Ice Shack ideas

[snowman6902]

Hey Everyone. I'm new to this site. I'm just getting into ice fishing. Been going out this winter. I've taken my daughter(6years old) and she is excited about it as I am. I just picked up an old pop-up camper I want to convert into a portable ice shack. My plan is to cut out the canvas and use the base and maybe "knee-walls" if i can and build up from there. I'm gonna clean the inside and try to keep the interior stuff(cabinets, table) if i can. Just to make it more comfortable. Anyone have thoughts? How should I build the walls? Any special tricks or tips anyone has figured out over the years? Things that they have learned from building their own that made them that much more handy? Also, heat was something I was trying to figure out. I don't think I have room for a woodstove. But, it does have the propane tank setup on the front of the trailer. Thinking maybe hook something up inside? Thanks

[mainedukblaster]

Welcome,
If you can build off the knee walls build it with 2x2's or ripped down 2X4's and then use Luann plywood.  its a good Idea...  I would then mount some corner jacks, (if it doesn't already have it to block the wheels off the ice, even remove the wheels if you are going to use it as a permanent out there.  That way someone just doesn't come over with a wheeler and haul it off..  the key is to distribute teh weight when you block it up, this can be accomplish by laying a 2X6 or a 2X8 the entire length on each side and block up on each end of it..  this limits the amount it sinks in the ice completely on those warm sunny days, as well as provides more stability IMHO..  We do it with our BIG red Camp, but that was out of trial and error out of a few seasons.. Good luck
keep us posted with Pics..

[Mainehazmt]

keep your options open  and figure how your gonna get it on and off the ice  I had a 6x12 perm out on the lake and in the end I had to destroy it to get it off in time  I dont know where your at as it seems the southern part of the state has a better chance at clean ice to get them off and on safely vs Up here in the county with the major snow we get at the end of the season

[snowman6902]

Do I try to build into the existing wall or build on top? Put the 2x2's in the wall? Is there enough room for that? (I haven't torn into my project yet.) How do you heat your shack? This camper came with jacks on all four corners. I like the 2x6 idea. Do you have pics of your shack Mainedukblaster?

[GasBlaster]

    I have seen a few shacks made out of pop up campers . Most just make a 2x2 studded wall and put it in where the canvas is . the wall holds up the roof because most of the old camper have issues with the crank up roof anyway . this way its up and stays up all the time . you can leave the inside just as it is or modify it to your liking . For heat some campers have propain fired heater in them ,But if yours doesn't or is no good I would try a little buddy heater . You could run it off the tank outside or the small camping size tanks .

[mainedukblaster]

Do I try to build into the existing wall or build on top? Put the 2x2's in the wall? Is there enough room for that? (I haven't torn into my project yet.) How do you heat your shack? This camper came with jacks on all four corners. I like the 2x6 idea. Do you have pics of your shack Mainedukblaster?

yup


here is a picture of the 2x6 layed down and blocked from edges..

[snowman6902]

Thanks everyone. Nice place Mainedukblaster. How's your dog like hanging out at the shack? Lovin fishing too? lol. Where do you normally set up shop Mainedukblaster? My friends and I were on Ossippee in Waterboro this year. Unfortunately, they yanked all their shacks so that slowed me down some. That's part of why I want to build my own. That and my daughter is all excited to help me build one and have one of our own.

[Wolley]

A guy i fish with has a shack that is made on a pop up camper frame. He pretty much stripped it down and used metal studs to frame new walls and a pitched roof. It has thin fiberglass sheet on the outside and on the roof. Foam insulation in betweeen the studs and wood panelling on the inside. It also retains the sink, stove, table and i think benches as well from the original camper. There are two holes with covers in the floor for jigging. For heat, he just hooks up a 5# propane bottle outside to the line for the stove and turns it on. It will heat up pretty well.

The shack also retains the camper axel and supsension so you can tow it down the road with out a trailer. It also has small combination windows in it and a small combination door. The key to building a shack is to keep it light yet strong. steel studs do that for you. We have towed this one down the lake a couple miles with his Yamaha bravo. this one he did a really nice job on and is pretty much like a small camper. The better job you do on it initially, the longer it will last and the less you have to mess with it while you could be fishing.

[snowman6902]

Nice. That's what I hope to get out of this. A portable shack I can tow to the ice and then tow onto the ice. Do you have any pics of your buddys shack?

[Wolley]

Nice. That's what I hope to get out of this. A portable shack I can tow to the ice and then tow onto the ice. Do you have any pics of your buddys shack?

Dont have any pics right now, but might be able to get some in a few weeks.

