With the cold weather and being locked in the house, I am thinking about building a target for outdoor use. I have access to excelsior bails from a factory in town. My goals are: water proof, elevated to keep animals out and portable. I would like to be able to move it with a lawn mower. Do you have any pictures or measurements to share? I also have access to a lot of pallet wood. I hope to use some of that to cut down on costs.
Soy bean seed crate bags from seed dealers and silage pile plastic from farmers. A lot of seed dealers around here are going automated, so my seed dealer friend brought me a dozen of them, one will last for years for most, the silage plastic will last for many years. They are about 4x4 square and weigh less than 60 pounds. Sorry, no pics, my computor is ailing and I don't have photobucket at the moment. Here's one. You bring me three of those excelcior bails and I will give you three seed crate bags.
I make my own beer. I get malted barley in grain sacks. Stuff them with carpet pad as neighbors replace carpet.
A grommet in each of 2 corners and voila'. A hanging target. I put it in a garbage bag to keep it dry.
Check breweries, coffee shops, seed stores (used to be called elevators?), and places that buy stuff in bags.
Hope this helps
homebru
I'm using a brick of compressed peat moss $10 when it's done I will bust it up, spread it out, and buy another one.
Get the Rhineheart block....
At our range the excelsior bails get over run with mice and they are in a treated wood frame 12 inches off the ground. The range is out in the country.
I use feed sacks or burlap bags stuffed with old bubble wrap, shrink wrap, plastic grocery bags or whatever, hang it from a tree or put it on the ground and prop it up wit a couple of sturdy sticks or a box. very cheap and easy to replace.
feed bag
lots of plastic walmart bags
tie shut with zip ties
and you have a pretty nice target for little money
Not good for BH though
(https://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1/s720x720/1044295_10100462848631364_129516633_n.jpg)
cardboard box Leaded from front to back as follows:
-medium coffee bean sack filled with compressed batting (like you fill blankets with)
-4-6 sheets of cardboard
-stuff remainder of box with more batting
even at 5, 10, 15 and 20 yards with 60# draw arrows never go more than half way through. had to use a whole roll of duct tape to make it water proof, but it's solid.
shot 60 arrows yesterday and still goin strong. figure of too many holes develope I'll just tape another sheet of cardboard over the front
Wisconsinteacher, You have an undertaking here but it sounds like a cool project. Can't wait to see what you come up with. With the cold and snow you have time to do a lot of research and development.
I built a wood frame, put an old piece of luan or plywood on back, fill with shrink wrap balled up (got it at local hardware over a couple of weeks). Pulled a cheap plastic tarp over and fastened with batten strips. Mounted it to a pair of 2 x 4 s so I could slide it around during mowing season.
(http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/photo277.JPG)
This picture is on its side. I paint a pattern for a variety of targets. I replace the tarp every couple of months. Mine is 4' by 4'. I can really back up and let 'em fly if I want.
(https://fbcdn-photos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/t1/s720x720/1044295_10100462848631364_129516633_n.jpg)
cardboard box Leaded from front to back as follows:
-medium coffee bean sack filled with compressed batting (like you fill blankets with)
-4-6 sheets of cardboard
-stuff remainder of box with more batting
even at 5, 10, 15 and 20 yards with 60# draw arrows never go more than half way through. had to use a whole roll of duct tape to make it water proof, but it's solid.
shot 60 arrows yesterday and still goin strong. figure of too many holes develope I'll just tape another sheet of cardboard over the front