See Through Hole Covers

[Jmnhunter]

anyone ever cut some out of clear plexiglass for their hole covers with a gap for your line for rattle reels/bobber rods? i wouldnt think they would have to be round to fit exactly in the hole,  just a square to protect from falling objects would work? $17+/cover seems steep from the store

Edited November 20, 2018 by Jmnhunter

[rl_sd]

I used lexan... thought about using plexiglass but plexi and cold don't mixed when you have little ones around. I can stand on these and I am 275#

[Jmnhunter]

did you just keep it square and cut a slot through it? any idea which one? seems like a bunch of options;

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Glass-Plastic-Sheets/LEXAN/N-5yc1vZbrdgZ5tg

 

i see 11x14" sheets for $8 a piece, but they only have a .093" thickness

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Jmnhunter

[rl_sd]

I used .118 and doubled it up making the top piece to fit on the outside of the hole cover and the bottom to fit on the inside. I riveted the two together with 6 rivets. I then cut a 1/4" slot from the outside to the center and finished up by drilling a handful of 3/4" holes. Don't have any pictures of them right now.  Here is the lexan

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CAWRVJO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[rl_sd]

Here are some pictures

[Jmnhunter]

awesome, thanks RL; whats the purpose of the other holes drilled out? for better air flow?  i ordered a sheet;

 

also, do you guys bother with the hole sleeves?

Edited November 26, 2018 by Jmnhunter

[Hawg]

You can buy them for what it costs to make them. Lexan  isn’t easy to work with IMHO. Sleeves are more important than covers, it’s a whole system. 

[rl_sd]

Yes the holes are for airflow. I had some lexan left over from another project. It cuts easily with a fine toothed jig saw. I usually run two next to the bottom bunk to help cut down on my boys dropping stuff down the hole. I’ll prob end up building a few more you should be able to get two covers out of a sheet. If you are going to get sleeves, make sure to make your inner circles small enough. Sleeves are nice when there isn’t any snow to bank with. I like the glow sleeves. 

[Jmnhunter]

i plan on making 6 of them for the size of the sheet just like you said rl to keep the little ones from dropping stuff down the holes; i dont plan on stepping on them so I'm only making a single layer with the 1/4" stuff; still a lot cheaper than buying 6 of pre-made ones

[1lessdog]

For those of you that use the sleeves what seem to be the magic length when cutting them down? And do you block up your house? I never block my house as I never leave it on the ice when I leave.

[rl_sd]

Depends on your frame size and what was used for flooring.... Drop your house to the ground and measure to the top lip of the cover. I suggest cutting them on a table saw if available... For example, if you have 5" from the top lip of the hole cover to the ground you would set your table saw at 5" and begin the cut. Measuring to the top of the lip should get you about 1/8" shy of the true length, which is perfect. Roll the hole sleeve as the cut is made. The nice part about cutting it this way versus using a snips to cut up from the bottow is that you end up with the complete 5" sleeve, plus a 4" piece that can be used as an insert since the sleeves are tapered. That way if you did decide to block your house up late in the season, you could still use the sleeve with the inner piece.

[GrahamD]

On 11/21/2018 at 3:21 AM, rl_sd said:

I used lexan... thought about using plexiglass but plexi and cold don't mixed when you have little ones around. I can stand on these and I am 275#

That sounds a sturdy one.

[Jmnhunter]

On 11/28/2018 at 10:49 AM, 1lessdog said:

For those of you that use the sleeves what seem to be the magic length when cutting them down? And do you block up your house? I never block my house as I never leave it on the ice when I leave.

you using 5 gall buckets?

I've thought about using those vs the $15+ for the sleeves; about that means i need to screw around with cutting

[Hawg]

I tried buckets, garbage cans of different sizes, sewer pipe, and every other round object in the world to make sleeves. Save yourself the headache and go Buy the catch covers

[Hawg]

 I tried to make the covers out of Lexan too.  I know the couch cover system is expensive but nothing comes anywhere close to working as well. lexan isn’t cheap and the good heavy stuff isn’t the easiest thing in the world to work with. I really enjoy making things for myself, but this whole system was an effort in futility

Edited December 4, 2018 by Hawg

[1lessdog]

I have the catch covers just havent cut them down yet.

 

Catch covers will be at the Fargo N.D. ice show and hoping to get in on the by 3 get one free like at the Scheels ice fest back in Nov. I need to stock uo on some other products of theres. You cant beat there warranty.

[rl_sd]

2 hours ago, 1lessdog said:

I have the catch covers just havent cut them down yet.

 

Catch covers will be at the Fargo N.D. ice show and hoping to get in on the by 3 get one free like at the Scheels ice fest back in Nov. I need to stock uo on some other products of theres. You cant beat there warranty. 

http://experience.scheels.com/event/scheels-ice-fest-3/

[Hawg]

Plus you're dealing with a great little company that operates right out of here in B town! All their products are manufactured in the USA too if that means anything to you.

[1lessdog]

Im sure my house is like all of your house's They could do a commerical with all there products in are house's.

 

Yes made in the USA is great.

[Jmnhunter]

just ordered a 4 pack but of the fish hole buddy brand in white color, the guy at the ice show for catch cover was trying to sell me the glows but I find it hard to believe they stay glowing all night

Edited December 4, 2018 by Jmnhunter

[rl_sd]

6 hours ago, Jmnhunter said:

just ordered a 4 pack but of the fish hole buddy brand in white color, the guy at the ice show for catch cover was trying to sell me the glows but I find it hard to believe they stay glowing all night

 

I had black but sold them and switched over to glow. I like them a lot

[Jmnhunter]

probably a good thing i didnt buy catch cover brand covers; i found out I have the fishing hole buddy brand and they dont sell the covers; made some last night out of the lexan i bought off of amazon, pretty easy to make, used 2 thumb screws to keep them in place in the hole along with a 1" hole in the center cut with a narrow slot like RL's. they should work great! 

i will note, Rl's covers are alot more clean cut than mine i started off square, then rounded off the corners

Edited December 5, 2018 by Jmnhunter

[AlligatorDundee]

I use Bill Katz Coverz.

 

Custom made solid no holes.

These allow me to use my tip ups

In the warm house. 

They can be stepped on.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

On November 28, 2018 at 10:49 AM, 1lessdog said:

For those of you that use the sleeves what seem to be the magic length when cutting them down? And do you block up your house? I never block my house as I never leave it on the ice when I leave.

 

 

I bought the glow inserts.

 

Here is how I cut them down.

 

I dropped my house down on level cement. Measured what to cut them to. Then once I cut them, I took the bottom part and put it back in through the top. Then when I drop down, the hole sleeves are adjustable for length so you get a tight fit.

 

 

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Interesting is a pic.