building an 8x8x16 deer blind

[ksJoe]

Today I started building a deer blind. It will be 8x8 and 16 feet tall. Lower level storage, upper level deer blind. I'm planning on 4x6 posts with cable x's for stability. Steel panels for the walls and roof.

Today I set 4 concrete piers for the posts.



Here's a tape measure 16' in the air to see how high it will go into the trees.

 

[trapperm]

The on-site mixer kills me! Cool build. Keep the pics coming

 

[ksJoe]

The on-site mixer kills me!

Why, because its an antique?

 

[trapperm]

Why, because its an antique?

Just the fact that there is 100% justified need for a concrete mixer in the woods to build a deer stand.

 

[ksJoe]

Just the fact that there is 100% justified need for a concrete mixer in the woods to build a deer stand.

ah, ok. I thought maybe I was overlooking a joke somewhere. After wrestling the post hole digger by myself for 4 holes, I was in no condition to mix concrete by hand. And the mixer makes it so easy to get it mixed evenly.

I inherited that a few months ago from my grandfather. He had left it outside for decades, so the engine was trashed. When I opened the oil fill, there was corosion inside the block. Nothing else important was damaged from decades outside. I intend to store it outside, and I don't want to fight with the engine. So I cut the engine bracket off and welded a receiver hitch tube on it. Then I welded the engine bracket on a piece of box tubing. The engine installs in 5 seconds like a trailer hitch. The mixer can be left in the woods, and engine can live in the garage at home.




Something I hadn't thought of until yesterday, since I put a receiver hitch on the front and back of my atv, the engine has its own place for the ride in.

 

[tooln]

At one time I thought higher was better for a stand. But over the years I found that height was more of an hinderance at times. I found the 8' was the ideal height for both bow and rifle.

 

[ksJoe]

I found the 8' was the ideal height for both bow and rifle.

8’ for the ceiling above your head or 8’ for the floor?

 

[Turkish]

At one time I thought higher was better for a stand. But over the years I found that height was more of an hinderance at times. I found the 8' was the ideal height for both bow and rifle.

Maybe where your are. That depends a lot on many other factors, not the least of which are topography and vegetation/foliage.

 

[buckdeer1]

How are you going to to fasten to piers?No way in heck I would get in a box blind if it's 16 ft to the floor.I had one that was 6ft at floor off ground blow over twice before I set 4x4 post that went 3ft up 2 sides so it couldn't tip

 

[b116757]

For fence posts we just dump a dry bag of concrete in around the post and maybe dump half 5 gallon pail of water on top and call it good.

 

[ksJoe]

How are you going to to fasten to piers?No way in heck I would get in a box blind if it's 16 ft to the floor.I had one that was 6ft at floor off ground blow over twice before I set 4x4 post that went 3ft up 2 sides so it couldn't tip

It will be 8 foot to the floor, 16 foot to the ceiling.

Zoom in on the first picture and you can see how it will attach to the piers. There are 8" J bolts in the concrete to attach standard 4x6 post base brackets. I also was concerned about uplift and twist in the Kansas wind. So there wil also be a 1/4" cable X on 3 of the 4 sides. One side will have a door, around 7'x7', so no cables on that side. On the other 3 sides, the upper end of the cable will attach to the 4x6 posts around 8 foot above the ground, with the lower end of the cable attached to the concrete. I welded eye bolts to 3.5' pieces of rebar. That's what the cables will attach to. The piers are 8" diameter above ground, but 10-12" diameter below ground. The piers go around 33-35 inches below grade (frost depth is around 24").

 

[buckdeer1]

That makes me feel better,did you ever see the trailer blind that tipped over on Drury outdoors?Thats some scary stuff

 

[tooln]

8’ for the ceiling above your head or 8’ for the floor?

8' off the ground. Ceiling height depends how tall you are and the type of bow if your a bow hunter. Nothing worse than missing an opportunity because you can't get the angle or stand straight for a good shot.

 

[ksJoe]

That makes me feel better,did you ever see the trailer blind that tipped over on Drury outdoors?Thats some scary stuff

I hadn’t seen it but I just googled it. Ouch. I don’t want that!

 

[swat1018]

I tried the cables, but ended up just doing standard "X" bracing with 2x4. I couldn't get it where it wouldn't wiggle with cable, soliid as a rock with the 2x4s. It's 15.5' to the floor of 2 of mine, perfect!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Mine is 12 foot to the floor, with 4x6 buried 4 feet deep. It’s been up for 6 years. But mine is just a 6x6.

 

[ksJoe]

I tried the cables, but ended up just doing standard "X" bracing with 2x4. I couldn't get it where it wouldn't wiggle with cable, soliid as a rock with the 2x4s. It's 15.5' to the floor of 2 of mine, perfect!

good to know. I think I'll still use cables because they're easier to attach to the eye bolts I have in the concrete. I'm wanting to make sure I have enough uplift resistance with extra attachment to the concrete. If it wiggles with the cable, I may add 2x4 Xs in addition to the cable.

 

[ksJoe]

I made a little more progress Saturday. I don't want to put wood on the ground between the concrete piers, so I'm pouring concrete between the piers. This is not structural, just a rot-proof material to close up the gap between the piers and give me a level line for building to start. I've only done 1 side so far. I'll do 2 more sides then wait for the fourth side until the structure is up and I'm ready to frame the door on the 4th side.

 

[buckdeer1]

That should work

 

[ksJoe]

I've gotten as much done as I can without help. Tomorrow I'm drafting the family to help me stand up the walls.

One wall is 16" shorter than the other to give 2:12 slope. The slope will face south, in case I decide to put solar on it later.