Homemade ladder stand plans, metal only
General Topic
I'd like to see some plans for homemade ladder stands from 1" metal sruare tubing. I hunted one this week that was old and still super safe. I knew the owner who made it died 20 years ago. Any plans would be great and I'd appreciate it.
Why not just copy the one you used?
Tree stands, parachutes, and life vests are best bought from credible manufacturers and not homemade
What Bou'bound just said is 100% spot on.
This is a simple as it gets, compliments of the Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation!
"Tree stands, parachutes, and life vests are best bought from credible manufacturers and not homemade"
The man wants to build a metal ladder stand. You don't know that he isn't a structural engineer and a certified welder.
If you don't have anything helpful to add to the conversation, leave him alone.
I'd trust my homemade stands over those built over in Chy-na!
Boubound is and always will be a self absorbed clown.
Yep I’ve hunted out of dozens of homemade stands. Most have been overbuilt & won’t rust away in a few years.
I would trust my welder to build a life vest, a parachute, or a treestand. He can weld anything except the crack of dawn or a broken heart, and if you can imagine it, he can build it.
Running a bead and knowing how to weld are two different things. I have been a welder’s helper in my life and it gave me the opportunity to learn the difference.
A good weld is stronger than the medal being welded. I trust a good welder. Also learned that most welders understand stabilization, strength & design structure.
Just because a stand is a manufactured product does not mean it is structurally sound or welded properly.
If you think for one minute they have certified welders on a Chinese assembly line, think again.
Robotic welders are a real thing. That said, if are or know a good welder you can probably build a great stand. But at going rates, it would probably be hard to beat the cost of a good stand from a reputable manufacturer.
(Then again, I'd 'trust' the Chinese to use inferior steel...)
it is a ladder with a platform at the top, customize to taste. built some out of wood in my younger days. i would trust welded steel more than nails and wood.
you could look at photos of ladder stands and get a material list together. if you have the skills to build it, you certainly have the skills to look at photos and get a material list. it would not be hard to fabricate your own.
Ah, can always count on this site for some humor and fun. scentman
We have some , 12' to platform,no joints in ladder. Super quiet. Make sure to have platform go clear to tree , and we use a sling seat, you can push back when you stand so you can get close to tree. They are easy to put up , and chain and small boomer around tree, no slip.
We had 16 and I had 8 more built by a local weld shop for $100 each several years ago. Cheap and quiet...
I don't have plans for them tho.
There was a day when a guy would tell his buddies, “Hey, I feel like building a tree stand.” Suddenly guys with beer and tools show up to join in the fun. Nobody poo-poo’d those things back then.
There was a day when a guy would tell his buddies, “Hey, I feel like building a tree "stand.” Suddenly guys with beer and tools show up to join in the fun. Nobody poo-poo’d those things back then."
Still like that for some of us. Those are some of the best times.
"Still like that for some of us. Those are some of the best times."
Yes Sir! Good fun on a Saturday in August! Aluminum, steel, or treated lumber......we've got some still in great shape after 20 years.
Study Skeeter Wilson stands out of Natchez, MS. My favorite and his fastening system is super easy.
My father in law made me a single piece ladder stand 25 years ago and it’s still the safest, most reliable stand I own. Pretty sure it will out last me. It’s heavy, but not unbearable. He sure knows how to weld. He could’ve made some money making and selling this stand. Don’t have any pictures of it that I know of.
My cousin and I built 2 12' stands 30 years ago. We used an extension ladder, 3/4" stainless steel threaded rod, washers, and nuts, and PT wood. They are still as solid today as when we first built them.
Real men hunted for years with Bakers and didn't complain. Of course, our chests have been bald for 40 yrs., but sacrifices had to be made!
A fellow I bowhunted with back in the 80's had a nice, 2-piece climbing stand. Tree stand hunting was new to me back then; it was the first time I'd ever seen one, and was impressed at how easily he climbed it up that tree. Decided I had to have one for myself.
Took a few measurements off of his, and it was built from welded, square aluminum. I wanted something a bit more robust, so I used 1" square steel. Didn't have a welder, so all joints were drilled and bolted with SS hardware. I made the platform a bit wider and longer than his, as I wanted more room to be able to turn around, etc. It was heavy at about 75# for both pieces, but was built like a tank.
First thing I learned was that I had to set the V braces for the width of the tree at the height I was going to place it, not the wider base of the tree. Once mounted though, it was a piece of cake to walk it up the trunk and secure it at the right spot. Had to maintain control of the lower section coming down..lose your footing and it could slide all the way down. Don't ask me how I know this..lol
Used it a half-dozen times, and although I enjoyed sitting up in the tree just observing life below me, I never got offered a shot. I don't think Blacktails follow much of a pattern like Whitetails do, and found much more success with spot/stalk and still hunting.
Bakers, Loggy Bayou, Tree Lounge! OMG, that's when my clothes and pickup smelled like Fred Isbells "essence of skunk" ah, the good old days! scentman
“Still like that for some of us”……agreed! We had a square dance in this one, once we finished it :-)
Long gone company called Bear River used to make a great hang on stand. A bit clumsy to set up a rock solid. Favorite ladder stand is the old big Game Titan. (The 1.5 is similar.)
How big and heavy you build or buy depends on how far you have to lug the thing. (You can categorize stands by how many grown men it takes to erect one...)
Original poster here, I can't measure the one I like because it is in Canada 21 hours away. I weigh 215 pounds and I don't feel safe in any commercial ladder stand. I do feel safe in the ones I've hunted out of in Canada. I wish a manufacturer would build one that is seriously heavy duty.
Have you ever tried one where the foot platform extends all the way back to the tree, and then you strap both the foot platform and the upper portion to the tree (ie two attachment points)? I am north of 215 for sure, and feel safe in this kind of ladder stand. And I’m a pretty big pansy, so that’s saying a lot.
I'm 'north of 215' myself and have no qualms with the Big Game brand stands. I'd add an extra ratchet strap part way up for added stability.
About 30 years ago a buddy and I decided to build some hang on stands to save some money. After about 3 prototypes we had what we wanted. Enough cam action that we could snug it tight to the tree, folding seat the right height, solid as a rock but not too heavy, etc, etc. We had our friend that owned a welding shop order enough material to build 60 stands. We calculated that we could sell 30 of them for $60 a piece (a fair price at that time) and that would pay for our materials and our rental time at the welding shop. We would each end up with 15 stands that would only cost us our time. It all worked out great except we got greedy and only kept 6 stands each. By far the best stands I have ever owned and I wish I had 15 of them!
These are the best homemade ladders I’ve sat in. You can zoom in and tell enough to get the picture. They are 20’ tall.
Looks super solid, but what does it weigh?
A lot probably. Here in the south if we can’t get a side by side within 100 yards of the spot we build another road.
