# Metal Deer Stand



## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

This should probably go somewhere else but I posted it here because I made a deer stand.

I made a ladder stand out of 1 inch square tubing and it is covered with some sort of oil. When I was cutting and welding it I got black stuff all over my hand. The guy I bought the steel from told me to let it sit out in the sun a few days and it would be gone. Another guy from the same place told me to clean it off with paint thinner. I am painting it tonight and I am going to use TSP Substitute that I got at the Walmarket. 

10-15 years ago I built these stands and sold them. When the steel prices went way up I quit making them. Back then I do not remember any type of oil on the steel. If it was on it then I just painted over it. The paint on my old stands did not come off. It is still on them. I have some that are 15 years old and the paint is still good. 

I wonder what kind of oil they are putting on this steel and will the stuff I bought take it off?

Darin


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

Finger_Mullet said:


> This should probably go somewhere else but I posted it here because I made a deer stand.
> 
> I made a ladder stand out of 1 inch square tubing and it is covered with some sort of oil. When I was cutting and welding it I got black stuff all over my hand. The guy I bought the steel from told me to let it sit out in the sun a few days and it would be gone. Another guy from the same place told me to clean it off with paint thinner. I am painting it tonight and I am going to use TSP Substitute that I got at the Walmarket.
> 
> ...


It is likely heavy grease similar to Cosmoline which is what US Military coated Weapons with to prevent rust, There is a fair amount of furniture tubing in various sizes in my garage that are coated with grease used to prevent rust.

To remove use mineral spirits and if that does not cut what is on your steel, use lacquer thinner

There are acid based bare metal cleaners that are used prior to painting that reduce the likelihood of rust issues further on, but for your application mineral spirits and a household cleaner should be just fine


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I used that TSP substitute last night. The directions said to use full strength and wipe it on with a rag and let it dry 2-3 minutes and then wipe off. I could not believe how fast it worked. There was only bare metal left. No grease at all. 

The stuff smelled like windex and did not burn my skin at all. The rag I used for the application was pretty much ruined. It was black. The rag I used to wipe it off look like I just got it out of the dryer. My wife will never know that I used a wash rag from her bathroom. I did at least get a old one.

I figure that oil is some sort of rust preventative but thougth it could be oil they used in the manufacturing process to bend it square before they welded it. 

The stand now was a good coat of primer and a coat of flat black paint. I just have to flip it over and paint one side of the ladder and it will be finished with the paint. I have to add pipe insulation to the gun rest and then cover the box part and add a roof. I use erosion control felt for the other covering. It last forever and does not fade. 

Thanks!

Darin


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

Here is the completed stand.

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj608/DarinS115/deerstandII_zpsc4878c1b.jpg

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj608/DarinS115/deerstand_zpsc9fbc79c.jpg

Darin


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## dialout (Feb 5, 2011)

Looks real solid


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## Tater639 (Apr 6, 2011)

Solid but where do you have room to shoot a bow out that window!?!


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## chriscustom (Jun 17, 2006)

looks bassakwards to me. Does it have a trap door and does that make it hard to get in and out of?


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

It has a half floor. You climb up thru the bottom and stand on the half floor. Then you turn around and sit on the seat. The seat is a padded board that goes across the frame of the stand. It is extremely comfortable and much easier to put up than one with the ladder away from the tree. 

Most everyone that has ever hunted one of them love them. They are not designed as bow stands. You can hunt very easily with a crossbow out of one. They are best suited for hunting across a field or a cutover. I use them in big woods as well. I use a climber to bow hunt. I never bowhunt my gun stands. 

Darin


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