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Home park rail design (Help!)

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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Alright NS, here's the deal:

I'm designing some rails for a home park I'm doing this fall.

No, not your average shitty PVC rail, but I'm going down to my local college's welding club and getting these done like the parks. I don't have to pay for labor, only the metal.

Here's the first of a few designs, if there are any changes/updated that you think I should consider, PLEASE let me know!
Click for larger image
(I know it's not to scale or drafted properly (and LOL at 15' 4 and 4/5'' in advance), I have another draft I'll give to them. I colored this one in for the thread's sake)

So, I went to the welding club officers (I know them from seeing them at the student council meetings regarding my ski club) and discussed how we can make this work. They were all for it.

They said it would be VERY easy for them to do. Then they started to ask me questions about my design. When it came to what type of metal I wanted to use, I didn't know what to say. So, here's what I need from you:

What metal should I order for a park rail? Should I use a pipe or a bar? What should the dimensions of the pipe/bar that we will build with be? What should the ''tabs'' look like that I bolt the wood into in between the legs?

Thanks!
Mar 28 2012 5:57PM
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skiman12321
Posts: 524 - Karma: 194
I would think about making the flat part a bit longer
Mar 28 2012 6:02PM
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Dr.Gonzo
Posts: 2552 - Karma: 87
not really, the kink isn't even that crazy.
Mar 28 2012 6:10PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
I tried to emulate the same design of some DFD's you would see in a park. I feel like the angles are there, definitely. As for the length, I took random items in my house and laid them out on the floor in the shape of a DFD to get an idea of what the dimensions would be. Looked pretty good
Mar 28 2012 6:47PM
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NotGhood
Posts: 2809 - Karma: 1,255
i would make the down flat shorter then the second down longer, at least thats how it is at my mountain
Mar 28 2012 7:02PM
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vault.
Posts: 469 - Karma: 91
A pipe would work better for the copings i'm guessing.
Mar 28 2012 7:09PM
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Flying~Squirrel
Posts: 6494 - Karma: 192
they are commonly done that way, but also the OP designed it. and you might want to make the flat a little longer, im just thinking about doing a switch up onto the second down section and youd want more room to really grip the rail.
Mar 28 2012 7:09PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Thanks for pointing that out, I'm adding a foot to that flat. I'll take another look at lengthening the second down

And also good input up above, I'll be running a 3'' wide bar on this. And apparently standard steel is what I'll be using, here's where the club orders supply http://www.pacemakersteel.com/products/steel-aluminum-alloys/#h3_toc_21
Mar 28 2012 7:50PM
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C.Wood
Posts: 2524 - Karma: 180
I've welded up a couple rails for my backyard, material wise, all you would need just CRS (Cold Rolled Steel). Its just the standard steel that is used everywhere. are you making it out of rectangular tube or out of round tube?

Also i recommend painting the rail, it will prevent it from rusting and will over all cause less maintenance in the long run for you.

Now as for dimensions, i would add a bit more length to the flat section of the rail, when you're hitting it that 3' will be like it isn't even there.

If you got any other questions shoot me a pm
Mar 28 2012 9:10PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Thank you so much! I appreciate it
Mar 28 2012 9:13PM
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TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11988 - Karma: 12,261
get some 1/4" thick material. anything thinner than that will bend. and it depends on what you want. if you want a square rail i'd go with 2" X 3" square tubing. or if you want to try and save some money you could try channel. i've never seen a rail made with channel before though so i dunno.

Mar 28 2012 9:17PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
I'm not too worried about money, I work more than I sleep in the summer. We came to the conclusion that it would be about $150 per rail. Does that sound about right?
Mar 28 2012 9:21PM
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TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11988 - Karma: 12,261
that sounds better than alright.

i was talking to one of the park managers at my hill today and they said it cost them something like $2000 to make a dfd similar to yours.
Mar 28 2012 9:33PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Yeah, I'm buying through the school, so it's tax exempt, and I don't have to pay for labor.

I might as well make some and try to sell them to the owner of my hill...He lives 3/10 of a mile down the road from me and breaks my balls about my PVC rail in my front yard.

So this is my attempt to one-up him (:
Mar 28 2012 9:39PM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7455 - Karma: 35,727
Get some channel stock for feet.
Use 2in square tubes for legs
Whatever width bar or pipe you want for the sliding surface.
For the tabs just get an 1/8in x 2 in flat stick and cut it then drill holes.

Thats all I can think of at the moment. I think all of those dimension are correct. Try PMing Prophetmatt he builds all of the rails for our park and he could give you better details.
Mar 28 2012 9:45PM
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corona
Posts: 12791 - Karma: 32,701
$2000! I should get into the rail making business for a few extra bucks.

