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Speed Square Platform

love2hunt

love2hunt

New Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2017
Messages
29
Been brainstorming a strap on platform for places I can't screw in steps. Has anyone ever thought of modifying a set of carpenter's speed squares to make a platform? If you cut a slot in it to run a ratchet strap through, using the flat portion as the foot rest, think it would hold steady? Maybe two slots with two straps? I don't have much metal cutting experience so don't know how possible this is (or not).


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If my visual isn't too fuzzy it seems like there wouldn't be enough surface area contacting the tree to provide adequate support. Maybe the platform guys would see it differently.
 
justsomedude said:
The lateral pressure is always an issue with platforms. Something similar has been done with wooden wedges and a ratchet strap
Click to expand...

I saw a wooden wedge type platform on here that gave me the idea. So it needs to not twist side to side. Maybe a piece of metal welded to the back, perpendicular to the square, so that it can't twist as much?

Or maybe I just need to keep looking for some Ameristeps haha.


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ImThere said:
Make some climbing paws out of pvc


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Click to expand...

Hadn't seen those yet! Those look pretty easy. I could probably use 2 or 3 in combo with my climbing stick... thanks for the tip!
 
I threw this together pretty quick as a test, works pretty good, it weighs 3 lb 7.2 is without the strap, the strap on the picture is almost 3 lbs lol
e7ee22c52b1ee8e7d73958d9982139a7.jpg


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That looks like a pretty damn good option. If you used pressure treated wood and stainless bolts, you should get multiple seasons out of these as well. Seems like a great option for preset stands.

THANKS! I'm stealing this idea!
 
g2outdoors said:
That looks like a pretty damn good option. If you used pressure treated wood and stainless bolts, you should get multiple seasons out of these as well. Seems like a great option for preset stands.

THANKS! I'm stealing this idea!
Click to expand...

Lol, it's all yours, I wasn't gonna bother with pressure treated, but even painting them would probably give you a few years. Not sure if you can tell from the photo but I put a notch in the bottom of the 4x4 so you could put 2 straps on it, though it could make it uber stable if that's what you wanted. I wasn't sure how stable it would be with one strap, if it's a ratchet probably pretty good, if not you might want 2.

You could even put a few on a tree and climb up to it with your spurs, or SRT and it would be a really quick in and out.
 
donnieballgame said:
Lol, it's all yours, I wasn't gonna bother with pressure treated, but even painting them would probably give you a few years. Not sure if you can tell from the photo but I put a notch in the bottom of the 4x4 so you could put 2 straps on it, though it could make it uber stable if that's what you wanted. I wasn't sure how stable it would be with one strap, if it's a ratchet probably pretty good, if not you might want 2.

You could even put a few on a tree and climb up to it with your spurs, or SRT and it would be a really quick in and out.
Click to expand...
Spurring up to a somewhat disposable platform is my plan. You only have $10 in the whole thing.

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I remember someone trying to make a platform from Aluminum I beam.. they were super cool.

I really like my Ernie.
 
Found this at academy's it's a step to put on t posts to step over fences....made of aluminum
43663a368c5a7ca690b49ecb45f85d8c.jpg



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donnieballgame said:
That looks really awesome, but dang look at that tree damage, that's almost worse than screw in steps, pretty soon we won't be able use metal against a tree!
Click to expand...
This was a particularly thin and soft barked tree that I did quite a bit of testing but I hear you. On most trees this won't actually pierce through into the cambium. Not nearly as much risk for damage as screw ins or climbing spurs IMO. One advantage of a step based platform is that it shows less damage. It's hard to get a large platform to be solid without some bite in the bark.

Talk to most hammockers and they say to use wide tree straps to attach the hammock because rope like amsteel damages the tree. I have a really hard time believing that but I'm all for methods that leave less of a trace but is still safe and effective.

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No.. i'll try and find them.. they were super cool.. I doubt there as inexpensive as the wood though.
 
Here ya go.. had to do some stealthy google searches to find it again with the photobucket debacle .

https://ibb.co/fsoeCF
 

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bowhunter15 said:
This was a particularly thin and soft barked tree that I did quite a bit of testing but I hear you. On most trees this won't actually pierce through into the cambium. Not nearly as much risk for damage as screw ins or climbing spurs IMO. One advantage of a step based platform is that it shows less damage. It's hard to get a large platform to be solid without some bite in the bark.

Talk to most hammockers and they say to use wide tree straps to attach the hammock because rope like amsteel damages the tree. I have a really hard time believing that but I'm all for methods that leave less of a trace but is still safe and effective.

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Click to expand...
Probably right on the damage comparison, how do you like those bracket, is that the XOP 6 point?

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