Steve Sanford
Well-known member
All~
Inspired by Eric's wonderful blind projects, here are some ideas for some details which make things a bit safer and more convenient in my blinds.
I like to have barrel rests on the forward wall of my blinds so that guns can rest there securely with less danger of falling sideways.
Here is an overview. The top board keeps weather off the shelf below. It has cutouts to hold the barrels of the longer fowling pieces - the autoloaders and pumps. The shelf holds boxes of shells, gloves, coffee and other loose items.
About those rocks..... Some might think that NY's recent firearms laws have reduced us to such primitive weapons. Actually, we use them for ducks that sneak and and need to be flushed. We toss them - we hope - out near sitting ducks so that a loud and big splash will encourage flight.
The upper rests are simple cutouts. The lumber is a soft White Pine - so I see no need for adding any cushioning - but weatherstripping would certainly do the trick if needed.
The shelf has a lip - a "fiddle" if were on a big boat - so I added chocks - 3 for this 8-foot, 3-man blind, each below the upper cutouts.
Here it is up close.
Another feature is my "thatch rail" on the rooftop. It serves 2 purposes. First, it has big "slots" so I can jam branches in them to hide the blind and its opening. I typically use boughs from White Pine, Beech and Red Oak. They all hold their needles/leaves throughout the season.
The second function is to stiffen the 1/2" plywood roof. I made the rail from 5/4 Pine. Screwed from below into each space, it provides longitudinal stiffening.
Here's a view from the blind. That's all Duckweed floating on Home Pond. Much of it will disappear as the weather chills and the trees color up. We open about 2 months from now.
Another thing I've added to both boats and blinds are shell holders.
I built this one into the shelves' "fiddles" on a Scooter a couple of years back:
I just now took the blind photos above. Here are some of our hay fields on the drive back to the house. Recent rains have halted our drought and all is now lush hereabouts.
All the best,
SJS
Inspired by Eric's wonderful blind projects, here are some ideas for some details which make things a bit safer and more convenient in my blinds.
I like to have barrel rests on the forward wall of my blinds so that guns can rest there securely with less danger of falling sideways.
Here is an overview. The top board keeps weather off the shelf below. It has cutouts to hold the barrels of the longer fowling pieces - the autoloaders and pumps. The shelf holds boxes of shells, gloves, coffee and other loose items.
About those rocks..... Some might think that NY's recent firearms laws have reduced us to such primitive weapons. Actually, we use them for ducks that sneak and and need to be flushed. We toss them - we hope - out near sitting ducks so that a loud and big splash will encourage flight.
The upper rests are simple cutouts. The lumber is a soft White Pine - so I see no need for adding any cushioning - but weatherstripping would certainly do the trick if needed.
The shelf has a lip - a "fiddle" if were on a big boat - so I added chocks - 3 for this 8-foot, 3-man blind, each below the upper cutouts.
Here it is up close.
Another feature is my "thatch rail" on the rooftop. It serves 2 purposes. First, it has big "slots" so I can jam branches in them to hide the blind and its opening. I typically use boughs from White Pine, Beech and Red Oak. They all hold their needles/leaves throughout the season.
The second function is to stiffen the 1/2" plywood roof. I made the rail from 5/4 Pine. Screwed from below into each space, it provides longitudinal stiffening.
Here's a view from the blind. That's all Duckweed floating on Home Pond. Much of it will disappear as the weather chills and the trees color up. We open about 2 months from now.
Another thing I've added to both boats and blinds are shell holders.
I built this one into the shelves' "fiddles" on a Scooter a couple of years back:
I just now took the blind photos above. Here are some of our hay fields on the drive back to the house. Recent rains have halted our drought and all is now lush hereabouts.
All the best,
SJS
