Re: Ice Hut Build...FINISHED!!! Feb21

[laclabiche walleye hunter]

I might have gone with those if I'd have known I could get them.  I went with these 5 gallon pails from Lowes, and I think I'll be happy with them.  They have a big lip on the outside so (despite my imperfect hole cutting job) they extend past the opening all the way around.  Once in place they will extend below to just above the ice surface, cutting down on drafts.  They came with lids, so I'll glue left-over insulation to the bottoms of them for when the holes are not in use.  I left the handles on the pails, so they are easily pulled form the holes for transport.  Also they stick up above the floor about three inches...that rim will hopefully prevent stuff accidentally dropped or kicked across the floor from falling down the hole.   

The only problem is that I'll need to figure out something I can fasten down so that when I'm moving the hut, a snowbank's worth of snow doesn't fly into the hut via the open holes.  I saved the cuts so I might just use them somehow.

i would just cut some square hole covers and hinge them with a small handle. i have pails for sleaves in my shack and i love em they work awesome.

[Bout-Time]

Screw a hunk of 2x4 or 2x6 across the bottom of the bucket lid thats a hair shorter than the diameter of your holes. (or make an X)

Boom, hole covers that stay put during transit, and can be stepped on if need be.

[fishnwire]

i would just cut some square hole covers and hinge them with a small handle. i have pails for sleaves in my shack and i love em they work awesome.

I might do that.  It's not a bad idea.  A really good one actually.

I could hinge them toward the wall, so they wouldn't be obtrusive.  I`d use a deadbolt to fasten them...there would only be the little saddle that accepts the deadbolt on the floor.

Did I mention that's a good idea?  Thanks, brother.

[fishnwire]

Screw a hunk of 2x4 or 2x6 across the bottom of the bucket lid thats a hair shorter than the diameter of your holes. (or make an X)

Boom, hole covers that stay put during transit, and can be stepped on if need be.

That's also not a bad idea.  But square hinged "trap doors" are easy-peezy, lemon squeezy, George and Weezy.
 

[Bout-Time]

That's also not a bad idea.  But square hinged "trap doors" are easy-peezy, lemon squeezy, George and Weezy.
 

Yeah, those would work great too.

I suggest putting a piece of rope with a knot under and over the square for a handle, so it slides down the hole and out of the way. (except the knot on top) Drill a small hole and thread the rope through, then tie the knots.

[da man cave shack]

I would just make hole covers that fit fush with the floor so you dont trip over them. dont want to say i was ice fishing and I and  I wasnt on the ice that would be really  embarrassing in my opinion.

[fishnwire]

Yeah, those would work great too.

I suggest putting a piece of rope with a knot under and over the square for a handle, so it slides down the hole and out of the way. (except the knot on top) Drill a small hole and thread the rope through, then tie the knots.

If I put a deadbolt on each one I can just use that to get a hold of it for lifting...also I can secure it down.  Those little deadbolts (for cabinets or whatever)  won't create much of a tripping hazard.

[fishnwire]

I would just make hole covers that fit fush with the floor so you dont trip over them. dont want to say i was ice fishing and I and  I wasnt on the ice that would be really  embarrassing in my opinion.

If I use 1/2 ply and small deadbolts there will be little to trip over.

[Bout-Time]

If I put a deadbolt on each one I can just use that to get a hold of it for lifting...also I can secure it down.  Those little deadbolts (for cabinets or whatever)  won't create much of a tripping hazard.

That works too.

[da man cave shack]

Deadbolts sound like a real good idea.

[fishnwire]

This is a "shout-out" to Jamz and my Dad...

If your out there, log off, get to bed, and eat your Wheaties in the morn.  I'm going to put your buttocks to work tomorrow.

[fishnwire]

Deadbolts sound like a real good idea.

That works too.

I figure I'll cut squares out of 1/2 inch ply, and then two inch (or so) strips of it.  I'll screw the strips down and then hinges to them.  I guess I'll also need to cut little squares and affix them to bring up the saddles to the height of the deadbolts.  Still, it won't be too obtrusive.

[laclabiche walleye hunter]

Cut out the square and if you still have the circles you cut out of the floor glue them to the squares and put your dead bolt on and a rope handle and your good to go.

[fishnwire]

Cut out the square and if you still have the circles you cut out of the floor glue them to the squares and put your dead bolt on and a rope handle and your good to go.

Another good idea.

[fishnwire]

Had another good day today.  It was almost 10 degrees above zero yesterday, and almost 10 degrees below zero today.  I added a few layers to my ensemble and got to the site about 9 am.  My buddy Jamz and my Dad joined me and my Father-in-law shortly after and we formulated a game plan.  It was rainy yesterday and cold all night so there was a pretty decent sheet of ice on the floor.  We were worried that the walls would slip off the edges as we put them up, so with a bucket of hot water and some rags we melted and soaked up the ice where the footers would go.  The first wall was the hardest...we nailed braces to the sides and the four of us grunted it into place...three guys held and one guy spiked the braces in place.  Then we screwed the footers down.



