cooter Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Around three years ago I realised I needed a fixed hide on some of my vermin/pest control shoots. I wanted something that would be able to seat two people, be semi permanent, break down small enough to fit in the back of a 4x4, as far as possible be made of wood, and it had to be able to be built up or broken down by one person. The original spec was to have all joints hand cut and glued (no screws or nails), be able to work as a shooting table or (with a removable frame on top) be high enough to see over the pre harvest cereal crops, and it would be painted green to make it blend in. I sketched what I wanted, added some dimensions then set to work on the build. It took me less than a week to make the shooting platform, the legs and the upper frame. It was a reasonable effort but it was not as stable as I wanted, also the front and rear tenon joints on the base had a tendency to come loose, and it was difficult to assemble/break down. The lack of stability came from the front and rear brace pieces being straight, so I had to work on the design. Due to other commitments it took me a year to get back to it… The stability came in the form of cross braces, which I had noticed on one of those wooden bench tables you see outside pubs, but fitting these meant that I could not integrate a bench seat for using the hide as a shooting table which had been part of my original design. I swapped the upper and lower frames and added the cross braces and the base was now stable and fixed to the table top/platform. I could still remove the frame and use the table, but the cross braces had to be held in place with 10mm bolts to make it easier to assemble/disassemble. Another year goes by… I then worked on the upper frame. I needed a seat for the upper frame, but I couldn’t decide where to position it. I mocked one up, and after sliding it backwards and forwards I realised that this was actually the answer, so I beefed up the timbers on the mock up and it was good to go. As the upper frame had not been designed to be fixed to the base it proved to be unreliable in use. I was originally going to notch out the table top so that the frame locked in, but the real problem was that I had a tendency to lean on the back of the frame and the front would lift up, so I need something more robust. I decided to fit bracing pieces which spanned between the legs and the upper frame, and this did the trick. The braces and frame could be fitted or removed in minutes as they were only held in place with four 10mm bolts. More time goes by…. After a few trials I realised that I could also add a removable roof. I modified the design, to include a removable/optional roof. So as not to not make the hide too obvious I decided to base the roof height on head clearance when sat down but still allowing enough room to move about when getting in and out. I decided on a sloping roof and came up with 1500mm at the rear and 1400mm at the front with an overhang front, rear and sides to keep the rain away. I made the roof as a split unit so that it would be easier for one man to fit. As I was building the roof I decided to add side and rear panels and a door, after all this could be occupied for many hours at a time so it why not make it comfortable. After some experiments I worked out that the panel height should be 900mm, as this gave maximum cover (only your head and shoulders are visible above them), and it meant that I only had to lean forward to take a photograph or a shot. The original upper frame rail was modified to increase the width and make it sit on top of the side panels, this gave it a slight overhang. By using some loose one metre lengths of timber decking the original frame supports create very handy shelves, and an additional 1.2 metre length spans the outer lengths to provide an excellent adjustable rear rest/elbow support. The completed end result has a frame which is 1.0m x 1.2m, and the height, depending on what is fitted, goes up to 3.0m. Due to its very small foot print (the size of four house bricks) its impact on the land is minimal and it can be sighted pretty much anywhere, currently it sits inside a hedgerow overlooking one of the largest rabbit warrens I have seen in years. I still need to design and fit a simple wooden door latch that is silent in operation but I already know what it will look like. For the future I plan to add some split folding upper side panels, which will help to stop the user from being profiled and add weather/wind protection, and I may add a mesh window for the front and sides to reduce insects and make it harder to see the occupant. Video_Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Blimey, just think how many blue tits you could get in that nesting box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highbird70 Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Blimey, just think how many blue tits you could get in that nesting box! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 That loks really good mate! Well done but if I were you I would keep a close eye on it or you could end up with squatters moving in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 That certainly looks "fit for purpose" and I congratulate you on your ingenuity, it must have been very satisfying developing that. Rather than being something you would take in and out on a daily basis, it appears more suited to be left at a prime location for a time and then moved on to the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooter Posted June 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Thanks for the comments. Very much appreciated. Blimey, just think how many blue tits you could get in that nesting box! That certainly looks "fit for purpose" and I congratulate you on your ingenuity, it must have been very satisfying developing that. Rather than being something you would take in and out on a daily basis, it appears more suited to be left at a prime location for a time and then moved on to the next one. It was a pleasure to build and good to see the end result, as it pretty much matched what I had envisaged, and it serves it's purpose very well. It is really nice to sit in and just watch the landscape, as it is right on the top of a fairly steep hill and looks out over many miles of the Bedfordshire countryside, but the bunnies and corvids don't like it. It stays in one place for about a month at a time, then it gets moved to where ever it is needed most, or back into the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neillfrbs Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 do you have a long beard and eat squirrel and frogs .lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Tidy. U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubby Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 so when can you come over my woods and build me one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VINCED 686 Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 (edited) Nice skills (and Im a chippy so hope I know what Im talking about) Is there enough room for a lazy boy recliner in there ? Edited June 25, 2013 by VINCED 686 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike737 Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 Are the gaps in the fence so you can shoot into your neighbour's garden? Seriously though, a very, very nice job. All the comforts of home when out! I only have an umbrella that TC thinks will blow away... :unsure: Though it hasn't yet! Oh, and an electric drill/driver would save you a lot of time... ATB, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon6ppc Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 that looks like top sniperville pal, could do with one just the same... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telf Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 nice one mate,all you need is the cool bag with a few tinnies in and your set atb dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooter Posted June 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 Once again thanks for the comments. Nice skills (and Im a chippy so hope I know what Im talking about) Is there enough room for a lazy boy recliner in there ? Thanks for that. I always have enjoyed working with wood. It's a bit tight for a recliner, but I can just about sling a hammock. Seriously though, a very, very nice job. All the comforts of home when out! I only have an umbrella that TC thinks will blow away... :unsure: Though it hasn't yet! Oh, and an electric drill/driver would save you a lot of time... ATB, Mike. I went to use the battery drill but it was flat so I had to resort to the old fashioned screwdriver. that looks like top sniperville pal, could do with one just the same... Cheers bud. Where it is currently sighted is very well hidden but gives me a clear view, over crops, to a banked area 600yds away that is popular with rooks and woodies. After some target work I expect to bag a few, should make for a good long range culling video. B) nice one mate,all you need is the cool bag with a few tinnies in and your setatb dave That's the plan, it's like a picnic with some shooting thrown in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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