Slowly getting the second floating blind put together. I am using the dimensions that bayou deview pit blinds uses for their blinds as well as how the do the flaps on their pits. It is 32" wide at the top and 48" tall.

Here is where I stopped today because I got a kink in my wire and was probably about to have a heat stroke anyway.



Here is how I plan on attaching the flaps. This is a bayou deview pit blind.

I've been following your build on the green screen, looks great

I got the brackets finished for the bench yesterday. All I really have left to do it the shelf, doors, and dog ramp or platform. I am not sure how I am going to do the dog ramp yet.

Oh and weld the little brackets on for the flaps.

Got a cold front moving in, only going to be 102 in Dallas today.

We are headed to 104 today. Why do we act surprised every year?

Here are a few updated pictures. I put a couple of the flaps on temporarily to see what they would look like. I am going to cut the top 8 inches off the back flap so you don't have to flip it open to shoot.



Here is the dog ramp finished. I had it raised up so I could stand on it to make sure it would hold up well. It will normally sit at about a 30-40 degree angle sloping down into the water. All I have to do to lower it is undo the u bolt and move it a little further down the chain.

Noice! Keep the pics coming.

I can tell this is not your first rodeo!! Looks great. I like the height of the sides. Keeps those buddies with prairie dog syndrome below the camo.
What do you plan to do for hunter access? Ive tried fixed ladders but that has its issues.
Even knee deep water puts the platform at waist high.
Can be a problem for us older guys when wearing the 5mm neoprene.

One idea you probably already know about:
I attached a 2" x 2'PVC pipe on one each end (vertical) and then "anchored" the blind by sliding a steel pipe through it and tapping it into the mud. One on both ends keeps the blind from spinning. The blind is free to slide up and down as the water level changes.

This is not my first rodeo but it is my second. The first floating blind I built was a month ago and I did not do anything special to it because I was worried about stability issues. After seeing how stable the first one was I was confident enough in the design to sink a little more money into this one.

I am not too worried about people getting into and out of the blind because the water in our reservoir is too deep to walk in for the most part. People will be dropped off in the blind and one person will park the boat and kayak back in and hide the kayak under the blind. If I had to get out of the blind I am confident I would not have any problem getting back in going up the dog ramp.

I also have not thought about anchoring the blind because it will be hidden in reeds that are so thick you can barely drive a mud boat through them. I don't anticipate needing any kind of anchor but I will probably weld some brackets on the back side for two posts just because I have the scrap to do so and would be kicking myself in the arse if I needed it and did not have it. I am glad you reminded me about that because I want to have everything I need welded on to the blind before I get it hot dip galvanized.

I can't wait to see this thing brushed up.

If I was using this in shallow water, say knee to thigh deep, I would just extend the dog ramp long enough to wear it could just rest on or just above the ground so you could just walk right up it into the blind.

Looking good. Keep posting those pics.

Looks well thought out. How are the barrels secured in place?

We used one ratchet strap on each barrel on the first blind and that worked very well. We will probably do the same on this one. With the weight of the blind it would be hard for the barrels to slide out of the "saddle" that they sit in. The ratchet strap is just in case.

These blinds are the cats arse!! Tell me your shop is air conditioned

It is air conditioned but I've only turned it on once when we bought the house to make sure it worked. I am not 100% sure but I don't think welding in an enclosed space is very safe, especially mig. I'm sure it would take a ton of shielding gas to fill up that shop but I don't want to find out how much it takes first hand.

I had to go buy a 2x12 and see what the bench is going to look like. I couldn't stand looking at those empty brackets any longer.



I also got both of the doors done today. I am just going to wire them to the blind for the galvanizing and then use zinc plated hinges to connect them.



Now all I have left is a couple brackets for some spud poles, dog hole, and drill vent holes and then it is off to get galvanized.

I got the dog hole finished today. The dog will exit out of this hole and return on the ramp off the end of the blind.



I also put on a bracket on each back corner for a spud pole in case the wind is really howling so we can keep the blind from pivoting.



I also drilled all the vent holes. I am going to take it to get I galvanized in the morning and hopefully they will have it done by Friday afternoon so I can put the deck boards on it this weekend and get it the hell out of my shop.

I can't stand when people get on the internet and bash another person's work. Please dont' take this as a bash opportunity. Do the vent holes go all the way through or no? If it collects water in the tubing, a freeze will split the tubing in unbelievable ways. I know you are no stranger to what your working with there. From the picture we can't see the whole operation.

I agree 100% on the dangers of C25 gases. My brother lost a man welding inside a big section of pipe. THe gases got to him and he just didn't come out alive.

Looks good John, I will be interested to see how it all works out this hunting season. I had one of those barrels in my back yard, and it lost air just sitting there, collapsing a bit, maybe from cold and heat, etc... Anyways, keep an eye on that it could collapse and come up thru the blind. Maybe a strap over the top is needed.

nice work

Yep the holes are drilled all the way through. That is the worst part of the whole process. I had to drill a vent hole by every weld. I think if there isn't a vent hole by each weld the pressure during the galvanizing process can compromise the welds. Don't quote me on that. I actually got to the galvanizing plant this morning and stood in the pouring rain un loading this thing only to be told I had to drill more vent holes. So I took it back home and drilled 20 more vent holes because if they do it it is $5 per hole.

We don't get below freezing too often in SETX. Maybe once or twice I can remember seeing any ice on even a puddle!

I am going to put 2 ratchet straps around each barrel. You are right they will expand and shrink with rising and lowering temperatures, just like the pressure in our car tires. I hope it is not so much that it slides all the way through the blind. I know we will be good during teal season but when it goes from 75 one day in mid November to 40 degrees the next morning that will be interesting.

May add a valvestem to each barrel so yo can regulate the pressure it only takes a 5/16 to 3/8 hole depending on which stems you buy lots cheaply ,done