light-weight Permanents?

[slick2526]

Just wondering what you would use if you where to build a light-wieght permanent fish house? I was thinking some type of a tarp around the outside with insulation on the inside between some 2x2s. any other ideas? Also any thoughts on a type of runners to use if building it this way. would prefer not to have wheels at all since i could throw it on a snowmobile trailer. Thanks

[Ed Carlson]

Light, cheap and very portable huh?

The lightest and toughest I have seen is made from 2 by 2's, corrugated plastic cardboard and insulated with 2" Styrofoam. This 8 by 8 had 4-2 by 4 runners set on end and a 3/8 CDX plywood floor. The whole shack could be lifted and loaded on a trailer by one man.

The trick is finding the plastic cardboard in large sheets. Many companies ship large waterproof containers made from this material. That is where the maker of the shack I described found it, he salvaged the sheets at no cost to him but for the gas to pick it up. Microsoft here in Fargo and/or Emation in Wahpeton would be 2 companies that would likely have the large containers I mentioned.

You can actually paint this material and it would look much like wood or metal sheeting after your completed. He has used his for many years on Pelican Lake and other lakes and is most often the first large shack on the ice. The material holds up remarkably well.

A great lightweight and very low in material cost ice unit.

------------------
Backwater Guiding
"ED on the RED"
701-893-9107

[email protected]

[Sled Head]

Ed has the right idea with the plastic cardboard. If it were me, I would stay away from tarp or canvis it sweats and drips on you. 2x2s with 1 1/2" ridgid styrafoam would be plenty strong. Good luck!

[BLUESHARP]

Aluminium flashing.Just a thought.

[The Grebe]

It seems that no matter how tight you get the tarps, eventually they start making noise when the wind blows.

We made some pretty lightweight houses back in the day, using 2x2's for the framing, and 1x2's for the bracing, 1/8 inch wood paneling (We tried to find 2nds and discontinued patterns) and styro insulation, 1/4 inch plywood for the floors and runners placed a little closer together to add support to the light flooring.

These were mostly 4x6 models. The runners, you would have to decide what would be best, our houses sat on modified skis. We would buy the skis from the Goodwill store.

We would move the house before any serious freeze down occurred.

[augernaut]

I haven't done it myself, but I've heard of guys using a 2x2 frame, with that pink insulation board between the 2x2's Then, they line the inside of the shanty with that aluminum faced foam board for even more insulation. For the exterior, they use vinyl siding - tough and light. I'll bet you could heat a shack like that with a buddy heater or even a lantern on some days!

[Perchpapa]

Just a thought, if you use a tarp it probably wouldn't make too much noise in the wind if it is attached at each 2X2, if the 2x2 aren't too far apart. Also those plastic tarps sweat awfully bad. So I would recommend an insulation that can withstand some moisture.

[slick2526]

Thanks for the replies. Ed, sounds like your friend had a good idea.goin to give it a try if i can get a hold of the material.

[This message has been edited by slick2526 (edited 09-01-2004).]

[rtwills]

I use that material for printing yard signs for businesses,but I dont know how big they make the sheets, I will look into it for you.

------------------
If people weren't supposed to eat animals.
Why are they made out of meat??
FM Stickersl

[rtwills]

Just checked into that plastic.
I can get it in a 4x8 sheet it is approx. 8-10 dollars per sheet and each sheet is approx, 1/4 " thick

------------------
If people weren't supposed to eat animals.
Why are they made out of meat??
FM Stickersl

[psegriz]

[YouNeedAuthorization]

e-mail me about them sheets of plastic

psegriz at hotmail dot com

------------------
Ice is coming soon!!
GRIZ

[MN Mike]

You would probably want to look for coroplast, lots of people use it for sign making and printing. I think I bought mine for my fish house for about $12 a sheet ( 4'x8' ) or so.

We built a 8x8 perm. last year, used thin wall tubing for the frame and runners ( we used a sheet of plastic 1/4" thick by 1' by 9' long to lay over the runners ), plywood floor, tin sheets from a leftover polebarn build and some windows out of a school bus, styrofoam 2" for insulation and coroplast on the inside. It didn't weigh alot but probably more than what 1 man would want to tangle with. I could slide it by hand very easily on hard snow or ice and it pulled very easy behind a snowmobile.

One thing with coroplast, if you get it close to a heat source it will start to warp, so you have to keep that in mind when your putting in your heater.

Mike