Member of the Month

KilaTsunami
October, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

The perfect backyard setup

profile picture
D@n.
Posts: 84 - Karma: 181
Hey NS, my name is Dan and I am a Master's student in Technical Entrepreneurship here at Lehigh University. I am currently researching the potential for manufacturing a legit backyard rail setup for use by skiers like yourself on the off-season. If you wouldn't mind taking just five minutes to fill out the following survey, I would truly appreciate your help.

https://docs.google.com/a/lehigh.edu/forms/d/1iiUEKV5tZdI0SyD-n2rkRNPXe8Tc-T7eksEiRCK1W9s/viewform

If you would like me to keep you updated on this project, just hit me up with a PM and I would be more than happy to share the results of the survey or fill you in on the details.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Sep 24 2013 10:49PM
119 2
profile picture
Willskiforfree
Posts: 929 - Karma: 3,167
Sick! make it cheap though..
Sep 24 2013 10:53PM
7 0
profile picture
Joshua.
Posts: 2957 - Karma: 6,230
done. cool idea.
Sep 24 2013 10:56PM
4 0
profile picture
cultrara
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 46,850
Done, good luck man!
Sep 24 2013 11:00PM
4 0
profile picture
Catbug
Posts: 463 - Karma: 1,027
Finished. This could save lives. Not enough speed on the inrun of the sketch setup is the fucking scariest thing ever. That and when your rail falls over due to lack of support..
Sep 24 2013 11:07PM
6 0
profile picture
Scotty_Boy
Posts: 777 - Karma: 1,449
Internet keeps going out right now, so threads for later.
Sep 24 2013 11:09PM
5 0
profile picture
Willskiforfree
Posts: 929 - Karma: 3,167
Am i the only person that uses a banshee bungee for the speed..? i dont need any ice or dishsoap..
Sep 24 2013 11:26PM
6 0
profile picture
D@n.
Posts: 84 - Karma: 181
Thanks for the responses so far guys, they really help!

@ willskiforfree I heard Banshee Bungee went out of business recently, know anything about that?
Sep 24 2013 11:36PM
4 0
profile picture
Finkle
Posts: 959 - Karma: 850
Done, I am interested in what comes of this. Good Luck!!
Sep 24 2013 11:42PM
4 0
profile picture
Errl
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 451
Lehigh?! No shit! I don't go there, but live right down the road. That's all I have for this thread. Oh, did your survey too :)
Sep 24 2013 11:43PM
4 0
profile picture
Nessie
Posts: 89 - Karma: 86
Done. I'm very excited for this.
Sep 24 2013 11:46PM
4 0
profile picture
J-C
Posts: 1138 - Karma: 3,683
that's a sick idea hope you manage to make it happen
Sep 24 2013 11:47PM
4 0
profile picture
J-T
Posts: 269 - Karma: 697
Done done. Sounds neat-o-rooni.
Sep 24 2013 11:53PM
4 0
profile picture
MitchT
Posts: 560 - Karma: 4,095
done, awesome idea so pumped.
Sep 25 2013 12:36AM
4 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
Sounds like a cool idea in theory, but I cant see there being a large enough market for this, not to mention you really would need to know most peoples yard layout to be able to build anything for them. Unless you are going to be coming to everyones houses around the country, I dont see much point other than maybe providing people with plans.
On a second note, I think the reason most peoples summer setups look really sketchy is because they use anything they have lying around to make it, because that stuff is free. For 50 dollars or so and some really, really basic woodworking knowledge, you can build a killer 12 foot backyard rail that is solid as hell. I dont see how you can beat price on that.
There are already companies that manufacture rails and will gladly ship you a park quality rail if you have the cash to pay for one.
Sep 25 2013 3:00AM
8 1
profile picture
Truetape
Posts: 291 - Karma: 227
done. Like the idea
Sep 25 2013 3:08AM
4 0
profile picture
theabortionator
Posts: 51513 - Karma: 160,913
I like the concept to an extent but is it practical? You're talking about pre fabricated setups? How big will your drop in be to give you enough speed? How much will something like that cost to ship in addition to building?

You also have some competition in the backyard rails department at this point, as well as many people being happy with their basic pvc creations and slightly ghetto drop ins.

That said I wish you the best of luck.
Sep 25 2013 4:01AM
3 0
profile picture
Rparr
Posts: 5547 - Karma: 45,353
I feel like rather than selling pre-built setups, you should build them for people, as they often turn into permanent structures.

Take a look at my pictures if you want drop in ideas. I just think a really solid drop in can't be pre-built. Mine took forever to build it the way I wanted it
Sep 25 2013 7:54AM
3 0
profile picture
D@n.
Posts: 84 - Karma: 181
Thanks again guys for the feedback, keep it coming!

@NH_OPERATOR We've definitely talked about this hurdle, and we have some ideas for acquiring yard specs. You're definitely right about the price point on the homemade jibs, and that's exactly why we're doing this survey, to see if there is interest for anything a little more solid at a little higher of a cost. We do understand our customers and would price competitively

@Wanker_Tanker Any chance you can point me towards the competition you're talking about? We are trying to gauge what's out there and if we have a fit in the market.

