY STRIKE ZONE · « **Reply #4 on:** Nov 30, 2015, 11:10 PM »

Looking good so far! Keep us posted on your progress!

jig1 · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 01, 2015, 06:55 AM »

Lookin good .... What will you use to move the beast around with on the lake ?

da man cave shack · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 01, 2015, 12:18 PM »

Quote from: jig1 on Dec 01, 2015, 06:55 AM

Lookin good .... What will you use to move the beast around with on the lake ?

I think he will need a bulldozer.😄

NHGunowner · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 02, 2015, 04:25 AM »

Ski's are painted with a brushed/rolled on oil based primer and enamel. Sherwin williams. It was godawful expensive and. I kinda wished I had saved some money there, but I figure it's the most durable.
To move it to the lake, I built it to fit a car trailer, I have a couple available to borrow. I am trying to find one to buy. I would like a 20' and having a real hard time locating one, new or used. So if anybody knows of one in the Northeast, let me know.
On the lake I have a Can Am Outlander Max 1000 with Tatou tracks. It should pull just fine I figure. Worst case I have some nice tire chains on my Toyota, that's proven pretty unstoppable also.

Clear_Ice · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 04, 2015, 01:30 PM »

This is definitely a build that I want to keep caught up on! Keep up the good work!

NHGunowner · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 05, 2015, 10:12 PM »

Today's progress, sheathed and 1st coat on front wall. It's getting too cold to paint outside, so I'm building them one at a time in the garage. The front wall was the most "involved" so I did it first. 2 windows and the door. All the other walls have just 1 window.

Also, I ended up finding and buying a nice car trailer this week, so all set there.

da man cave shack · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 05, 2015, 10:56 PM »

Looking good!

PaWhiskerWacker · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 06, 2015, 07:35 AM »

Coat the ski's in 2 part fiberglass resin $30 a gallon and the hardener is $5, throw some fiberglass cloth tape over the seams and corners and the ski's would make watertight pontoons. You can get 3m polyester resin at home depot, or bondo fiberglass resin at advanced auto parts both work awesome. I used these products building my boat, they are super durable, if you are looking for water tight it sure is the bees knees! I used two part epoxy garage floor paint on my current shack because I had some left over from a job, but regret it. After 1 season it is all peeled up....which allowed the wood to suck up water like a sponge and become super heavy. So I have came to the conclusion fiberglass cloth and resin is the only durable method for sealing and incapsulating wood. Wood will expand and contract with temperature changes, the fiberglass cloth and flexible fiberglass allows the wood to move a little without cracking and chipping the finish like paint. Oil enamel is a hard shiny finish which will not flex, the first bit of movement and the finish will crack and allow water to enter. Once that happens the shack may weight too much to move. My hut I swear doubles in weight from beginning to end of season! Your build looks awesome by the way!!!! I would love to live somewhere the ice gets thick enough for a huge shack like this!!! Keep up the good work

NHGunowner · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 06, 2015, 04:03 PM »

I had seriously considered marine epoxy for the skis, all I could think of was West Marine, and it got cut for cost. I hope I don't regret it, but I was feeling at the time that I was blowing my whole budget on the skis, hadn't even started real building yet. I hadn't considered plain old fiberglass though... oh well.
I did build it in a manner the skis can be removed and replaced, should something go wrong.

NHGunowner · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 06, 2015, 04:20 PM »

Today's progress, second coat of paint on the front wall, back wall framed and squared up. I'm gonna try to sheath and paint it this week if I have time. I'd like to move what I have out of the garage next weekend, get the 2 long walls stood up and braced. Not alot of weekends left in the year.

