Rob's Ice Shack build thread - Completed

AdverseCity · #1 10-20-2015, 06:26 PM

I'm finally building an ice shack for weekend trips, I've planned to build it for awhile now and decided this is the year. Figured I'd post up the progress and maybe motivate people to get started on theirs. It'll have a 7'x8' fishing/seating area with a 2'x4' extension for a wood stove and built to fit in any full size pickup.

10' pressure treated 2x8 skids with 2x4 frame every 16"

Final sanding of the floor openings

Floor with hole covers

Floor without hole covers

14"x14" opening, perfect for a 10" ice hole

Framing up the walls and benches

Sheeting in the walls and test fit of the wood stove

Outside view with an 8" gap for plexiglass at eye level for watching flags

Fits perfect in the box of my truck

That's it for now but I'll be finishing it on my next days off and will update the thread then. It currently has 6' walls plus the skids and I'm planning a peaked took to make it 7' walls, 7'9" total height.

Badback · #2 10-20-2015, 06:55 PM

Looking good Rob....I'll miss the old van though....lol

Habfan · #3 10-20-2015, 06:58 PM

Good job !

burbotman · #4 10-20-2015, 07:25 PM

Impressed! Look forward to the final pics and comments on loading/unloading

Thanks for sharing this build

waterninja · #5 10-20-2015, 07:28 PM

Nice project you have going there. Do you plan on leaving it at one lake for the season, or do you plan to move it around a lot? Look foreward to next posts. Looking good.

AdverseCity · #6 10-20-2015, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out so far. Been planning it for years so I've had time to perfect my ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by burbotman

Impressed! Look forward to the final pics and comments on loading/unloading

Thanks for sharing this build

To load it this time I just lifted one end then propped it up with a couple 2"x2" scrap pieces. I opened my tailgate and backed up until it was over the tailgate. I took out the 2"x2" props and put it on the tailgate then continued backing up until it was almost halfway, then I just lifted the back and pushed it in.

When it's finished I'll have a hand winch mounted on the back. To load it I'll run the strap underneath and hook it to the front of my truck box. Then as I crank the winch I'm hoping it'll lift itself up and into the box, similar to how those trucks load large dumpster bins.

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterninja

Nice project you have going there. Do you plan on leaving it at one lake for the season, or do you plan to move it around a lot? Look foreward to next posts. Looking good.

I'll be moving it around a fair bit assuming the technique I posted above works as planned.

Bushmaster · #7 10-20-2015, 08:01 PM

Looks good. Should provide may pleasureable hours
Be sure to put a couple of inches of sand in the bottom of that stove.

AdverseCity · #8 10-20-2015, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

Looks good. Should provide may pleasureable hours
Be sure to put a couple of inches of sand in the bottom of that stove.

Thanks. I'm planning to insulate the stove bottom or even buy a better one, currently researching my options and the cost/effectiveness of each. I'd love to have one made from a propane tank but they're hard to find. I'd make one myself but I'm no welder and have no idea how to go about it.

Skoaltender · #9 10-20-2015, 08:26 PM

Nice work, it looks really good!
All these ice fishing threads have got me all antsy in my pantsy!

AdverseCity · #10 10-20-2015, 10:38 PM

I got a PM asking what it's cost me so far, I'm not sure but I did up a list of lumber I used to get me this far. Figured I'd post it here in case anyone else could use the info. Feel free to ask any other questions, I'm out of town for another week so no more/better pictures until then but the plans are burned into my brain from all the time thinking about it beforehand.

2 - 10' pressure treated 2x8
6 - 8' pressure treated 2x4
2 - 4'x8' sheets of 5/8" plywood (only used 2' of second piece so far)
6 - 4'x8' sheets of 7/16" OSB (used 4 but will need all 6 to complete the walls)
20 - 8' un-treated 2x2
4 - 8' un-treated 2x3
2 - 100 packs of #8 x 3" wood screws
1 - 50 pack of #8 x 2" wood screws
2 - 100 packs of #8 x1.75" wood screws
1 - 50 pack of #12 x 4" wood screws

This isn't counting the frame/sheeting for the roof and I'll probably use the remaining 5/8" plywood for the benches. Not sure yet if I'll insulate it but I priced out 4'x8' sheets of 1.5" foil backed styrofoam at about $150 or so.

tirebob · #11 10-21-2015, 08:24 AM

Pretty awesome! Subscribed...

EZM · #12 10-21-2015, 08:28 AM

I love project threads with pictures of the progress. Makes me want to make a mess in my own garage and tick off my wife !!

Great work .... you could probably go into business and make a bit of money with that design - it looks pretty amazing.

Fishslayer99 · #13 10-21-2015, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

I love project threads with pictures of the progress. Makes me want to make a mess in my own garage and tick off my wife !!

Great work .... you could probably go into business and make a bit of money with that design - it looks pretty amazing.

Agreed great project thread....and if you tick off your wife it looks as though those bench seats would make a decent bed!

LutherDLG · #14 10-21-2015, 09:12 AM

I'm pretty sure I should stop trying to fix my boat motor at this point and switch to building one of those. That's awesome.

