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Box Blind
Dec 29, 2018 20:08:39 GMT -6
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Post by batman on Dec 29, 2018 20:08:39 GMT -6
Moved one of my prototypes at 65 mph today. Unit weighs about 90 pounds. Insulated. Went well. Alright Bat man, explain what you have there. I think I see a rudimentary frame, a layer of cloth, and a lot of foam. I not sure though... Looks great whatever it is! You are pretty rudimentary spot on. Devil is in the details.
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Box Blind
Dec 29, 2018 20:08:40 GMT -6
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Post by benmnwi on Dec 29, 2018 20:08:40 GMT -6
I think the idea is great, but $1000 is too high in my opinion. We are cheap. Gotta be a way to get a cheap thermoformed plastic shell and add a cheap layer of foam on the inside.
I do similar stuff for a living to know that's not as easy as it sounds though, so you have your work cut out for you.
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Post by Catscratch on Dec 29, 2018 20:15:17 GMT -6
Alright Bat man, explain what you have there. I think I see a rudimentary frame, a layer of cloth, and a lot of foam. I not sure though... Looks great whatever it is! You are pretty rudimentary spot on. Devil is in the details. Lol. I figured my assessment was rudimentary at best, and that the details would be kept to yourself. I was curious though and had to ask. Anyway, I like the concept and at 90lbs it's something that can be set up without machinery (which is a big selling point!), it's water proof, and the wind won't tear it to shit! Now all you need is some magnetic windows that silently slide out of the way. Good luck to ya on it.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 30, 2018 9:39:28 GMT -6
Back in the 70's I used to sell materials to some companies that made pickup covers. One of the more interesting ways of building a pick-up cover was to vacuum form them from a sheet of thermoform plastic. Basically make a mold.....place a sheet of plastic over the mold.......heat up the sheet.......and use a vacuum pump to suck the plastic against the mold. The sheet would form to the mold and presto you had a shell. Add windows to stiffen it up.....and sell em. I think there is some outfit making "calf huts" this way too.
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Post by batman on Dec 30, 2018 9:45:56 GMT -6
Back in the 70's I used to sell materials to some companies that made pickup covers. One of the more interesting ways of building a pick-up cover was to vacuum form them from a sheet of thermoform plastic. Basically make a mold.....place a sheet of plastic over the mold.......heat up the sheet.......and use a vacuum pump to suck the plastic against the mold. The sheet would form to the mold and presto you had a shell. Add windows to stiffen it up.....and sell em. I think there is some outfit making "calf huts" this way too. My old business partner was fabbing the product you describe as 3rd kind blinds.
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Post by Foggy on Dec 30, 2018 12:41:13 GMT -6
Back in the 70's I used to sell materials to some companies that made pickup covers. One of the more interesting ways of building a pick-up cover was to vacuum form them from a sheet of thermoform plastic. Basically make a mold.....place a sheet of plastic over the mold.......heat up the sheet.......and use a vacuum pump to suck the plastic against the mold. The sheet would form to the mold and presto you had a shell. Add windows to stiffen it up.....and sell em. I think there is some outfit making "calf huts" this way too. My old business partner was fabbing the product you describe as 3rd kind blinds. One of the most interesting methods to build a fish house or an insulated blind would be to make them from sandwich panels. Again....back in time......Winnebago Industries made some pickup covers this way.....and later a couple of their engineers started a new company and pioneered a new type of cover using a similar tech. I was selling them metal (aluminum skin and windows and doors) at the time.....and while their insulated pick-up cover was not a big winner.....the tech was great. I always thought this could be a super biz for small insulated structures.....alas I'm too old. Heres how: start with inexpensive 1/8" plywood.....and lay out the size you need on a real big table with rollers......let's say your going to make a 5x6" blind......so use 6 feet wide x 18' long - which would be two 6'6" sidewalls and a 5 foot roof. Now using a big flat table lay the paneling face side down and coat with glue (contact adhesive).....then place 3/4" x 3" wood perimeter boards and more of these boards for window openings and other areas where fasteners (screws) are needed. Insert sheets of 3/4" hard foam