Hunting Blind Foldable Twin Bunk Beds

[dhillis]

Need some help with ideas. My kids have decided on an Ag Mechanic Project for Jan. We are going to build an 8x8 deer blind. We will be including Solar Panels to charge batteries and an Invertor to power everything kids would wanna have such as TV, XBOX, PS5, Phone Chargers Etc. We will also be hanging a small propane bottle outside for either a blackstone or a small camping stove. Dual purpose for both heat and cooking breakfast when you stay in the blind night before. Want to be able to spend several days in the blind without leaving if needed/wanted. We also want to include 2 foldable twin size beds on the back wall. I know that the Pivot Point will need to be away from the wall a small bit to accommodate for a mattress. Probably will be an Air Mattress so it isn't sitting in the blind all the time.

Anyone have any ideas to get me started on how to mount this to the wall? I am drawing a complete blank.

[BayouCat]

Go 10x10. You won't have enough room for all of that in an 8x8.

[mikemorvan]

Blind will be made of wood, or steel?

[dhillis]

Go 10x10. You won't have enough room for all of that in an 8x8.

Not against that. Would make for some more room. I think even 8x10 would help a lot.





Mike, It'll be wood as of now. Not a great welder, but that's why they make expensive grinders. It would give them another "trade" to incorporate into the project.

[Dale Moser]

You can't haul 10X10 down the road, 8X10 will get you enough room, but it's gonna be a SOB to move/load.

You'll find that all the bells & whistles end up taking quite a bit of space, then you have to remember the user will have to bring a cooler for food, and the mattress/bedding. Floor space starts to disappear in a hurry. You'll want to pay attention to mounting batteries/inverters/etc efficiently out of the way, as well as thoughtfully placed shelves and hangers for supplies and backpacks, and what not.

Amazon has solar kits with panels of varying size/power, and the appropriate charge controller to go with.

Also take into account some ventilation for when a heater is running and people are potentially sleeping...we've all heard those horror stories.

[James]

What if you guys bought a cargo trailer and finished it all out with what you’re describing? I don’t see how all that can fit in an 8x8 blind, then move it around. Go with a mobile cargo trailer hunting camp

[dhillis]

You can't haul 10X10 down the road, 8X10 will get you enough room, but it's gonna be a SOB to move/load.

You'll find that all the bells & whistles end up taking quite a bit of space, then you have to remember the user will have to bring a cooler for food, and the mattress/bedding. Floor space starts to disappear in a hurry. You'll want to pay attention to mounting batteries/inverters/etc efficiently out of the way, as well as thoughtfully placed shelves and hangers for supplies and backpacks, and what not.

Amazon has solar kits with panels of varying size/power, and the appropriate charge controller to go with.

Also take into account some ventilation for when a heater is running and people are potentially sleeping...we've all heard those horror stories.

Yep. It'll be 8' tall so hoping we can mount TV and anything needed off the floor. I want the beds to be foldable so they are up out of the way when you wake up in the morning. Definitely have to think of ways to save space when doing this.

[dhillis]

What if you guys bought a cargo trailer and finished it all out with what you’re describing? I don’t see how all that can fit in an 8x8 blind, then move it around. Go with a mobile cargo trailer hunting camp

I'm not sure that would qualify for a build of an Ag mechanic Project. I don't know all the ins and outs, but I do know when checking in projects in the past they ask if everything is from scratch/new or if you used something else and converted it to what you have built.

[mikemorvan]

8'x8' - with beds you're not going to have a lot of floor space left - But~

I would try to find some army bunk beds to use to start with. Cut the legs off them. They will be made of steel and durable. For the bottom bunk, make little short walls under each end of the bed, and build out a 'shelf' thick enough to accommodate the thickness of the mattress. Then just latch the bed frame to the wall when in the up position. You will have a small storage space under the bed, between the short walls.

