modular shacks?

[akjw7]

Anyone built any hardsides that attach together once on the ice? 

Weight is no issue way up here with feet of ice and my 10x7 is just too small for all the kids. I've been thinking that another 'module' would be the way to go. Could just build another like the existing and put them next to each other, but that's not as much fun as one big room that everybody can fit in.


To have that it would be too big to trailer - so I got thinking about something that could be built in two halves and maybe even completely take down - with walls and everything getting stood up on the ice. Haul it all down in a stack - stand up walls and bolt everything together once at the start of the season, then unbolt at the end and everything thrown in a stack on the trailer to get it home for the summer. Then you could have the two units mate up on the ice somehow and have one big cabin all winter.

little more complex of a day dream than my amateur engineering can handle - anyone have anything remotely like this?

[markjsolomon]

There are some operators up here in Ontario that put up huge cabins that come apart when moving them...

I stayed in one it was about 15 feet by 8

[fishnwire]

I've been in a couple of shacks that fold down or bolt together from two separate halves and have found them to be a little rickety and drafty.  It's pretty tough to design and build something that easily attaches together and doesn't leave cracks for heat loss or weak points where the pieces come together.

 

[Iceassin]

Could you build one identical to the one you have, then butt them together once on the ice ? If you're not packing up and moving much, I'd think that it might work. Just leave one end open on each, pull together and maybe fasten somehow. Then doors on opposite ends of each...just a thought.

[akjw7]

yeah getting something sturdy enough to leave out all winter through the storms and everything would be a challenge.  The good thing here is that it doesn't have to be quick or easy...even if it took all day to set up you could put it out after thanksgiving and fish till april so it would be worth it!   

Drafty is very bad (lots of 20 to 40 below and colder times here). It would have to have serious seals between each wall, roof, floor piece and especially between the two halves. Maybe some sort of camlock or other serious tension device binding the two halves together on a thick seal.

Really I think the roof would be the toughest part - it would have to either have some columns inside to support or just clear span the width (not that big of a deal over 8 or 10 feet), but worse than that it would have to have a clever seal where the two roof halves met to make sure it didn't leak...

I think a smart enough guy could engineer something that could be sturdy enough (I'm not that guy...but I'm thinking maybe bolts embedded in the floor that stick up like studs - put the wall over then tighten the nuts down - then more bolts from wall to wall to connect each corner.  Same for the roof. Connecting the two halves may be tougher than the walls.

[campfindit2]

Some thoughts.
Threaded rod with turn buckles from outside to outside.
Build the roof ridge pole on one half allowing the sister half to nest under for weather proofing.

[akdube]

Carpeting on the inside attached to to one wall then when the "addition" goes up you have a "flap" that will cover the gap if any? Just a strip maybe 6 or 8 " should do the tyrick I would think