artes, 22 de septiembre de 2009

Construccin de obstculos: la rueda

Nuevamente nos ponemos manos a la obra contruyendo obstculos; esta vez, la rueda.
La estructura est armada en total con 5 tubos de 1 metro, 4 conectores en forma de T y
2 codos; para hacer la rueda utilic una manguera de plstico y fij a la estructura con
una cuerda de algodn.

La estructura

La rueda

El toque de color

Cha chaaaaaaaaaaan!!!

Para evitar que l obstculo se d vuelta utilic clavos. Otra opcin es hacer las patas
ms largas.

Por supuesto, la Julieta estuvo gustosa de posar para mostrar el obstculo terminado

The tyre jump should conform to the following regulations.

Hoop-(Tyre) - Aperture diameter 533mm (1ft 9ins) minimum

ground: Large Dogs 800mm (2ft 7.5ins). Medium Dogs 55
490mm (1ft 7.3ins). The hoop to be of a consistent shape, co
absorbing material. The height of the hoop should not be lowe
directly mounted in a substantial frame structure which must b
dogs cannot knock the obstacle over from either direction; the
across the top.

Training
If your dog is new to agility he or she will need to learn the tyre jump under the sup
trainer. The best way to prevent accidents and injuries is to train under controlled co
at an angle or at the end of a line of jumps and I don't let Sasha take it at full speed.
Making a tyre jump
First of all you'll need to buy something to make the
hoop part of the new tyre. I thought of buying a
swimming noodle like the ones pictured right. These
could be bent into a ring shape with the ends taped
together, or you can buy a connector that will do the
job for you. Unfortunately the Kennel Club changed
the regs after the end of the swimming season, so I
bought 2 metres of pipe insulation as shown on the
far right.

If you are constructing a frame for a tyre jum

substantial so that it doesn't blow over in the
by a big dog like Jamie. The design can va
you have at hand but it mustn't have a cross

To make the frame I used the same principle

construction shown left, but in the tyre jump
measure 118cm.

different feet but this is only because

original tyre and I needed some extra

For ou
the upr
struts t

The pipe insulation was easily bent so that the ends

form a hoop. I was a bit stumped as to how I shoul
insulation isn't as tough as a motorbike tyre. At firs
but the chain pulled through the insulation when I t
is the only one likely to use it I decided that I could
duck tape.

Finally I wound some of the tape round the botto

paw would be less likely to damage it. After a li
finished and it was time to try it out on Sasha. T
we couldn't catch her actually going through it.
left and our attempts to catch Sasha going throug

Weeeeeeee!!! This is fun. Have I really got to let Jamie have a go?

My go!!! I can jump it at that height, yes I can, but if you insist I suppose I'd better
on its side. Our humans never seem to know what they want these days.

STORE
Build It Yourself Agility Equipment

Tire Jump
Equipment
Parts (one complete jump)
Saw, pipe cutter, or sawz-all
2 pieces 48" x 1" schedule 40 PVC
(top and bottom bars)
Drill

2 pieces 60" x 1" schedule 40 PVC

" bore (A bore resembles a drill bit but
(uprights)
has a sharply pointed center. They're
4 pieces 15" x 1" schedule 40 PVC
found in the same section as drill bits in
your hardware store. Bores produce
(feet)
smoother holes and go through
4 1" PVC pipe end caps
drainage tubing better than bits. They're
2 1" PVC 4-Way Tees
also easier to find in the " size)
2 1" PVC Elbows
Screwdriver
8 1" x 1" eye bolts (1" diam x 1" stem)
Tape measure/yard stick
8 wing toggles (*See alternative below)

PVC cement
Marker

White out or light-colored paint pen

3 washers
92" of 4" flexible drainage pipe
2 36" cloth-covered bungees
24" plastic landscaping chain
1 mending link for landscaping chain
1 carabiner
5 cable ties

colorful duct/tarp tape

Directions
Frame
1. Mark spot 8" from each end of both 48" pvc pieces
2. Bore " hole through upper wall of both pipes at marks
3. Choose one piece of pipe as your frame top and mark at 24" (center)
4. Bore " hole at mark through upper wall of top pipe
5. Insert two 15" pvc pieces (feet) into base of 4-Way Tee
6. Insert bottom 48" pvc piece into remaining opening of 4-Way Tee with holes
pointing up
7. Insert 60" pvc piece (upright) into upright joint of 4-Way Tee
8. Attach PVC elbow on top of upright
9. Repeat steps 5-8 for opposite side, joining uprights with top and bottom
bars making sure everything looks correct. Holes in top bar should point
down (inside of jump frame). Holes in bottom bar should point up (inside of
jump frame)
10. DON'T GLUE sides, top, or bottom bars if you will ever need to knock down
your Tire Jump for transport or storage. Gluing the feet is recommended,
however.
If your Tire Jump is permanent, glue joints one by one, removing PVC
pieces from joints and dabbing PVC cement inside openings of the joints.
Quickly re-insert pipe taking care everything is pointing in the correct
direction. PVC Cement sets fast. Make sure you know which direction
your joint should face before you glue!
11. Cap ends of feet
Tire
1. Form drainage tubing into ring, overlapping edges about 4". Measure to
make sure Tire has 24" inner diameter...adjust as needed
2. Mark 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, and 9 o'clock positions on the outside of the tire
with White Out or paint pen, using overlap as 12 o'clock
3. Bore " hole at each mark
4. Place washer on 1" x 1" eye bolt and thread wing toggle.
5. Insert through hole until the wing toggle springs open
6. Hand tighten
7. Repeat process at 9 o'clock and 12 o'clock holes
8. Duct tape seam well
9. Stripe tire as desired
Assembly
1. Place washer on 1" x 1" eye bolt and thread wing toggle.
2. Insert through first hole in top bar until the wing toggle springs open.
3. Tighten by putting your screwdriver through the eye and turning
4. Repeat process for each hole in top and bottom bars
5. Attach carabiner to top center eye
6. Use mending link to attach chain to 12 o'clock eye in tire
7. Attach chain to carabiner to hang tire
8. Run bungee through 3 o'clock eye bolt

