homemade portable

[Bobcatbeej]

Has anyone here built a portable? I'm thinking about building one here soon and have checked out some plans online. Does anyone else have ideas for doing this? I don't need real specifics, just some ideas and places to look.

Thanks
Blake

[The Chemist]

I built one made out of 1/4 or 1/8 plywoood. It was a shipping crate that was 5x7. I was able to set it up in 5 minutes alone. But it was quite heavy. Never had to worry about the wind.

One thing I would suggest is before you build one take a look at the ones around. See whats on the lake. You can probably get a good idea of how you want to do it. And then make sure you make it to how you want it.

They have plans for sale on HSOList but I don't think it's worth it.

[Matt D]

If you're put off by the price of most portables, but can afford a little, you might check out the kit that Cabela's sells for around $100. You just supply the plywood floor, some 2x2's, and handyman skills. I saw one set up at the retail store here in town and they're pretty nice and quite spacious. It's not on a sled, so it wouldn't be as "portable" unless you could put runners on it or something. And it'll weigh a little more than others with the plywood, but not that much. Not a bad price for what you get and the effort you'd save over starting from scratch.

------------------
Best FISHES,
Matt

[Uncle Grump]

Bobcat

Shoot me an email - I will send you some links, pics, etc.

[email protected]

UG

[I Like Worms]

same here bob, send me a email and I'll send you back some pics of mine.
[email protected]
I built a 6'x8'6". the 6 inches comes from the fact I double hinged mine so there is no ridge in the middle of the floor. Everything I used I got from the lumber store, used electrical conduit for poles. The one thing that Idid get special was the little clips that allow you to attach the horizontal poles to the vertical ones. I purchased them from canvas craft. They make it pretty slick to setup. I decided to build my own because there was nothing out there that I liked. plus i wanted one without the middle ridge. cost me about $100 for materials, and $250 to get the canvas on it.
John

[Guest]

I built my own 4x8. Both ends fold down. And used some conduit to hold everything up. I built this baby to last! And its heavy, warm. To my surprise, building your own ends up costing about the same when you get everything down. But I'm happy I did because I got everthing customized just he way i want it. The canvas is part that sets you back the most. But I got mine from SIS upholstry in Saint cloud. And they sold me my chunk for 110 bucks. Its built like a brick ...............!

[Big Dave2]

I dont know what style 0f portable you are looking to build but I built a fish trap style portable for myself a bout 3 years ago. It works really good but I have always been too cheap to buy the canvas for it so I never completrly finished it. I just used tarp in place of the canvas. It worked alright but I would have liked to had canvas or some other lighter material. I bought a fish trap guide this year but still plan on utilizing the homemade jobbie by makink it smaller and using it when I just want to walk out alone and want a super light weight package. If you happen to want any details about mine I would be happy to share them, but I realize this may not be what you were looking for.
Dave
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[Tuna]

One of my portables 7x9.The two end are
plywood which folds down, hind with rubber
belting. Once the end are down you fold it
in half the other way.It ends up about 12"
thick and slide between the wheel wells
in my full size, short box with tale gate
close.
My other house is 5x7. The two end wall
are plywood which fold down,then I'll slide
the house on top of wheel wells.
I use 3/8 plywood for walls and flooring
with no trim. Make sure you use canvis and
not the blue trap.
If you have 8' box you can make them 9'x9'
and 5'x9'
Good luck

[folke2000]

Tuna - Do you have a picture of your 7x9? I am interested in how you made it all work?

Thanks

[Tuna]

folk2000

Sorry I don't have a digital camera. The
trick is the belting. You need to cut the
plywood down.If your truck box is 6.5'
long, cut 2 sheets 6'long, 3'6" width, for
the floor. Then the belting cut 6'L X 2'W.
Screw the belting between the two sheets, thats your floor. For your end walls cut
4 sheets 6'2" tall, 3'6" width. Lay one end
wall down screw 6'2"x2' belting between the two sheets. To tie end wall to floor, cut two belting 3'6"x6". Butt the end wall up to the floor leaving 6" between, tie together with belt. Do the same with other side. To fold, bring one end wall down, then the
other end wall. Then fold the flooring in
half.
Sorry, hope you can picture this. It makes
a great proable house. It set up very fast.