Author Topic: Questions and Advice for Constructing a Wheelhouse for 2022 - 2023 (Read 11881 times)

hawg · « **Reply #30 on:** Jul 24, 2022, 11:30 AM »

Is it just the picture? What size are those wheel/tires? The look tiny?

Rebelss · « **Reply #31 on:** Jul 24, 2022, 11:54 AM »

Looks like 205/15's to me.....

hawg · « **Reply #32 on:** Jul 24, 2022, 12:15 PM »

Must be the black wheels that create the illusion if that’s the size.

Rebelss · « **Reply #33 on:** Jul 24, 2022, 04:00 PM »

Let's hope they're at least that size, wouldn't want to see us get blamed for the wrong size......

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #34 on:** Jul 25, 2022, 02:48 PM »

The tires are 15 inches. Lol. They are good sized tires. I kinda took the pics at an angle. No pictures today. I got the frame all welded over the weekend and I go the swing arms all the way done. Now, I just have to get the swing arms installed. That should be nice and easy or it should be completely miserable hard to say at the moment. All I know is that getting everything perfectly measured out is going to be a son of a gun.

flyfish59102

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #35 on:** Aug 15, 2022, 12:08 AM »

Life has been a wee bit busy kind of getting in the way of my project. Did a bunch of work on the front trailer tounge assembly this weekend. Works well, painted now and waiting for it to dry.

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #36 on:** Aug 15, 2022, 12:14 AM »

I also completed the rear ramp. Frame for actual structure is next. It better be cold with lots of ice this year because welding in 90 degrees sucks.

Flyfish59102

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #37 on:** Aug 16, 2022, 02:01 PM »

Well, got the tongue assembly completed, painted and put together. I think it looks pretty good and it ever works. Score one for the good guys.
Flyfish59102

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #38 on:** Sep 13, 2022, 12:03 PM »

This project is kicking my hind end. Should have paid more attention in physics. Wasn't it Archemedes who said "Give me a lever long enough and I will move the world." Either way, round one of my lever system was too hard to raise shack with weight of structure. I measured by putting building supplies on it and trying to raise it. Didn't work ...well...at least not without a lot of force so back to the drawing board. I redesigned the lever and angle of attachment and now I can raise and lower with about 10lbs of force with all building supplies for structure. Here is the updated pics. This week, construction of actual shack starts.

hawg · « **Reply #39 on:** Sep 13, 2022, 06:58 PM »

Do you have 2 speed winches?

OldSailor · « **Reply #40 on:** Sep 13, 2022, 07:14 PM »

And take the handles off the winch and make adapters so you can use a battery drill on them!!

hawg · « **Reply #41 on:** Sep 14, 2022, 08:43 AM »

Ice Nutz! If you don’t have 2 speed, get them. Remember to that the less cable you have on a winch the lower the gear ratio and the easier to crank.

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #42 on:** Sep 15, 2022, 10:47 AM »

so, I only have a winch on the front. The side wheels are raised and lowered using the bar as a lever and just using your own strength. I tried to design it like a Zack Shack. The idea it to be super mobile so I can drop and fish fast and move to a new location in under five minutes if I want too without any worry about cranking it up or down, running out of drill batteries or any other nonsense. Just grab the bar, push down, insert pin. The shack goes up and I can move. I am going to make the fender for the wheel a ski so I can use the lever arm to go the other way to put down a ski instead of a wheel when there is a lot of snow. I just ordered a sheet of one inch thick HDPE to make the ski out of.

flyfish59102

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #43 on:** Sep 15, 2022, 11:03 AM »

Started work on the actual structure last night. The metal I had was pretty rusty. Had to polish it down before I could get a reliable weld. Each one is pretty strong and only weighs about 10lbs. I weigh 220 and I could hang on them.

Flyfish59102

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #44 on:** Sep 18, 2022, 09:47 PM »

Things are moving along. Slowly but surely I am getting it together. Ribbs are up. Few reinforcements and then the walls... and just for fun, one image down and one image up on the wheels.

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #45 on:** Sep 18, 2022, 09:49 PM »

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #46 on:** Oct 06, 2022, 04:56 PM »

Isn't there a saying about the last 10 percent of a building project taking 90 percent of the time? Totally living that right now. I got the nose built. I got the floor put in. Last night I added the handles to the swing arms. Now it is time to cap the swing arms, paint the new work and add door framing around the rear door.

Then, build front door and frame. Hopefully siding soon. I bought some spray foam insulation, so that is next. With any luck, that will start going in this weekend.

Flyfish59102

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #47 on:** Oct 06, 2022, 05:00 PM »

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #48 on:** Oct 06, 2022, 05:02 PM »

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #49 on:** Oct 06, 2022, 05:04 PM »

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #50 on:** Oct 06, 2022, 05:07 PM »

Royalwapiti · « **Reply #51 on:** Oct 10, 2022, 07:30 PM »

If you are not a member of the Facebook group Fish House Fabricators, I would seek them out. Lots of experienced people on there, some build new houses every year and sell the previous one. Every question you can think of has been asked on there.

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #52 on:** Oct 11, 2022, 05:43 AM »

Looking good flyfish 👍👍

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #53 on:** Oct 11, 2022, 07:08 PM »

So the welding is done. Burned up a few shirts and pairs of gloves. Also, I am proud to say I only used $200 of my designated $500 budget for the "wow, you really #&^@@# up that weld budget. Now I am onto siding.

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #54 on:** Oct 11, 2022, 07:12 PM »

Thank you for the advice on fishhouse fabricators for Facebook. Never heard of it. I am going to look it up.

Flyfish59102

cwavs1982 · « **Reply #55 on:** Oct 12, 2022, 07:24 AM »

Good progress!! Enjoy these builds and following along!

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #56 on:** Oct 12, 2022, 03:19 PM »

Thanks. I am posting what I do and how I am doing it so other people can see. It has been an adventure. It is taking a lot longer than I thought it would. The welding took longer because I had to do some re-engineering. I also didn't know how to weld in March of this year. I have been learning during this project. I suppose that is always the case when you are not a professional engineer or even a moderately knowledgeable welder.

Even when you are an engineer every once in a while, you build a lemon. Look how many recalls there are on cars. After all Pontiac actually produced the "Aztec". They could hardly give that P.O.S. away and I guarantee there was more money, expertise and time put into that horrible vehicle than some amateur guy with a scratch pad and an idea sitting in a lawn chair in his garage. All I know is that I am tired of having cold wet feet and this should solve the problem.

flyfish59102

hawg · « **Reply #57 on:** Oct 12, 2022, 05:19 PM »

Sorry, but I think you’re gonna learn a lot from this adventure too and your next house will be a lot better.

flyfish59102 · « **Reply #58 on:** Oct 13, 2022, 10:48 AM »

My next project will be learning to weld aluminum. The next house will be a lot lighter if I make one. This one is pretty light but I think I could have done better and cut some weight in a few areas. I also think I could have done better on how I designed the floor. Less metal in the side to side support and more metal in front to back support. What the heck, making it has been more fun than buying it. It will make for better stories too.

flyfish59102

cwavs1982 · « **Reply #59 on:** Oct 13, 2022, 10:59 AM »

Enjoying this thread - that's how you learn!

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Author Topic: Questions and Advice for Constructing a Wheelhouse for 2022 - 2023 (Read 11881 times)