Chippewa home made Brackets
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: Scooby-doo
25-Apr-17
I have gotten several Pm's asking how I make my home made brackets for the Chippewa Wedge Loc treestands. I have never had an issue with them but use at your own risk!! What you need: 2 Hockey Pucks, 2 Cable clamps, 1/4" coated steel cable, some 5/16th plastic tubing and a ratchet strap. When bought in quantity they can be made for under 10 bucks each. Drill a hole in the center of each puck. Take 19-20 inches of the coated cable and insert one puck on leaving about 4" sticking out, now slide on a piece of the tubing about 8"s long. Add the other puck. Loop ends and use cable clamp leaving enough of a loop to get hook on ratchet strap thru it. Do the other end as well. I put a pic up which is pretty self explanatory! Scooby
From: Joey Ward
25-Apr-17
Is it really that much trouble to hang or remove the OEM bracket when you use the stand? I never found it worthwhile to have multiple brackets for any loc-on that I've used. Most may take a minute or so to hang the bracket then the stand. Same to remove when climbing down. Keep everything together.
And then there's this wrt hanging multiple brackets.......you have to back to the tree and climb to get them out. I'd assume you do this after season. I'd definitely not want to leave them up year around.
Educate me on why the need for these?
From: longbow
25-Apr-17
how much would you charge to make a guy a few???
From: Stekewood
25-Apr-17
Joey, The advantage is that you can have all of your stand sites set up and ready to go without having an actual stand in each one. Check the wind, pick the right spot, hike in, climb up and hang the stand on the bracket. It's easy and quiet. If you are going to have to climb up and put the chain up each time it would be easier to just use a hang on like a lone wolf. In areas where theft is an issue the chains are much less visible and I can't say I know of anyone who has had one stolen. The guys that I hunt with all have stands and between us we have scores of chains up and ready to go.
From: Scooby-doo
25-Apr-17
You use a ratchet strap and attach it to the loops in the cable. These brackets really shine when you hunt out of state and do not want to leave a stand in a tree. I normally use 3 or 4 climbing sticks and screw in or two. You can remove the bottom two sets of sticks if you want and leave everything else in the tree and just take the stand in and out with you. I have at least 30 of the brackets. If you were to buy them from Chippewa they are now like 40 bucks a piece. Longbow if you buy the stuff in quantity you can make them for under 10 bucks a piece. Scooby
From: Scooby-doo
25-Apr-17
By the way hockey pucks can be had for about a dollar a piece and I buy mine at play it again sports for 12 bucks for 24 of them so fiddy cents a piece. I have got a system down for hanging the brackets and I can hang one and be on to the next tree in less then 15 minutes and that is really taking my time. In Kansas and Indiana the last few years I hang 8 or 10 brackets and leave everything in the tree but the stand. They work like a charm. Scooby
From: Scooby-doo
26-Apr-17
Everything ya need but the hockey pucks can be bought at Lowes or Home Depot. Scooby
From: longbow
27-Apr-17
yeah i might make some more, I have 2 a chain and strap one. I have the super ghost its nice stand and has its place in my arsenal.
From: PSUhoss
27-Apr-17
Never saddle a dead horse - I would flip the cable clamps around.
EDIT: Just took a second look and it is hard to tell, at least one of them is correct. Stay safe!
From: LBshooter
27-Apr-17
Is the OEM bracket that expensive to where you can't buy a few extras, after all you are putting your life on the line.
From: pachanga
27-Apr-17
I make my own as I crimp them like the bought ones. I got a crimper from Lowes for around $20 and I buy the crimps from McMacter-Carr. I also buy the black center tubing from M-C.
From: Trial153
27-Apr-17
The OME bracket is about 40 bucks or so. The major difference is the the cable loops have a sizable crimp holding the loops vs the above cable clamps with nuts. I just bought a few extras brackets when I last bought a couple stands from them. Being a small company I am sure they appreciated the business and honestly the money diffence isn't enough to make the bother worth it.
From: Genesis
27-Apr-17
but who do I sue when they fail?? :)
From: brettpsu
27-Apr-17
"but who do I sue when they fail?? :)"
My thoughts exactly! Our family bought a neighboring property dirt cheap a few years ago because of a "home made" tree stand failure. Owners brought a friend in to hunt who had a platform break while on the stand. The guy was hurt bad and received a couple million dollar settlement. Owners sold it just days after the friend sued them to help pay for up coming legal fees. They was worried about losing their homes and the family business.
It's sad you have to think of these things now.
From: BC
27-Apr-17
We make them with chains using crimps. Most cases they stay in a prep'd tree all season. I made one with LW strap to use with my LW sticks. Much lighter when moving from tree to tree.
From: Scooby-doo
27-Apr-17
I promise the ones in above psot cost quite a bit more then the ones I make. I have never had any concern with them failing. I would be more concerned with the ratchet strap but I use ones rated for 500 and some to 900 pounds. My buddy who weighs 320 and myself at 200 have both stood on one of these stands with a homemade bracket and it held us fine. I have several of the ones from Chippewa but in the past I have had as many as 30 plus of these out in prepped trees. As far as the sue thing that is just stupid, even if the factory one failed you would not have a any chance at a lawsuit. It is now an assumed risk, so if you fall and get hurt, its your own fault. Shawn
From: kentuckbowhnter
27-Apr-17
I made a bunch of my own years ago and they work great. cable and crimps and chain, I used treated lumber for the discs because that is what i had laying around and it works great.
From: Scooby-doo
27-Apr-17
I have used tennis balls filled with foam and actually horse stall mats that I cut, but the hockey pucks are by far the best. Like I said when you buy everything in quantity, say enough to do 10 brackets with strap, they are under 10 bucks. Scooby
From: Charlie Rehor
28-Apr-17
I use the Chippewa made chain and straps to hang my Chippewa's. They are well made.
From: Proline
28-Apr-17
I made dozen just as BC's chain model shows. Im not a fan of straps with my butt 20 up. I put all the chains on before the season and remove them at end. My cost to make each setup runs about $18 each. I use the hockey pucks. The only part of the process that is a bit tricky is cutting the cable and making sure it stays fully twisted in order to thread it thru the ferrels before you crimp them.
From: Genesis
28-Apr-17
Unhealthy would be seeing how cheap one could produce these......
From: BC
28-Apr-17
If you wrap the steel cable tight with electrical tape where you are going to cut, it will not fray. the tape will hold it all together. I use linesman pliers to cut mine.
From: Scooby-doo
28-Apr-17
Trust me, just because the cost is low, they are as safe or safer then any hanging tree stand, with or without a bracket system. I have been using them for over 10 years and never have had an issue!! Scooby
From: Genesis
28-Apr-17
I bought them in both of their first two years of production so very familiar
