I would like to see if anyone else here makes their own ladder or hang on stands? At two of my family camps all stands are 12-13 feet home made ladder stands that stay up year round. If anyone else makes their own stands post some pictures! We all love seeing our fellow hunters ingenuity at its best!
I welded up 4 hang on stands, but they are heavy! I also made a 30' tall ladder stand in a big cedar tree. 3 10' sections of treated 2x4s for the ladder, and made the platform out of treated 2x4s, too. I have killed 4 or 5 does out of that stand so far.
I've made hang ons before. I used tube steel for the frame, trailer grate for the foot rest area, angle iron for the seat with plywood attached. Then I welded it together and painted black. I must admit though it is heavy about 25-30lbs after the chain is added to attach it to the tree.
I just dont trust them... On that note...i had some brand new climbing sticks break the other day. Too much stress on a bolt and it popped. Scary.
I don't have pics of my hang ons but I make my own. I trust mine 100x over any store built stand. I just recently built 10 of them. I own a couple LW Alfa's and I like them. Their easier and quieter to put up but they don't compare comparing strength and mobility while In the stand.
I have had plans here for a "Sniper" hang-on but honestly I can buy them cheaper than I can buy the materials to make it haha. Plus I can only weld steel with my current welding setup so that would be a pretty heavy stand by the time I was done...
I've built a wooden stand in the crook of a tree a time or two. They only trouble is you don't have a seat when you're up there so you're either sitting on the wood and it's hard to get up without being seen, or you're standing for several hours.
I have a homemade stand given to me by my hunting partner so I could get up in a tree. Thing is welded with EMT conduit and is actually pretty sturdy and light at 16#. Thing is it is the platform is kinda small 18" x 24", so I got a commercial one.
I have thought numerous times about building my own ladder stands but I know myself to well.. Once I was done it would be able to support a tank plus 2 or 3 jeeps. It would also likely tip over all but the largest oaks in the woods. On top of that I would have spent 5 times what a store bought one would cost.
My boyfriend has built quite a few wooden stands. I have shot 2 out of 3 of my deer from those I will get a picture this weekend and post!
Yeah I'm not a fan of climbing up into something that is home made. The only home made anything I would hunt would be an elevated box blind.
Well as far as safety, if they are not to tall and nice and wide its actually quite hard to fall out of them.