That's Jamz pretending to work...I'll admit we "staged" that shot.  Once we had that wall in place and secure we took the brace off one side and put another wall up.



Then the third...





And finally the last one, which was a bit of an effort, but eventually went into place.



Yeah, it's pretty big...I know.



With the walls all up we cut the plywood for the sliding windows, and fit them in.



You'll notice that on this one I didn't stain far enough in...I don't know why I did that, but I'll have to touch it up in the spring.

Then we started fitting insulation.  It's 2 inch Plastispan foam board.  We just used a handsaw to cut it and the electric knife for the occasional trim needed.  We finished the 12 foot north wall and 8 foot east wall that will have the door on it. 





With a little less than half of the insulation to go, I'll soon finished that and then start on the roof.  Once that is on I can insulate it and then panel the walls.  Then I'll have a heat-able space to work in for the bulk of the remaining work.

I found out today that I've got a free stove and stove pipe waiting for me at my Brother-in-law's.  He was debating putting it in his garage but decided against it.  I'm hoping to pick that up tomorrow, along with the 2x4s and 1/2 ply for the roof.  I need a few more sheets of 2 inch foam board for the walls as well.  If I get that far by Sunday night (Gotta be back at work on Monday) I'll be quite happy.

[iwantone2.4]

Lookin good.

[da man cave shack]

Its a comein .

[laclabiche walleye hunter]

looking great like always

[matthewwood25]

nice job very big...

[gaudetskie]

Do you have an estimated finish weight? That things a beast!! It'll be fun once it's on the ice though!
Nick.

[Bout-Time]

Is that long and skinny 5 light a garage door window?

[fishnwire]

Do you have an estimated finish weight? That things a beast!! It'll be fun once it's on the ice though!
Nick.

I have no idea but figure when the stove, shelves, and benches are in...I'll probably be able to say, "That thing weighs a friggin' ton!", and not be exaggerating by much.   If I didn't have a frozen boat ramp to "launch" it from and a nearby lawn to summer it I'd be crazy for building such a "beast"...but because of my situation I figured I could sacrifice mobility for comfort.  I guess we'll soon find out if I'm right. 

As you say, it'll be fun once it's on the ice.  I'm willing to have to work hard at getting it on and off if while I'm using it I get just the sort of "ice shack" experience that I'm after.

[fishnwire]

Is that long and skinny 5 light a garage door window?

I have no idea.  I bought it for $5 at the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.  It could very well be.  Come to think of it I'm not sure what else it could be from. 

When I saw it for sale I nearly fell over.  It's just the window that I wanted.  Long so that you get sort of a panoramic view of the ice surface in front of the hut, but skinny so that the panes are less likely to break and I'm not losing a lot of heat through a huge, wide window.  It's also easy to block the light from, should I desire.  I remember describing just such a window to the Old Man when we were in the early planning stages and he said, "Where are you going to find a window like that?" and looked at me like I was being stupid. 

They were asking $10, which I would have happily paid, but I offered $5 and the guy went for it.

[Bout-Time]

Yeah buddy, Im lookin for some of those windows at the moment.

[fishnwire]

Yeah buddy, Im lookin for some of those windows at the moment.

I got really lucky when I found that one.  The other two I have were also a good find.  I went to a yard sale that had a wood stove advertised but was told it had just been sold.  I looked around and saw the two windows.  I figured I'd buy one if the guy didn't want a fortune for it.  I asked him how much and he said, "$5 each?", so I grabbed both.

[Hardwater Fisherman]

That thing is massive !  I mean your ice hut.  Get my bunk nice and cozy - I'll be there as soon as you cut the first hole.  It looks great!

[laclabiche walleye hunter]

Hey fishnwire were going nuts need another update please

[fishnwire]

Hey fishnwire were going nuts need another update please

Sorry...not much to update.  The wife had me preping for x-mas around the house and at the mall the last couple of days.  I managed to sneak away today just long enough to go out to my Brother-in-law's and pick up the stove, to the lumber yard for the stuff for the roof, to Lowe's for the rest of the wall insulation and then to my Father-in-law's to drop it all off. 

I'm back at work tomorrow and have four 12 hour shifts to go.  Then it's almost X-mas so I don't know when I'll get anything more done on the shack.     

[laclabiche walleye hunter]

Sorry...not much to update.  The wife had me preping for x-mas around the house and at the mall the last couple of days.  I managed to sneak away today just long enough to go out to my Brother-in-law's and pick up the stove, to the lumber yard for the stuff for the roof, to Lowe's for the rest of the wall insulation and then to my Father-in-law's to drop it all off. 

I'm back at work tomorrow and have four 12 hour shifts to go.  Then it's almost X-mas so I don't know when I'll get anything more done on the shack.   

Have a great xmas will check in on your thread later on.

[akdube]

GREAT ski set up glad to see you went with uhmw or something similar