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Hub Style Clam with Ice Screws Question

bobber_down_1979

By bobber_down_1979
in Ice Fishing

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FMSmitty Rookie

FMSmitty

Posted
Posted

I have the base camp thermal with the screws and drill adapter. Wish I could give some advice but I have not had to use the anchors yet. I have used it 6 times and it is surprisingly stable without anchors even in moderate wind. Last time out had a good gust come up and the windward side of the hub "popped" in but the rest of the shelter didnt move an inch. Simply pushed the side back out and continued fishing.

I have found setup a little easier to first pop out the four sides THEN pop up the roof. Also some silicone spray lube on the zipper helps. I also have some cinch straps, 3 footers, that I put around the shelter when packing up for the day. It makes getting the shelter back in the carrying case SO MUCH easier. The straps are like 1.49 in the camping section. Good luck! Smitty

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NCLaker Veteran

NCLaker

Posted
Posted

If you have not done so already, it is always good to practice putting it up and take down a few times before you hit the ice.

Trying to do this for on a windy day could be an adventure if you've never tried it in more ideal conditions.

I think it is suppose to be windy tomorrow, make sure you screw in at least one corner before you start opening it up. Otherwise you may be chasing your shack across the lake.

I also bring a small towel with in case you get a lot of condensation inside (assuming you are not running a thermal. I try to wipe up the condensation before I take it down.

The screws go in pretty easily once they get started. I have the eskimo screws and I do it by hand with very little effort.

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ChknChkn Apprentice

ChknChkn

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Posted

From a post I put up last January on a Killzone topic......

I've got a Clam BaseCamp.....love it.

I used the screw in ice anchors last year....pretty time consuming. This year, started pre-drilling with a small hand drill, which was much easier, but still pretty slow.

Came up with a much easier & faster system for anchoring the corners. Got some 4 inch lag screws (with washers), take a hammer and whack the lag screw a couple times to start it. Then I use a Speed Handle with a socket on it....buzzes the screws in in no time flat! Slicker than owl snot. 2 more anchors for tiedowns on the 2 sides that face the wind (I point a corner into the wind also).

Here's a pic of the speed handle I use.....lag screws/washers go into a Crown Royal bag (hmmm...wonder how I came up with an empty bag?), and everything fits into the BaseCamp bag.

full-21294-4850-speedhandle.jpg

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NCLaker Veteran

NCLaker

Posted
Posted

I've never tried to Clam screws, but if they are a pain to get in, then I would suggest trying the Eskimo screws. Have always gone in pretty easy for me. Drills work great, but I already haul way to much stuff out with me grin

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Walleyehunter38 Rookie

Walleyehunter38

Posted
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ChknChkn I LOVE your idea with the quick tool, I use decking lags with a big fender washer also (way better than the factory bolts!) I have been using my lithium cordless drill but sooner or later I will either use it around the garage and forget to bring it ice fishing or i will find myself with a dead batterey. I will be getting your wrench tool to ad to my bag, thanks for the great tip!

To anyone else out there the deck lags that work best (for me anyway) have a 5/16 head with a flange built into the head. and then buy a fender washer, I used a 1.5" outside with a 1/4 inside hole. then I took a zip tie to hold the washer in place so it didnt slide down and fall off. Cheap and works great and way faster than the factory screws!

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uptracker Community Regular

uptracker

Posted
Posted

I've never tried to Clam screws, but if they are a pain to get in, then I would suggest trying the Eskimo screws. Have always gone in pretty easy for me. Drills work great, but I already haul way to much stuff out with me grin

Yup...

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MudPuppy77 Explorer

MudPuppy77

Posted
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+3 on the Eskimo screws. I have never had any trouble getting them to dig in by hand. I was out yesterday and a guy next to me saw how easy it was to screw them down. He said that he has the clam screws and drill tool and still cannot get them to bite. I am not sure if you can buy the Eskimo screws without buying the whole house but I would contact Eskimo to find out.

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andy90 Newbie

andy90

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Posted

+4 on the Eskimo screws. I've never had a problem screwing them in. When there is little to no wind there is really no need to put any screws in. When there is a slight wind I just screw one side in and and the snow I pack on the bottom flaps works to keep the house in place.

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gardn184 Collaborator

gardn184

Posted
Posted

I've been using the clam summit as a spearhouse and absolutely love the thing, I've never used screw in spikes before, but usually use a guide line to to tie off to my auger on one side, this has kept it in place as long as there is enough snow to bank it down. Such a convient shack for what you have to carry in!

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CHEX1982 Explorer

CHEX1982

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Posted

1) For my drill, I find it better to put setting on "max" (usually a number like 20 or 21) rather than the "drill" (symbol) option.

2) Set it on "slow" speed, go slow while using your body weight.

3) No need to use the drill to unscrew the spikes back out. It comes out so easy with the hands.

4) If you can, go with the slightly more expensive lithium-ion battery drills. These batteries work better in cold conditions than the conventional nickel cadmium.

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