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Post by mnaaron on Nov 20, 2018 16:02:37 GMT -6
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Post by kooch on Nov 20, 2018 18:37:33 GMT -6
I have one I put up this year. Didn't get to hunt out of it much because we put it in and never got to cut any lanes to speak of. Did clear one area but didn't get to cleaning it up so it really just acted like a giant blockade. Next year we're cutting in a bedding area between the blind and the plot near this guy. It'll be a west or NW wind stand. I did sit in it one morning just to say I did. My buddy heater was too many BTU even on low for this guy. I could have been in flipflops and a speedo in there. Maybe next year I will. The door and windows are quiet. But, the door is a bit warped so it doesn't seal well on the bottom. I can deal with that. Plastic blinds are noisy if you clunk against them. But, it's waterproof. It'll never rot. And once it's in place shouldn't need a lot of maintenance. I like it OK. I've got another one to assemble and elevate next year. I also learned that I need to do something other than plywood for the landing above the ladder on the platform. It sounds like a drum when I climb up there. I'll cut that section of deck off next year and replace it with treated 2x4. Should be quieter. Mine is the 4 panel.  |
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Post by mnaaron on Nov 20, 2018 21:03:19 GMT -6
Worth the money?
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Post by kooch on Nov 20, 2018 21:13:51 GMT -6
If you are not endowed with carpentry skills, then yes. I am not. So, I think it's worth it. I spent about two hours bolting it all together with my son. The platform is a simple build, took an hour or so.
To me, the answer is yes.
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Post by mnaaron on Nov 20, 2018 21:38:55 GMT -6
I have some carpentry skills however not sure I could built it much cheaper than that if you include windows and everything. Would the pentagon be large enough for 2 hunters? We typically build ours 6’ by 6’ but not in the pentagon shape.
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Post by kooch on Nov 20, 2018 21:41:05 GMT -6
I have some carpentry skills however not sure I could built it much cheaper than that if you include windows and everything. Would the pentagon be large enough for 2 hunters? We typically build ours 6’ by 6’ but not in the pentagon shape. I'm not sure. Mine is the 4x4 and there's no way it'd fit two. Edit - I got mine on sale at Menards last year. I don't exactly remember what they cost. But I do recall doing the math and thinking the same thing as you about the cost. It certainly was easier to move into the woods. |
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Post by mnaaron on Nov 20, 2018 21:44:02 GMT -6
Ok thanks
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Post by Foggy on Nov 21, 2018 10:03:02 GMT -6
^. I have two of the 4x4 blinds and we like them fairly well. The window hinges now are a bit squeaky.....so I'm hoping some graphite will fix that. They are OK for one man in gun season.....but the is about it. I've had them two years and they seem quite durable. We used 3/4" plywood and attached the blind to the plywood floor (via 8 - 1/4" carriage bolts, installed from the bottom up).....then lift this box onto the tower.....works nice.....and can be taken apart if you want with a few wood screws thru the floor to the tower. We have a 2' wide landing at the top and used treated 6" wide decking boards. Good value IMO.
My BIL has two of the 4x4' and one of the OCTAGON blinds. He seemed satisfied with the Octagon as he wants to shoot his crossbow from it via a bipod. I think there would be room for two hunters in this blind for gun hunting. I thought the door on his blind was a little "whippy" and did not seal well......but I think that is somewhat true of all these blinds - not enough re-inforcement in the doors. I suppose one could screw some stiffeners to the door planners to beef them up a bit. We do tape the door corners when not in use to keep the mice and insects out. The rest of the blind seems to seal up pretty well......and I think we will get good life out of these blinds.
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Post by kooch on Nov 21, 2018 10:15:51 GMT -6
I like your idea about connecting the blind to plywood, THEN connecting that to the platform. Much more flexible option for the long term. Also, I'm sure it helps with keeping it square during assembly. I'll do that with the next one. The first one is simply screwed to the base with deck screws. It seems sturdy enough. The entire platform can be deck wood then, more than sturdy enough, but lighter. Won't sound like a bass drum either.
