Converting Camper into Ice House

[Vollmer]

Picked this up for a couple hundred bucks. Tires are good. Frame is good. Shell is good.
Has a stove and a furnace. I might keep the stove in it. I will likely scrap the furnace and get a smaller wall hanger ventless unit.

Going to completely gut it then spray foam the interior (1" thick). Should help rigid things back up after gutting it.

Will likely put 2 flip down bunks in it (padding for camper seats still in it)

It is 15' long so it won't be huge, but big enough. Thinking 4-6 holes ... we'll see.

My uncle figures we can use the axles that are there and fabricate it into drop axles with nylon winches.

Guess on costs:
$400-$500 for foam
$100 for hole covers
$150 for heater
$100 for lumber and other odds n ends.
$100 in iron
$100 for winches

Hoping to be not too far over $1200 to get it initially built and fishing.

I will add photos as we build.

 

[Retired Educator]

It will work. Don't have any idea how close your estimates for material are without a little more detailed (measurements, etc.) plan. If you're going to sleep in it make sure your heater is ventilated and consider a carbon monoxide detector.

Regulations say any fishhouse must be floatable but it would seem to me that a camper such as this would float as well as Ice Castle styled houses.

I see a power cord out the side of the camper, are you going to use a generator for power and have you figured that cost of perhaps your already have one.

 

[Vollmer]

Already wired for 110, yup. I will wire in a 12v light or two. I have a generator but I wont use it very often. If ever.

I think with the lumber and foam in it, she'll float. It's very light.

Yup the heater I priced out is ventless. I will definitely add a carbon monoxide detector. Good heads up.

 

[Jigaman]

If you are going to sleep in it please use a vented heater so you dont die and this site goes to shit and we all need to go back to fishing buddy.

 

[deleted_account]

If you are going to sleep in it please use a vented heater so you dont die and this site goes to shit and we all need to go back to fishing buddy.

lol!

 

[MuskyManiac]

I would really try to do a vented heater as well. It really cuts down on the moisture in the house and makes things WAY more comfortable.

Just don't turn into Sanford and Son like my buddies house, HAHAHA!

 

[Vollmer]

That mess would drive me bananas.
Two generators? The man is prepared.

 

[b2down]

Once you have the inside gutted you may want to look at replacing the windows. The aluminum framed campers windows leak bad and ice up on the inside. Most of your heat will be lost through the windows and vent cover. The vent cover can be sealed with a cheap vent insulator that looks like a small pillow that you push up into the roof vent.

 

[Jigaman]

One thing I have learned over the years with projects like this is what ever you think it will cost, double it. Could be a fun project though. But for realsies, please use a vented heater if you plan on sleeping in it.

 

[Hornhunter]

This could be a fire hazard.be very careful

 

[DirtyMike]

Excited to see the finished product. Hope horn doesn't try to burn it down. I don't see any other hazards than what already drives out on the lake.

 

[Vollmer]

This could be a fire hazard.be very careful

What part? Its essentiallly a zack shack.

 

[Vollmer]

One thing I have learned over the years with projects like this is what ever you think it will cost, double it. Could be a fun project though. But for realsies, please use a vented heater if you plan on sleeping in it.

I hear ya. Im setting my budget at $1500. See whats possible.

Im going to try and price out a vented heater system. There is one in it. It might be useable. Fingers crossed.

 

[Vollmer]

Once you have the inside gutted you may want to look at replacing the windows. The aluminum framed campers windows leak bad and ice up on the inside. Most of your heat will be lost through the windows and vent cover. The vent cover can be sealed with a cheap vent insulator that looks like a small pillow that you push up into the roof vent.

I know you are right. But budget will dictate. A few of the windows are double paned. I might leave those, and foam right over the others. I'll try n keep 1-2 windows able to open, and the rest im going to foam the odges of.

 

[DirtyMike]

Check out menards. Sometimes people return windows and they're dirt cheap. Look for the basement slider-type windows.

 

[Vollmer]

Check out menards. Sometimes people return windows and they're dirt cheap. Look for the basement slider-type windows.

That's a good idea.

 

[fnznfwl]

might be in interesting project but something tells me you are going to throw a couple grand at polishing a turd and in a couple years you are going to have nothing more than a turd.

 

[Vollmer]

might be in interesting project but something tells me you are going to throw a couple grand at polishing a turd and in a couple years you are going to have nothing more than a turd.

Oh she'll be a turd. I dont plan on churching it up. But she'll be functional.

 

[FishReaper]

Oh she'll be a turd. I dont plan on churching it up. But she'll be functional.

id rather have a functional polished turd than the payments on an ice castle

 

[Auggie]

I've dreaming of buying a permanent icehouse to take the Twinions out with. Someday, I'll pull the trigger and buy one. I've been looking and if I buy one, I want either a Yetti, Firebrand, or Team Lodge. Until then, I hope to fix a camper next summer. Here's a video of the lift system on the Firebrand (~1 min in). It may be easy to retro fit this lift style to a camper.