Concrete Placer (rake) or Snow Roof Rake to move snow from underneath icehouse?

So, we are really just starting to use a permanent icehouse for fishing. A friend says he cuts his holes, uses a concrete rake (placer) to pull the snow out from underneath the ice shack, and then lowers the icehouse and uses the snow he pulled out to bank the icehouse.

He said this works well because he doesn’t have a bunch of ice/snow/slush inside the house that he would have to deal with if he had lowered the house then cut the holes. He said you also get more ice/snow/slush this way to bank the house.

So, does anyone else do this and what would work better, a concrete placer or snow rake?

(I think he uses the snow rake because it’s not as tall so it goes under the shack better and it fit’s in his shack easier. He’s not moving 3 foot banks of snow like you would from a house roof).

What we started doing is to cut holes with it dropped only half way or less, clean holes by scooping the slush off to the sides of the cut hole and then drop the house down, try to make sure the slush made a complete seal around the hole and no need for hole sleeves.

I’ve always done as John states and bank with snow. I’d be concerned about banking with the hole slush do to freezing. Getting on my hands and knees and pulling out the slush with a roof rake doesn’t sound like it’s worth the return.

John Rasmussen wrote:

What we started doing is to cut holes with it dropped only half way or less, clean holes by scooping the slush off to the sides of the cut hole and then drop the house down, try to make sure the slush made a complete seal around the hole and no need for hole sleeves.

This sounds like a good idea.

Why not with the house all the way up?

Get a slush bucket and lower all the way down and drill or why not just use a shovel and shovel off a area then park the shack on it instead of taking concrete tools ice fishing and trying to clean out under the shack. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work.

Like already mentioned I like the slush under the shack because it forms a barrier around your hole plus I use plastic sleeves

usmarine0352 wrote:

Why not with the house all the way up?

I just drop it to get me closer to the ice so I am not bent over as far when cutting the holes, it is hard enough on my back the way it is. Either way works.

John Rasmussen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>usmarine0352 wrote:</div>
Why not with the house all the way up?

I just drop it to get me closer to the ice so I am not bent over as far when cutting the holes, it is hard enough on my back the way it is. Either way works.

Thanks!

No problem

Lower the front of the house almost 1/2 ways down drill your holes in the front and let the ice pile up, then lower it to the ground then lower the back till it is about 1/2 ways down and do the same to the next set, continue onto the next set same process until the house is all the way down and inset the hole sleeves, no over priced slush bucket needed. I clean the excess into a 5gallon bucket and I’m good to go, unless it’s crazy windy I’m not to worries about banking. Hydraulic makes this whole process a lot easier, you do it while being in the house, but my crank down wasn’t the end of the world to deal with either.

You’ll figure it out, you’re a Marine. From an 0351 USMC, Have a good Birthday

denali wrote:

You’ll figure it out, you’re a Marine. From an 0351 USMC, Have a good Birthday

Semper Fi brotha!

Thank you for your service!

Hookset wrote:

Thank you for your service!

Ha…..thanks!

I agree, it sounds like a lot of work and i don’t think it’s needed. Last year was my 1st year with a wheelhouse but here’s what worked well for me:

Lower house half way… if wanted. Can drill with house up too if ice isn’t too thick. House will move forward some when dropping so drill holes towards front of hole opening if house is higher. Leave slush piled up.

Drop house on ice chip piles.

Insert hole sleeves.

Use biggest Menards paint mixer on cordless drill to suck ice chips down the hole.

This works amazingly well for something like $7. Really don’t have to scoop holes out after this. No big slush bucket. No chips on the floor. No scooping a bunch of chips into a bucket and making trips to dump them out. Seals well around the holes. I don’t bother banking the house if just out for a few hours, but you could if you had other snow on the lake. I’d just use a shovel and shovel some snow up against the house.

Most of the time the very few if any chips remaining in the hole would melt after a bit.

Tucker