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Calling All Ameristep Users!

The 2” strap was brought up to potentially help with stabilizing and side pressure of the step. IMHO.
I have drug stuck 4x4’s out of the mud with 1” straps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
First prototypes will be 1" with enough meat on either end to extend to 2" if we want to test that. What is the consensus on angle? Should it be more of a 90 degree or still slope upward on the outside edge like Ameristeps? For climbing, the angle makes sense, but for ROS is flatter better?

@EricS - cutting pockets out of the bottom would increase the price like you said due to multiple setups. I think there'll be enough meat on the sides to stick stealth strips.
 
In other news - it was raining and dark last night after I made up the folding steps bracket ring of steps (that's a mouthful). I should also pick up different bolts as the ones I had weren't perfect. Gotta run into the office today so I'll pick up some bolts. Might be able to test and snap some pics tonight or tmw morning.
 
DanO said:
First prototypes will be 1" with enough meat on either end to extend to 2" if we want to test that. What is the consensus on angle? Should it be more of a 90 degree or still slope upward on the outside edge like Ameristeps? For climbing, the angle makes sense, but for ROS is flatter better?

@EricS - cutting pockets out of the bottom would increase the price like you said due to multiple setups. I think there'll be enough meat on the sides to stick stealth strips.
Click to expand...
It doesn't have to be much of an angle. The golden bucks can't be more than a few degrees up. Did you measure the angle on the ameristeps? On the other aluminum steps that I have with more of an angle my foot will actually wedge it and get a little stuck sometimes when I'm climbing with them. We definitely don't want that so I'd say keep the angle minimal.
 
redsquirrel said:
It doesn't have to be much of an angle. The golden bucks can't be more than a few degrees up. Did you measure the angle on the ameristeps? On the other aluminum steps that I have with more of an angle my foot will actually wedge it and get a little stuck sometimes when I'm climbing with them. We definitely don't want that so I'd say keep the angle minimal.
Click to expand...

Ameristeps were measured at a 13 degree angle, that's what the current prototype drawing shows. Should we go to 5 just to give a little angle?
 
DanO said:
Ameristeps were measured at a 13 degree angle, that's what the current prototype drawing shows. Should we go to 5 just to give a little angle?
Click to expand...
I saw a video of Infalt explaining why the steps on his sticks are 8 degrees. It was for mitigating tree lean. Same logic here?
 
Tested out the strap bracket on the back of the folding skyhooks (like BearClaw) and my cheap ratchet broke as I tried to really crank it down. It seemed pretty tight but the steps just pulled away from the tree at the top. They didn't slide down at all and maybe with an OCB or better strap it might be an option. As I tried to tighten it more it broke so I didn't get to test fully. All my other straps are in my truck and suv and it was getting dark. I'll try again.
 
DanO said:
Ameristeps were measured at a 13 degree angle, that's what the current prototype drawing shows. Should we go to 5 just to give a little angle?
Click to expand...

Bump this to remind me and I’ll measure some of the different ones I have at home.
 
pesqimon said:
I saw a video of Infalt explaining why the steps on his sticks are 8 degrees. It was for mitigating tree lean. Same logic here?
Click to expand...
I think a little angle is a good idea. While 90 degrees is fine to stand on, a lean or even a bulge in the trunk could quickly lean to a downwards angle, which you definitely don't want.
 
I'm new to the site. Literally just joined but have been deer hunting for a long time. Wanting to save my back and ditch the treestand. I hung public land strictly here in Illinois.

For the steps bring discussed, I just so happen to work at a metal shop (no aluminum) and I run a cnc laser. We form steel for various other companies. In the parts I cut out there is always scrap material and we normally just torch cut it a get rid of it. But we are able to keep whatever we want and the programme can add small designs where they fit, say a step profile. I could then bend it and see what we can all come up with. Just need to be sent some design ideas.
 
J87harris said:
I'm new to the site. Literally just joined but have been deer hunting for a long time. Wanting to save my back and ditch the treestand. I hung public land strictly here in Illinois.

For the steps bring discussed, I just so happen to work at a metal shop (no aluminum) and I run a cnc laser. We form steel for various other companies. In the parts I cut out there is always scrap material and we normally just torch cut it a get rid of it. But we are able to keep whatever we want and the programme can add small designs where they fit, say a step profile. I could then bend it and see what we can all come up with. Just need to be sent some design ideas.
Click to expand...
Nice! Welcome to the site!
 
J87harris said:
I'm new to the site. Literally just joined but have been deer hunting for a long time. Wanting to save my back and ditch the treestand. I hung public land strictly here in Illinois.

For the steps bring discussed, I just so happen to work at a metal shop (no aluminum) and I run a cnc laser. We form steel for various other companies. In the parts I cut out there is always scrap material and we normally just torch cut it a get rid of it. But we are able to keep whatever we want and the programme can add small designs where they fit, say a step profile. I could then bend it and see what we can all come up with. Just need to be sent some design ideas.
Click to expand...

You are going to make friends very quickly. Welcome!
 
For the aluminum Ameristeps we're working on - what about grooves/spikes/traction for the back side facing the tree? Leave smooth for now or cut grooves?

Also - need a new name for these!
 
DanO said:
For the aluminum Ameristeps we're working on - what about grooves/spikes/traction for the back side facing the tree? Leave smooth for now or cut grooves?

Also - need a new name for these!
Click to expand...
I'd leave them smooth. I don't see a need for anything on the back.
 
If anything, maybe some spikes. I'm assuming they would be at the lower end of the step and dig into the tree to prevent sliding down...
 
I think the spikes groves or anything else will cause the bottom of the step to stick and the top of the step to pull away from the tree. The way a tree gets narrow towards the top helps the steps get tight as they slide down.


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I would just leave them flat. The ones I made out of Delrin, which is very slick, only slide a little bit when “setting@ the ring of steps with a boat buckle. If flat works with delrin I would think it would work with any other material.

DanO said:
For the aluminum Ameristeps we're working on - what about grooves/spikes/traction for the back side facing the tree? Leave smooth for now or cut grooves?

Also - need a new name for these!
Click to expand...
 
Both above are probably true in most cases. I didn't think about that. Haha. The tree I was in Saturday did not narrow... At all! And that's the first one I thought of. Regardless I was in a climber as I have yet to but a saddle...
 
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