What? Nobody building one this year?

[KidWalleye]

Every year I look forward to seeing the progress of someone building a new wheelhouse. I've gotten more ideas from you guys through the years. I forget who built the one last year, Deadminnowcatcher I think. I never saw the finished project.

Kidwalleye

[WALLEYEDUDE2001]

Like you, I have been asking questions with little/no info. Starting a house soon but looking for dos/dont's from sheeting, roofing, wiring, etc... I'll just proceed with some info & hopefully ask as I go.

[epkirkman]

I am in the process of building a 17'x6'6" wheelhouse right now. I have it framed and sheeted. I will try and get some pics posted soon of the progress, between work and working on this wheelhouse I have not had a ton of time.

Most of the ideas I got were from other members that have posted photos in the past. I have also been on the phone with Ron from fish house supply quite a bit. If you have questions that can't be answered here he has been very, very helpful. His customer service and fast shipping have also been very impressive.

Good luck with your project.

[stymie]

Ron really is a great help - however - dont order anything that you are not 100% sure you are going to use as they will not allow you to drop returns off thus you have to pay for shipping + 20% restocking fee. I spent over 5k there last year and ended up having to eat over 400$ worth of items due to the return policy. No one to blame but myself for not fully understanding.

[kevfish1]

Deadminnowcatcher had a great post with alot of pictures. There are final pictures on there also. It is numerous pages back. I tried to post something there and i see that it has been locked for some unknown reason. But you can go back and view the pictures. Great post and discussion on how to build a fish house. I am just starting a house and am ussing alot of the same ideas as deadminnow

[WALLEYEDUDE2001]

any idea how far ?

[Perchwich]

It's on pg.43 right now..... Does anyone know how we can bump that to the front page?

[Blaze]

Here's the whole enchilada.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1501248/all/FM_Ultimate_Fish_House

[landscaper]

how many of you Builders out there.....

Welded up your own frame? Make own or Buy? whats better

Also what did you do FIRST the siding on the OUTside or Panel/whatever on the inside?

which did you do first

Also how about heaters? Wall Mount? Forced Air Furnace ? or LPFish House/Deer Camp Stove-(fish house supply.com or like the Strikemaster circle heaters)

[Reynolds]

Well I am not building a wheelhouse, but I am remodeling a 10x24 permanent. I guess I could post picks of the progress of that project if anyone is interested. It is turning into one of those projects where I am going to spend twice as much as I initially calculated. It all started with wanting to the re-do the exterior in quarter log, but now it has grown into new windows, new door,exterior light, and new roof. I also at some point want to do the interior in tongue and groove, but I don't think I am going to have the time to get that accomplished this year. I think I need to stop looking at other houses on this site because I keep running across ideas that I would like in my shack. It never ends

[Eric Wettschreck]

I welded my own trailer frame. My house is studded all aluminum and I welded that also. Outside sheeting is aluminum that I riveted on.

If you don't have mad welding skylz I recommend buying one from a reputable dealer.

looking back, I should have framed it, put in the interior sheeting, then insulated, wired, etc.......and put on the exterior sheeting.

[epkirkman]

I bought my frame from fishhouse supply. I am very, very happy with it. I am a carpenter and not a welder but it has been a great frame to build on.

I bought a direct vent furnace, again from fish house supply. I am sure there are cheaper options however, money wasn't much of an object and most guys here say this is the way to go.

I am quite a bit over what I intially planned on spending but I am very happy so far with the outcome.

I will tell you this, I build things for a living, I have been a carpenter for a long time. This wheelhouse is taking me much, longer than I originally thought it would. There is just a ton of work in the house and I want to be sure I get everything right.

That being said, this is my first wheelhouse and I am learning as I go, I have messed up several simple things. Again good luck with your project and check out the earlier posts you should get alot of answers to your questions.

[KidWalleye]

ep. if you don't mind what things did you mess up so we don't make the same mistakes. Also Reynolds pictures would be great. I really like the different interior ideas people have. I'm building mine next year and want all the info i can get now. I've got my plans already but I'm tempted to go with the 8 ft wide instead of 6'6". Any opinions anyone?

Keep the ideas and pictures coming. Kid

[MuleShack]

I have the 8' wide version and i dont regret it. If your going to be staying for a whole weekend or even remotely thinking about using it for summer camping...the 8' would be the wise choice. I have talked to numberous people who say that the 6 1/2'er just gets too small for 2 people over a long weekend.

