I figured I would share my progress on my deer blind build. The finished product will be 6x6' platform (estimated) 7 foot tall in the front 6'6" in the rear, pitched roof. Build on a 2x6" platform framed with 2x4'"s. All wood is pressure treated. The walls I haven't decided on yet. Probably will not be pressure treated, just primed and painted. I'm using elevator brackets to get a nice angle on the legs. Will be sitting on 4-10' 4x4"s. The 4x4"s will have cross bracing and bracing going around the bottom from post to post. I originally just used the bracing you see on the platform as just that, bracing. I now changed the bracing to be flush so I can anchor my 5/8" floor into it. FYI I'm not a carpenter and never did any real wood work before so any advice is appreciated. Don't mind the messy garage during this project . I'll edit and post more pictures as I go along.
6x6" platform
platform originally braced (now flush)
front framed out with shooting window. window will be horizontally split and hinged to allow a smaller opening for gun use and a large for bow (shooting standing up).
Just checking to make sure the front lines up ok before installing the floor (and admiring my work [hihi] )
Front and side tacked together to check fit. Pitch is a 6" drop to the rear.
Looks nice. The pitch you have should be okay. I've helped put a few of these up, and none have had more than the pitch yours does, and we've not had an issue yet.
To limit any squeaks or creaks, I'd use a polyurethane based construction adhesive as opposed to Liquid Nails. Night and day difference and although the poly is more expensive, you can use much less as it expands so the price difference is immaterial.
The older I get, the more I think about stands like this. I'm wondering how the cost and time to build it compare with buying pre-made stands and platforms? We did one of the pre-made plastic stands up at our camp in PA and built the tower under it with pressure treated and it was a major PITA since we had to pull up the tower with a quad and cable and several strong backs. We should have just paid the Amish to build it for a few hundred bucks.
I ended up using PT 5/8" ply for the floor. The walls are T111 and the paint is Olympic latex paint. Paint isnt done. Going to spray some leaves on it and tree branches. The walls are being disassembled for transportation and once disassembled I'll trim the t111 off the top.
The front shooting window is so big for bow season. It will have a horizontally cut window for gun season so only half the window will need to be open
Hahah I hope the lazy boy will fit in there! It's going to be disassembled then reassembled on the platform. No crane lol just a truck and a trailer maybe a coople ladders
Here are some more pictures. It's pretty much complete minus a few odds and ends. The roof will be built once the stand is up.
The front widow Horizontally hinged
All taken back apart and painted. Waiting for it to dry then it will sit in the back yard for a couple days to rid it of the odor from the paint.. Then to the woods it goes
Painted some trees on it to break up the edges. (I clearly don't paint for a living).
Looking good, when we built ours we used plexiglass for the windows that opened upwards so when raining it still kept the rain out like an awning. And if we kept close could still see out.
Might want to consider camo netting or something similar for the windows when open, they are going to get used to it being dark and a major difference when they are opened.
An all weather blind like this is awesome, gives you somewhere's to go even in bad weather! Good luck
Thanks brother. I plan on tacking burlap over the window for when it's open. I still havent decided what I'm doing to the inside yet... I definitely do NOT want to paint the whole inside... mostly because of the odor and because i dread painting. I was thinking felt or something along them lines. all black obv.
Maybe?? -- It is a blind -- not sure how they would handle an elevated blind legally -- a ground blind must display 200 square inches of hunter orange visible for 360 degrees during gun season - page 25 of compendium and it does specify "ground blind"
But do you want to get shot? How will someone else who's on the property know if you're in there? Trespasser or not
Yeah the roof isn't going to happen because it won't be visible anywhere. I planned on putting orange striping around the blind in a pin stripe manner. It would have to be a trespasser because this is my property. Either way It should be there
Yea it's fairly clear they are talking ground blinds since you will be in direct line of fire. being elevated I think you will be ok.
We don't have any orange or our blind and wardens have never said anything. I know a few, I will reach out to confirm.
Not sure where in SJ you are(I'm Elmer area and work in Galloway) and not looking for anything or trying to steal your spot but wanted to throw it out there if you need a hand getting it up there you can reach out to me. Just offering to help a fellow hunter and know it's going be tough getting it up there
Thanks man. I was thinking the same thing. Sure hope nobody attempts to shoot a deer 10' in the air. Thanks for the offer man. I'm going to see what I got myself into before asking for help though. I'm stubborn
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