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Post by Foggy on Nov 21, 2018 10:30:41 GMT -6
I like your idea about connecting the blind to plywood, THEN connecting that to the platform. Much more flexible option for the long term. Also, I'm sure it helps with keeping it square during assembly. I'll do that with the next one. The first one is simply screwed to the base with deck screws. It seems sturdy enough. The entire platform can be deck wood then, more than sturdy enough, but lighter. Won't sound like a bass drum either. The nice thing about assembling the blind with the plywood floor.....is that you can do this in the driveway near the power tools.......and also construct a tower the same way. I like our towers at about 8 feet high at the floor.....so I can pick the tower and blind up with my tractor and loader. We make stair cases separately and have a means to easily attach / detach the stairway. Seems pretty nice and easy to move. I'll send a pic from my camera, in the post below. |
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Post by Foggy on Nov 21, 2018 10:33:30 GMT -6
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Post by Freeborn on Nov 21, 2018 11:30:14 GMT -6
Foggy, do you remember the lift height of your JD? I'm wondering if I used my bucket forks how high of a pallet forked blind I could set on a platform. |
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Post by Foggy on Nov 21, 2018 11:58:17 GMT -6
^ Jerry.......I think my forks would not quite reach 8 feet when level. My BIL made a box to put on his forks.....this allows him to lift two feet higher. The only thing about that box is that it often will interfere with some of the bracing, etc. I paid about $110 for the plate and maybe have another $90 in steel and materials to make my 'high forks". If you have SS mounts....you could borrow it. Also.....I have a similar plate for my old JD mounts which I made into similar "high forks" lift. I don't need it.....and I could be persuaded to loan it or trade for something  It's not made as well as the one shown above.....but I did move several blinds with it and it did not fail. The JD plate described above (made by Titan) also allows three point stuff to be attached to the front loader. This is kinda nice when using a landscape rake for "dozing" brush and debris. Maybe other things....but I dont know what that would be. EDIT: I would caution anyone moving blinds like this to have good ballast that will keep those rear wheels on the ground.....and to go S L O W so as to not tip your tractor. Lotsa leverage on the loader when you do this with a light tractor. Always a little pucker-factor when moving high stuff.  . |
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Post by wiscwhip on Nov 21, 2018 12:07:36 GMT -6
^^^^ Reminds me of this...  |
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Post by Freeborn on Nov 21, 2018 13:59:44 GMT -6
^ Jerry.......I think my forks would not quite reach 8 feet when level. My BIL made a box to put on his forks.....this allows him to lift two feet higher. The only thing about that box is that it often will interfere with some of the bracing, etc. I paid about $110 for the plate and maybe have another $90 in steel and materials to make my 'high forks". If you have SS mounts....you could borrow it. Also.....I have a similar plate for my old JD mounts which I made into similar "high forks" lift. I don't need it.....and I could be persuaded to loan it or trade for something It's not made as well as the one shown above.....but I did move several blinds with it and it did not fail. The JD plate described above (made by Titan) also allows three point stuff to be attached to the front loader. This is kinda nice when using a landscape rake for "dozing" brush and debris. Maybe other things....but I dont know what that would be. EDIT: I would caution anyone moving blinds like this to have good ballast that will keep those rear wheels on the ground.....and to go S L O W so as to not tip your tractor. Lotsa leverage on the loader when you do this with a light tractor. Always a little pucker-factor when moving high stuff. . Thanks Tom, I have the standard JD quick attach bucket system. Next summer lets touch base and I'll stop over and see what your lift system looks like. For the most part 8' will work just fine but it would be nice to have a little extra height. When raising lighter enclosures like these Menards blinds you could easily tip them up. I'm going to post on TBN and see if those guys have some ideas. |
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It's not made as well as the one shown above.....but I did move several blinds with it and it did not fail. 
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