@Rparr Sick drop in. What were some of the specifics that took time to figure out?
Sep 25 2013 8:42AM
2 0
profile picture
Fitz_
Posts: 427 - Karma: 592
Done
Sep 25 2013 10:01AM
2 0
profile picture
Stainr
Posts: 1186 - Karma: -1,150
inb4 $10,000
Sep 25 2013 11:13AM
2 1
profile picture
werd.
Posts: 967 - Karma: 4,330
I made a thread about this earlier this year https://www.newschoolers.com/ns/forums/readthread/thread_id/746277/


might help you in some way
Sep 25 2013 11:20AM
2 0
profile picture
BLACKLIVESMATTER
Posts: 721 - Karma: 1,255
done, good on ya this should be sick
Sep 25 2013 1:10PM
2 0
profile picture
NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
The problem you have with aquiring back yard specs, is that then you are either planning on flying out to someones yard to get them, or relying on the person buying to be able to give you area, change in slope, ect, which is not something that is particularly easy to do. I would argue that its harder than building the stuff yourself really unless your yard is perfectly flat. I could see a pre-fab structure that would work for all flat yards of x by y yards, but as soon as you throw a slope in, all that goes to hell.

As far as stuff being solid, again with basically a circular saw, a power drill and a tape measure you can build some seriously solid stuff. Take my rail that I made, in about 3 hours with nothing but those 3 tools.
Click for larger image
Super solid, cost I think 50 dollars not counting the 2 power tools used. I would love to hear your ideas on how to ship something  this large and heavy, pre fabbed and not require it it to roll up on a flatbed to someones house. Shipping cost on that 50 dollar, 3 hours of work rail would likely amount to 100-200 dollars easily.



Sep 25 2013 5:28PM
2 0
profile picture
Rparr
Posts: 5547 - Karma: 45,353
The first time I built the drop in, it was covered in lattice and turf. I deconstructed it to change some transition angles to optimize speed. I tried again with lattice and turf. Still wasn't where I wanted it. After doing that, I decided to re-surface the whole thing with mSnow, which took much longer than I anticipated. I also had to change some transition angles, as the angles felt rougher on mSnow than on turf.

I just think making a quality setup is a lot more time consuming and involved that most think. My current setup is the result of 2 summers of building and riding.

You'd have to make some really nice shit to convince people to pay you to build their setups, as most people can build a pretty nice setup on their own with some work.
Sep 25 2013 7:05PM
1 0
profile picture
1kewldewd
Posts: 796 - Karma: 1,147
I did the survey
Sep 25 2013 7:38PM
1 0
profile picture
Deforestation
Posts: 1606 - Karma: 3,192
This would be freaking awesome
Sep 25 2013 7:44PM
1 0
profile picture
d00d
Posts: 2687 - Karma: 7,086
I just finished filling it out. Literally the most important concern would have to be durability. *cough* *cough* David Baird *cough*
Sep 25 2013 7:57PM
4 0
profile picture
Tree60
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 4,961
I think a good assumption would be flat yards, and then make it pretty easy to change the angle that the drop in is sitting on. F
Sep 25 2013 8:09PM
1 0
profile picture
will_powder
Posts: 3194 - Karma: 5,445
did doth survey
Sep 25 2013 8:10PM
1 0
profile picture
D@n.
Posts: 84 - Karma: 181
Thank you once again for all your help! Keep it coming, the more responses we get, the better chance we'll have at making this a reality!
Sep 25 2013 9:18PM
1 0
profile picture
connorflynn
Posts: 148 - Karma: 408
Done. Good idea!
Sep 25 2013 11:12PM
1 0
profile picture
*ninja*
Posts: 2108 - Karma: 1,143
done good survey
Sep 25 2013 11:27PM
3 0
profile picture
Scotty_Boy
Posts: 777 - Karma: 1,449
Finished. Best of luck to you, this is one of the best ideas I've seen on this website.
Sep 25 2013 11:49PM
1 0
profile picture
KingGeedorah
Posts: 890 - Karma: 1,576
I did the survey, but in all honesty probably wouldn't buy it. I made my own setup for relatively little cost and it works fine. But it'll be nice to see what you come up with. Maybe if it's that much better, I'll reconsider.
Sep 26 2013 12:13AM
1 0
profile picture
kung_powpow
Posts: 1990 - Karma: 3,671
Not that hard to build a 15 foot rail rail for around $25
Sep 26 2013 8:32AM
1 0
profile picture
whynotski226
Posts: 146 - Karma: 39
done! if you need "guinea pigs" I'm in Abington!
Sep 26 2013 10:45AM
1 0
profile picture
D@n.
Posts: 84 - Karma: 181
Nice! I'll definitely need some prototype testers, I'll hit you up
Sep 26 2013 7:43PM
1 0
All times are Eastern (-4)