PaWhiskerWacker · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 07, 2015, 06:16 AM »

Progress looks good! You are right west system is the best there is but super expensive. I have done lots of testing for durability over the years.....3m polyester resin at home depot is almost just as good as west sys and wayyyyyyyy cheaper. It is a good idea to coat over the fiberglass with a uv spar varnish to protect it from the sun or it will turn milky colored over time, where epoxy I don't think turns milky ever. Other than that they are just about the same thing. Spar varnish is better than polyurethane anyday for sealing plywood end grains and what not..... any plywood that is not pressure treated already will delaminate due to it not having water proof bond glue! Same goes for luan, if it is sealed properly it will not delaminate for a long long time. They also make water proof bond glue luan if you can find it. I would stay away from osb, it gets really heavy and falls apart when it gets wet. Hope some of this helps same ya some weight and some $$$$

NHGunowner · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 14, 2015, 05:28 AM »

Starting to look like a house!
Got those 2 walls complete, and squared up. It was like 55 degrees all weekend, looks like I have plenty of time left before ice to finish...

Here's the "bulldozer"!

Arctic Addict · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 15, 2015, 06:53 PM »

Awesome build! Keep it up, it's not going to stay 50 degrees forever.

Bout-Time · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 16, 2015, 09:13 AM »

Lookin good and roomy NHG!

You think those D rings are gonna be rugged enough to haul her? Im guessing you used long lag bolts to attach them?

da man cave shack · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 16, 2015, 09:59 AM »

Wow! It looks like a mobile 1 car garage. Awsome build!

NHGunowner · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 22, 2015, 09:24 AM »

Yeah those are 4" lags on those d-rings. And the load is horizontal, so I don't have any worries about them pulling out.
I was actually thinking to myself, it's not too late to put a garage door on one side and make a toy hauler!
Yes the weather is discouraging, but we'll get there. I've seen a few skimmed ponds in the mornings lately, a good freeze and we'll be fishing.

Arctic Addict · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 15, 2016, 06:38 PM »

Any updated pics? I'd love to see it finished up. Great work.

NHGunowner · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 16, 2016, 08:40 PM »

Progress slowed. Weather is killing me. I have a snowmobile I've been trying to sell to cover finishing the inside. It isn't getting any action with this poor winter.
Besides that, the lake it's going on still hasn't froze. Pretty discouraged.
But is has 4 walls and a roof, and it's huge!

Clear_Ice · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 20, 2016, 10:44 PM »

That thing looks like a tank! Lots of room for activities in there

redneckfisherman5 · « **Reply #23 on:** Feb 05, 2016, 07:00 PM »

What's the weight roughly on this bad girl!?

potatoe · « **Reply #24 on:** Feb 05, 2016, 08:52 PM »

Made this a favorite to watch completion

OldSailor · « **Reply #25 on:** Feb 07, 2016, 07:35 AM »

BUMP-BUMP !!! Any progress

You know how we love our shack porn on here!!!

lunkahville · « **Reply #26 on:** Feb 13, 2016, 11:21 AM »

Like the idea. What do you think you have for weight right now? Looking to build a 8x10 - 12 this summer. I plan on using 2x12 doubled with 2x4 spacing blocks with Teflon on the bottom as a runner and slide combo.

NHGunowner · « **Reply #27 on:** Feb 17, 2016, 05:18 AM »

I put construction on hold till spring. I ran out of money. Snowmobile I was selling hasn't got any action on such a poor snow year. Lake ice has been poor too, it really wasn't safe enough for a house like that till this week. So I hadn't planned on bringing it out at this point anyway.
I installed the door to keep the snow out, but that's it since last pic. I'll update when I continue. I'll be weighing it at a truck stop when complete, so I'll have an accurate weight at that time. It's no lightweight!

jiggenfrogs · « **Reply #28 on:** Feb 17, 2016, 07:56 AM »

They are not cheap to build that's for sure. I will be interested on the weight. Everyone asks me how much mine weighs, I never weighed it and A wild guess would be around 3000lbs. Mine may be a little heavier than yours since I made it 10' wide. Looking forward to seeing the finished project. You will have more time, no rush and more funding to do it the way you want to

NHGunowner · « **Reply #29 on:** Feb 17, 2016, 09:01 PM »

Yeah, full completion wasn't really ever the plan for this year. I figured I'd get it built and insulated and go fishing. I have army cots and what not, would have been fine for the season. Just pushed back a bit, no biggie. I'm still getting some fishing in.
My 5 up old is bummed we haven't been "camping fishing" this year. But here we are in the portable!

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Author Topic: Champagne House- 8'x16' (Read 12304 times)