driliing portable holes

[jdog]

just wondering how everyone drills there holes for a suitcase style portable do you drill inside the house or do you somehow mark them out then drill outside just curious if anyone has a tip or trick thanks

[Eric Wettschreck]

Set up house, mark spots with your boot, move house, drill holes, put house over holes, light heater, open a beverage, and start fishing.

[highlife4me]

A buddy of mine has an old Mankato suitcase style that he bought brand new 30 some years ago. Used it so much he usually drills the holes before setting the house up. Usually spot on. Practice makes perfect, gives you a reason to go fishing more often.

[crappiegetter]

With my old suitcase style I could get them really close by guessing from using it so much. Today I had to drill for my buddy in his suitcase clam and now i have a ice hogger and i can shoot it right out his door kinda cool to see done.

[leech~~]

Set up house, mark spots with your boot, move house, drill holes, put house over holes, light heater, open a beverage, and start fishing.

About the same process but I used my scoop to chip spots to drill in ice and then drill them and move house on them.

[jesse larson]

I usually drill the first hole then walk it off from there. seems to work pretty good in the clam 5600

[JBar]

Set up and mark holes. sometimes get lucky enuff by the end of season to just eye ball it punch the holes and set up after.

[Brad B]

I will set my house up and then take the auger and start the hole just enough to mark it then I will move the house off and finish drilling. you do get some chips in the house but it not bad. they do make that slush bucket that works with catch covers. it may work. also the ice hogger would be another option. on their site it shows some how to shoot the shaving into a plastic bag.

[lutzy]

I don't have a house like that but if I did I would use flags that they use to mark power lines under ground. Set up house stick flags in snow remove house drill holes save flags for next time. Just an idea.

[mabr]

I will set my house up and then take the auger and start the hole just enough to mark it then I will move the house off and finish drilling.

Back when I had one +1

[Brad B]

I run 3 different flip overs when I am by my self and new this year I got a insulated northlander (suit case style) for when my kids come out(daughter's to young yet but son will start ice fishing next year, I want him to summer fish first).

[Hookey]

When I had this style house I carried a squeeze bottle of chalk line dust and used it to mark the center of the holes cutout in the floor after the house was setup. Lift the house off the area to be fished, drill the marks and lift the house back over them. Perfect setup every time. You do not want to deal with the ice and slush resulting from drilling inside a setup suitcase house.

Try it !

[mabr]

Im just curious as to why people like the suit case styles. I had a 5600 and although it worked. It wasnt by any stretch of the imagination my perfect fish house. It got slippery with the plastic, the dang thing was a bear to take down. And on one occasion in windy conditions it started to slide away from me while setting up.

Why even buy one, Im curious?

[Brad B]

it is nice to have the floor in it especially when you have kids with you. It keeps their feet off the ice so they stay warmer. in the house I just got I went and added a layer of foam insulation under the plywod floor and added catch covers. some would say it is to decked out for a suit case style house but if I am going to spend the money on the insulated house I wanted a floor that was insulated and had catch covers. It did add alot of extra weight but I am okay with that since I only plan to use it once I can start to drive out until then it is my flip overs(1 man & 3 man)

[jdog]

thanks guys

[Gadgetman]

Drill one hole, put house on that one. Take a pinch of snuff and mark center of the other three holes.

[TruthWalleyes]

I have a suitcase style...First few times i set it up i had to mark the ice...But practice makes perfect... Mine has all 4 holes on one side, so i just drill two holes, leave about 12 inches of space, and drill the other two. Some styles have holes facing both directions (for a 2 man), and that will probably just take some practice.

[tv4fish]

If you have snow on top of the ice (which usually IS the case) - Set the house up - shovel the snow off the ice where the house will be - place house on ice - use handle of ice scoop to mark "X" in center of holes - slide house off to side - drill holes - clean out slush in holes - move house back over holes - bank snow around house - fish.

[blackdog1101]

Drilling portable holes would be sweet! Just drill one or two holes, and then move them around with you all day!

[slipperybob]

Im just curious as to why people like the suit case styles. I had a 5600 and although it worked. It wasnt by any stretch of the imagination my perfect fish house. It got slippery with the plastic, the dang thing was a bear to take down. And on one occasion in windy conditions it started to slide away from me while setting up.

Why even buy one, Im curious?

Floor makes for good staying off the ice and for stuff that falls on it. Put a matt down for traction. Put some ice anchors to help keep the shelter from sliding.

I'm not so fond of set up and take down time either.

[paceman]

I do exactly what tv4fish does.

[LOWBill]

I put 2in. wide no slip tape at various places in mine and it works slick.

[GotALunker]

Ah...all this talk about marking holes etc...is overrated. Just drill at full throttle inside the house. What's a little snow and ice in the house when you've got tons of it outside!

[DeeJ]

Im just curious as to why people like the suit case styles. I had a 5600 and although it worked. It wasnt by any stretch of the imagination my perfect fish house. It got slippery with the plastic, the dang thing was a bear to take down. And on one occasion in windy conditions it started to slide away from me while setting up.

Why even buy one, Im curious?

I had this same house, and I agree with your take on it. I hated how uneven the floor was - I'm sure they thought they were being helpful in some way, but there was a plastic bump everywhere I went to set something. However, it is nice to have the floor sometimes for warmth, women, and children.

More than that I would say that many other models have better designs than the Clam we had. Some are bigger (You get double the footprint you you flip it open), some have wooden floors (So you won't slip, but yes heavier). They cost less money than flipovers and permanents. Lots of people have them around from before you could buy "Hub" houses or can get them for less 2nd hand (Maybe before they know all of their options as well). Perfect? No. Viable? Hell Yes.

PS - If you have enough [PoorWordUsage] in any of them, and bank it in well, mooost winds won't move it. They have ice anchors too (The clam 5600's), but I have never used them.

[GotALunker]

I totally agree about the clam 5600.

but I do have a clam 2000 and like that one.