If anyone in the Ottawa area wants quality custom rails made for a lot cheaper than 2 grand let me know. Quality guaranteed.
Mar 28 2012 10:08PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Thank you...very helpful
Mar 29 2012 9:54AM
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T.L.
Posts: 4729 - Karma: 3,008
I threw together a quick sketchup based off of your drawing.  A few suggestions.. 27 degee kinks are going to be pretty violent.  Every rail that I build that's kinked I use 15 degree kinks.  It's the smoothest transition that I've come across  and this way if you want to, you can reverse the rail it and it will still be functional.  Also I would probably round up your lengths to 8ft & 4 ft.  Box tube comes in standard lengths of 24ft so you'll get more afterbang for your buck with less steel left over.  These drawings are based on using 1 1/2"x1 1/2"  square tube with 1 1/2"x1 1/2" angle for feet.  You could definitely slide this rail the way it is but if you you can put any other type of surface on it too such as some 2"x4" tube or 2" sch40 tube.  Regarding skirting you can probably get away with1/2" plywood.  Like someone else said above use some flat stock tabs for attaching it to the frame.  I use 1/2" wide by 1/8" thick flat stock for that with 1/4" holes and 1/4-20 stainless hardware so it wont rust.  On another note:  I wouldn't say that the bottom horizontal support is necessary for a back yard setup but it will definitely make it more rigid.

Click for larger image

Click for larger image

Any other questions feel free to ask!
Mar 29 2012 12:08PM
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Kajex
Posts: 1069 - Karma: 178
IMO if you are getting these for so cheap because of other people's donated labor, you really shouldn't attempt to sell them. Just a morality thing.
Mar 29 2012 12:18PM
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doitbig
Posts: 4818 - Karma: 315

Assuming he would sell them at some huge profit I would agree.  Seems like he's doing this to help his local park?

Mar 29 2012 12:44PM
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DubV134
Posts: 1541 - Karma: 690
dude is PRRROOOOOOO
Mar 29 2012 12:53PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
I would sell them at cost if I can get the owner on board with it...my park could use it.

Here's what we have:
Butter box
Flat box
4 Flat rails
Corrugated pipe

However, we're under new management as of the beginning of the season this year, the new owner is the fucking man. So we're kind of working together on this
/lifestory
Mar 29 2012 4:07PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
In developing the mountain, that is.

And thanks so much to members above! This is great stuff!
Mar 29 2012 4:08PM
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MichaelAlsid
Posts: 205 - Karma: 110

what im thinkin gabe is a 10 foot flat, 3 foot down, 8 foot flat.  now thatd be fun

Apr 17 2012 9:47PM
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ThundaKilla
Posts: 2859 - Karma: 3,781
you are a god among men
Apr 17 2012 9:51PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
needs to be more future spinnable
Apr 17 2012 10:18PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Ben wtf is wrong with you
Apr 17 2012 10:19PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
its the AIDS im tellin ya
Apr 17 2012 10:22PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Just don't try to give them to your mother again...remember what happened last time?
Apr 17 2012 10:23PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
shut up and make your silly rail already
Apr 17 2012 10:24PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
Don't talk to me like I'm some sort of bitch Broto, I'll burn your house down

Since everyone is going to see that this was bumped, here's an update:

I'm trying to chase down the kid from the welding club to see what he thinks. I dropped it off to his buddy that was there with him the first time I went, left my contact info and haven't heard back since.
Apr 17 2012 10:27PM
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monkatizer
Posts: 4704 - Karma: 1,518
those kinks are wayyyy too steep!!

my mountain made one with 25* kinks i believe, and it sucked, no one can do shit on it, so they re made it with 20* kinks and its still too brutal.

MAKE IT WITH 15 DEGREE KINKS!!!!!
Apr 17 2012 10:33PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305
My final has 15 degree kinks. Should be smooth sailing
Apr 17 2012 11:09PM
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broto
Posts: 9039 - Karma: 25,662
make it down-flat-up-down for future spin switch ups. no less than 540swap
Apr 18 2012 8:14PM
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Davy.Crockett
Posts: 5373 - Karma: 324
seems like you have the whole kink situation pretty figured out. the rail you showed in the op basically looks like some kind of intense urban, and i think what you want is a kind of mellow park rail.
Apr 18 2012 8:25PM
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timC
Posts: 344 - Karma: 117
Make the first down longer and the flat longer. Shorten the last down and put a donkey dick on it. Than make the kinks each 30 degrees. Then it shall be a rail only for real men. You can gap both the down and donkey, or switch up from the flat to the donkey. To be steezy as fuck, as well as be Hesh/thug, whichever your preference is. Shit just got real.
Apr 18 2012 9:41PM
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jblaski
Posts: 5566 - Karma: 1,078
I just skimmed this thread, but I think someone else said it. The kinks are harsh. As someone who has spent a lot of years working in terrain parks, most kink rails are 10 degrees. If you really want to feel the thud of a kink, you can go to 15. Anything over that, and you'll just be praying that you survive it.
Apr 18 2012 9:58PM
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1337
Posts: 31049 - Karma: 29,195
this looks beautiful :')
Apr 18 2012 10:19PM
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Parks.
Posts: 5612 - Karma: 1,093
you sir.....are a very kind person
Apr 18 2012 10:55PM
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