RE: Anyone else build their own stands?
I' ve got close to 20stands laying around (or hanging around since we' re in season now), I' ve had several stolen, and I' ve built them for others too, but if memory serves me correctly, I' ve only ever bought one stand (garage sale), and I' ve had maybe three others given to me as gifts (also bought at garage sales or at auctions).
You want something done right, you' ve got to do it yourself. You' re the only one that knows what you need from a stand, so usually it' s better to put something together yourself.
I usually like to build chain on stands, and I use climbing belts and cleats to get in and out, it' s a bit more hassle, but it keeps people from being able to steal them, one time, someone stole my screw in steps, and left my stand way up there, so I just started using the cleats. I' ve built and used ladder stands, but usually only when I have a specific position in mind, since the height is pretty well limited, even if you make it adjustable, fifteen feet or so is about as high as you want them.