The Shanty Fantasy

Ice Fishing Forum Ice Fishing General
1

<" }}^ >< Ice Fishing Tip #39

Those pop-up tents that fold up in to a loop and get stuffed in to a backpack will work well if you make a plywood folding floor that opens up to the size of the bottom of the tent.

· One popup tent big enough for 1 or 2 persons to sit in. Turkey blinds big enough for one to hunt out of are big enough for two to fish out of.
· Two sheets of plywood. (Pressure treated if you want it to last for several years.)
· 4 – 5 pieces 1X2 by 8-feet lumber to be used as runners. (Pressure treated if you want it to last for several years.)
· 2-4 hinges depending how strong you want to make it.
· Nuts & Bolts for hinges. Long enough to go threw lumber.
· 6-feet of 1-inch Velcro strip (both sides)
· One latch and one hinge for each hole.
· ¾ inch staples

First you will need to match the floor to the bottom of your tent.

  1. To do this open up your tent in the garage or where ever you have room to work.
  2. Measure the base of the tent
  3. Cut your plywood in to 2 equal pieces and hinge.
  4. Cut 1x2-lumber to the length of floor and mount on only one side.
  5. Mount your rope to the bottom of the floor. (same side the runners are on)
  6. Find the center (from the fold of the floor to the outside edge) with a pencil draw your hole-pattern. (circle or square)
  7. Drill a starter hole on the side you sit on. With a jigsaw cut about two inches stop at this point you will want to put your hinge in place and mount. This will give you a good fit when you open and close the hole door. Now do the same on the opposite side of the hole for the latch.
  8. With the latch and hinge in place finish cutting your hole.
  9. Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 on the other board.
  10. Place your tent on your floor with the door over the fold
  11. Pull your entire tie down loops to the inside.
  12. Take your Velcro strip (hook side) and cut them in to 6-inch lengths. (Match number of strips to the number of tie downs)
  13. Cut the fuzzy part of the Velcro in to 3-inch strips.
  14. Staple the hook side in the middle of the strip on to the floor.
  15. Place the three inch strip on top of the hook strip and securely staple the two pieces to the floor leaving the other half loose.
  16. Repeat steps 12 and 13 for each tie down loop.

http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/MESS6438/
Lookie See what the kids are up to.
Dave T. Clown