03-16-2002, 06:41 AM
<B><" }}^ >< Ice Fishing Tip #39</B><br><br>Those pop-up tents that fold up in to a loop and get stuffed in to a backpack will work well if you make a plywood folding floor that opens up to the size of the bottom of the tent.<br><br>· One popup tent big enough for 1 or 2 persons to sit in. Turkey blinds big enough for one to hunt out of are big enough for two to fish out of. <br>· Two sheets of plywood. (Pressure treated if you want it to last for several years.)<br>· 4 – 5 pieces 1X2 by 8-feet lumber to be used as runners. (Pressure treated if you want it to last for several years.) <br>· 2-4 hinges depending how strong you want to make it.<br>· Nuts & Bolts for hinges. Long enough to go threw lumber. <br>· 6-feet of 1-inch Velcro strip (both sides)<br>· One latch and one hinge for each hole.<br>· ¾ inch staples<br><br><B>First you will need to match the floor to the bottom of your tent.</B><br>1. To do this open up your tent in the garage or where ever you have room to work.<br>2. Measure the base of the tent<br>3. Cut your plywood in to 2 equal pieces and hinge.<br>4. Cut 1x2-lumber to the length of floor and mount on only one side.<br>5. Mount your rope to the bottom of the floor. (same side the runners are on) <br>6. Find the center (from the fold of the floor to the outside edge) with a pencil draw your hole-pattern. (circle or square) <br>7. Drill a starter hole on the side you sit on. With a jigsaw cut about two inches stop at this point you will want to put your hinge in place and mount. This will give you a good fit when you open and close the hole door. Now do the same on the opposite side of the hole for the latch. <br>8. With the latch and hinge in place finish cutting your hole. <br>9. Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 on the other board.<br>10. Place your tent on your floor with the door over the fold<br>11. Pull your entire tie down loops to the inside.<br>12. Take your Velcro strip (hook side) and cut them in to 6-inch lengths. (Match number of strips to the number of tie downs)<br>13. Cut the fuzzy part of the Velcro in to 3-inch strips.<br>14. Staple the hook side in the middle of the strip on to the floor.<br>15. Place the three inch strip on top of the hook strip and securely staple the two pieces to the floor leaving the other half loose. <br>16. Repeat steps 12 and 13 for each tie down loop.<br><br><br><A HREF="http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/MESS6438/" target="_new">http://myweb.ecomplanet.com/MESS6438/</A> <br>Lookie See what the kids are up to.<br>Dave T. Clown