[Savage_Animal]

I want to build a quarter pipe that is 8 feet wide, 6 feet tall, and im not sure about the radius yet. but anyway I want to transition to be made from 2x4s.. or any board for that matter maybe 1x6 or something. Not from plywood though, just strait up boards like a deck.

I've seen it done quite a few times, for example:

Kicker but same concept:

And basicly every ramp in the slopestyle part of this video (second part),Gornaya Karusel MTB open on Vimeo

Now heres where I need help, I've built a quarter pipe before but this is a harder to figure out, since I think if it just had the 2x4s laid across two boards they would have to much play in the middle. Im not sure. But doing a third support in the middle would be a damn lot of playwood, like 4 sheets of the thick expensive stuff. SO im thinking maybe not use playwood for the side supports and use something like 2x4s such as in the second two pictures and the video.

Any help or ideas on building something like this?

 

[brungeman]

ok, I wouldn't use ply for the transition pieces. I would use 2X12 backed with a 2x8 or 2x10 for support. Add a small piece at the top to complete the arc, but use all pressure treated. here is a quick illustration of the side transition. The blue outlined pieces are the main transition pieces, the redish is the scab piece just to finish off the arc. If it is to be mounted in place and not going to move, you can cement the post outlined in black into the ground, if you want to move it, then just throw a piece from the upright support to the front of the ramp where the transition starts and meets the ground. 2nd, I would recomend that your sweetspot (landing zone) be reinforced. 2x material when laid flat is fairly strong, but I would still put together a few supports. look for the arrows to see where I mean. Hope this helps as a quick sketch for you to start wrapping your head around it.

You could also just use steel! head to a fab shop and have them use a ring-roller to bend square tube or angle into your transition. Build the frame the same as if it were wood (only welded) and then mount your 2x's to that.

 

[sealclubber]

either way sounds super expensive

 

[ServeEm]

What's the reasoning behind this type of ramp?

 

[joelalamo45]

What's the reasoning behind this type of ramp?

I'm assuming to ride it.

 

[Savage_Animal]

ok, I wouldn't use ply for the transition pieces. I would use 2X12 backed with a 2x8 or 2x10 for support. Add a small piece at the top to complete the arc, but use all pressure treated. here is a quick illustration of the side transition. The blue outlined pieces are the main transition pieces, the redish is the scab piece just to finish off the arc. If it is to be mounted in place and not going to move, you can cement the post outlined in black into the ground, if you want to move it, then just throw a piece from the upright support to the front of the ramp where the transition starts and meets the ground. 2nd, I would recomend that your sweetspot (landing zone) be reinforced. 2x material when laid flat is fairly strong, but I would still put together a few supports. look for the arrows to see where I mean. Hope this helps as a quick sketch for you to start wrapping your head around it.

You could also just use steel! head to a fab shop and have them use a ring-roller to bend square tube or angle into your transition. Build the frame the same as if it were wood (only welded) and then mount your 2x's to that.

I see.. thats a pretty good idea. Actually isn't as complicated as it looks once I got what your saying. I think it might be hard to cut out that kind of transition from those boards though.
So int he end it will end up looking something like this but with more support:

So now if my ramp is 8 feet wide, you think i could get away with just doing two of those (one at each end)? or three (with one in the middle). Sorry the red arrows are a little confusing.

 

[cmc]

Savage, do you want the quarter to do 180 airs on? Like the first picture? If so, then build it just like that. It appears to me to be 8 foot tall with 8 foot transition or possible 9 foot tall with 9 foot transition.

It is bringing you right up to vert without any additional vert, just like old school / OG quarters.

By making it 6 feet tall, you either have to make it under-vert, chopped off like a typical bmx mini... or you have to make it really tight--6 foot tall with 6 foot transition, which I don't recommend.

Brungeman, I'm not getting why you say don't use ply for the transitions.... That's how you shape your radius/arc. My using several flat boards to make the transition you'll end up with the super old-school 3-kink quarter pipe??
like this pic:

why not draw an exact transition....?

 

[pnj]

No way will you be able to span 8 feet with the thin side of a 2x4 and not have HELLA flex. I wouldn't do less then 4 vertial transition pieces.

