Converting Ladder stand into Tri-Pod stand

[BillHoo]

I see a few designs on the web.  

Was looking at feasibility to convert my cheap 15 foot Sportsman's Guide ladder stand into a Tripod.

I have a flux core welder that should do the trick.  

Anyone ever consider doing this?  Pros?  Cons?  tips?

I figure start by welding a couple 6 inch pieces of 2 inch pipe to the back end of the stand.  This will allow me to fit in two legs.

Diagram below:
RED 2 inch pipe is welded on to current stand
BLUE 2 inch pipe is fitted to the connections and held with pins.
GREEN 1 inch square tube steel, bolted on in a way that it can swing up and connext to the ladder with some kind of pin connection.

Might also include some welded on connection points for straps.

I may also weld a seat back and additional support bars, or points to tie straps to give it more rigidity and stability.

Guess it's really more like a quadra-pod stand, if you count the legs.

[Carcass]

Maybe cheaper, lighter, and safer just to buy already made.

[HeidelbergJaeger]

Definitely would add some anchors and cross bracing.

[Thummy]

If you want a tripod I would just buy one. Easier and cost wise it can’t be too much. No reason to go messing with it. You screw up welding that square tubing and things could get ugly. Why risk it.


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[BillHoo]

Overwhelming concerns for my safety give me pause on this project.

Reminds me of when I got into a car accident in Pennsylvania and had to take the train home. I was telling someone of my ordeal and how I planned to stop in Philadelphia and transfer on to a train heading to NJ.

The next stop would have gotten me onto one of the transfer stations. But overwhelmingly, the who train car of people pleaded with me NOT to take that stop. they said the next one was much safer. People had been murdered at the one I was about to take.

Spider sense was tingling. If that many people were warning against it, I probably should heed the warnings.

And I'm alive today.

[67gt390fb]

yes, I would take the advice, I use these ladders all the time but it is some extremely thin wall tubing that is exposed to the elements and not painted on the inside so they rust, combine that with the thicker wall tubing your going to find at a steel fab shop and your Flux core wire welder is going to get some crappy results and burn through, to weld the thin steel on these stands you want solid wire and shielding gas