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Another platform

kenn1320

kenn1320

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2015
Messages
2,753
Well since I hacked off the seat from the old remington stand and want real happy with it as a platform, I've started another one. I split the platform and the first one will be made using the big end. I cut some of the left over tubes from the uprights and made a V and tacked it in place. I ran out of wire for the welder and need more tube. Im planning on this platform camming over like a larger version of a Jim Stepp. This means adding (2) supports on the underside that will contact the tree. More to come.....
 
Ken, I'd recommend doing a two prong bottom... Like a split Jim stepp.... Think that would give you more stability? Let me know how this turns out
 
DaveT1963 said:
Ken, I'd recommend doing a two prong bottom... Like a split Jim stepp.... Think that would give you more stability? Let me know how this turns out
Click to expand...

:cool: That is the plan Dave. I will add a cross bar between the 2 main rails about 1/3 from end, and have 2 down bars angled to the tree under each main rail where cross bar connects. They will have a connector between them closer to the tree, and another vertical connector back up top to support the angle bars if needed.
 
IF it works as I expect, Ill have one made from aluminum. :cool:
 
Will there be a means of leveling? Anticipated weight when constructed out of aluminum?
 
BassBoysLLP said:
Will there be a means of leveling? Anticipated weight when constructed out of aluminum?
Click to expand...

At this time there is no plan for leveling. I had thought about turn buckle or similar, but I just want to get the concept to work. Jim Stepps seem to work fine without any leveling and while I agree a level platform is great on a tree stand, I dont think its necessary in saddle mode. If the tree is that far out of square to the world, I likely wont be using a saddle from that tree.

I will weight the unit when done, and attempt to calculate its alumium versions weight. I know it will be lighter than the tree stand I used, 40% of it is cut off. :D
 
Well I welded it up. I ended up angling the support legs inward slightly. I welded 2pc of flat stock and angle sharpened them like a lawnmower blade. I need to cut slots or teeth, cause this doesnt minimize side to side shift. The platform is not camming over like a Jim Stepp. I believe I need to cut the "ears" off the back corners and weld in angles. Then maybe weld some short down bars from the outside "new corner" and mount the straps to them. The strap needs to be ahead of the pivot point and drop below those 2 flat pivot points against the tree or it wont cam over. Also might need to shorten the 2 support bars a bit as well. I have a ratchet strap on it now just for pics. Where the hooks are connected, those are the "ears" that need to be cut off. The crock is a size 12 for reference.



 
Correct. This is very similar to my first tree stand. My dad built it out of wood with a chain and hook attachment. It cam locked slightly to the tree but you needed to be careful standing too close to the back edges or corners as your weight could reverse the cam.

Looking good.
 
Looks good Ken.... Are you going to replicate this in aluminum?
 
Not till I get it to cam over like I want. I didnt work on it today, played with the atlatl and shot my bow a bit. My new saddle will be here on Monday, but Ill get back to the platform soon. For a guy my size, this platform seems like the ticket. IF the LW seat hadnt bent, I wouldnt be pursuing something stronger.
 
One problem I see is the straps are too close to the pivot point. They may need to be moved further out on the platform, i.e. Away from the tree trunk. That way when you set the strap, and the platform is vertical, camming it over to the horizontal hunting position tightens it down. Make sense?

@DaveT1963 - I think this has promise for sure.
 
g2outdoors said:
One problem I see is the straps are too close to the pivot point. They may need to be moved further out on the platform, i.e. Away from the tree trunk. That way when you set the strap, and the platform is vertical, camming it over to the horizontal hunting position tightens it down. Make sense?

@DaveT1963 - I think this has promise for sure.
Click to expand...

G2 as shown im not camming it over, that's a ratchet strap. I was placing a lw strap on the outside edges where a bolt went through on each side. I concluded the strap has to be able to go above the tree pivot upon loading and below it upon camming. I cut the rear corners off the platform to allow that, but it didn't solve the problem. Ill have to post a recent pic.
 
This is the state its in now. Had it worked, I would have welded it up completely. Im outa time, so it will be thrown in the almost worked pile for now.



Im using these flat head bolts to hold the loops on a LW strap. They aren't a high grade, so had it worked I would have gotten some better grade bolts and used a couple xop buttons.



The problem as I see it seems to be the distance from the tree to the bolts is the same distance cammed as it is when tilted up to tighten the rope. That or the attachment for the bolts needs to be a lot lower than the upper contact points to allow that over center affect of the cam action. What I found with the ratchet strap was I crank it tight and step on it and the bottom contact points then dig in and the top isn't as tight any longer. Strange things are happening, maybe my bottom supports shouldn't be angled to dig in like that, but rather just rest against the tree. Lots of R&D goes into a good product, I just have to many other irons in the fire.

Current weight with no straps(as shown) is 5lbs. I don't think that's bad, but if I could get it to work and have an aluminum option made it would probably be in the 3.8lb range and that would be great. Its a big platform, 18" wide and 10" from the front to the deepest part of the V (12" from front to the outer points of the V).
 
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Unfortunately - with steel that will get pretty heavy fast - but it should work good for close hunts. Interested in seeing what you final product is and how good it works for you. I am not a welder - is there no way to weld aluminum to a jim step (i.e. put a seat on top of the jim step)?
 
Jim Stepp is steel, so you there isn't a way to weld an aluminum platform on it. You would also want a larger Jim Stepp if you could get one, so it would be more supportive of the larger platform side loading.

As far as weight Dave, my XOP setup with the buckle weighs 5.4lbs. If the buckle weighs half a pound, well these 2 setups are darn near the same weight. :cool:
 
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DaveT1963 said:
Unfortunately - with steel that will get pretty heavy fast - but it should work good for close hunts. Interested in seeing what you final product is and how good it works for you. I am not a welder - is there no way to weld aluminum to a jim step (i.e. put a seat on top of the jim step)?
Click to expand...

I don't think welding a platform on top of a stepp ladder would work. At least not without some modifications. Kenn's setup is pretty much what I was considering building with the LW hand climber seat. I don't see why it wouldn't work as long as all the engineering and angles were right. However, I'm not an engineer, professional angle reproducer, or welder so I might just have to wait until someone with actual talent can put this together.
 
kenn1320 said:
Jim Stepp is steel, so you there isn't a way to weld an aluminum platform on it. You would also want a larger Jim Stepp if you could get one, so it would be more supportive of the larger platform side loading.

As far as weight Dave, my XOP setup with the buckle weighs 5.4lbs. If the buckle weighs half a pound, well these 2 setups are darn near the same weight. :cool:
Click to expand...

OK had to ask :) - like I said I am not a welder so was just curious. At this point - getting up near 6.5 pounds, I can take my original LW stand, take the seat off it and get close to 7 pounds nd have a much larger platform...... My original platform was under 4 so between that and Kleemz model - that is what I will be using this year until I have time to dig deeper and have something made. I think the recent round of platforms is leaning towards bigger platforms and are getting heavier - not where I personally want to go. I prefer something the size of the original seat I used (that had plenty of foot room to stand and turn on). Sure wish someone would come up with the final solution at 3 pounds or less - right now Klemz model is only one hitting that mark..... but it has its CONS.
 
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