9. Snap each end of bungee to eye at top and bottom of frame

10. Repeat for 9 o'clock eye bolt

11. Determine which link the tire should hang from for each jump height and
fasten a cable tie to mark each
12. Decorate your Tire Jump with Duct or Tarp tape

*Alternative to Wing Toggles

If you have a good building supply store, ask for Toggler brand toggle bolts in the
" - 20 size. These nifty toggles are sold separate from the bolts, and have a builtin plastic mounting handle and washer that makes them much easier to work with.
[

See Picture 1 | Picture 2]

Drill the same " hole. Bend the plastic toggler applicator to insert the nut into the
tire. Pull the toggle flush to the inside wall of the tire, and slide the plastic washer
up the applicator (like a cable tie) until snug. Break off app

Adjustable Jump Cups

Posted by rogerlos
April 13, 2008

Adjustable cups for holding cross-bars make constructing standard ju

mping obstacles a piece of cake. The secret to our cups is to raid the do-it-yourself
irrigation section at Home Depot. Each cup will take just a few minutes to make and
cost about $1.
The clip-on part of the cup is sold as a 1-inch Snap On Saddle for irrigation systems
and can be found (usually) sharing the same aisle as the pipe fittings. Making cups this
way means that your cross-pieces need to be pipe (ideally). The smaller pipe for the
cross pieces will be easier on your dogs paws if they do strike the bar, too.

Tools
You will need your PVC cutter, a marker and a measuring tape or ruler.

Materials
Each cup will require one saddle piece and one 2 section of 1 diameter PVC pipe. You
need two cups to hold up one bar.

Assembly

Important Safety Note: When you use the PVC cutter to make the lengthwise cuts in the
PVC pipe, you are using it in a way it was not designed for. Its pretty safe but take your
time and be very aware of where your fingers are when youre making the lengthwise
cuts. The cutter cuts as slowly as you squeeze, but it is sharp, so be careful!

Here are the (uncleaned) pieces you need to make one cup. On the left is the Snap
Saddle as can be seen from its label, and on the right is a two inch section of 1
diameter PVC pipe. Make a pen mark from the end of the pipe; this will guide you
when making the cut partially through the pipe.

Using the mark you made, cut a little more than halfway through the pipe, as illustrated
above. Certain professional organizations have precise measurements for the depth of
the cup, but a bit more than halfway is fine for casual agility.
To remove the partially cut pipe from the cutter, open the jaws and use a rotating motion
parallel to the blade .

This is what your pipe will look like when you remove it from the cutter.

I have made a mark on the pipe to guide me as I place the blade to make the long cut. I
eyeballed it by looking at the cutter from above to ensure the mark was under the blade,
but you could be more precise by extended the mark out to the end of the pipe.

As mentioned in the safety note above, Im using the cutter for a purpose other than
which it was designed. I have a firm grip on the pipe, my fingers are out of the way, and
when I squeeze the cutter I am doing so very slowly.
Starting the cut is the only tricky part; the pipe will want to push away from the blade.
Use your hand to hold the pipe firmly in place as you start the cut (see above
illustration). Once it is started, the cutter will pretty much finish the cut itself, though
keeping a bit of pressure on the pipe will make it easier. As you approach your previous
cut, proceed very slowly for best results.
You cutter will probably not open wide enough in any case, but dont be tempted to try
both cuts at once. Do one side at a time, slowly and with awareness at all times of where
your hand is in relation to the blade.

Here the cut is almost complete. You may wish to open the cutter and adjust the pipe so
the blade is closer to perpendicular to the pipe for a neater finish.

The cut is complete. Repeat the process for the other side.

Both cuts are complete. The piece is almost done!

Dry fitted together, all this needs to be complete is some glue (see the top image of this
post for a pair of completed cups). Note that this join is a pretty tight fit, so you will
probably not be able to smoothly twist it into place. Use enough glue and press it firmly
home using pressure on the inside of the saddle and the remaining entire circle section
of the pipe. The cups will work fine even if they are a few degrees out of perfect
when the glue sets.

Alternative Designs
You can make permanent jump cups out of T connectors. You do so by using a saw to
mimic the cuts we made here on the 90 degree side of the T. Cups made this way
will use 1 cross bars, assuming you use 1 T connectors on 1 uprights.
Ive seen (on eBay) at least one enterprising person making clip-on cups out of T
connectors by cutting them down, cutting out enough of the back side to allow them to
slip over a section of pipe, and making the cup part. These are undoubtedly handsome,
but would be a lot of work for the casual home enthusiast to construct.
Related posts: Bar Jump or Hurdle; Alternatives for Jump Cups.