Ladder stand plans - updated version! Options

[wmramse]

Hey all. i just finished updating my ladder stand plans, v2.0 :wink: I made a few changes from v1.0 because, well, reality doesn't always work out the same way you draw it on paper :roll:

I'm putting up v1.0 this weekend on the farm, and I'll post some pics when I get back so ya'll can see what it looks like. I'll probably get my first v2.0 built in a couple of weeks. If we don't get some rain on the farm I'm not gonna even bother with a food plot until it cools off quite a bit. My brother-in-law and father-in-law both put out about 3 acres total of clover, corn, sorghum cane, and some other stuff, but most of it never came up, and the cane is about dead. The clover did okay, so hopefully those spots will see good traffic come October 1. Our pond is also about dried up, and the deer have the pond bed tore up with hoof prints trying to get the last of the water. If we don't get some rain soon we won't have any deer to hunt!

Anyway, here's the plans. If you're interested in the .bmp version I can email it, but the ,jpg below should be fine for editing/modifying. Please let me know if you notice any goofs...

Also below is the text accompanying the picture on hunt101.

This is the *updated* design plan I created for my new ladder stand. I designed a small extension platform next to the seat so I'll have room to set my gear. Later versions may even include a simple gun/bow rest.  

I rummaged through the scrap piles at a nearby construction site for almost all the lumber I used. Most of it is 2x4 studs, untreated, so after I cut all the pieces I gave every surface (even the cut ends) a good coating of Behr's stained waterproofing (stained is supposed to resist water better, and its a dark brown - can even be painted after application to help seal) so I'll at least get a few good years out of it. For the seat I managed to find a good bit of 1 1/8\ flooring plywood. For all joints I used 3\ screws for treated lumber. For the legs I picked up a couple of 12' treated 2x4s, which were $6/ea at Home Depot. For the step cutouts on the legs I used a table saw and cut 2 1\-deep cuts and chiseled out the wood in between the cuts. As you can see on the right side of the pic, 2x4 supports are needed to go between the back of the platform and the 2nd rung to hold up the back side. For extra weight support, and to keep the legs from flexing and breaking, I also put in horizontal supports at the 4th rung that attach to the tree. I plan to drill a couple of 1\ holes in the 2x4s at the rear and run a ratchet strap through them to hold the whole thing to the tree. Set up like this, it should support 250-300lbs of person and gear pretty well. This design should work well even with a longer ladder, but I wouldn't go any higher than 16' - even at that height I suggest using 2 ladder supports to handle the additional weight, length, and flex.

Enjoy building your version, but please always use a safety harness when in a treestand - even a 12' one. Feel free to modify the design for your own personal use as you see fit, but please don't use my design to make and sell your own.  

[wmramse]

Well, I put up version 1.0 this weekend and discovered some serious shortcomings. The steps were too far apart, the seat was too shallow, and the square cutout for the tree allowed the stand to wobble a bit while climbing. We'll have to now refer to the v2.0 listed and pictured above as v1.1, since there were only a few minor changes. This new v2.0 fixes all that, and should be a much better stand. I'm making plans for v3.0 now, which will have a wider platform and a stool so it will be easier to stand up on for bowhunting, but I haven't worked out the details yet.

Enjoy!