 

[brungeman]

Savage, that is e-zactly it! in my illustration I had another board under the one that you have cut as your transition as support. (the 2 boards outlined in blue. only one is actually cut, the other is just support! I would do 3 transitions for an 8' wide ramp.
as far as the arrows go, think of this, if you go to home depot or your local lumber yard and put a 2x4 on edge (standing tall) with one end up on the stack of lumber the other end on the floor and stand on the center, it is pretty hard to flex. If you put it flat on its face, that same board will flex and you may even be able to break it if it has a knot or weekness. same flex or breakage would happen with you on your bike landing in that transition. Even with 3 transitions (one on each end and another in the middle) you may have a week spot inbetween said trantition supports. what I used to do was reinforce the section in the meat of the transition where most people land. instead of a full length transition, cut a 4' section of transition (gray pieces in the new illustration) and put it in the middle suspended from 2 other 2x's (red blocks in the illustration) that go between the transion supports. So you would have 3 full transitions and 2 half transitions (as support)

CMC, no, do exactly what you would do with ply as your transition, only cut it out of 2x12.
Trying to screw or nail 2x4 decking into the edge of a sheet of 3/4 ply is a recipe for disaster. If you look closely at the pics that Savage posted, 2 of those ramps used 2x material as the transitions, the blue one was ply.

 

[buckoW]

I build ramps like this all the time in the summer for my job. A chainsaw is the easiest to cut the arc into the thick pieces of wood. If you use the tip of the blade and make multiple passes you can cut a nice radius.

I think a third stringer down the middle will help your boards from wiggle-ing loose. Use 2x4s as your riding surface and not 1x6s to keep the flex down.

 

[Savage_Animal]

Thanks for all the help guys.

It has to be 6 feet tall because it is going up against a 6 foot tall fence and im not allowed to build it any higher thent he fence or use the fence for any support. The main purpose is just to ride into after a landing to a jump not get any record high air outs, just some small bar spin airs, 360, and hopefully tailwhips if I ever catch pedals...

I just drew up some rough plans to get an idea of the right and left sides of the quarter and then i will do another third one in the middle as well as the two other supports brungeman suggested. What size board would I use for that the 2x12 as well?

Heres the picture, I labeled the board sizes but after uploading it ai realized it should be a 2x12, not a 2x6 for the transition piece, but to keep the cost down I will do a 2x4 under that. Also the spacing between the 2x4s if wayy off i'm planning on doing them right next to each other.

So does this look pretty accurate?

 

[buckoW]

It is easier to lay the 2x12s overlapping and fix them together and then cut your radius out of the boards. Normally with 3 pieces it should work. It will be wider in certain spots and that will help when you are screwing on your riding surface boards. Any flex you have in the riding surface boards will eventually make the board or boards come loose.

What radius are you going to do? I would do a 12 foot radius for a 6 foot ramp but that is probably a bit mellow for many people around here.

 

[pnj]

9 foot radius. BOOST!

 

[brungeman]

savage, right the F' on! you got it! take pics of the build!

 

[sittingduck]

Put at least a small deck on it... even a foot wide is enough so you can do tailstalls, footjams, etc. A deck will make it more stable too.

 

[sittingduck]

I calculated 37 2X4s to cover the transition of a 6 foot tall 9 foot radius. It's going to cost a little more than ply would, but should hold up a lot better.

 

[sixgun_sound]

Don't forget the old trick to use a carpenter's pencil as a spacer when you install the decking/surface. This will allow the right amount of space for water and debris to fall through. I realize it's not as much of an issue with a transition surface, but still.

 

[Savage_Animal]

savage, right the F' on! you got it! take pics of the build!

Great will do! Probly going up to home depot this weekend to get some wood to start her off. Gonna buy a ****load of 2x4s and then three 4x4s three 2x12 and that should be good for a while or at least the supports

Put at least a small deck on it... even a foot wide is enough so you can do tailstalls, footjams, etc. A deck will make it more stable too.

Its literaly going right up against a fence, I want to have room after I land before I hit the quarter. Plus I still have my other one that I do all the stalls on.

It is easier to lay the 2x12s overlapping and fix them together and then cut your radius out of the boards. Normally with 3 pieces it should work. It will be wider in certain spots and that will help when you are screwing on your riding surface boards. Any flex you have in the riding surface boards will eventually make the board or boards come loose.

What radius are you going to do? I would do a 12 foot radius for a 6 foot ramp but that is probably a bit mellow for many people around here.

Sounds like a good idea. hmm the radius... im not sure about that yet. Im thinging something like a 6.5 to 8 feet.. although the the steeper it is then the deeper I have to cut into the 2x12..

