• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Telescoping tubing need some ideas on the stick

H

hhgarvey

New Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
25
I have been looking through the postings about DIY sticks and have an idea but want to see what other people are thinking. I found telescoping aluminum tube that is in between 1/16 and 1/8 wall. There is very little space in between tube and I think it would be very quiet. I have an idea on using the versa button as the method of holding the tubes at the extended distance. I'm also thinking another simple method is to weld on the steps and actually separate and put tube in tube with the steps on the same end. I would use a through bolt on the versa button as the stop and the two could be reversed from storage to extended and put the ends together. I'm still thinking it through but now that there is a supply of good telescope tight tolerance tubing it is easier to make a compact stick. Let me know what you think. Thanks Hank
http://alcobrametals.com/guides/telescoping-tube
 
I think the steps like DanO and standoffs could be his too. So keep that all the same but have the ability to go from say 24" to telescoped maybe 12".
 
wow. telescopic sticks would be a game changer. MY biggest complaint with my sticks isnt weight necessarily. Its awkward length/ packing issues.
 
I had a similar idea I little while ago. I think the extendable legs from off of durastilt drywall stilts would work really well. They seem like they would be strong enough and the have Teflon slides that are very quiet. Have a perfect extension system in them already that would be simple to just modify the wing nut into some kind of versa button. The only issue would be attaching the steps and standoff. I think the best method would be welding but I'm sure you could bolt something on with some modifications. All the parts are available at allwall.com in the parts section of durastilts. Would love to see somebody try :)
 
It’s a good idea. There have been talks of doing this several times over the last couple years. I think with steps and standoff you are probably looking at only collapsing down to around 14 inches. Maybe 13 inches if you weld them on. Of course you could go shorter with three sections but would add to the fiddle factor. I’m probably just going to go shorter on mine. Considering going to a 16” stick out of 1/16” tubing. At my weight a 24” 1/16 piece of tubing seems to flexible. I’m hoping shortening to 16 inches will make them stiffer. I could carry them sideways on my monster fanny pack that I’ve come to really like but stick carrying ability is limited on.
 
Another great idea!! Even if you had to wing nut the steps and standoffs on the stick at the base of the tree, the packability would mitigate the small amount of time required to assemble. This is still the off season, so I haven't put these thru the ringer yet, but I used a pivot for my DIY sticks. Just as an option for stacking. Screenshot_20190511-072900.png
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20190511-072908.png
    Screenshot_20190511-072908.png
    1.2 MB · Views: 102
Islandshooter said:
Another great idea!! Even if you had to wing nut the steps and standoffs on the stick at the base of the tree, the packability would mitigate the small amount of time required to assemble. This is still the off season, so I haven't put these thru the ringer yet, but I used a pivot for my DIY sticks. Just as an option for stacking. View attachment 11984
Click to expand...

Islandshooter let me pick your brain there. What are you using to pivot the step and standoff? Not sure how you are locking that together. I actually was thinking of welding the step on the tube and have the tube slide together basically with the steps back to back. I need to get some material and time to try it. The only thing is that the other person is right you really can only slide to about 13" not sure if the trouble is worth it. I like the way your tubes lay right next to each other and are compact. Please share how you are doing that. Thanks Hank
 
I just used a wing nut and a longer grade 8 bolt. I cut my heliums, longer wolf, and DIY sticks to 24". I hated the longer stick catching in the underbrush. I use a Sitka pack with extra side straps with the shorter sticks (did not want to buy ANOTHER pack so I made this one work). Sometimes either the stand off or the Doublesteps would hit my head. With the pivot, it's much less likely.
Since I put two to a side, I don't worry about traditional "nesting" of sticks. Heliums mate opposing.
I would take 13" any day for s stick!!! I can shoot some closeups tonight if you want. Pretty good idea, if like to run with it this summer. Maybe build one too see how it works
 
you have to slot one tube so it can slide in and out because of the versa button, the length of the tow pcs slid together +2" in for the stand off / step is as short as it will go. I couldn't get them to lock open and they would try to close a little leaving a spongy feeling when climbing. I guess I could have tried something to pin it together but I gave up on it fairly quickly, they weren't to quite when sliding but not God awful either I guess it would depend on how close to bedding you are if it matters
 
