ricky racer
Well-Known Member
I finished up my Cheap and Dirty Platform and have it ready to use out in the woods. I primed the steps with red oxide primer to resist rust then I used some camouflage Gorilla tape to wrap the steps. The tape dampens the sound and reduces but not totally eliminates the metallic sound should they clank together.
I picked up an Ameristep replacement tree stand retchet strap to serve as the strap for my platform. After looking at quite a few available 1" ratchet straps I chose the Ameristep straps because they appear to be made of the heaviest, most robust material. To use them for my platform, I had to modify the straps a bit. The straps came with a hook permanently attached to the ratchet assembly as well as one end of the loose long strap.
The first thing I had to do was remove the attached hook from the ratchet assembly and prepare the assembly to accept the longer strap. I drilled out the ends of the pin securing the short strap with the hook and removed the pin.
After removing the pin I next cut the hook off of the sewn loop of the by cutting the hook with a cut off wheel.
Once the hook was removed from the long strap, I cut a short piece of 3/8" steel tubing that fit between the ears of the ratchet and inserted a 1/4" bolt the proper length. By inserting the tubing it gave me something to tighten down against when I tightened the hex nut onto the bolt. The tubing/bolt arrangement was slipped through the sewn loop on the one end of the long strap and tightened down. This gives me a 6' long strap for my platform. I currently have it set up with six "steps". I'll be starting a second set soon. I like it!!
I picked up an Ameristep replacement tree stand retchet strap to serve as the strap for my platform. After looking at quite a few available 1" ratchet straps I chose the Ameristep straps because they appear to be made of the heaviest, most robust material. To use them for my platform, I had to modify the straps a bit. The straps came with a hook permanently attached to the ratchet assembly as well as one end of the loose long strap.
The first thing I had to do was remove the attached hook from the ratchet assembly and prepare the assembly to accept the longer strap. I drilled out the ends of the pin securing the short strap with the hook and removed the pin.
After removing the pin I next cut the hook off of the sewn loop of the by cutting the hook with a cut off wheel.
Once the hook was removed from the long strap, I cut a short piece of 3/8" steel tubing that fit between the ears of the ratchet and inserted a 1/4" bolt the proper length. By inserting the tubing it gave me something to tighten down against when I tightened the hex nut onto the bolt. The tubing/bolt arrangement was slipped through the sewn loop on the one end of the long strap and tightened down. This gives me a 6' long strap for my platform. I currently have it set up with six "steps". I'll be starting a second set soon. I like it!!
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