Started my tower stand today

[Robert_in_NY]

Well, I finally had a chance to start the tower stand today. The poles have been sitting there for a week but between rain, a major wind storm that tore our service off the house and more rain I had not had a chance to drill any holes. So today I set the 4- 18' 4x6's by myself and set the joist skirt boards myself as well before my dad finally was able to come help me. So he helped set the 5 inside 2x6 joists then took off as all I was going to do was set the bottom cross bracing then call it a day.

The floor is 7.5' off the ground and the blind will have an inside height of 7' 2". They are calling for high winds tomorrow so I doubt I will get to work on it again but hopefully it will hold off as I want to start framing up the walls after I find what windows I want to use.

I am leaving one side of the bottom open to park the atv under the blind. Eventually I will close it in and will set up a simple door so I can hide the ATV as well.

 

[sandman2234]

Can I come hunt in it when your done? I don't want to help build it, but am willing to help where it out when you get it built...
Just kidding, but that is pretty much the attitude we got when we built the last stand like that, from a neighbor who didn't own a big enough piece of property to hunt on. He came over and talked for an hour, holding us up, but when we suggested he grab a piece of lumber and hand it up, he suddenly "had to go". He didn't come back till we were cleaning up, and asked if he could hunt out of it when we weren't using it. I suggested to the guys that DID HELP, that we padlock the door, so a lock was added.
David from jax

Nice start, hope for soft winds till your done.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

If your up this way your always welcome to stop in and hunt. I went to look for windows tonight but didn't find what I wanted so tomorrow I am going to Mr 2nds and see what they have. I did get a nice exterior door at the Home Depot for $99. No window but I don't need a window in it, just a six panel steel entry door and it is drilled for a dead bolt already so I can really lock it up tight during the non hunting months and protect all my valuable items in it

 

[20 20]

Looks like it's gona be nice. Don't ya just love this weather we're having this year

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Looks like it's gona be nice. Don't ya just love this weather we're having this year

Yeah, it has been great. I am hoping for a November dry spell so I can harvest my corn. My vineyards are going to get tore up bad during harvest as my Niagara vineyard already is ripped up and is going to give me a lot of work this spring fixing the ground from all the ruts

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Well I didn't find the windows I liked at Mr 2nds but found some that could work. I am going to see my friends at the lumber yards and see what windows they have in their building that were mistakes and are just laying around till someone needs them. Hopefully I can find something that will work.

I did get the OSB and 2x4's for the walls. I bought 30 8' 2x4's and 12' sheets of 7/16's OSB at Home Depot. I paid $64 and it didn't ring a bell till I told my dad that I was surprised I bought all this material for less then I paid for that door the day before. Well he knew there was a mistake and when I checked the receipt they only charged me for one 2x4 All I remember was trying to balance my daughters push pop on the load of OSB and 2x4's as she was trying to wiggle the cart while I was trying to check out. I do love her though She did help me unload the materials in the barn though. I need to get the plywood for the roof that is stored in one of our garages in town and the 3/4" tounge and groove plywood that is stored in our old barn for the floor still. I also need to figure out what I need for my roof rafters and get them as I don't think I have anything here but might at the garage.

This project has been fun so far as it is a big scavenger hunt trying to find the right materials Today was a beautiful day but a tad cool. So I spent the day with Ava as there wasn't much to do without having windows so I know the size of the openings. We went to Harvest Hollow which is a halloween farm as our schools parent teacher team set up a day for kids from our school to go so Ava got to play with her friends in the corn maze, hay ride, play with some animals and a lot of outside toys and get a pumpkin. So it was a great day for me as she has done everything with me today

 

[Robert_in_NY]

started on the walls today as I located 3 windows. I still need to get a window for the wall facing the field

 

[20 20]

You'll have to put a little potbelly stove in there with some running water a couch TV bar..........

 

[Thomas]

That's one beefy looking blind,also high enough so snakes won't visit ..looking forward to pictures of wildlife from mini camp.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You'll have to put a little potbelly stove in there with some running water a couch TV bar..........

It is going to have a small propane heater in there. I have a recliner I can take out there too and will have a shelf at 3' high all around it to set my laptop if I decide to really stay out there for a while. All I need to do is figure out if I can tether my laptop to my phone for internet access without costing me a fortune. If not I can watch movies in between watching for critters

Ever since I got hurt I no longer enjoy being uncomfortable. Sitting on hard buckets or trees and freezing are not fun and I can't sit that way anymore because of my back so I want to set this stand up nice and eventually I will build a couple more in other sections of this property and maybe a couple more at our other pieces of land as time and money permits.

I may look into solar collectors for this stand though so I can have a simple power source if I take my daughter out so she can watch DVD's while we wait for something to show itself.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That's one beefy looking blind,also high enough so snakes won't visit ..looking forward to pictures of wildlife from mini camp.

