Heres a cheap shanty idea for you. Take a dome tent and cut half the floor out and use that. I did it last year and it worked out ok for me. Just and idea I would throw out for you.............Rich

 

i tryed to build one last year. i took some small pvc pipes and made a cube. and covered it with a tarp. it was good unless it was real windy. i might just get off my wallet and buy one this year.

there are some free plans online if you look.
http://www.fishontario.com/ice-fishing/buildahut/workshophut.html
maby you can find a way to make it lighter.

j

 

im going to build mine this year just get some pvc and a tarp and make a tp

 

hey guys
i have built a couple shanties myself and have dicided that 1/2 or 3/4 inch conduit is alot less flexible in the wind and also is not near as brittle in cold weather. you can also find some covers on e-bay under shanties. i hope this info helps you.
bttmline

 

Bought a Viking shanty 10 yrs ago. Back then I was a believer in "lighter is better". Works great in a lightwind but on a real windy day the light ones can be a real pain to set up, make sure that you have something to anchor them to the ice with, (Iuse 2 railroad tie spikes and some small sections of rope). Also built the shanty that mousejam spoke of, although on the heavy side I like it alot better, more room and you can stand up in it. Dont think it would be much of a problem to scale it down if you think this is too large, would make it a little lighter too. Worked out great last year on Presque Isle when the wind howled almost every time I was up there. If you guys want to build this one and have any problems PM or e-mail me, be glad to help. Almost forgot, total cost for materials around $60-$70. Try to buy one for that price.

 

What holds the ridge pole and side supports in place on that one?

Gene

 

Gene, if you want to see what one of those looks like, I built that exact one last year and your more than welcome to see it. What holds the ridge poles in place is basically your ridge poles are cut just long enough that when put into place they stretch the shanty open. The shanty is always trying to fold shut, but the polls push it open. Basically a friction type of thing that holds them in place. There is also support blocks that you nail to the doors on each side that also act as supports, so that when you place the ridge polls in place, they don't fall out.

Now there is one huge problem with the design. It is way to heavy. Just ask anyone that ever tried pulling mine. Plywood and 2x4's will add up in weight very quickly. Also, when there is snow on the ice, the ski's of which are made of 2x4's don't really cut through the snow very well, even if you try and 45 degree angle the fronts of them to cut a beter path. Basically if the snow is deeper than 4" on the ice, your really hosed due to the shanty tries to plow through the snow, due to the ski's maximum ride height is 4". Now what is cool about this shanty. It is big, it fit perfectly into the back of my Ford Ranger, it was cheaper to build than to buy a new one, BUT I am a firm believer that the lighter the shanty is, the further I am willing to pull it on the ice to go to my fishing spots. I have since retired that shanty to just doing one thing. I take it out to my familys pond, put it on the ice durring the beginning of the season, and never move it until just before ice out. I have since purchase a Shapell 2000 2 man shanty, of which weights about 10lbs. Rides over the snow like a feather in the wind, and it also has loops that you attach to your ice spikes to tack it in.

One more thing that comes to mind, if you decided to follow the directions via the link mousejam provided, the weight of the shanty will definatly be a concern if you are one of those guys that likes to tempt the fate of thin ice. You will fall through if you use this shanty on thin ice.

I know that Johnboy is familiar with making shanties, due to he has made several box style ones that are pretty slick. Maybe he will speak up and give some input on what he has found when building one.

flash---------------------------------------out

 

here is exactly what the shanty looks like

 

Thanx for the info Ben. I have that Frabil 2 man shanty but you saw what a pain in the rear it is to set up. To fish by myself is almost impossible. I have been blown across the ice in it like yourself....thats no fun! I am going to build or buy a one man shanty this year and was thinking about adapting those plans to a one man shanty. looks like I will be buying a factory built one. Any suggestions on a one man shanty would be appreciated.

Gene

 

get with Johnboy, he can hook you up with the plans for a 1 man shanty you can build. Never seen him blow across the lake with it either. Of coarse his arse is bigger than mine...

flash------------------------out

 

I will try and get the plans...if anyone wanted to buy one, we will make them. i will get a pic of some of the ones we've made. Mine is on it's 6th year and is working great. i think we sell them for around 70$ mostly depends on the price of wood at the time and fabric.

 

KSU,
If you want an easier way to pull the homemade shanty on the ice...we figured one out last year....I built the same one, and actually built it heavier than that design was ....but we fit 3 people in it and there is still room. The 2x4's are horrible in the snow, so I cut some 2x2's and placed the perpendicular to the main 2x4's. I can't remember what the plans said to do...if it was 3 2x4's on the bottom or just 2, but I used just 2, and then put in 2 2x2 braces crossways for support. Now I take an old runner sled, and set the shanty on the runner sled. Take a tie down out of the truck and ratchet the sled to the shanty. Pulls like it's 10 pounds...well maybe 20, but trust me, we drag that sucker all across mogadore. It's the green monster...that's for sure, but it sure is homey. I thought about sticking a doorbell on it this year.... I haven't had it in tons of snow yet, but up to about 5 inches, it was good to go.

Kevin