[mainedukblaster]

Thanks everyone. Nice place Mainedukblaster. How's your dog like hanging out at the shack? Lovin fishing too? lol. Where do you normally set up shop Mainedukblaster? My friends and I were on Ossippee in Waterboro this year. Unfortunately, they yanked all their shacks so that slowed me down some. That's part of why I want to build my own. That and my daughter is all excited to help me build one and have one of our own.

well my dog loved going out, but she had to be put down...(had cancer), we used to put it out in gray..

[maineduckhunter]

BIG RED being built....







BIG RED being Yanked off the first year...

[holden222]

Nice shack but it loks real heavy and hard to move?

[maineduckhunter]

Nice shack but it loks real heavy and hard to move?

Its actually not that bad.....Just doesn't like the deep snow....but what shack does.....

[Airwave(OH)]

mainedukblaster:
What I want to know is what that is hanging in the plastic baggie on the wall  !!!!

[maineduckhunter]

mainedukblaster:
What I want to know is what that is hanging in the plastic baggie on the wall  !!!!

I think its DOGGIE treats..... 8)

[MG39]

It sounds like you may need to pick up a used tractor to get that thing on & off the ice.

You might want to think about something a little lighter!

Once the snow gets on the ice and just a little slush, oh, god, what a headache!

Good Luck & Welcome to the shanty!

[dirk327]

This shack that maine800, thebrain, and myself built was pushed out onto the lake by two of us.  Two of us loaded it on a snowmobile trailer also.  It is 8 X 12. 

[Yukon Steve]

Welcome aboard Snowman!! Sounds like a neat project your planning there, keep us posted!! As far as heating, if it already has the propane tank carriers on the tongue I'd run the gas line into the shack and run a Mr. Heater Buddy type heater, and  also run a line for your stove unless the pop-up already has one in it.

Where about in Hollis are you?? Probably will see ya from time to time on Little O' or in town! Good luck!!

[mainedukblaster]

mainedukblaster:
What I want to know is what that is hanging in the plastic baggie on the wall  !!!!

Dog food ? why

[sticks]

This shack that maine800, thebrain, and myself built was pushed out onto the lake by two of us.  Two of us loaded it on a snowmobile trailer also.  It is 8 X 12. 

yeah then beavetale and i had to haul it out for ya...it towed like a tank...............jus t kidding see ya out there friday

[nofishin]

Dirk...good to see you didn't forget the beer

[snowman6902]

Does that shack say "Team Taint"? Lol.

[kimball07]

looks like dogfood ,

KEEP IT LIGHT WEIGHT WITH TALL RUNNERS

mine's light but my runners aren't high enough.

[snowman6902]

I live right on Killick Pond Rd in Hollis. The road they put the bottling plant on. I'm planning on doing some tearing into shack construction this weekend. I'm gonna work on the tearing down and cleaning this weekend. I have to wait for my daughter to be available because she wants to be involved in the whole process. "Daddy's Little Helper". So I'll put pics up this weekend.

[snowman6902]

Dirk327, What did you cover your shack with? Looks damn good. Looks like you had all the essantials around your shack.

[Woods Wise]

Does that shack say "Team Taint"? Lol.

You noticed that too! I like the landscaping around the shack, who needs shrubs when you can use coors light.

[snowman6902]

The camper trailer I'm gonna use is 10' feet long by 6 1/2 wide. My daughter was filling me in last night before bedtime on her "plans" for our shack. LOL. She was telling me we need to make a bed in there for her and we need to have a table. I'm afraid I'm going to get bumped to laborer while she is gonna take over the "GC" position. Anybody use a battery and run lights in their shack? Or use a battery as a back-up? What's the best way to do that? Would using car dome lights work?

[Mainehazmt]

I used both   batteries  and booster box   depends on the plans you have  for it's use  I used led lights bought off ebay  that have an 1156 base
simular to these     in a 48  -  63 led configuration   I also use these in my camper as rarely I go to "camp grounds"   allows longer run times with out recharging my batteries   (now if I could cut down on the TV I could run  the lights for weeks!)    I also installed 2 propane lights in my shack  one above the stove and one at the other end over the holes   helped with heat   and lights   plumbing was easy as the fittings are always available for what ever gas light ya want    the advantage of the "booster pack" is you can take it home at light and recharge it easyer that a full size battery   plus if ya dont use it in the shack  ya got it incase something wont start on the ice   Look at your amp draw when ya pick out what your gonna need for power   most of the good booster packs have a 29 ah battery   cheapies 9-12 ah    just barely over a vex battery  another disadvantage of most of the booster batteries is that you can only use the lighter plugs on them for power as the battery connections have some stitching inside that wont let ya get power off the clamps  (keeps ya from connecting the battery wrong when boosting)   hope there are some ideas you can use   Im thinking about building another better shack on the ice next year for up here in a group venture  so like you Im looking at all ideas   one thing....looking at metal studs!for the walls   but   I have a year to decide   and also have to think what others may like!

[bigdadde66]

looks like "herbs" to me