New Ice House Frame

[YettiStyle]

Nice lights, bright!  Those don't appear to be dimmable but if that isn't a big deal to you then I wouldn't worry about it.  It's just nice to have the option to dim the lights if you are playing cards and the fish don't appear to like the lights being blasted on full. 

[landscaper]

looking good.

Enjoy seeing the progress pictures!  

[mattLi]

I got the back wall put in last night. Do you guys put any bracing in the wall where you plan on putting bunks like piecing in some 2x4's horizontal  in the wall? I plan on putting one above the back window and two across from the door. I am putting a fold out bench in the back with storage underneath for battery's and other gear I think this will also help my tongue weight.

Do you think its overkill to mount a 100 lb propane cylinder on the front or should i put a mount for two 20 lb cylinders?

[Hawg]

I suggest 2 30's only because you can get a hard cover for them, I have 40's and no one makes a hard cover. 100"s are kind of a pain and 20's are too small. Mounting brackets for 20's, 30's, & 40's are readily available also if you didn't get one with the frame..

[landscaper]

Any updates?

[mattLi]

Sorry I was trying to add a post and it wasn't working. Well I got the framing done I might add a couple of horizontal stiffeners for strength and to screw the tin on I ordered the tin yesterday. I am thinking of lining my wheel wells with HPDE 1/4 panels its impact resistant uv resistant and will last forever $54.99 for a 4x8 sheet.  As you can see in the pic I was trying out some old bunks I scavenged from an old ice house just trying them out I am going to build new ones.

[Hawg]

Just a suggestion. Top bunk folds up, couch folds out, and a ton of stuff can get stored underneath it. I don't like dinettes and sitting sideways,and the cost of them,  all the time is why I did this.

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by Hawg

[mattLi]

Yep my plan is to do a couch/bed in the back just like you did only i was thinking I would enclose the bottom and use it for storage and for my electrical batteries and such. Now as far as wiring can I run all the wiring up into the ceiling and then down the walls or should I just drill thru and go horizontal I am thinking that would make more of a risk of screwing thru a wire. 

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

For the wiring, make a few inch "zone" or a couple "zones" for all your wiring to run, and then either avoid nailing in that "zone", or be really careful.  Nailing into wires is no fun.  

[Hawg]

I did all wiring thru the ceiling and took a ton of pictures of every wall so I could remember where they ran. Copies f the pictures are on computer, in the house, and on my phone. Be sure to use nailer plates to protect wires also.

 

Edited January 5, 2016 by Hawg

[1lessdog]

Where did you get the carpet with the fish and rods? Any idea how it will wear?

 

Thanks

[Hawg]

I have a hotel that has this in it. We just changed it all out a month or so ago and sold the last of my extra a few weeks ago. It wears like iron but it should for almost $40+ a yard. It was all custom made.

[mattLi]

A little update I got most of the tin on.  I am going to line the wheel wells with 1/4 inch HPDM it looks like really tough stuff. I am gonna put the rubber roof on this weekend and then start the fun job of wiring.

[mattLi]

I just wasn't sure what to do with the winches yet, I have figured that out now with a handle extension. 

I purchased a froth pack and I am going to spray foam it myself. I have a 200 now and I might have to buy another one the underside is already sprayed.

I think I'm going to have just a surface mount burner unit for cooking and just two batteries that will be under the couch/bed across the back. Right now I have a 30k btu empire radiant heater but I know everyone will say to go vented so I  am thinking of running an extra propane line to the back under the couch so I can add a Suburban forced air heater later and use the radiant heater for backup. 

As far as the axles go we built them with the ability to take them out easily and my brother in law already said he would buy them from me for his own house and we would build stronger ones that would be better suited. I will be saving some weight because I am not putting a bathroom in. I did lift it up last night and the springs held the weight very well but ya there will be more to put in.

IF you would go bigger would you go all the way to 6000lb? And do I dare to not put brakes in it I wont be hauling it very far.

Edited February 17, 2016 by mattlinster

[Moon Lake Refuge]

26 minutes ago, mattlinster said:

I just wasn't sure what to do with the winches yet, I have figured that out now with a handle extension. 

I purchased a froth pack and I am going to spray foam it myself. I have a 200 now and I might have to buy another one the underside is already sprayed.

I think I'm going to have just a surface mount burner unit for cooking and just two batteries that will be under the couch/bed across the back. Right now I have a 30k btu empire radiant heater but I know everyone will say to go vented so I  am thinking of running an extra propane line to the back under the couch so I can add a Suburban forced air heater later and use the radiant heater for backup. 

As far as the axles go we built them with the ability to take them out easily and my brother in law already said he would buy them from me for his own house and we would build stronger ones that would be better suited. I will be saving some weight because I am not putting a bathroom in. I did lift it up last night and the springs held the weight very well but ya there will be more to put in.

IF you would go bigger would you go all the way to 6000lb? And do I dare to not put brakes in it I wont be hauling it very far.

Depending on end weight you may not have a choice but to put brakes on legally.  Could get away likely if your going from your house to a lake out front but if anything happens on the road and your over weight without brakes its going to be painful on the wallet.

[mattLi]

Yes they are so 3500# total. Is yours also rated for 3500? And if so how does it handle being so close to its limit?

[mattLi]

The thing that sucks is that when I was planning for my ice house I looked all over the internet and every place that I could find built frames had 3500 pound axles Road king even has a 8x16 with 3500 pound axles. So how would you actually build one that is under that weight?

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

17 minutes ago, mattlinster said:

The thing that sucks is that when I was planning for my ice house I looked all over the internet and every place that I could find built frames had 3500 pound axles Road king even has a 8x16 with 3500 pound axles. So how would you actually build one that is under that weight?

I just checked out the Road King page, and they build up to a 8x20 tandem with a 3500# gvwr.  3500# just simply isn't going to happen regardless of materials.   I wonder if they spec that (3500#) so they can get away from putting brakes on the frames?  They also build them on 2x3 steel, which is severely undersized compared to what the rest of the industry is doing.  So I guess just because Road King builds it, doesn't mean you can use it?  

 

  

[mattLi]

I purchased my spindles and springs from northern tool.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365118_200365118

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200365447_200365447

[Hawg]

I would consider changing those axles.

[Moon Lake Refuge]

3 minutes ago, Hawg said:

I would consider changing those axles.

Agree...Not worth the risk at such an important part of a trailer. 

[mattLi]

So my plan would be to swap out the whole axle arm that I can sell as it is would these be the appropriate parts to replace it with considering I would also need to add brakes.

 

 

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200326378_200326378?hotline=false

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200326378_200326378?hotline=false

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200326378_200326378?hotline=false

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200365282_200365282?hotline=false

[Hawg]

You don't need to add brakes just because you have heavy axles, breaks are determined by weight. I don't have brakes and I'm well over 3500#'s but I wish I did and will probably add them this summer. 

[Moon Lake Refuge]

6 minutes ago, Hawg said:

You don't need to add brakes just because you have heavy axles, breaks are determined by weight. I don't have brakes and I'm well over 3500#'s but I wish I did and will probably add them this summer. 

Yeah brakes are by weight but I thought the law in MN was anything over 3k or 3500 lbs legally needs brakes?

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

36 minutes ago, Hawg said:

add brakes just because you have heavy axles, breaks are determined by weight. I don't have brakes and I'm well over 3500#'s but I wish I did and will probably add them this summer. 

 

29 minutes ago, Moon Lake Refuge said:

Yeah brakes are by weight but I thought the law in MN was anything over 3k or 3500 lbs legally needs brakes?

I believe it's 3500#, but I would put them on at anything over 2500#.