The "Gordie Shack" gets a bench

[merkman]

Made some progress on the "Gordie Shack" this weekend.

Making a custom built in bench to go over the heater and battery.

Been wanting to do this for over a year.. so now's the time...

The "Gordie Shack"

Mocked up cutout of bench in the shack.

Cutting the pieces out and preping for welding.

3/4 inch tube for the bench framework and legs.

Bench will be off to the welder this week (I don't own a welder yet) plan to get one soon.... very soon!!!

Once the top is welded up I will figure out the placement for the legs and get those welded on.

Then I need to clean up some wires and make everything tidy.

Looks like some interior touch ups are needed before first ice too.

I will post more pics as it comes along.

[BOUNCED]

You're Welcome for the motivation.

[bassNspear]

will be nice once its all done!

[Gordie]

Cool and that should do the trick.

[merkman]

Bench is welded up... Will install this weekend.

[BOUNCED]

Now all you need is a frame similar to that for the back window of your truck

[merkman]

Now all you need is a frame similar to that for the back window of your truck

Yes that shack has been though alot... even the back window of my truck.

It didn't stop the spearing trip though!!!!

[merkman]

A couple more updates...

Looking inside the door at the bench.

Got it sheated in...

(Will make a padded top for the bench in the coming weeks)

Looking in the door with the top of the bench off

Top view of bench

(Heater was out of a pop up camper - originally ran at 1.6 Amps after swapping out the fan I have it somewhere between .75 and 1 Amp now... increased battery life The cold air return travels the width of the shack. 100+ Amp hour battery should get 2 to 3 days of heater run time per charge)

FrontWallOfShack

(added a 3/8 threaded rod across the top so I can "fine tune" the placement of the decoys in the hole, The threads on the treaded rod will keep the line in place)

(also has a video camera mount on the front wall)

Above the hole looking straight up from the hole.

Video camera mount, hillbilly spinner mount, and 12 volt power for both those items plus an extra plug.

Back Wall with Shelf

(Shelf was existing it works great for hanging the jacket and placing items on it, I added 12 volt inverter, and 12 volt power to the back wall for charging the cell phone on the shelf. Cold air return snorkel is on the right... this recirculates the warm air from the top of the shack and brings it down to the heater on the floor)

Far Wall

(used a old fashioned broom holder to hold the dip net to clear the hole)

(Also have a "wall of pockets" used to store decoys when I am spearing)

That is about it for the inside... I really can't think of anything else other than carpet.

I have a couple more plans for the outside to make it easier to lug around.

[mrklean]

Looking good merk

[mrklean]

What did you use for a camera mount? Just picked up a cheap handycam and trying to figure out how i want to mount it

[merkman]

What did you use for a camera mount? Just picked up a cheap handycam and trying to figure out how i want to mount it

I bought a cheap tripod, disconnected all the legs, drilled some holes in the base and screwed it into the wall with sheetrock screws.

I also put a piece of black tape over the red record LED on the front of the camera

It works pretty good. But you can't see the display from your seat. Last year on Cass a big northern came in to the hole (18 + lbs) I got so excited I double pressed the record button, after a min and a half of pulling the decoy away from her she finally left the hole....

I went to stop the recording and found out the recording was off... Dohhh!!!

This year I am going to try a bigger memory card and an external power source so I can get 2 to 3 hrs of recording at a time; that way I can just leave the recorder on and edit it later.

[BOUNCED]

This year I am going to try a bigger memory card and an external power source so I can get 2 to 3 hrs of recording at a time; that way I can just leave the recorder on and edit it later.

Should probably just mount that in my shack as that's where all the action takes place anyways.

Shack looks good, is that a super charger under the seat? How fast does that thing go across the ice?

I'd personally stay away from carpet it just gets wet and heavy.

[bassNspear]

looking nice

[mrklean]

Cool i think i found a cheap one i can use for my perm and portable

[Gordie]

Shack looks good, is that a super charger under the seat?

I'd personally stay away from carpet it just gets wet and heavy.

So does the supercharger

[merkman]

Cool i think i found a cheap one i can use for my perm and portable

Cool!!!

[merkman]

Shack looks good, is that a super charger under the seat?

That's a fart catcher...

I'm gonna vent it over there next to your shack...

When you see the bubbles in your hole don't let them pop!!!

It will be just like spearing in Montana with Methane pockets in the ice!!!

[MJ1657]

I think you better add about 6 more batteries in the house to run everything. That way it might be heavy enough so it doesn't take flight on the way to the lake!

[BOUNCED]

That's a fart catcher...

I'm gonna vent it over there next to your shack...

When you see the bubbles in your hole don't let them pop!!!

Don't even try it, I've got the MPCA on speed dial.

[jasonmichalski]

Wow,that makes my setup look like a cardboard box playhouse!

[merkman]

Wow,that makes my setup look like a cardboard box playhouse!

Gordie designed and built the original shack.

Out of all the shacks I have had I like this set up the best.

There is allot to like about this shack light easy to move kind of a portable permanent.

Specs: 4' wide X 5' long X 6.5' tall

Constrution: 2 X 2 Cedar, tin sheeting, foam insulation.

Hole Size: 44" Wide X 24" Deep

Once the thin plywood on the bottom of the floor went bad (2 years use) I "upgraded" to 1/2" treated plywood.... That added ALOT of weight. I am still undecided if I like that or not, but I don't have to worry if I need to use the chisel to get under the floor now so I would say it wasn't a bad upgrade, but it did come with a price in added weight.

Being 6.5 feet tall it don't transport (as nice for me) as I would like. I have a 6 ft box on my pickup. If I had an 8 ft box on my pickup I wouldn't have that problem since I could just lay the shack down flat in the back of the truck and close the tailgate.

I love having the hard sides with it still being light. The tin on the outside stops all the wind, and it being insulated on top of that makes it heat real nice. I also like the size of the hole.

It is strong and durable... and has been tested. It came out of the back of the truck box at 30 mph on to a paved road. It went end over end a couple times. One 2 X 2 broke along with some dents and road rash. Once I wiped the tears from my eyes and got myself together I was able to put it back together.

It also proved that it is stronger than the back window of my pickup truck. No damage to the shack that time but the window didn't fare so well. It was a cold ride to go spearing that day!!!

I am getting tired of cutting holes so I want to keep heat on it for extended periods that is why I added the furnace and bench.

The battery weighs the most in that setup but I will take that out when I am moving it.

It should work well.

[BOUNCED]

It also proved that it is stronger than the back window of my pickup truck. No damage to the shack that time but the window didn't fare so well. It was a cold ride to go spearing that day!!!

If memory serves me the ride to go spearing was plenty warm seeing how you rode in MY truck. Your ride back home got a bit chilly when the duct tape and polly didn't hold

[merkman]

Ok, correction... the ride half way to and all the way back from spearhead's house was darn cold!!!

And yes he did get more fish than me that day....

Is that better?...

[BOUNCED]

I didn't want to add insult to injury but that about sums it up

[Gordie]

That house has alot of pike speared from it and been from the southern reaches of the state to the northern boarder of it. I built to with stand the riggors of the spearing season but I was amazed when I found out what it had been thru and now I can say without a doubt its been tested MERKMAN TESTED TOUGH and will continue to be a great shack. It just isn't always positioned in the right spot