Ice shack windows

[ford8n]

Built one of those fold up shacks out of three sheets of plywood and a tarp that I saw on this site. Great set up except for the vision, you can only see out the ends. I would like to add some side windows but can't figure out how to add clear plastic over holes cut in the tarp without stiching. I thought of using plexie glass with a double wooden frame and sandwich the tarp in between but then you have the problem of folding up the shack. Also had an idea of portholes and using the rings of some recessed ceiling lights and maybe some type of adhesive.  Any ideas?

[Cella_in_SDak]

As a "craft" lady..maybe you can find a sheet of clear , cold resistant, flexible plastic and use a fabric glue to glue the edges of it to the outside of the tent.... then go inside...cut a rectangular U shape for the window...spray ALL the cut edges  with "fray resist" to prevent raveling (find it at a fabric store).. attach velcro "spots" with some more of the glue at the two corners of the flap...and attach the matching velcro "spots" above the "window" on the tent wall.  Voila!! If you don't care about "attractiveness"...you might even use silicone tub caulk as the glue?? Hubby used it once to patch his coveralls and it never did come off!! lol Measure how high the windows are on a tent that is set up at your local store to be sure yours are at the right height? Hope this gives you some ideas!!

[ford8n]

Ahhh !!!!!! The knowledge of a woman to the rescue, thanks for the idea.
Never heard of “fray resist” and that was one of the reasons I was thinking of portholes because a circle is less likely to tear because there are no corners The only problem is that the tarp I’m using is poly not canvas  so will those products work on that? I have the clear, cold resistant plastic that I used on the ends and even thought of wrapping the whole shack in it. Then on sunny days I would have Mother Nature heat my shack.
Thanks for your help Cella_in_SDk

[Cella_in_SDak]

It will probably work better on the finer woven, thinner poly than on heavy thick canvas! You could make the bottom of the window a rounded mostly horizontal U? I agree with "corners" tearing more easily but no one is going to be reaching through these. Either style should be fine. (You might want to spread some glue right to the edges of the window frame plastic, let dry thoroughly and then  after you cut the hole ...glue the freshly cut fabric right up against the plastic to give the plastic more contact to "hang on" with?) I said "fray resist" but it is "fray check". It stops fabric edges from unraveling. You might want to use a pinking shears too for cutting the hole just to be super extra safe? Do you have a remnant from making the tent that you can practice on?? If so...then you can give it a severe test...like seeing what it takes to remove the "window"... or putting it in the freezer and seeing how it reacts to the cold/moisture.... Let us know how it turns out! Good luck!!  PS  You don't want to get your shack so hot that the ice below melts and you fall in!!! lol  

[Flash_King]

Cella  EXCELLENT POST! If other fishermen with other types of portables without windows can get some spare fabric and try your solution we will not keep hearing " HEY BUDDY - YOU HAVE A FLAG!"LOL. Have printed out your solution for future reference - Thanks again
Good Luck - Good Fishing

[ford8n]

Thanks again Cella for the info. I do have some of the material left over and plan to experiment today. Will let you know how I make out.  It seems that I get stuck doing most of the cooking and it's a pain getting up and peeking out the door every couple of minutes. Like Flash King said you gotta be able to see your tip ups. Funny that sometimes one of my friends will yell to me that I have a flag which turned out to be a false alarm because they would set them off since I couldn't see them. Have to take care of that problem.

[Mr.Seaguar]

Cella that is great info. One thing I might do a little different is sit on a bucket and put the windows at that height. In my estimation the windows are too high in commercially produced shacks. If you dont use buckets you could sit on a chair or whatever.

[Cella_in_SDak]

Thanks! But remember this is all "untried" stuff!!   You might not be so pleased about the "fabric" glue suggestion...I'm worried that the plastic isn't porous enough...that the glue will just peel off??  Maybe the acrylic latex caulking sealant that hubby used on his coveralls would make a better "bond"?? (Use the clear NOT the white that hubby used!! lol  )  Or maybe Elmer's rubber cement...coating both surfaces ..then sticking together??  How did you attach your clear plastic on the ends of your "shack"??  Here's hoping that even with your new windows...you'll have such good fishing that you'll still hear "Hey! You gotta flag!!"!!

[jesse63b]

go to the hardware store and buy some clear plastic. it should be buy the section where you can buy replacment screen for your windows.i bought some 10 mil thickness plastic for my windows, and i built the same shack off of this site. works great. i also used some bondage glue in a calk gun tube made by locktight. its like a  liquid nail type stuff and holds up to the cold just fine.

[ford8n]

Thanks Jesse. How big did you make your windows? Did you glue them to the inside or outside? The problem I have is that the shack will have to be set up to do the window installation so that means I have to do it outside and being as cold as it is in Mass now I'm wondering if the glue will work. I suppose I could run a torpedo heater while doing this. How long does it take for the bondage glue to set? Did you try the product called Goop that indeeptreble suggested?

[mnfishman]

I replaced some plastic windows in my portable and I just sewed them in using 30lb test dacron.  I got a large needle from Walmart (actually it was cheaper to buy the assortment pack then one needle).  I taped the windows over the hole using duck tape and then I sewed them in. I had to sew through thick canvas and there was also window flaps and velcro that I had to sew in as well.  It took me about 4 hours to sew in a small window.  I did it without any help so I spent a lot of time going in and out of the portable to push and pull the needle through.

I think that if you want the windows to stay in for good you had better sew them in and not try to glue them.  If you decide to glue them make sure you test the glue on a small piece of the window to make sure it doesn't cloud up the plastic.  If you are having a hard time finding flexible plastic for the windows contact either Canvas Craft in MPLS or ShoreMaster Fabric in Fergus Falls MN.  They will be able to send you some for next to nothing.

[3RivAnglr]

        Depending on the ttpe of material your cover is made out of u can get iron on patches from W a l l mart. Iron on the patch with some cloth lining part so u make a pocket of sorts then u can insert a clear piece of  plastic or ???.The get  some type of glue or liquid nail type bond and just squeeze it together some how. That should work well sealed on both sides and the pocket to hold it .  Good Luck Jim C.
       Thinking of putting 2 in my trap now.

[grr8d8b8]

cella ......will you marry me........

[kenelz]

Maybe hot glue out of a hot glue gun would work for the bonding.