With that said, my 8'er is probably too heavy to take out on early ice, but that is just one sacrifice i am willing to make. I can bring the wheeler along with the porty in teh back and fish early ice with that and then still camp in the house (not on the lake).

I would say that when building, to definately use spray foam insulation in the walls and ceiling to make it more rigid and tightly sealed.

[epkirkman]

My dad and I had no clue what we were getting into when we started building this thing. He has 40 years of building experience and deep pockets when it comes to ice fishing.

He paid for everything and told me to build it.

A few of the problems I have run into have been:

1. Trying to decide what the outside skin should be.

We finally decided to tin the shack and it cost nearly $900.00. The colors I wanted were not in stock and it was going to take 2 weeks to get what I wanted. We used white and I don't like it. I am not really all that good at putting tin up on an ice shack either and I am fairly certain I would be fired if I had to do it for a living.

2. Heater choice and location.

We finally got a $500.00 dollar direct vent heater after much arguing and research. I installed it (and that was the problem). I used gas line that was a bit small and it would not light after spending several hours getting everything hooked up. I had to start all over and have a buddy of mine come help me get this working right.

I don't want any gas leaks in this thing, I spend a ton of time on the ice in the winter and my father refuses to quit smoking.

3. My lack of attention to the crank down function of the house.

We bought this trailer because it cranks down. I have messed up siding it, (got to close to the tire), installing the vent for the heater (which took a large patch of tin and about 4 hours to fix).

Both of us agreed we would go with the 8' trailer in the future. During this conversation my wife asked why we would even be discussing this if the cost wasn't that much different.

I didn't have an answer for her.

[KidWalleye]

I had a wheel house about 3 years ago. I bought the shell and did the inside the way I liked. Then I resided it with corrugated aluminum from Home Depot. I'm gonna use the same siding again. Really easy to install. Pain to cut though. I did notice I liked working on the elec, and LP line from the outside. I wonder if anyone has done the inside, run all the electrical and propane lines, then spray the insulation. I might be easier to get the outlets an switches exactly where you want them. I think I'll look into this option when the time comes. Anyone have any thoughts?

Kid

[broman]

I wonder if anyone has done the inside, run all the electrical and propane lines, then spray the insulation.

That's exactly what I did. Ran all the wire, lights and outlets and then spray foamed the walls afterward. The propane lines were attached to the finished walls on the inside of the house later.

[landscaper]

I built did all the inside first ran my wires, propane lines and everything else

i did it this way because i could but "backers" where i wanted so everything would stay in place haha then put the insulatio on and then the tin on the outside.

(also welded the frame myself)

Next Fish House.....really leaning/Likeing to go 8' Wide i just dont have the time and everything so i will prolly buy a frame from Ice Castle more than likely and then build/make it the way i want to (inside out)

In my fish house now i have a "Strike Master Handi-Heater" Which i can not find them anymore!!!! Not sure about the Forced air furances or the Ventless Wall mount....Not sure what one i want Fish HOuse supply has a "fish house/Deer camp Stove" like the one i have now but it says you cant sleep with it ON...so..i am not sure i guess

any ideas?

[zamboni]

If you don't have mad welding skylz I recommend buying one from a reputable dealer.

I actually am a welder, and will still probably buy a frame from a dealer, like that one in Milaca, can't remember the name. I think I am going to talk my dad into going in 50/50 with me, and working on it next spring and summer with him.

[Reynolds]

Zamboni, I believe you are referring to Milaca Unclaimed Freight. Grew up three miles west of there.

[WALLEYEDUDE2001]

Are those "ventless" heaters a big probelm with putting in the house ? Is the etxra moisture in the are a problem ? Do you have to spend the extra $$.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I have a ventless heater in my shack. As with all heaters, get a CO detector.

Moisture can be a problem. If you are using it for just a day it won't be that bad. IF you are out there all weekend you will get drips. An open window helps. Opening and closing the door helps, but moisture will still occur.

I went ventless purely for the cost factor. If I had the money I'd install an Empire direct vent heater. Since I don't have a lot of disposable cash I'll be sticking with my 10,000 BTU Outdoorsman from Reddy Heater and just putting up with the drips.

[zamboni]

Zamboni, I believe you are referring to Milaca Unclaimed Freight. Grew up three miles west of there.

I just looked- Fish House Store. They sell frames.

[gvt]

Kidwalleye,

I've been tinkering with this one since spring. I've got some updated pictures that I haven't posted yet, my home computer crashed. I just finished installing the heater, cutting in the fishing holes, and installing lights in the catch-cover rings. Next week it's getting the underside spray-foamed.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ub...tio#Post1446625