Heavy K · #15 10-21-2015, 09:36 AM

Nice work!

Where'd do you get one of those little woodstoves, and what are they called?

What's it weigh approximately (the stove)?

HK

AdverseCity · #16 10-21-2015, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

Great work .... you could probably go into business and make a bit of money with that design - it looks pretty amazing.

I was thinking that myself, I truly enjoy building stuff like this and it'll be easy once I have all the measurements. I'm guessing it'll be into it for about $500-600 without paint or wood stove and wouldn't have any trouble getting double for one like that. People could then finish the details themselves as they want.

AdverseCity · #17 10-21-2015, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heavy K

Nice work!

Where'd do you get one of those little woodstoves, and what are they called?

What's it weigh approximately (the stove)?

HK

Princess Auto Calgary north store, was on sale for $80 two weeks ago.

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detai...ve/A-p8282303e

Og Dumi · #18 10-21-2015, 09:57 AM

Jelous, nice work

Newellknik · #19 10-21-2015, 10:05 AM

Hope you get good ice . I moved to the lake 2 yrs ago ,so far
Not to impressed with the ice quality here. Good luck

sharpstick · #20 10-21-2015, 10:10 AM

Just wanted to pass on a couple tips from past experience with ice fishing shacks.
I would try to find some puck board (plastic) to put on the bottom of your skids as you will surely be skidding it from place to place. It will same the wood. Also, when you set it on the ice and plan to be there for a day or more, block it up under your skids to get it up off the ice. when you dig holes a lot of water ends up flooding the ice and it will build up in a hurry and freeze the bottom down. I ended up using 6 X 6 blocks for our shack to sit on and they were fully covered by spring. Obviously we didn't move our shack all winter but just a tip for ya. You can never have too many storage cabinets, drawers or cubby's. You will always find things to put in there and its nice to have things in there own place rather than just out on the bench or floor. that stove looks quite big for the size of the shack, you will cook inside there. I would look at a smaller stove made of heavier metal, it will be more than adequate, like the propane stove you mentioned. Outfitter tent stoves would be ideal. (cylinder stoves with warming tray and water tank...)
Anyways, your shack looks great and comfy, enjoy.

Cheers,

SS

deerguy · #21 10-21-2015, 11:42 AM

That's a pretty slick lookin' shack Rob.

iliketrout · #22 10-21-2015, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpstick

Also, when you set it on the ice and plan to be there for a day or more, block it up under your skids to get it up off the ice. when you dig holes a lot of water ends up flooding the ice and it will build up in a hurry and freeze the bottom down. I ended up using 6 X 6 blocks for our shack to sit on and they were fully covered by spring.SS

Looks like a great build!

Please be sure to do the step I quoted above from sharpstick. Ask me how I know.

Also a couple other good ideas I've seen:
Christmas LED rope lights and a small 12V battery will provide lots of light
Tow hooks or something similar to make it easy to hook onto to skid around short relocations.

AdverseCity · #23 10-21-2015, 01:17 PM

I'm already planning on covering the bottom of the skids with puckboard and will definitely have eyelets at both ends to tow it around. I'll also have something set up to prevent it from freezing to the ice but I'm still debating options. Had plans for LED lighting but 12V Christmas lights are a great idea if I can find them.

The Fisherman Guy · #24 10-21-2015, 05:53 PM

A friend used 12V LED light bars from Ikea, they are cheap, almost zero current draw, and provide plenty of light.

Insulate below your stove. Or you will have heat melting the ice below, contributing to your shack getting stuck to the ice.

AdverseCity · #25 10-21-2015, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fisherman Guy

A friend used 12V LED light bars from Ikea, they are cheap, almost zero current draw, and provide plenty of light.

I found some LED strips on Amazon for pretty cheap along with the required plugs. Reviews are pretty positive so I think I'll order a couple strips and run them along the top of the walls. Painting the inside white will help to spread the light around too.
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B005EHH...=AU8YT8M8X2MAT

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Fisherman Guy

Insulate below your stove. Or you will have heat melting the ice below, contributing to your shack getting stuck to the ice.

Now there's something I never thought of. I was planning to wait and test it out before insulating but I'll take your advice and insulate under/around the stove area. I'll still cover that area with tin or some other metal to reflect heat and protect the wood though.

mudbug · #26 10-21-2015, 08:21 PM

Looks really good

Zanzibar · #27 10-21-2015, 08:31 PM

Ive fished in a shack with the same stove you have, don't put too much wood on the fire, it will drive you right out of the shack with the amount of heat it will put out. Spent a quite a bit of time with the door wide open in -20 degree weather just to make it bearable in there before I learned to take it easy with the sticks.

mudbug · #28 10-21-2015, 08:40 PM

Drolet makes a hunter model stove that would work well too

Kim473 · #29 10-22-2015, 09:49 AM

Looks great !

Might be a little heavy after it's finished though.

curtis_rak · #30 10-22-2015, 11:20 AM

I like it a lot. Nice job

On the topic of stoves, Peavey Mart also carries a nearly identical stove and piping (in the event that Princess Auto runs out)