Then for the top bunk, frame a small furr down and eyebolt some hanging chain from the furr down to the bed. Hang the bed from the furr down when in use. When folded up, it will mirror the lower bunk.

You can make it in panels (floor, 4 walls, ceiling) and assemble in the field. That will help manage the weight factor and mobility. Use plenty of screws when putting it altogether. I would make the base out of 2x8's. Leave 7.5" of the bottom of the exterior panels 'loose' to screw to the face of the floor panel. Use heavy duty construction screws w/ big heads from Home Deport, or some such, to lag the walls to the floor. For the sake of overnight stays, insulate floors, walls and ceiling. Install thermoply of something or something similar on the bottom side of the floor panel to protect from rodents, serpents, etc.

Panelization will make it as easy as it can be to transport. Field assembly is relatively easy. This thing will be heavy. It will require a substantial base, and proper staking, etc.

I did a smaller blind (6'x8') a few years ago. It is nice and comfy. I made a DIY thread about it, but i can't find that thread. You can do the same thing w/ a 10' x 10' blind, which you'll probably need. You'll just need to use smaller, 5' wide panels. With panels it is definitely doable. Done properly it will be strong, secure, and comfortable.

Good luck with it all...

Above is a very poor sketch of the general idea, VERY poor sketch. Sorry about the picture orientation.

[brokeno]

Build it on a trailer frame.

[PYBUCK]

I'm afraid you won't have a lot of success out of it with it smelling like bacon, eggs, chicken fry etc. If you plan on elevating it you'll neve to have a boom truck handy. Good idea to spend time with your family but not very practical.

[highspeed]

Need some help with ideas. My kids have decided on an Ag Mechanic Project for Jan. We are going to build an 8x8 deer blind. We will be including Solar Panels to charge batteries and an Invertor to power everything kids would wanna have such as TV, XBOX, PS5, Phone Chargers Etc. We will also be hanging a small propane bottle outside for either a blackstone or a small camping stove. Dual purpose for both heat and cooking breakfast when you stay in the blind night before. Want to be able to spend several days in the blind without leaving if needed/wanted. We also want to include 2 foldable twin size beds on the back wall. I know that the Pivot Point will need to be away from the wall a small bit to accommodate for a mattress. Probably will be an Air Mattress so it isn't sitting in the blind all the time.

Anyone have any ideas to get me started on how to mount this to the wall? I am drawing a complete blank.

If you want to build it on a trailer frame like brokeno said, I’ve got a trailer frame I’ll give you. 18’ tandem axle. Was a travel trailer. Located in Bay City

[Yak blue]

Ours is something similar to what you’re envisioning. I’ve done 18 hours once no problem. 8x8 inside, 8’ tall. No solar but brought battery packs and have lugged a marine battery in once.

for sleeping, we have folding cots. After dark, close window blinds, turn on low led lights and break out cots. I wanted to do cots on the wall but they’d ultimately get in the way of our knees when watching/shooting out the windows.

I have my backpacking stove to whip up coffee and heat up water for breakfast. Will bring small cooler in with premade lunch/dinner, plus dad beverages.
wanted to run a funnel and pipe as a urinal, but make do just fine with gallon jugs with lids. Urinal would end up getting smelly

Our blind isn’t a tower, only on blocks about 12” off the ground but on edge of a hill overlooking a bottom and food plot. I always enjoy sitting one night during the rut to watch activity, especially if it’s more than a half moon.

some days I’d dump buckets of acorns out nearby. Wake up at 2am in the morning to look at deer in the binocs lapping them up.

post up pics of the build!

[BlessedVeteran0305]

You could do 8x10 and build a frame on the wall for a couple of Murphy style beds. Maybe even use some cots as the bed frame and bolt those to the Murphy frame so the legs can fold up with it.

[TeamAmerica]

Can't wait for the DIY thread! Lots pf good advice. I agree on 8 foot so it can fit on a trailer.i say go with cots and make some good hangers to move them out of the way when not in use.