Cadwell / UKSSA ramp

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Michael Stride
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Cadwell / UKSSA ramp

Post by Michael Stride » Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:49 pm

just so its kept in the archives, here is progress on the the newest UK ramps:
Ive been down to the far West, to see the ramps courtesy of Len 'the Luge' Stocker....In between making bits for cars, vans, bikes and the odd Spitfire he's working on our ramps. I just need to see that they were heading along the right way and Len doesnt dissapoint.<br><br>Right, story time:<br><br>The down slopes are aluminium, wide enough for a good push from the gate. Here is a sheet next to the folding machine.<br><img src='http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ ... r><br>Each base rests on a ladder of aluminium, folded for added strength, and 'deep' enough for sponsors logos on the sides. To describe how stiff these were is hard, no flex, but one person can lift the entire slope.<br><img src='http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ ... '><br><img src='http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ ... br><br>The base of the slope is nice and gentle, and will have replaceable lips , here is the rough design.<br><img src='http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ ... br><br>The platforms will be along the lines of this, these are the trolleys Len uses to shift metal around the stores, and not a million miles from what we need. We tested differnt bars for grippage, and checked the gates were wide enough to allow a good pull. Again, these trolleys cope with a hell of a lot of weight and no amount of pulling up the poles could make it twist or bend.<br><br>The platform will be constructed from STAINLESS steel!!! which makes for easy maintenance, and will look good and last a long time. The surface will be marine ply, with a backboard. Remneber, this is a triolley, NOT the final ramp Ok!!<br><img src='http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ ... <br>Lastly, we do need an easy way onto the ramp dont we:<br><img src='http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v317/ ... g'><br><br>

Wesley Tucker
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Post by Wesley Tucker » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:10 pm

Stridely,

Totally cool.

One question. Is there a plan for some sort of anti-skid on the ramp surface? In know it's a short distance but with the way skaters now lunge out of the ramp I can see someone easily getting sideways between the top and bottom.
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Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:43 pm

In all likelihood the surface will be acid etch primed, if that surface is grippy enough we may leave it at that, or we may paint with matt. if we dont do that skaters use coca cola wash to add grip to metal ramps.

Also, as the ramp is wide ish it inspires confidence. There will be 50mm orange reflective stripes down the side.

Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:20 pm

The finish has been finalised.

Ali surface is cleaned to get rid of any grease, then orbital sanded. Then a coat of etch primer.

Over the top of that we will be using an Anti - Slip floor paint in light grey to reflect as much heat as possible. 9We should be so lucky!) On the edges of the ramp we have 5 cm orange reflective tape.

All Janis work in showing so many different ramps has been very useful.

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Post by Jani Soderhall » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:40 pm

Michael Stride wrote:All Janis work in showing so many different ramps has been very useful.
I'm glad that it has been useful. The strange thing is that there is no such thing as a ramp design, I mean fully complete, detailed plans on how to build one. We really should have a standard set of drawings that we can put into the hands of anyone who wants to build a set of ramps.

There is still reason to continue collecting images, ideas, drawings as there are still ramps to be improved, and I'm not sure we've built the ultimate one yet, although this one definitely comes close! We're having new ramps built in Paris this year too. Not as professional as yours look, but hopefully the outcome will be good too.

/Jani

Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:17 pm

Jani, I discussed palns with Len, but he said every metal workshop would have different tools and ideas and access to materials. His shop has Ally and Stainless which is ideal.

Im not sure whether a 'standard' needs to be set, but getting a good knowledge of different ramp styles has been useful. Some rampes are too wide at the gates, some too narrow. Ours will be optimum width I hope, but we did think long and hard about the pull handles.

Some shapes are true 'S's and I felt too much of an angle will scare people. But if we have an optimum height and launch poles the racer can choose to pull hard, roll in, pump the transistion, or any combination to get speed up.But Ams and newbies will be able to gently roll in as well.......all going well!

In the end we are using a 2.5cmx 7 cm box section,with the narrow edge facing forward. This means the hand can wrap around it. Also they are at a height and 'capped' so you can hold it on the top. Also you can wrap your hands either way round as there arnt bits to get in the way.

