So my cousin called me and we got to taking about hunting situations we encounter often. Apparently we think a lot alike and had both been kicking around ideas of making a portable light one man tripod for hunting in our situations. We have a basic idea and have it drawn-out and it's time to buy some materials for a prototype. Once we get it worked out and use them a few years to make any improvements and they work like we hope we will likely see if the r e is a market for them at a price people will pay and make it worth our time.

If nothing else we will have what we think is great for our situations.

Locally the tube alone will be around 300 and that sounds high to me but may not be .

Where else can I look for the best pricing?

not sure about the tubing , I have had a similar idea you really wouldn't need to get that high

the stilt walking shepards sort of gave me an idea , never got to try it but even if you could sit 5 feet higher your head would be 10-12 feet up
we used to take a light weight tree stand and hang it so that the platform was about 4 feet up if you got on a bit of a ridge you could really see a ways and no ladder to carry just a little hop and pull yourself up was a little younger than also
https://mashable.com/feature/stilt-shepherds-landes

my idea was more based on an orchard ladder they are light and wood and you could still put a few steps up to a platform about the size of a saddle like a horse saddle but not near as heavy a total height of about 7-8 feet it could carry in fairly easy eye level would be about 9 1/2 feet up

now that I see saddle hunting that has my interest I may be to big for most saddles at 275 I think they have weight limits around 300 which I would be with much gear.

That’s probably not a bad price but you could check out prices of aluminum electrical conduit.

It would help to know what size/shape and finish (anodized, mill, etc) of extrusion you've priced.
Generally, the best way to purchase extruded aluminum is directly from a metals supplier and not from a big box or hardware store.

You can start at Southern Aluminum - LINK

Having spent our 8 hrs straight in my nice top of the line tre trimming saddle with buck board I can tell you I'm not hanging from it to Deer hunt. They are nothing new to me been using them since I was 18.

You right on the high I was thinking 8' with options to be lower & adjustable for uneven ground. A lot of times there just is not a good tree where you need one and offer going even 12' is to high and you start losing shot when it's thick. More than once I have put a stand on a tree with the platform about 6' and just busted ne of the boy up. Killed a bunch if deer like that when the condition call for it.
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I found out even with a big heavy tri pod my cousin had to hunt big coal mine fields it even worked great in the woods and blended in also. But once you put the thing up it staied up. You are not going to want to move it often.

So these will be a few custom made options for us for certain situations they will be great. If we can make them at a price people will pay well it may be a good side business. There are many things other than deer hunting I would market them to with a few changes. I just was not sure 1. How many people will see the benefits 2 how much they would be willing to pay. 300 for the tube pluss othe supply guessing my cost will be close to 500 plus time. Then I may want coated or painted. So to sell them the price may be to high. But people do get crazy about deer hunting. No matter I have been thinking about something like this for several years. There is nothing like it I have found so I will make it myself. I will keep track of time and cost and if anyone's interested I can have a price for them if not I will have what I want.

Here is an idea!

https://timetogowild.com/products/c...ame-treestands-the-defender-tripod-stand

Nope to much assembly and pain to pack if you try to move it in big pieces. What I'm talking about will be the size of a foulded up ground blind. And fit on your back and you can pack it in and out with you. I hunt a lot of public ground and some hills and thick stuff.

I don't see me packing that thing back 3/4 of a mile or more then back out. . Also I want my 13 year lod to be able to pack it in by himself.

Like I said there is nothing out like it or I wouldn't bother.

I buy them by the 30 pack! Lol

design a seat that grabbed one run and sat on the other and this would get you really close

3 pounds to the foot estimated weight an 7 foot would be 21 pounds

https://www.oescoinc.com/aluminum-tripod-agricultural-ladders.html

a simple mount to set it on a 60 inch ice fishing sled and you could pull it in and out fairly easy

Commercially, all material is sold by the pound. Not sure what current prices are, and for what alloy's, some cost a lot more than others. When you buy Tool steel, very expensive, they will weigh the piece of stock, make the cut you want, then weigh it again. That way your also paying for the saw chips. LOL

Just checked prices, depending on alloy and form, (tubing, angle or flat stock), approx $20-$25 a lb.

Here I’d buy locally but online there’s coremark, online metals, and there’s a couple others but at least it will give you a start.

something like this?

Remember, too - all aluminum is not created equal. There is a ton of thin walled aluminum like trekking poles and tripods - probably around .030 thick walls. You will need structural aluminum - more like .060 or more. That greatly reduces your options. It has to be cut. Then the cuts need to be deburred. You will need to finish the aluminum - either anodize or maybe ceracote. You are going to need a bunch of fittings to allow for adjustability, etc. Gonna be high.