Homemade Silos

I got a buddy that has some store bought silos. I traced his on 1/4" plywood and used them as a pattern. I think the center are copies of some commercially sold stuff and the two outer one are magnums. I am not naming any names to protect the innocent, like me.

I also have some hawkeyes I patterned to make out of some thick stuff my buddy gave me.

I have not used any stakes yet. I was thinkin of doing the welding rod like some one else suggested before and melting it in so I never leave a rod in the field to blow a tracker tire as that sure to lose rights to hunt next year!!!!!!!!!! I cut them out one at a time with a box cutter knife. I bough 3 sheets for $36 something and only used two so far and got 15 on one and 17 on the other. Once I do the 3rd I will have 4 dozen or more.

Here is the finished on with the folder spray patterns I made next to them

The far right template is used to make the white cheek. The one on the top right is used to protect the black neck area when spraying the body. Top left to protect the tail and white from boddy paint. Left middle to protect tail when sprying white belly. And bottom left to spray white belly again if over spray got on it.

I sprayed several to get a pattern of how to make them. I do the black head and tail first. Then the white belly both two coated. Then gray the body and then camo brown the upper and center body. The lightly over spray the brown to lighten it some and fade it into the gray, Very little !!

Here is the finished silo. I have to respray the white cheek. I bought the $1 flat white at walmart and it runs and sucks. The $1 black is good though.

Rob

Thanks, I like being able to say "I made that" I kill deer wiht bows and arrows I make but ducks and geese. A shotgun is just too much work. So I guess dekes is the way. :wink:

My advice is to fit them with the rods just after painting. I am using welding rods and knocking off the covering. Heating the tip and pushing it in. Then pull it out and heat the last inch quick and back i all the way and let it melt in to stay for eternity.

One thing I learned. Make sure the holes inside run head to tail or parrallel to the ground. The welding rodddoes not want to stay in when the holes are going up. Look at my last picture how you can see slight lines in the gray. Thats how you want the lines to run on yours, or less than 45 degrees from parrallel with the ground.

They are also much easier to paint with the stakes in and out in the yard than on the work bench. I paint one then go to the next and leave them out to dry. As long as its not too windy or cold.