Member of the Month

theabortionator
April, 2025

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!

Home park rail design (Help!)

profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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!
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
skiman12321
Posts: 524 - Karma: 194
I would think about making the flat part a bit longer
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Dr.Gonzo
Posts: 2552 - Karma: 87
not really, the kink isn't even that crazy.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
vault.
Posts: 469 - Karma: 92
A pipe would work better for the copings i'm guessing.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Flying~Squirrel
Posts: 6494 - Karma: 190
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
Thank you so much! I appreciate it
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11990 - Karma: 12,272
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.

13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TACO-DOG.exe
Posts: 11990 - Karma: 12,272
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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 (:
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
TOAST.
Posts: 7737 - Karma: 39,465
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
$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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
Thank you...very helpful
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
T.L.
Posts: 4731 - Karma: 3,017
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!
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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?

13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
DubV134
Posts: 1541 - Karma: 695
dude is PRRROOOOOOO
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
In developing the mountain, that is.

And thanks so much to members above! This is great stuff!
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
MichaelAlsid
Posts: 205 - Karma: 110

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

13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
ThundaKilla
Posts: 2864 - Karma: 3,791
you are a god among men
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
broto
Posts: 9040 - Karma: 25,673
needs to be more future spinnable
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
Ben wtf is wrong with you
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
broto
Posts: 9040 - Karma: 25,673
its the AIDS im tellin ya
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
Just don't try to give them to your mother again...remember what happened last time?
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
broto
Posts: 9040 - Karma: 25,673
shut up and make your silly rail already
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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!!!!!
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 306
My final has 15 degree kinks. Should be smooth sailing
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
broto
Posts: 9040 - Karma: 25,673
make it down-flat-up-down for future spin switch ups. no less than 540swap
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
jblaski
Posts: 5569 - Karma: 1,130
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.
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
1337
Posts: 31078 - Karma: 29,667
this looks beautiful :')
13 years ago
0 0
profile picture
Parks.
Posts: 5612 - Karma: 1,093
you sir.....are a very kind person
13 years ago
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 5:32PM