Islandshooter said:
I just used a wing nut and a longer grade 8 bolt. I cut my heliums, longer wolf, and DIY sticks to 24". I hated the longer stick catching in the underbrush. I use a Sitka pack with extra side straps with the shorter sticks (did not want to buy ANOTHER pack so I made this one work). Sometimes either the stand off or the Doublesteps would hit my head. With the pivot, it's much less likely.
Since I put two to a side, I don't worry about traditional "nesting" of sticks. Heliums mate opposing.
I would take 13" any day for s stick!!! I can shoot some closeups tonight if you want. Pretty good idea, if like to run with it this summer. Maybe build one too see how it works
Click to expand...
If you can get some closer pics that would be great. Here is something that might work better. https://www.jwwinco.com/en-us/produ...05kKRceGdoc2lP475t8cPnp0YAmv87d0aAv2rEALw_wcB
 
ImThere said:
you have to slot one tube so it can slide in and out because of the versa button, the length of the tow pcs slid together +2" in for the stand off / step is as short as it will go. I couldn't get them to lock open and they would try to close a little leaving a spongy feeling when climbing. I guess I could have tried something to pin it together but I gave up on it fairly quickly, they weren't to quite when sliding but not God awful either I guess it would depend on how close to bedding you are if it matters
Click to expand...
I was thinking of just drilling the versa bottom hole... Both at the collapsed position and the extended version. The link he supplied looks like a nylon sleeve might keep them quiet. Maybe. What ever happened to the hinged stand off I saw at palooza??!!
 
Islandshooter said:
I was thinking of just drilling the versa bottom hole... Both at the collapsed position and the extended version. The link he supplied looks like a nylon sleeve might keep them quiet. Maybe. What ever happened to the hinged stand off I saw at palooza??!!
Click to expand...
Chillin!, lol I'm actually trying to pursue a 3 pc design just trying to find someone to make it
 
ImThere said:
Chillin!, lol I'm actually trying to pursue a 3 pc design just trying to find someone to make it
Click to expand...
If I get too retire June 30, I may have time to tinker with the collapsible stick. The pivot thing works good, might take a couple of minutes at the bottom of the tree to get them all settled, but do far so good.
 
hhgarvey said:
Islandshooter let me pick your brain there. What are you using to pivot the step and standoff? Not sure how you are locking that together. I actually was thinking of welding the step on the tube and have the tube slide together basically with the steps back to back. I need to get some material and time to try it. The only thing is that the other person is right you really can only slide to about 13" not sure if the trouble is worth it. I like the way your tubes lay right next to each other and are compact. Please share how you are doing that. Thanks Hank
Click to expand...
Here's a couple of pics.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20190514-193347.png
    Screenshot_20190514-193347.png
    1.6 MB · Views: 47
  • Screenshot_20190514-193243.png
    Screenshot_20190514-193243.png
    2 MB · Views: 47
hhgarvey said:
Very helpful thanks for the pics. So you like those sticks or your cut down Heliums?
Click to expand...
Like them both. Kept two only because I had them and sometimes I'll leave a set in a good place but have a backup for wind changes. The Doublestep was a game changer for me
 
Islandshooter said:
Like them both. Kept two only because I had them and sometimes I'll leave a set in a good place but have a backup for wind changes. The Doublestep was a game changer for me
Click to expand...
So you like the DIY doublesteps better than the Helium if you had to pick? I have regular 3 step LW and trying to decide if I want to cut them, buy some helium and cut them or make some double step DIY or buy some beasts if they ever become available. Any thoughts
 
hhgarvey said:
So you like the DIY doublesteps better than the Helium if you had to pick? I have regular 3 step LW and trying to decide if I want to cut them, buy some helium and cut them or make some double step DIY or buy some beasts if they ever become available. Any thoughts
Click to expand...
Three DIY sticks are a little lighter. I had an old set of lone Wolfs that I cut to 24" and added the Doublesteps. Loved them as much as either of the other two sets (heliums and DIY) just didn't want to have three sets. Maybe start with your LW set and some steps from DanO. Then if you want to go with a rope mod or something else, you shouldn't have a problem selling the Wolfs. You can even sell the single steps on the forum or the beast forum. Also, the wing nut pivot worked on the LW's. Let me see if I still have a pic
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top