I am over building it by a large margin because this will catch a lot of wind. I don't want to build it light and have the winds push it around.

Snakes don't ever bother me around here. My problem has been mice.

 

[Luremaker]

It is going to have a small propane heater in there. I have a recliner I can take out there too and will have a shelf at 3' high all around it to set my laptop if I decide to really stay out there for a while. All I need to do is figure out if I can tether my laptop to my phone for internet access without costing me a fortune. If not I can watch movies in between watching for critters .

Now, that's what I call hunting!

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Now, that's what I call hunting!

Its going to have a regular office chair for when I am hunting. The recliner will be for guests or if I am tired

 

[Robert_in_NY]

framed up two more walls today. I still need to figure out the windows for the last wall then I can frame that up. So I will get them located and pick up the roof rafter material and go from there.

Also, this building is plumb and square, this pic makes it look terribly crooked but it is just an illusion

 

[20 20]

It is going to have a small propane heater in there. I have a recliner I can take out there too and will have a shelf at 3' high all around it to set my laptop if I decide to really stay out there for a while. All I need to do is figure out if I can tether my laptop to my phone for internet access without costing me a fortune. If not I can watch movies in between watching for critters

that sounds great

Ever since I got hurt I no longer enjoy being uncomfortable. Sitting on hard buckets or trees and freezing are not fun and I can't sit that way anymore because of my back so I want to set this stand up nice and eventually I will build a couple more in other sections of this property and maybe a couple more at our other pieces of land as time and money permits.

I hear ya loud and clear on the back issue. I have had 2 major back surgeries 1 being done on my neck about a year ago. Sacred the ______ out of me lost all feeling on the right side. I also ended up with some permanent nerve damage. I don't hunt anything like I use to and sure do miss being able to go way out into the thick forest.

I may look into solar collectors for this stand though so I can have a simple power source if I take my daughter out so she can watch DVD's while we wait for something to show itself.

That sounds like a good idea, then you could put in some simple lights etc.

 

[tornadowatchranch]

this looks alot like what i built this past spring--I didn't enclose it though

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/139822-utility-pole-fort-begun-pics-2.html

 

[Robert_in_NY]

this looks alot like what i built this past spring--I didn't enclose it though

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/139822-utility-pole-fort-begun-pics-2.html

Have you finished your building yet? The last pic I saw it looks like you were getting ready to put in some joists.

My dad thinks I am getting soft building something like this but since I broke my back and had to have it repaired I do not like sitting out in the cold on hard seats. So I am building this to be very comfortable and as a result I can take family up there with me to hunt and there will be plenty of room and should be a great experience for everyone.

I bought a couple single hung windows today for the front wall and will make them work. They were not what I originally had in mind but the price was right and I could have them now as opposed to 2-3 weeks from now. So I bought the windows, rafter material, insulation for the ceiling and floor and some of the walls, osb to enclose the insulation under the floor and the ceiling, door knob/deadbolt set and the last of the 2x4s for the wall. I had plenty of felt paper, drip edge, f channel and Tripple 3 soffit material so all I have to do is put it together now and it will be water tight.

I need to see what I have for shingles around our place as my roof is going to take just over 1 square so I hope to find something that I can get still from a recent job and hopefully we have plenty of ridge cap left for that color as I don't want to buy an entire bundle for 10' or ridge. So the next nice day I get some time I will hopefully have the roof on and walls covered.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Shaping up really nicely, nice home away from home it's gonna be

 

[tornadowatchranch]

Mine has open sides. If you look closely you can see the fence I used to keep it safe. All I did after those pics was to put up the rafters and put some old barn tin on the top. It is in the trees so we have been out there in a downpour without getting wet. I hung it over the sides about 8 inches on all 4 sides. It is about 100 feet from the house.

It is withing 10 yeards of a heavily used game trail so we should be able to get some turkeys from it too. We aren't into deer hunting right now but may in the future.

I have also added an alarm system (old fashioned dinner triangle to be used while under attack from "enemy forces") a provision replenishment system (bucket and pulley for snacks and drinks) and a sheild system (scrap wood). a girls OK/no girls reversible sign and also some bb gun holders. My son is 8 if you can't tell. I also set up an area between the rafters separated by years. Whenever he has a new buddy up there they sign it. I figure over the years this will be pretty cool to see who all enjoyed it. I imagine in the teenage years there might even be some girls names too!

 

[The Dougster]

To some of you fellows buying material for deer stands, windows, etc, be sure to check out the Habitat for Humanity Restores... They have all sorts of doors/windows at very cheap prices... a few years ago while building a shop, I picked up a door and three windows for $60 American...