Building a Fish House

[JoeT]

I am going to be building a fish house, I need it light weight, thinking cut down 2z2 framing on 16" or 24" centers for the walls 6'2" high, aluminum siding, building wrap, 1" foam, probably paneling inside just up 4', 1/4" plywood for the dome roof, 2x3 flooring on 16" centers, maybe 3/8's or 1/2 plywood for the floor frame with 5/4 green treated decking for the runners. I need to build it to fit my trailer so it can't be bigger then 5'x7'6" what do you think? Where should I place the holes? How about the door? I will be heating with a single Mr Buddy heater. Any ideals would be appreciated. Thanks Joe

[Wables]

Sounds like yoiu have a pretty good idea of what you want to do already, and that is half of the battle! For your floor plan, I would recommend doing what I did. Mark out a 5'x7'6" rectangle on the floor. Put your heater and chair in there. Grab a couple of rods and a minnow bucket. Are you going to make this a two man? Get your wife in there, too. Put a few pieces of paper on the floor to mimic the holes, and move them around to see where they work best. Visualize the walls...where would you like the windows? With both of you in there, and the holes laid out, you will get a good idea of where to put the door as well. Remember, you are doing this for three reasons. 1) You are figuring out how to build this thing. 2) You are having fun doing it. 3) You are proving to your wife/girlfriend that you really are nuts!

I think that 5 X 7-1/2 is a pretty good size. I built mine 6 X 10, but if I did it over again I would build two, a 5X8 and a 7 or 8 x 12.

If you are interested, I can email you my cad plans and some pictures.

ETA - Dont pick out a window height until after you have your walls framed in. Sit in it and look at distant objects while you are sitting. Mark the ideal height on the walls.

[TJG]

Attn Wables:

If you don't mind, you could send me the cad drawings and pics to:

[email protected]

Thx in advance.

[Fish Head]

Hey, I would love to get a copy of the cad drawings and pics too if you don't mind. Thanks!!!

[email protected]

[SPUD BAR]

Wables.....if its not too much trouble, I would like a copy of the plans too please. And a pic or three!!

Thanks, SPUD

[email protected]

[Wables]

TJG, Fish Head, and Spud Bar have mail.

[JohnH]

If your building a fish house, some things Id recomend are, puting the windows at a height were you can see out them while sitting, and try to get sliding so you can crack em a little if its to hot, or just to air the place out a little. I did what the other fella said about setting up a "mock house" in the shop, and make sure the hole placment is adequate for augering holes- it sucks when the auger jams and smashes your hand s into the walls! I also like to tell people to go to a computer parts retailer or hsolist and get some computer fans, I put one over each hole just to make sure that the hole is open, and the air is moving around- it keeps the house warmer down low

[The Yeti]

I also would like to see the plans if you don't mind. Me and the wife are kicking some ideas around for permanent houses. Thanks. [email protected]

[JohnH]

Id also make sure that that decking is 3/4 green treated- it last a heck of a lot longer, and wont sag, my old man and i built a 6x8 and he wanted 1/2" so we did, and then ended up throwing down another 1/2" down because it saged so bad( thats with 16 o.c. 2x4 joists. Our floor is now 1" thick and is solid! Glue and screw those puppys too so they dont squeak later on-dont use nails for anything on that house as the shaking, and twisting with eventualy losen them up and your house will be "loose" and very squeaky, just some ideas

[JoeT]

Wables drawing and pics would be great Joetc2l99@yahoo

Thanks JoeT

[JoeT]

Is it over kill to insulate the floor, I plan on cutting round holes in the floor and using 5 gal buckets down to the ice level.

JoeT

[Wables]

I insulated my floor, but it is probably overkill as I am not running around in my tennis shoes in there.

In response to the treated floor, I used non-treated, but put 3 coats of high quality spar varnish on everything below the walls. 3 years and no sign of rot. I figured that by the time this floor rots, I will be sick of the floor plan anyway. It isn't a bad idea if you don't mind a bit more weight and cost. A friend of mine used cedar 5/4X6 on his floor and it is awesome!

[JoeT]

I think I really need it light weight (no green treated plywood), ie the alum siding and foam, I'm hoping 1/2 plywood at the most for the floor more like 3/8 I may add a third runner down the middle or maybe just a dead man in the center that I can balanced on after blocking up the sides, Yes paint top side and bottom.

JoeT

[The_Duckslayer]

Hey Wables, I'd like those cad plans as well. I could use it as a start and see what I can come up with. Thanks and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[email protected]

[YakHead]

Hey Wables

Email me the plans too please.

[email protected]

thanks

[Gissert]

Wables -

I'd like to see thos plans also, thanks

[email protected]

[ice_shack]

Hey Wables,

As long as your going to the mail room could you send me a copy also?

ice_shack at hotmail dot com

[MNice]

Wables, Plans & pictures would be great. Thank you for taking the time.

[email protected]

[schmake]

Wables, I would love to see the plan and pics as well.

[email protected].

Thanks a bunch!

[Moose-Hunter]

Hi Wables...

CAD plans? What software are you running? What format are the files in?

I put 17+ years in telecommunications system design and have been using AutoCAD ever since. Seems I just can't get it out of my system. Literally...

I'd love to see your work. If you can manage the time, could you send the files my way at the addy listed below?

Thanks....

[say_der]

I would also like a copy of the plans. Thanks.

say_der at yahoo dot com.

Moose-Hunter - I too design telecom system stuff using CAD - we are running Pro/E.

[Ishmel]

had a similar issue with needing to make the house fit the trailer. (My trailer is 5' by 10'.) What I did is built the floor to fit the trailer using 2x8 skids and 2x4 flooring. Then when I built the walls I made them so they come up 18" (over the height of the wheels) then out another 18" making long benches down each side. I put the holes down the sides next to the benches, which is a little awkward, but keeps the middle of the floor open for a card table, etc. I hung a pro-com "infrared" heater on one end the door on the other. I made a sloped roof from 2x6's and covered it with corregated pole barn siding.

I picked up some high density foam and some uphosltry fabric in the clearance bin at a craft store, and made cushions for the benches. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I'd love to have a crank down, but theres no way I can part with the kind of money. I have a hand winch on the trailer that I use to just crank the thing on and off.

Email or post questions here if you'd like more info. [email protected]

[oldmanfishing]

This is proabley getting a little old for ya, but could you send me some info also?? I am wanting to build a little bigger one but still dont know how to go about it. Any info will help me THANKS !! :-) please send to [email protected]

[Wables]

Quote:

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Hi Wables...

CAD plans? What software are you running? What format are the files in?

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The CAD was done in IntelliCAD, which is a freeware nockoff of AutoCAD. It doesn't have any 3-d capabilities, and the pull down menus are different, but all of the command line commands are the same. The file is in R14 format.