Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

Target Stands


Farmer

Recommended Posts

How long are the legs on most target stands? I’m building some and most pictures I’ve measured they seem around 2-2 1/2 feet which to me is too short. I’m thinking min 3’ with some angled tubes to stake them down. Any Suggestions?

Edited by Farmer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made some 2x4 ones with the cheap furring strips for the up rights. I want to say each leg is 2 feet. I want to say 2 2x4s made 3 sets along with a handful of furring strips. Might have cost me 10 bucks for everything a few years ago.

 

If you think 2 feet is too short, drill some holes in the legs so you can stake them into the ground. I build all my target stands that way and I've done this for the regular stands, plate rack and swinger I built.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

52 minutes ago, Farmer said:

I should have noted that I was making the bases from angle iron and using furring strips for the uprights. 

 
We are talking “H” style target stands, right?

 

whatever you do...MAN!

 

for Pete’s sake!

 

weld the steel tubing or channel iron “pockets” for the furring strips on the inside of the angle iron “H” so that the stands can nest together or nest  on top of each other.

 

If you weld the pockets on top of the angle iron or in the angle iron, the stands won’t be able to nest together.  That makes it a total PITA to store and transport.

 

If you don’t mind lugging a cordless drill or impact with you, then you can use just lag screws or Spax landscape timber screws to secure the stand to the ground.

 

Here is my old first person video of me using lag screws to fasten down one of my “V” target stands :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Chills1994 said:

 
We are talking “H” style target stands, right?

 

whatever you do...MAN!

 

for Pete’s sake!

 

weld the steel tubing or channel iron “pockets” for the furring strips on the inside of the angle iron “H” so that the stands can nest together or nest  on top of each other.

 

If you weld the pockets on top of the angle iron or in the angle iron, the stands won’t be able to nest together.  That makes it a total PITA to store and transport.

 

If you don’t mind lugging a cordless drill or impact with you, then you can use just lag screws or Spax landscape timber screws to secure the stand to the ground.

 

Here is my old first person video of me using lag screws to fasten down one of my “V” target stands :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, H style and also Yes, uprights on inside to make them stackable. Might make a couple adjustable width for smaller targets too. I like your V holder but with our sandy ground I’d probably need a longer lag. 😀

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Farmer said:

Yes, H style and also Yes, uprights on inside to make them stackable. Might make a couple adjustable width for smaller targets too. I like your V holder but with our sandy ground I’d probably need a longer lag. 😀


I had thought of making some target stands in an H design out of steel tube that was rectangular in cross section...say like 1” by 3” and welding rectangular caps on each end.  Then filling the inside with lead birdshot.  Maybe drilling a hole big enough for a hex nut to be welded over...and the inside of the hex nut  still big enough to accept a funnel.  Once enough birdshot is in the tubes, then thread in a bolt to the welded down hex nut.

 

The alternative would be larger diameter black gas pipe threaded at both ends.  Weld the horizontal “bar” of the H to one black gas pipe (or both to form the H shape). Weld the furring strip pockets in place. Screw on two gas pipe caps, pour in lead birdshot, then screw on the last two caps.

 

Of course, if you have to buy your own birdshot, that would probably be prohibitively expensive.

 

 

Edited by Chills1994
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Instead of spiking the stand into the dirt, I have some canvas bags loaded with sand to hold the stand in place.  Pour the sand into some plastic garbage bag(s) so it doesn't leak out all over the place first.  The canvas bags have a drawstring at the top.  They weigh about 15-20 lbs. each, just put one on each side.  Works great, been using them for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/25/2020 at 8:33 PM, hiker88 said:

I’ve had pvc stands in the past and they work. But they’re a little too bulk to transport in my tiny car.

 

I’ve since replaced them with steel folding stands.

 

 

One trick for making compact PVC pipe stands is not to glue the upright posts to the base or the cross brace at both ends and just rely on a friction fit.   They come apart easily for transportation or storage but are plenty secure in use.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...