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Metal deer blind base #4908835 01/14/14 03:41 AM
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golfer610 Offline OP
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Looking into building a 4x6 blind on top of a 8' to 10' metal stand.

Is 1/8" angle iron good to use for the legs or should we jump to 3/16"? Is angle iron even strong enough to hold 500 - 700 lbs? (weight of blind plus person(s)?

Would it be unsafe to use angle iron at 1/8 or 3/16?

What would be more cost effective and reliable? Round/square tubing or angle iron?

I haven't found much information on the forum about metal based deer stands...

Thanks!

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4908854 01/14/14 03:46 AM
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Karnis Offline
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Square tubing is the way to go. Built many that way.


Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4908866 01/14/14 03:50 AM
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We pick up used Pallet racks for less than $250 depending on height and cross braces. This one is 16' with the blind sitting about 12'. Had a welder make the stairs with hand rails.



DON'T GET CONFUSED BETWEEN MY PERSONALITY AND MY ATTITUDE. MY PERSONALITY IS WHO I AM...MY ATTITUDE DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE smile
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4908971 01/14/14 04:47 AM
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golfer610 Offline OP
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With that height, and a 4' base with that much weight up top, are you concerned about it being top heavy and easily blown over?

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4908977 01/14/14 04:53 AM
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Cable tied at all 4 corners. We have about a dozen like this and taller. West Texas so wind is always blowing with no issues.


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Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4909293 01/14/14 02:12 PM
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Very nice and a damn good ideer on the racks.......


Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: JustWingem] #4909391 01/14/14 02:55 PM
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Originally Posted By: JustWingem
We pick up used Pallet racks for less than $250 depending on height and cross braces. This one is 16' with the blind sitting about 12'. Had a welder make the stairs with hand rails.



Something tells me that you spent a lot of time building erector sets in your younger days up


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Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: Pope&Young] #4910251 01/14/14 09:18 PM
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Originally Posted By: Pope&Young
Originally Posted By: JustWingem
We pick up used Pallet racks for less than $250 depending on height and cross braces. This one is 16' with the blind sitting about 12'. Had a welder make the stairs with hand rails.



Something tells me that you spent a lot of time building erector sets in your younger days up


Nope! Just had a warehouse job and helped the company move back in high school. Got the idea when they set them up in the parking lot. Climbing up and checking out inventory.


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Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4910407 01/14/14 10:35 PM
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golfer610 Offline OP
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How long have you been using those? Have they been used for years out in the sun and rain and whatnot?

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4910711 01/15/14 12:42 AM
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Some are over 25 years old. A little surface rust but nothing structural.


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Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4910752 01/15/14 12:53 AM
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I can second the pallet rack idea. We bolted treated lumber across the legs to give it a bigger stance and you can see the gravel we used to make sure everything was level. Added a couple of pounds of rocks to the bottom shelf to help ballast the things just for fun. This has been rock solid for a couple of years now.


Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4912015 01/15/14 06:00 PM
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2" 14ga square tubing works well for towers. Then use 1" square to weld in some horizontal bracing near bottom, and some diagonal bracing. It will be solid.

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4912905 01/16/14 01:07 AM
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1 1/2 square tubing is fine...That's what I build all mine out of..Just make sure there is some bracing and you should be fine...






Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4956040 02/05/14 10:37 PM
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Last two I built used 2" angle for the frame and 2"pipe on legs in the corners welded plate on the frame with 2 1/2 " leg sockets. WITH 12' legs need no cross bracing, just drive t post next to legs and tie with wire..

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4960271 02/07/14 05:30 PM
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I use 1" on mine, and never a problem.


Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4960646 02/07/14 08:07 PM
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Looks nice but if it started lightning I think I'd be back at camp.


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Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: 30378] #4960873 02/07/14 10:14 PM
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Originally Posted By: 30378
Looks nice but if it started lightning I think I'd be back at camp.


Never really thought about it before... but that comment makes me thing twice about hunting in lightning! scared


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #4991653 02/25/14 04:00 PM
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I've started using the steel "Unistrut" channel pieces you can buy from any big hardware store for my blind towers. Not only is it plenty strong, but it's super easy to use, because it comes with plenty of convenient pre-cut slots over the full length, so you have plenty of holes available to bolt pieces together. You simply cut the pieces to the length you want with a hacksaw or 'Sawz-All" and bolt together through the existing slots. It literally takes me about 1 hour to completely build a sturdy tower from this stuff by myself, and I can put it together on-site. I use the 1-5/8 X 1-5/8 X 10' pieces for the 4 legs and main cross members at top and bottom, and the 1-5/8 X 7/8 for the ladder and cross-brace pieces. They come already plated or painted, so they last a long time without rusting, but I always camo paint the platform anyway.


Ted
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: RifleDude] #5006725 03/05/14 08:18 PM
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That's a great idea. Do you have any pics by chance?


Kick his a$$ Seabass!
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: RifleDude] #5010729 03/08/14 02:00 AM
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Originally Posted By: RifleDude
I've started using the steel "Unistrut" channel pieces you can buy from any big hardware store for my blind towers. Not only is it plenty strong, but it's super easy to use, because it comes with plenty of convenient pre-cut slots over the full length, so you have plenty of holes available to bolt pieces together. You simply cut the pieces to the length you want with a hacksaw or 'Sawz-All" and bolt together through the existing slots. It literally takes me about 1 hour to completely build a sturdy tower from this stuff by myself, and I can put it together on-site. I use the 1-5/8 X 1-5/8 X 10' pieces for the 4 legs and main cross members at top and bottom, and the 1-5/8 X 7/8 for the ladder and cross-brace pieces. They come already plated or painted, so they last a long time without rusting, but I always camo paint the platform anyway.



You can do a lot of things with Unistrut. up

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: Tyler99Mess] #5012501 03/09/14 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted By: Tyler99Mess
Do you have any pics by chance?


Don't have any pics at the moment, but I'm planning to go out to my lease next weekend, and I'll take some pics and post.


Ted
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: RifleDude] #5025203 03/17/14 05:34 PM
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Hi, Tyler --
I intended to get some pics as promised, but it started raining cats and dogs and flooded the area where this blind is located (my lease borders the Sabine River), so I couldn't get to it.


Ted
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: RifleDude] #5356405 10/13/14 01:22 AM
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Originally Posted By: RifleDude
Originally Posted By: Tyler99Mess
Do you have any pics by chance?


Don't have any pics at the moment, but I'm planning to go out to my lease next weekend, and I'll take some pics and post.


Tyler99Mess --
You may have forgotten about this thread at this point, and I hate to revive an old thread, but you requested pics of my tower blind base made of unistrut. I apologize for taking so long; I kept forgetting. I was out at my lease this weekend and remembered to take a pic. This is my favorite blind; the one I hunt out of the most...


And, here's another blind tower we made out of unistrut that we haven't setup yet...



The beauty of unistrut is it already has slots cut along its entire length, making it easy to bolt pieces together, and the "U" shape provides strength without a lot of weight.

Again, sorry it took me so long to post the pics.


Ted
Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: golfer610] #5358829 10/14/14 03:27 AM
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Just curious, what's your approximate cost on a tower like above? I've used it before to run conduit but it's been awhile and don't recall how much a foot it runs.

Re: Metal deer blind base [Re: jetdad] #5360929 10/15/14 03:58 AM
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Originally Posted By: jetdad
Just curious, what's your approximate cost on a tower like above? I've used it before to run conduit but it's been awhile and don't recall how much a foot it runs.


For the tower only (no blind), about $300.


Ted
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