to all void areas created by the boards. Again....apply contact adhesive to the foam and plywood (must use adhesive that does not eat the hard foam).......and finally lay the 6' x 18' of aluminum skin over the boards and foam.....with the painted side up. Now run the entire works thru a pinch roller to adhere the sandwich panel. What you will have is one very rigid large sidewall / roof. Now comes the interesting part. Using a number of saw kerfs (six?) on a gang saw.....saw slits from the paneling side precisely 3/4" deep and about 1" appart (must be very straight) and do not penetrate the aluminum skin. Make these cuts wherever you want to form a radius.....such as at the top of both sidewalls. Also need to rebuild a floor to needed size. Then using somewhat similar flat panels for the ends (with a door) wrap the wall / roof section over these ends and attach together with screws. Run a molding over the screws and you have made a box. This whole process is quite fast on a production basis.....and you could ship a large numbers (maybe 100 or so) on a truck to "distributors" in each state. The "distributors" would do the assembly and local distribution. Minium purchase is truckloads.....so if your big enough to be a distributor.....then you control your own destiny. I always liked this idea as you are selling to both the fish house market and the deer blind markets. Thus a longer selling season. Could possibly do dog houses or insulated pump houses, etc. Go big or go home! . Also could be a DIY item...as it just takes a little time and a screw gun to complete the assembly.
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Post by Catscratch on Dec 30, 2018 12:46:00 GMT -6
Just came across these at a local rental store. Not sure if it gives anyone ideas or not... just throwing it out there.
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Post by batman on Dec 30, 2018 13:15:21 GMT -6
Supposd to close on my commercial building next week and the guys moving in make prefab insulated walls for homes etc. Be interesting to see how they do it.
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Post by Freeborn on Dec 30, 2018 13:20:31 GMT -6
Just came across these at a local rental store. Not sure if it gives anyone ideas or not... just throwing it out there. Cat, I watched the video and they look pretty good. They could be pretty loud if you banged the side but you could insulate. How do you think they would be for scent control? Did the door and windows seal very well? Thanks for posting.
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Post by MoBuckChaser on Dec 30, 2018 13:21:32 GMT -6
Supposd to close on my commercial building next week and the guys moving in make prefab insulated walls for homes etc. Be interesting to see how they do it. You must have got the details worked out with the buyers. Good to hear.
Is the city ok with the new biz that is going in?
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Post by Catscratch on Dec 30, 2018 13:35:07 GMT -6
Just came across these at a local rental store. Not sure if it gives anyone ideas or not... just throwing it out there. Cat, I watched the video and they look pretty good. They could be pretty loud if you banged the side but you could insulate. How do you think they would be for scent control? Did the door and windows seal very well? Thanks for posting. Had places to be so I never got out of the car. Looked good from 20ft... otherwise I couldn't tell ya.
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Post by batman on Dec 30, 2018 13:50:49 GMT -6
Supposd to close on my commercial building next week and the guys moving in make prefab insulated walls for homes etc. Be interesting to see how they do it. You must have got the details worked out with the buyers. Good to hear.
Is the city ok with the new biz that is going in? City reversed its rezoning thoughts so all is good. Never called and told me even though we had 2 sit down meetings about the topic and why they were wrong. Bunch of asshats.
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Box Blind
Dec 30, 2018 13:58:20 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by biglakebass on Dec 30, 2018 13:58:20 GMT -6
The big lake building?
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Post by MoBuckChaser on Dec 30, 2018 14:15:21 GMT -6
You must have got the details worked out with the buyers. Good to hear.
Is the city ok with the new biz that is going in? City reversed its rezoning thoughts so all is good. Never called and told me even though we had 2 sit down meetings about the topic and why they were wrong. Bunch of asshats. Typical zoning dept, trying to change shit for no reason. Glad it all worked out Buddy!
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Post by batman on Dec 30, 2018 14:15:30 GMT -6
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