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Drop in question

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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
If I'm building this drop in just for winter, do I really need to build the transition and ramp as well with wood or can I just make those out of snow? But I don't know how snow will hold up with the tranny because I can see it just sliding off. And do i need turf on top or can I just put snow as a cover on top of the wood? I rather not build the tranny + ramp since it will just take up too much room when I'm not using it so I'll value/appreciate all suggestions/ideas that support my idea. +k for help.

tl;dr: I only want to build tower and slope, would making a snow tranny + ramp work?
Apr 21 2011 6:39PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
yea, a snow tranny and jump will work infact thats waht i do in the winter (check my pics) and the snow will stay on the ramp if its not too steep, on mine wich is 45 degrees, i have to put slats of wood to have it stay on
Apr 21 2011 10:14PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Mine's not going to be that steep, at least I don't think so. Also, noob question but what are slats? And where are they in your pics, I don't know what to look for haha. Thanks also, it's good to know this idea has a chance to work.
Apr 22 2011 12:36AM
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Mr.Huck
Posts: 6096 - Karma: 14,896
Natural snow is always the best. Unfortunately, it doesn't stick around. If you want to jib all year round, you need to come up with something else. Remember to make the tranny smooth and gentle. It's been said before a lot but bares repeating. Having a tranny that is too abrupt is like trying to hit your setup pulling a parachute.
Apr 22 2011 10:38AM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Yeah, I was planning on using it just for winter. And I'm planning on making the tranny to gradual decrease instead of going 40 degree slope to flat. The problem is, I can see the snow falling off a lot since the first part of the tranny is still going to be on a slope, so do you have a solution for that?
Apr 22 2011 10:52AM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
So did i. But then you're going to realize that you want to ski in the summer and why wouldn't you spend a few hours to just make your setup summer compatible?
Apr 22 2011 4:59PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
sorry i didnt have the pic in my pics on ns, but that slats are those pieces of wood going across the plywood on my setup (they just haelp keep the snow from sliding down the ramp) in this pic

Click for larger image
Apr 22 2011 5:43PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
So you put them on top of the plywood with nothing else covering it? I still have a feeling that it'll slide off, leaving the slats uncovered. Also, since I want to make the tranny mellow and gradual, would I be able to pile up the snow about 2 feet into the slope, and then less snow at 1 foot from slope, and so on, or would that much snow with no supports fall off? I know this is sort of confusing but I can probably get a sketch in sometime next week. From your pic, it looks like it goes from the slope to flat, do you lose a lot of speed on that, or is it fine, because I might just do that since it would mean more session time and less shoveling time. And last question, are slats just 2x4s or are they a different cut of wood?

And broto, as much as I'd love to keep it up season long, it justs gets in the way of everything and my dad didn't approve. Plus, my garage is too packed to fit a ~14 foot setup(even if i disassembled it into 3 parts it still wouldn't fit).
Apr 22 2011 6:49PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
well, the slats are some scrap wood, mabey an inch thick. but they are usually covered by snow, in that pic it melted off, and they do help keep the snow from sliding down the ramp

my tranny is pretty good it starts about 2 feet off the ground and is pretty mellow actually! heres a pic from the side:

Click for larger image
Apr 22 2011 9:40PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
That pic helps a lot haha, I think I realized what I need to do to make it smooth and gradual. Do you think 2x4s with the wide side facing up would work fine as slats? and around how many did you use/I need? And, should I get 2 long 2x4s that run down the side of the slope to keep snow inside? Lastly, how did yours work out, as in speed wise? I know these are obvious questions but I like being certain of something before I do it. Thanks a bunch and you're at 10/10 already haha.
Apr 22 2011 10:25PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
honestly, i dont think u need 2x4s unless thats all u have, all u need is somthing mabey an inch tall! i have my slats about every 1.5 feet and they work well.
you dont really need somthing on the side, but i just put some scrap boards to keep my skis from going of the side.
and my ramp was almost too fast! i would clear 4 feet of the box before i landed on it, but then i moved it out so i landed on the beginning, speed should be no problem!

my deminsions are:
6.5 feet tall 10 foot long ramp at about a 45 degree angle

good luck!!
Apr 23 2011 1:18PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Oh, they have these really skinny pieces of wood at home depot that I could get, so yeah I know what you're talking about now. I'm having a 5 foot tower with the ramp being on a 35-40 degree angle, so hopefully that'll work.
Apr 23 2011 2:03PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
that should work, but just incase u should put some boards/handles or sticks to push off of if you dont use ur poles
Apr 23 2011 6:04PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
I want to bump this because I just finished most of my tower and after adding a couple supports I'll be onto the slope part and I had a question. I can't seem to do this math problem but my tower is about 60-62" high and I want the slope part to be 40 degrees. But I don't know how long that piece of wood will be if it's coming of a ~61" tower with a 40 degree slope, can anyone do the math or tell me how to do it in order to find out how long this piece should be. And if you tell me to use the pythagreom theorom, I only have one sides length, so I don't know how'll that work out.
May 5 2011 3:55PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Oh and another question, would a 40 degree slope with a 61" tower be tall/steep enough to hit a 8 foot long box that's 22inches high? With a natural snow tranny and jump that is.
May 5 2011 4:21PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Triple post, but nevermind guys, my brother gave me this formula x/sin(y*pi/180)

Where x= height in inches and y= degrees you want to make your slope, then just divide the solution by 12.
Just thought I'd share this for anyone else in the same dilemma.
May 5 2011 10:18PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
an 8 foot long box may seem long when building it, but in reality when you hit on skis, it's like a tap.
May 8 2011 7:54PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Yeah I was starting to think that, 8 feet seemed long at first so I chose that, also it was all that fit in the car at the time, but I later found out I could've just added on wood with mending plates. Whatever, I could just do trial and error and I'll end up moving it back a lot.
May 8 2011 8:25PM
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