Canadian Ice Shack Build

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Here's the build for the woodstove.

3/16 plate. Less than half of a 4x8 sheet used. Stove is 12x14x24 inches. 6 inch pipe, custom made stainless steel.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

.

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I like the concept, I’ve been working on a layout for a hunting camp on skids when we get a lease. It wouldn’t be moved much hopefully, but could be winched on and off a car hauler. The smallest package I can fit everything into is 8.5’ x 24’ though.

 

[ridenby]

I know nothing about ice fishing,other than seen it in movies. Do you have a trap door to fish through? Or do you all stand out side ? Do you tie it down to the ice?

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Won't you be needing some floor flaps in that thing or is that not even an important part of the ice shack experience? But seriously, I doubt you'll be needing much heat with 2-4 people in there.

We don't have holes through the floor on the sleep shacks. It's too dangerous with little ones (I've had both my children on trips (multi-day trips) when they were 3 months old). We'd get them there in an enclosed sleigh with them strapped into their car seats. It's also colder and more drafty.

As for heat, I've spent nights up keeping the wood stove roaring AND the propane furnace running and still needed to wear a coat. All this while my wife and children slept under heavy blankets. When it is literally -45 Celcius with 50 km/h winds you need all the heat you can get, and all the drafts to a minimum.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

I like the concept, I’ve been working on a layout for a hunting camp on skids when we get a lease. It wouldn’t be moved much hopefully, but could be winched on and off a car hauler. The smallest package I can fit everything into is 8.5’ x 24’ though.

There's shacks around here that are that size and moved on trailers. Definetly doable.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

I know nothing about ice fishing,other than seen it in movies. Do you have a trap door to fish through? Or do you all stand out side ? Do you tie it down to the ice?

We set up the tip ups outside, other people have day shacks with holes in the floor. We don't.

The lighter shacks do have to be tied down, when they're not the will blow away, or tip over. Once they're frozen to their blocks they don't move until thaw.

 

[surpip]

That's cool that you got a bunch of SOF peeps to help you build it.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Update.

This shack was built in the fall of 2009, and has been on the ice every year except 1 year (poor ice conditions that year).

I haven't done any maintenance to it other than paint the floor once. I've done a couple modifications, and I'll show them in the next few posts.

This is opening the door yesterday after it spent the summer on a platform on shore. Sometimes we get mice, but since I've foamed the corner cladding we haven't had many. Usually when we do it's a year that a small tree has fallen on the shack. I also make sure the stove door and vent is closed.

When we park it for summer I stand up the mattresses as shown, making sure there's an air gap between. It discourages mouse nesting, and also allows airflow so things dry if they're wet.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Everything that is soft and fluffy gets stored in mouse resistant containers.

I put the rubbermaid roughnecks upside down because I sometimes get snow in the attic that melts and drips inside. The containers don't hold as much water upside down. It's also easier to add weight (firewood) to keep the lids on tight. Those boxes are jam packed with pillows and blankets and want to fluff up and pop the lids.

Green boxes don't have lids, but do have flat top so a plywood can be placed on top and weighted to be mouseproof.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Keep the wood supply full. Ensures we start the year with good, bone dry wood, we can supplement this with less than perfect wood found in the bush to get us by until we get some good chicos cut up.

 

[Muckin_Slusher]

Pull the stainless chimney off, and install a bucket on the outside elbow. Keeps water out of the stove. Also 6 inch exhaust band clamps are fucking awesome for chimneys. You don't need to fight pipes together to make them fit, don't need screws neither. Also if your pipes a little short it's no problem. Also nice for temporary fixing rusted holes in the chimneys. (Don't have this problem as we're 100% stainless steel).

The white furnace is a major upgrade I did over the Big Buddy heater. It's got a thermostatic bulb, and turns on/off with temperature instead of just burning at a set rate all night. This has been crucial to sleeping with children on the top bunk (and not cooking them). I moved the thermostat bulb from below the heater to up on the wall near the ceiling, to give me a cooler temperature range. Now the kids sleep comfortably up top, while me and momma freeze on the main floor (we just keep more blankets).

Someday I'm gonna install a wind powered direct coupled ceiling fan to even out the temperature.

Another upgrade, not shown, was putting the propane tank and reg inside the shack. The outside ones freeze when the big furnace kicks on. Inside tank stays nice and warm and full of pressure.