Author Topic: Need Ice House Help  (Read 2814 times)

Offline ZodiacWI

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Need Ice House Help
« on: Sep 10, 2014, 08:26 PM »
First, thanks for approving me to join, I've lurked for awhile gaining information and looking at everyone's ice shanty, but now I've run in to problems. And I don't know who to ask.

I've decided to build a shanty.

8X10X7, with runners, to go on my two place snowmobile trailer.

2X4 construction, with 1/4" plywood sheeting inside and out, sandwiching foam insulation in the walls, floor, and roof.

My trailer can handle up to 1,500LBS. And the lightest I can get this shanty to weigh, is 1,464LBS.

I drew up plans, measured board feet, and used several different numbers off the internet to find the weight of SPF 2X4s. Turns out an 8' SPF 2X4, that's kiln dried, weighs about 11LBS.

Here's what I've got for totals, at least in part... 270LBS for wall frames, 195LBS for the floor framing, 144LBS for the roof, 72LBS for the runners (just a couple 4X4s).

Then you add in things like the plywood sheeting inside and out, the roof sheeting (not even including roofing materials), windows (three), a door (just one, wood), and I end up at 1,464LBS.

What kind of information does anyone have with steel studs? I know they weigh much less, which is great, but I'd like to include two bunks fastened to the wall, somehow. And a flip up table. And I have no idea how that would hold up.

Or should I use 2X3s? Or will that not save that much weight?

What other options should I check out here?

Go 8X8X7? (By the way, I should mention, the 7 feet is the height of the walls, not overall height, that's more like 7.5' since the roof rafters are just going to be 2X6s tapered on both ends from the center out).

Offline addicted to ice fishing

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #1 on: Sep 10, 2014, 08:48 PM »
 Sorry no help on your question.  Just wanted to welcome you to the Shanty.  From your screen name, it looks like you are from Wisconsin.  If so, are you anywhere near the Eau Claire area?

Offline ZodiacWI

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #2 on: Sep 10, 2014, 08:57 PM »
I live in the Fox Valley, Winneconne to be exact.

A drinking town with a fishing problem.

Consequently, I spend a lot of time fishing.

Offline Baetis62

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #3 on: Sep 10, 2014, 09:14 PM »
Yeah welcome Zodiac.   I'm not much help with your shack unfortunately but I grew up shooting ducks and ice fishing on the west end of Poygan.  Please keep us posted on your progress and good luck.

Offline da man cave shack

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #4 on: Sep 10, 2014, 09:29 PM »
Sounds like you are on the right track. If what you have to work with is wood then under 1500lbs is awesome. There are some lighter options like metal studs but then your prices start to go up.


Offline ZodiacWI

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #5 on: Sep 10, 2014, 09:38 PM »
Yeah welcome Zodiac.   I'm not much help with your shack unfortunately but I grew up shooting ducks and ice fishing on the west end of Poygan.  Please keep us posted on your progress and good luck.

I'm actually forgoing duck hunting this year to build this shack. Possibly gun deer too. I'll have to see. I've got 836294 hobbies. All of them are hunting and fishing in winter or fall.


Offline ZodiacWI

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #6 on: Sep 10, 2014, 09:40 PM »
Sounds like you are on the right track. If what you have to work with is wood then under 1500lbs is awesome. There are some lighter options like metal studs but then your prices start to go up.

With my trailer only rated for 1500LBS, do you think that will be an issue?

I realize there is a margin of error in there, probably around 250 LBS, but I will be cutting it very close, and I don't want to bend the axle in my trailer.

Offline ZodiacWI

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #7 on: Sep 10, 2014, 09:43 PM »
Yeah welcome Zodiac.   I'm not much help with your shack unfortunately but I grew up shooting ducks and ice fishing on the west end of Poygan.  Please keep us posted on your progress and good luck.

I forgot the ice fishing Poygan part, sorry. That's where I spend probably half my time in winter, buddy has a shack on the ice out there, it's being sold as we speak.

I fish it a lot in summer too. But I plan on putting this shack out on Winnebago. I like ice fishing out there a lot more than Poygan.

Offline Lavman

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #8 on: Sep 11, 2014, 06:24 AM »
Welcome to the shanty!

Metal studs would require wood blocking to attach the bunks and table, very do-able. I would suggest incorporating a hinged leg to support the side away from the wall instead of any sort of cable or chain hanging method.

If you stick with wood I would suggest ripping your 2x4's in half for studding up the walls. Go with the full 2x4 for the rafters. Insulate the walls with rigid insulation boards. Corrugated metal panels on the outside, over the framing, will keep it light and eliminate a layer of sheathing. Same on the roof. Set your rafters then install strapping perpendicular to the rafters and screw corrugated metal over the strapping. From the inside install rigid insulation between the rafters and foam in place.

For the interior skin the 1/4" plywood will be fine and give you some rigidity.

For runners, if you can install a 2x6 on edge and screw some downhill skis to the bottom those will make excellent runners.

This should lighten your shack up considerably.

Good luck and have fun with the build  :tipup:

Offline da man cave shack

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #9 on: Sep 11, 2014, 08:03 AM »
With my trailer only rated for 1500LBS, do you think that will be an issue?

I realize there is a margin of error in there, probably around 250 LBS, but I will be cutting it very close, and I don't want to bend the axle in my trailer.
no you will be fine. Just maybe take it easy with your driving but there should be no problem.


Offline Fire_Ice

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #10 on: Sep 11, 2014, 09:04 AM »
Howdy and welcome. I built a 5x8 fish house last winter trying to keep it as light as possible. The house ended up being 640 pounds. I ripped 2x4 studs to 2x2 for the wall framing and I built the floor out of green treated 2x4's with 3/4" plywood. The reason for this was so I could drive my ATV in once the fish house was loaded onto the trailer. If I did not use the fish house for the ATV some weight could have been saved on the floor.

You can check out my build here: http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=275625.0

Offline ZodiacWI

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #11 on: Sep 11, 2014, 07:15 PM »
Welcome to the shanty!

Metal studs would require wood blocking to attach the bunks and table, very do-able. I would suggest incorporating a hinged leg to support the side away from the wall instead of any sort of cable or chain hanging method.

If you stick with wood I would suggest ripping your 2x4's in half for studding up the walls. Go with the full 2x4 for the rafters. Insulate the walls with rigid insulation boards. Corrugated metal panels on the outside, over the framing, will keep it light and eliminate a layer of sheathing. Same on the roof. Set your rafters then install strapping perpendicular to the rafters and screw corrugated metal over the strapping. From the inside install rigid insulation between the rafters and foam in place.

For the interior skin the 1/4" plywood will be fine and give you some rigidity.

For runners, if you can install a 2x6 on edge and screw some downhill skis to the bottom those will make excellent runners.

This should lighten your shack up considerably.

Good luck and have fun with the build  :tipup:

Ripped 2x4s will still have decent strength? 

As in bunks attached to them without pulling the wall down?

Offline Lavman

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #12 on: Sep 12, 2014, 06:27 AM »
You will be fine. Just use legs to hold the inboard side of the bunk up. Think of it like a table, a 2x2 will hold just fine unless you are trying to bunk a sumo sized dude then maybe you need to switch to structural steel  ;D

Offline ZodiacWI

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Re: Need Ice House Help
« Reply #13 on: Sep 12, 2014, 11:44 PM »
You will be fine. Just use legs to hold the inboard side of the bunk up. Think of it like a table, a 2x2 will hold just fine unless you are trying to bunk a sumo sized dude then maybe you need to switch to structural steel  ;D

Well I feel sumo sized. Not sure if I am.





I hope I'm not.

 



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