Does anyone use box tip ups? I like the concept. I see some advertised on the site but Im not sure how well they work. They look really cool.
Ice Fishing
Heated box tip ups
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a candle in a can, sterno or coal works fine for box tip-ups, the only problem is if it's a windy day make sure you can block the wind in some way, i use 16 hour candles normaly and hardly ever have a problem, sterno works on colder days when it's windy but the flame is a little bigger so i put a small lantern globe on the top of the can so not to burn the wood, mine i have had since 1980.
I would like to know how you guys heat these box tip-ups? I have had mine since Neil Young was popular and we always used a piece of charcoal in a little can in the corner of the tip up. Messing with the coal is a pain in the !@#$. I was wondering if anyone had any other Ideas? 
I was going off of memory you dope. It's probably 6" high, I don't know. It's much smaller than the pics I've seen on here. They work fantastic and have lasted 20 years already. Bet you won't find one that's been around that long and still producing! LMAO! Your mechanism is from a regular tip up, that's all I need to know how it works LOL! I didn't mean to offend before (I do now).
People I know have used them since the 80's, the whole point was to get away from the manufactured flag styles and get something more sensitive. You just made a regular tip up into a bigger tip up. I was just explaining another way to make them, which works very good. I wasn't sitting outside measuring them when I did this LOL!
Yours is fine, I just thought it was big since my tip ups are half the height. I've seen many flag mechanisms for them. Some guys have the flag actually hold the spool in place so when the spool turns the flag goes up. There are lots of ways to do it.
That is 12x12x12 inches!!! Chroist sake, so what if it resembles the housing of the only two manufactured box tipups on the market. The mechanics of mine is nothing like theirs, actually its the best of both!Those sure are some oxy looking things. I know you just copied what the store bought ones look like, but they don't have to be so big or shaped that way. Just make a box a little bigger than your hole, maybe 10"x10" inside or 12"x12". Maybe 8"-10" high or so. Make a removable lid with a handle, you can do this by putting little blocks in the corners of the box to hold the lid, they can also help hold the sides together. Then put those little white plastic clips on the outside to hold the lid on for transport, the kind you just turn. In one corner put a single deep metal electrical box to hold your charcoal. Put your spool in the corner across from it, just make a metal bracket and put the spool on a small machine screw. I just use regular black tipup spools. Just make sure it spins freely. If you want tension on the spool, use a lock nut. Then you have everything but the flag.
To make the flag, use a piece of wire the size of a hanger wire. On one end weld a flat piece of metal in the shape of what you want your flag to look like. Some guys use letters, like the first letter of their last name. I just have a diamond on mine. Then slide a weight onto the wire, it can just be a big bell sinker. On the other end of the wire, bend the wire to make a slight hook. Just before the hook, you will need a stopper to keep the bell sinker on the flag. Just wrap electrical tape around it until it's thick enough to stop the flag. Cut a slot into the side of the box between the spool and charcoal holder. The flag will go in this, try to make it so the hook part of the flag reaches the center of the box (your hole). The part on the outside should be the same length as what is inside the box. Attach the flag on the inside so it can teeter up and down. You'll need to cut a slot into the lid as well.
Now use a split ring to mark your depth. Put the ring on the hook end of the flag. This hooked end should not be much of a hook though, you want the ring to slip off when a fish hits. Just enough to hold the ring in place. Use the bell sinker to slide up and down the flag for sensitivity.
With this setup, I can see fish mouth the bait. Crappies will bob the flag when it's set very sensitive, usually it's tripped by the time you get to it. Plus you can hear the flag trip as the weight hits the side of the box. They essentially work like a tip down in a box.
I also have rectangular shaped boxes with flip lids, but the flag on those is a little different in that it's shaped more like a long 'S' and goes through a hole in the side of the box as opposed to a slot. Works the same way though.
Actually it is very sensitive. I believe that it will work just fine for perch. Do you have any JUMBOS for me to go test it on though?
The only time i plan on using the darn thing would be afternoon/night wally fishing. The whole thought of being able to sit and attend my Coleman 18 over babysitting my boards all night just gives me goosebumps!
Lighter fluid doesn't matter for the charcoal. They don't smoke at all. There is enough air that gets through to keep them going, you don't want them air tight or the charcoal will burn out.
The best reason to not use matchlight charcoal is that it burns faster than regular charcoal and you will be replacing it more often.
Not vented, but if your concerned, the scent free candle works real well 95% of the time. I really don't notice alot of smoke if you use regular charcoal without lighter fluid. I light mine with a torch. Its not like cooking where the grease makes smoke. I would not use the match lite charcoal as it is soaked in fluid. Hope this answers your question.
To the person who posted about losing the tip ups in the wind and snow the boxes are a benefit for that as well as avoiding snowmobiles running over your tip ups.
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