Hard side: Q & A

[Higgins]

OK, so I know that there is allot of portable spearing shanty's out there but for the permanent hard side shanty's I have a few questions (I'm making 2 new shanty's this spring/summer) and so I figured I would make this topic for all to maybe share Ideas about shanty's that guys have made in the past and present and wright about what works good for Permanent shanty's and what where some Ideas that didn't turn out good   (door placement,Hole placement,Paneling,color,latches,insulation,shelves,vents,wood,metal,anchors,adhesives,sealent, seats and many other things I'm missing   )  

[Higgins]

Has any one noticed whether or not the color of a shanty realy does mater when it comes to heat and cold

ex: Black V.S. White


When you pack snow on a metal sided shanty does it stay the same,better or worse than a wood side shanty 

[Whatpole]

Has any one noticed whether or not the color of a shanty realy does mater when it comes to heat and cold

ex: Black V.S. White


When you pack snow on a metal sided shanty does it stay the same,better or worse than a wood side shanty  

(No offence GD ) My friend has a very nice hard side that he sleeps in. He has a ventless propane heater installed in it. I would probably have a vented heater, because of the condensation from the propane.

As far as black and white goes, here is what I learned in 10th grade physics. Black absorbs heat the fastest, but also cools down the fastest. White absorbs heat the slowest, but also cools the slowest. That is why radiators are painted black, collect the heat and get rid of it.

[spearinwinny]

I just built my sturgeon shack for Lake Winnebago last year. I made it 6.5' x 11' with a 2.5' x 6' hole placed on one end. I framed it out of stripped 2x4's with cedar runners then sheeted 4x4 sheets of aluminum over the top. The roof is a solid chunk of rubber from an old rubber roof from a shed , it has a small pitch. I got a nice propane heater that I actually cook bacon, sausage, and eggs on in the mornings I painted the inside 2/3 black where the hole is and white in the other 1/3 this really helps to ease the eyes when looking for something on the shelf and doesnt take away from seeing down the hole at all. I made reels for my decoys from the ceiling that run to eye hooks over the back of the hole so I can fine tune the height, this is especially nice for my pipes when I can't see bottom. I have hooks and rope holders for 2 spears. This summer our group put together several new similar shacks but one of them has a hole in the middle of the shack. I am curious to see how well this operates because the few I have seen are clumsy but the idea is excellent. The only stange thing would be positioning the shack east to west instead of north to south because the hole is not on one end of the shack which needs to be pointed to the sun. maybe Ill sell mine and build another since that is alot of the fun and a great way to pass the summer off season! I usually can crank my heater up high enough where it dont matter outside color, mine is painted blood red but that is because my grandpas was the same color and he got a lot of fish out of that little shack!

[MJ1657]

I just built a perm house this fall. I'll list a few things i used. So far i'm pleased with how everything has worked out.

 Mine is 6'x8' with a 32"x48" hole.

I used t111 for the siding.

Rolled rubber membrane for the roof. I would highly recommend the rubber roofing.

My hole is in the far end of the house. Leave at least 6 inches between the front of the hole and the wall. This gives you room to straddle the hole with your feet for re opening it with a chisel.

I used luan plywood for the interior because it is light weight. Seems to be working out good.

1/2" plywood for the floor. I framed the entire house with 2x2's. The 1/2" plywood is working out well in regards to it being solid and very quiet. I don't get any creaking if I move around.

Styrofoam insulation. It has been near zero on a few days and I run my little buddy heater very little. I spear almost everyday and used to go through one to one and a half propane cylinders a day. Now one cylinder has lasted a long time.

Any questions feel free to ask.

[Higgins]

A rubber roof sounds great but how do you seal it on the roof and does it stay sealed 

I made my floor into a sandwitch with plywood on the bottom and then framed in 2 by 4's with insulation board in the spaces then I put a second peice of plywood on top of that, I think it helps on not letting the floor get cold.

(No offence GD ) My friend has a very nice hard side that he sleeps in. He has a ventless propane heater installed in it. I would probably have a vented heater, because of the condensation from the propane.

As far as black and white goes, here is what I learned in 10th grade physics. Black absorbs heat the fastest, but also cools down the fastest. White absorbs heat the slowest, but also cools the slowest. That is why radiators are painted black, collect the heat and get rid of it.

Good point, I didn't know about the cooling down points, just the heating part

[MJ1657]

A rubber roof sounds great but how do you seal it on the roof and does it stay sealed 

I made my floor into a sandwitch with plywood on the bottom and then framed in 2 by 4's with insulation board in the spaces then I put a second peice of plywood on top of that, I think it helps on not letting the floor get cold.
Good point, I didn't know about the cooling down points, just the heating part

It is glued down then you pull a little over the edge and there is an aluminum nailing strip. It stays sealed tight. Alot of the wheel houses use the same stuff and have no problems.

[newfish]

When you pack snow on a metal sided shanty does it stay the same,better or worse than a wood side shanty  
[/quote]

My white wood one holds snow packed against side better than my aluminum one, i think it is because the aluminum one conducts the warmth better (that occures outside the shack from sun & temps above 32) burns away about an inch or less, then just repack with foot when needed, not a big deal

[newfish]

Regarding rubber roofing .....consider "chloroplast" it is extremely lightweight, cheaper  than rubber roofing and comes in all colors........ also totally waterproof.......have it over luan on my wood hardside about 3 years now....

[newfish]

I would also like to hear about some good latching mechanism that will work on my flimsy doors made out of aluminum. (talking about latching when we are inside) not the end of day when we walk away

[newfish]

Anchoring.......I auger two holes 2 inches apart (edge to edge) but not all the way thru the ice to the soft water.... then I spud a small hole between the two holes. then thread 1/4 inch hemp rope between and tie the shack to.....so when it is time to move, just tie branches to ropes, then cut off excess and only biodegradable items left on ice and no chance of wind moving branches off the hole....

[Higgins]

Anchoring.......I auger two holes 2 inches apart (edge to edge) but not all the way thru the ice to the soft water.... then I spud a small hole between the two holes. then thread 1/4 inch hemp rope between and tie the shack to.....so when it is time to move, just tie branches to ropes, then cut off excess and only biodegradable items left on ice and no chance of wind moving branches off the hole....

That's a good idea, I like the fact that you don't drill all the way through the ice. When I put my anchors on I use 2 eyelets (one on each side of the shanty) and then I drill a hole in the ice on a angle and insert a diffrent eyelet into the ice and tie a rope from one eyelet to another, but I like the fact that you can have rope to tie off on breaches cause I always worried about by limbs blowing away and sending some guy in the drink 

[gooseblaster49707]

I would also like to hear about some good latching mechanism that will work on my flimsy doors made out of aluminum. (talking about latching when we are inside) not the end of day when we walk away

.
i use black rubber bungee cords. one a foot down from the top, one a foot up from the bottom and one in the center.  remove the S hook from one end. use the hole to secure it to the wall with a drywall screw and fender washer.    on the door i use empty 12 or 20 gauge shotgun shells with the plastic cut off and the primer punched out.  secured to the door framing with a drywall screw.   the rim of the shotgun shell keeps the S hook from slipping and i don't have to mess with an eye to hook into.    i use this method on the deer blind door(s) too. makes it a self closer if you unhook the top and bottom and leave the center attached.
.

[Higgins]

I would also like to hear about some good latching mechanism that will work on my flimsy doors made out of aluminum. (talking about latching when we are inside) not the end of day when we walk away

maybe some heavy strength drawer magnets would work, that way when you have a pike on the end of a spear you don't need to worry about getting the door open