Using horizontal hand hold bars could get in the way I think.

Anyway, if it doesnt work we'll weld new handles on!

I will post pictures of the completed ramps and feedback after the race too.

Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Tue Feb 05, 2008 4:30 pm

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2341/224 ... c1.jpg?v=0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/southcoast ... 848666020/

I was able to transport the ramps in the van 90% assembled. All we had to do was drop the slope in, do up four bolts and drop the wood platform in.

Behind the end of the curved slope is a ledge 17mm away fro the edge, so the 18mm board rests on that area always leaving a small imperceptable drop.

The surface was sanded the etch rpimed then two coats of anti slip. You could walk up the front but was smooth enough for wheels.

The to surface of the platform was painted in blackboard paint.

We used handle bar tape for grip on the poles and feed back was they were the correct width and height and beiong made form 2" x 1" stainless thin side forward they were great to grab hold of.

They proved immenselt strong and the snothness of the roll out was appreciated. By the end of the day racers were flying of them, No slips at all.

Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Tue Feb 05, 2008 8:12 pm

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Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Wed Feb 06, 2008 6:53 pm

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Jonathan Harms
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Post by Jonathan Harms » Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:37 pm

Must have been one hell of a wind that day. It blew Fadell's shirt clean off!

Pelle Gustafsson
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yea

Post by Pelle Gustafsson » Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:44 pm

windy!!! evan my pants went off!!!

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Pants!

Post by Claude Regnier » Wed Feb 06, 2008 11:14 pm

Pelle? You were wearing pants for a change? C'mon!

C-U in Augusy,EH!
Many Happy Pumps!

Michael Stride
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Some pics of the ramps at Wasteland

Post by Michael Stride » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:22 am

Thanks to Jason Bishop for the pictures:
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Wesley Tucker
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Post by Wesley Tucker » Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:41 pm

Michael,

Saw a TV commercial today and I remembered your metal start ramp:

http://www.herculiner.com/product_info.html

It's a do-it-yourself truck-bed liner. Comes in a one-gallon can like paint and is put on with a paint roller. Puts a urethane/rubber textured coating on metal surfaces.

Anyway, I saw it and wanted to pass it along.
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Michael Stride
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Post by Michael Stride » Sat Jul 19, 2008 10:22 am

Thanks Wes, its funny how things stick in the mind.

I use a product from a company called 'Fascinating Finishes'
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Anti-Slip-Polyure ... m153.l1262

It rolls on smooth over etch primer and then after 1/2 an hour a fine grain appears, similar to if you hand spray sand. Two coaqts.

It gives enough of a grip to the surface for non slippage, but under the wheels its imperceptable.


Funny you posting today as Im re-painting the ramps as after hard use the slope could do with a good clean, and a chum made some excellent stencils of my logo so it will (hopefully) look fab.

What has been good is being able to take the ramps out of the barn each month or so and find them still in great condition. They seem sturdy enough yet light enough for two people to move.

Michael Stride
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Repaint

Post by Michael Stride » Tue Jul 22, 2008 10:54 am

Ramps repainted and logod up with Octane logo at a juanty angle and a drop shadow...(a

Assembly time is four bolts, 5 mins to get both ramps up and running. You can just see on the left hand end of the ramp (top) the shiny silver bit, which is a pice of right angle ally positoned to make a 17mm lip for the fornt edge of the wooden top sheet to meet which is 18mm thick so you always have a drop down onto the ramp rather than a small upwards lip. Makes for smoother roll ins.

Bearing up to sustained use. Enjoyed by (almost) everyone.
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Re: Cadwell / UKSSA ramp

Post by Michael Stride » Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:39 am

The refurbed ramps (re-paint, checked welds, new rear wood platforms, new handlebar tape) at Hog Hill last weekend. It was a rainy day on Sunday so using stainles metal ramps is a good choice, we can leave them out and not worry. The pic shows the timer clocks on black stands, and a third black box to hold the timer lights and shade from sun.

We tested and used the new false start detectors, and now ordered 2 more ramp width tape switched to enable this better (the longer tape switches were too wide.). Also we added load beebers to each ramp (reversing beepers from lorries)

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