Material For Treestand??

[OneScrewLoose]

What material would be a good choice for making my own treestands. I'm planning on using steel but I don't know what to get. I am going to use expanded for the foot platform. Right now I have an oxyacetelene torch to weld with and I'm decent at it. I might be able to get access to a mig welder if I have to. Can anyone make suggestions for me?? Thanks guys!!!!

[russ]

mig welder, leave the oxy-acetylene in the corner.

[Joe73]

Definitely use the mig. Even a stick welder with thin rod would be good. I've made quite a few stands out of bed frame. When I lived in the city I collected them as they were pretty common to see thrown out. Just chop the ends off and you have some nice angle iron. Here's a pic of the corner of the stand I hunted out of yesterday.

[swampboss]

Originally Posted by russ

mig welder, leave the oxy-acetylene in the corner.

I also agree. mig or stick arc welder depending on metal thickness. Building a tree stand is no place to learn how to weld. You might start with a ground blind. Get help from someone with experience for ladders , lock- on s and be extremely cautious building a climber.

[OneScrewLoose]

Originally Posted by swampboss

I also agree. mig or stick arc welder depending on metal thickness. Building a tree stand is no place to learn how to weld. You might start with a ground blind. Get help from someone with experience for ladders , lock- on s and be extremely cautious building a climber.

Well I'm a decent welder with a mig, I just don't have one.

[patterstdeer]

I have a Hobart 140 Mig Welder and use all sorts of metal i often use emt conduit have for probably 15 years with no issues i make my own ladderstands as well as boxstands

[oddg241]

If you have a junk yard or dump close by check on old BBQ grills. The propane kind that have 4 legs. Some of them are fairly heavy duty and would make good cross pieces welded to your bed frames. Plumber friends may have left over gas pipe, good steel for braces etc. Show us the finished project.

[sheldonc]

I make all of my own ladder stands, loc-ons, and box stands.
I use 1 x 1 16 gauge for loc-ons step rungs,seating part and shooting rail of the
ladder stands. I use 1 x 1 11 gauge for the ladder rails to the ladder.
I make 2 ladders 7.5' and splice them with 1 1/4 16 gauge and bolt the 2
together with 4) 5/16 x 2 hex bolts. I still use a stabilizer bar made out of
1 x 1 16 gauge slip fit inside a 1 1/4 square 16 gauge.

When building box stands I generally use 1 1/2 11 guage for the legs and assorted combinations of lighter tube and angle for brasing.

I do all welding wuth a Hobert 140 handler mig welder.

[10gblevins02]

1" square tubing is hard to beat

[hisnheroutdoors]

1 in. is probally heavier than any boughten one,you really don't want it to heavy unless your gonna leave it up all the time in the same spot,i would definately use the Mig over the gas any day,heck i have a hobart handler 187
with an auto helmet you could build one quick,it would look nicer to

[russ]

I used 3/4" square tubing for the platforms on the hang-ons I built with a 1" tube up to the seat. They're still pretty heavy.

[patterstdeer]

The beauty to me in building your own is getting exactly what you want and not some flimsy unsafe stand. My double gusseted ladders require no support back to the tree with no buckling or bending at all. Although they are a little heavier to me the weight is far outweighed by the comfort.

[russ]

Originally Posted by patterstdeer

I have a Hobart 140 Mig Welder and use all sorts of metal i often use emt conduit have for probably 15 years with no issues i make my own ladderstands as well as boxstands

Isn't EMT galvanized?

[patterstdeer]

Yes it's galvenized an angle grinder with a flapdisc will clean an area very quickly for welding. Like I said I have used it for over 15 years and never had an issue just be careful not to weld it in a confined area I usually do it in a garage with fans blowing thru the room just not directly on my stand

[OneScrewLoose]

Will a flux core mig welder do ok???

[patterstdeer]

It will work but my experience has been with EMT anyway that it spletters worse I get a much better weld with gas and non flux wire. i use .30 wire helps too.

[russ]

Originally Posted by OneScrewLoose

Will a flux core mig welder do ok???

I started with flux core and then added the gas kit later (Lincoln Weldpak 100). It works fine, just not as pretty. OTH, flux core generally penetrates better on any given amperage & wire speed. So it does have it's place.