I calculated 37 2X4s to cover the transition of a 6 foot tall 9 foot radius. It's going to cost a little more than ply would, but should hold up a lot better.

Thats for the calculation. ouch.. not looking forward to the lumber bill. It will be worth it I think.

Don't forget the old trick to use a carpenter's pencil as a spacer when you install the decking/surface. This will allow the right amount of space for water and debris to fall through. I realize it's not as much of an issue with a transition surface, but still.

Thanks for the reminder, i'll be sure to do that.

 

[pnj]

6 foot radius would be a 6 foot tall vert ramp. 8 feet on a six foot tall ramp is a great mini ramp size and would give you a KILLER boost if it was a box jump lip.

6.5 would be really hard to use as a box jump, or even a spine for that matter.

and just curious, why are you going with this style of ramp instead of the plywood side/plywood surface style?

 

[Savage_Animal]

No more of a reason other then it looks really cool to me and I find working with plywood (bending it and so forth) a real huge pain in the ass. Plus the plywood cracks unless you do like two layers of it. Im hoping this ramp will be super solid, functional, and look sick.

Anyway for the radius I have a kicker with like an 8.5 radius thats 5 feet tall and just from riding it I know thats way to mellow. I have a 4 foot quarter with a 6 foot radius and thats to mellow as well (keeping in mind the hight) so yeah I don't want to go to vert on just a 6 foot ramp soooo.... probly 7 foot radius?

 

[joelalamo45]

7' radius on 26" wheels will suck. If you think a 8.5' radius is too mellow then you'll never be able to ride big slopestyle stuff. The Crankworx Colorado lips are 12' tranny's and 6'-7' tall. I could see riding your stuff on a 20, but not on big wheels.

 

[Savage_Animal]

7' radius on 26" wheels will suck. If you think a 8.5' radius is too mellow then you'll never be able to ride big slopestyle stuff. The Crankworx Colorado lips are 12' tranny's and 6'-7' tall. I could see riding your stuff on a 20, but not on big wheels.

Shit I must have my radiuses mixed up then. Idk maybe Im just used to the super steep skatepark quarters. In any case, now I'm all confused. What do you think i should make it then?

 

[Savage_Animal]

And so it begins.....

 

[pnj]

Looks like a good start.

what's the radius of the jump in the background?

 

[Savage_Animal]

Update:
Ended up making the radius 8 feet, just cut my first side support. Also decided to scrap making the mid supports and just do 4 overall supports. More pics soon.

Looks like a good start.

what's the radius of the jump in the background?

only about 40 more 2x4's left to buy ahah.

Thats about 8.5 feet I think... maybeee a little more, but only 5 feet high. To get an idea of whats going on here quarter is going after the landing to that.

 

[Savage_Animal]

Heres the progress so far. I completely ran out of screws and I still need to buy a ton of 2x4s, but the hard part im guessing is done. Its actually sorta sideways in this picture: the part thats sticking up supposed to be on the ground and the part thats on the ground is the back... if that makes any sense.

Got tired of building and decided to make a little video, yeahhhh.

Page not found on Vimeo

So whatcha guys think?

 

[Stoked]

looks great so far.

 

[v-digit]

def jealous of your private bball court. i want to build some 1/4

 

[Savage_Animal]

BAM.

This took so long. Setting it up right was easily 10 times harder then building it. Its insanely heavey so moving it by myself was basicly inching it inch by inch for half an hour only to find I hadn't dug it in right... anyway its got bricks as a base, 3 steaks at least two feet in the ground, and its solid as fuck.

 

[Cru Jones]

Damn, nice work. I want to shred your place!

 

[Savage_Animal]

Damn, nice work. I want to shred your place!

Thanks. You should

 

[Savage_Animal]

Its DONE. Thanks for all the help guys!

 

[sittingduck]

Looks sweet. I bet it's really solid.

 

[brungeman]

Right on! solid my friend... solid!

 

[Savage_Animal]

Looks sweet. I bet it's really solid.

Yeah with the three steaks int he ground and everything its super solid. Only thing is i think i put too many screws in the ribs.. cuz it makes cracking noises when I go over it. oh well..

Pretty stoked tho, so far I've got x-up air outs pretty dialed, could never do those. landed a few 360's to fakie but never came out of them. And the closest I got to a tailwhip air was slipping one pedal.