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Homemade rail - couple of questions

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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430

Alright so i built a 15 ft dual pvc rail.  Today massachusetts got its first legit snow and we piled up a shitload and decided to finally hit it.  Now, the forecast has changed and its supposed to be 40 degrees monday and tuesday during the day. (my zip code is 01772 if you want to look up the weather)

first of all, how much snow is going to melt? we spent a long time (like 3 1/2 hours) building the drop in and take off.

Is there any way I can make less snow melt?

If I pour water on the drop in and take off and everything and it freezes overnight, will that help in the long run?

alright those are the snow based questions, now I have a few on the aesthetics of the rail.

Literally the FIRST time we hit it this happened.

Click for larger imageClick for larger image

Now its kind of hard to tell, but thats the beginning of the rail and one side of the pvc chipped.  That's a screw, not a nail.

Next,

Click for larger imageClick for larger image

Alright so using the build-a-jib method of attaching 2 five feet to 2 ten foot pvs, this occured.  I swear the space was not as big befored.  and that crack is pretty sizeable.

I hear of people getting like 3 years out of their pvc rails, why is mine breaking so quick? its super sturdy just the pvc has failed miserably.

What should I do about the cracks and spaces?  I superglued the first crack just to prevent further cracking for the timebeing but idk what to do, is it okay to hit?

thanks.

Dec 6 2009 6:01PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430
seriously, why does it always post my pictures twice?  Sorry for the dub post. and for the dub pictures.
Dec 6 2009 6:02PM
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nipples-the-cat
Posts: 643 - Karma: 28
just pile more snow on top of it, but you shouldnt have to worry about to much snow melting to begin with
Dec 6 2009 6:19PM
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Baskin.
Posts: 1387 - Karma: 13
cover the snow with tarp
Dec 6 2009 6:22PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430

We've gotten a total of 2.5 inches of snow this year.  The next snow expected is wednesday and thats supposed to be a tiny bit of snow then a bunch of rain.  after that its not for another week or snow

literally we shoveled my entire front yard's snow for this.   front yards about a half or quarter acre or something

and for the person saying use a tarp - i dont think i have one, any working substitutes? i.e. a bunch of trash bags or something?

Dec 6 2009 6:42PM
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.SimonB.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 713
believe it or not, sidewalk salt. i bought a 50 lbs. bag of salt at lowes for $6. just spread some on it, and i freezes up real nice. it makes it harder to melt. a tarp plus salt would be great. also for next time, but some turf down before you pile up the snow to insulated it from below b/c most likely the ground isnt frozen yet. I used salt on rink snow a few weeks ago and a 3 inch deep, 2 ft wide and 30 ft long strip of snow last mayb 3 days in 50 degree weather, my jump that was also had some salt on it lasted for 6 days with highest temp being 65 degrees and 2 heavy rain storms. to give you an idea of how much salt i would say 1 grain for every 4" squared (a 2"x2" area needs about 1 grain) Good luck and PM me if you have anymore questions
Dec 6 2009 6:51PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430

I know you're probably right, but how isn't sidewalk salt supposed to melt snow?

I think I my dad bought this big bucket of salt at lowes, will that work?  He bought it to melt ice though so again im kind of confused on how it all works

and thanks a ton. +karma

Dec 6 2009 7:02PM
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Clownz
Posts: 116 - Karma: 68

i had white pvc too and after like sessioning 2 hours there was cracks everywhere.

i bought new thicker black pvc and i hope it'll work.

Dec 6 2009 7:06PM
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.SimonB.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 713
it melts the surface of the snow and the snow below it refreezes it to make a good hard crust, its what the park crews use.
Dec 6 2009 7:57PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430

kind of late now.

and alright, im going to get the name of the salt my dad bought and post back.

Dec 6 2009 8:19PM
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Stockie.
Posts: 32 - Karma: 18
for your gap problem you can take off the first 10ft pvc pipes and get a thin board and put that inbetween the original wood and the pvcClick for larger image
Dec 6 2009 8:28PM
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weley
Posts: 387 - Karma: 195
you can get different thicknesses of pvc
Dec 6 2009 8:30PM
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weley
Posts: 387 - Karma: 195
that doesnt change the temperature.  and temperature is what melts snow
Dec 6 2009 8:31PM
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.SimonB.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 713
yes, but it insulates it from the outside air. the snow will cool the air under the tarp and the tarp will capture that cool air and make a microenvironment with a lower temp than the outside air. more layers the better. straw, grass and wool are also great insulators, but you might want to put another tarp inbetween those and the snow.
Dec 6 2009 8:44PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430
alright, will this work?
how much should i use (if it does)?
Click for larger image
Dec 6 2009 9:18PM
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nikitos.05
Posts: 64 - Karma: 8

firs, why the hell whould you put a screw in the side of the pvc pipe? second i think to solv the crack problem if you have a fire torch or some thing you can just unscrew the pipes melt them togather and then screw it back down

Dec 6 2009 9:21PM
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bb_Skier
Posts: 158 - Karma: 63
P rails crack all the time especially when it does get colder they become more brittle. We have to replace ours at least once or twice a year
Dec 6 2009 9:22PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430
what are you talking about? there's no screws in the side of the pvc. and I don't have a fire torch..

The both pvcs are screwed at about 1 foot intervals from under the 2x4 except the beginning and end of the pvc, which is screwed from the inside of the pvc down.
Dec 6 2009 9:29PM
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nikitos.05
Posts: 64 - Karma: 8
ooooo my bad on the pic it just looks like iit screwed from the side... the pics are really bright
Dec 6 2009 9:32PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430
yea, shitty blackberry camera + sun setting at like 4:30 = terrible picture
Dec 6 2009 9:34PM
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.SimonB.
Posts: 1959 - Karma: 713
rock salt is best, but that might work. you might get a little too much melting tho. i use about a handful for a 2'x2' area
Dec 6 2009 10:16PM
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sneezin
Posts: 632 - Karma: 430
yea, it does say "melts faster than rock salt"

is it worth it?
Dec 6 2009 10:22PM
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