Author Topic: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?  (Read 955 times)

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Steely Daniel

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wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« on: October 24, 2022, 07:50:27 PM »
I don't like the term 'grind box' but many people consider a 'fun box' a pyramid-type ramp. I've always called the wooden box with coping obstacle a funbox personally, so I just wanted to get that out of the way first.

Winter is coming and I'd like to build a box for an underground spot but I thought a strip of 2x2-inch pre-formed concrete instead of angle iron would make it much more satisfying to skate. Has anyone ever made anything like this? I'm thinking 8 feet long is probably a good length and the width isn't too important since I won't be using it as a manual pad. Wide enough to not tip over basically...

Building the box with a notch on one edge for the coping is simple enough and I can figure that out. I'm more interested in any tips or ideas for concrete coping. What would be the best cement to use? I'd like a fairly sharp edge that isn't going to chip or crumble too easily. Something that will grind/slide easy enough with a coat of sealer or lacquer and some wax. Is 2x2 inches too big or too small? Just right? I realize it will probably be pretty heavy but keeping the box narrow width-wise could help cut the weight down as well. It's not meant to be super portable either. It will be left somewhere semi-permanently and moved from season to season. Would it be smarter to make the coping in two 4-foot sections instead and adhere them together to minimize the crack? Is there something prefabbed I could just buy for this instead that would work well and save me the hassle of making forms and pouring my own? Granite or marble would be rad but seem kind of expensive and possibly even heavier. I'd like to hear any thoughts or ideas for improvement on this seemingly more effort than it's worth project.

pleasent street

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2022, 08:21:47 PM »
a 2x2" by 8' piece of concrete is going to be pretty fragile. i can think of numerous ways to build something similar to what you want but none of them would be very economic or portable.

one way would be to frame a rectangle box out of 2x4s, screw a piece of hardiebacker onto the top and then form a narrow concrete slab on top. i think you'd want at least 3" thick if you want it to last. but it'd be heavy as fuck and sorta expensive, idk what your budget is though.

Steely Daniel

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2022, 10:08:29 PM »
Yeah, it's probably a bad idea but thought I'd ask anyway. Ideally, around $200 CAD would be my spending limit but might be able to rummage some wood from some people to save money.

j....soy.....

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2022, 10:26:20 PM »
I’d try and salvage granite…

https://youtu.be/CEdycB4R4W0

Krooked antihero

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2022, 10:38:09 PM »
If you have instagram check out @skatediy for concrete curing/hardening tips.
europe's like the capitol of england and france and whatever

It sucks getting old.

Mean salto

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2022, 12:33:31 AM »
Probably easiest to try find some parking blocks and just concrete them together. Second option find a place that does kitchens and bathrooms and see if they have offcuts of stone counters they'll give or sell you cheap. Almost guarantee you won't get a piece 8 feet long tho. One time we got a piece maybe 1 inch thick by 4 wide and maybe about 4 feet long. Used liquid nails and out it on-top of a wooden ledge. As expected it kinda worked then broke but I'm sure if we were more selective with how we skated it it would of lasted way longer.

Flip260z

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2022, 05:35:17 AM »
I made a box with angle iron on one side and a concrete edge on the other. Its pretty heavy though and hard to move lol. Made a small form and put two pieces of rebar in it. I also added two small 2x4 blocks for some notches that I matched on the box. Its connects like a puzzle and doesnt shift. Attached it with some liquid nails. Tried to build it in a way that it wouldnt be too hard to replace one day if need be. I cant remember exactly what quikrete I used but it was probably the 5000 mix. Used a standard edge trowel and kept it pretty wet with plastic on top for a few days. Once installed I painted it with some 2x white spray. Only thing I could have really done to improve it would have been to put clear tap on the inside of mold for the side facing out so it would have been smoother. It grinds great and wheels slide fine on nose/tailslides though.




Steely Daniel

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2022, 05:35:45 PM »
Thanks fellas. I have indeed watched the Ben Degros video before but I doubt I can find any decent pieces of stone in this small ass town. Most of the parking blocks I see around here are really crusty and have a rounded top too. @Flip260z thank you for sharing a bit of your process and pictures. What are the dimensions on that chunk of concrete? Looks awesome

Flip260z

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #8 on: October 28, 2022, 09:11:10 AM »
Thanks fellas. I have indeed watched the Ben Degros video before but I doubt I can find any decent pieces of stone in this small ass town. Most of the parking blocks I see around here are really crusty and have a rounded top too. @Flip260z thank you for sharing a bit of your process and pictures. What are the dimensions on that chunk of concrete? Looks awesome

6' 3/4" long x 4" wide x 3.75" tall   


LebowskisRug

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2022, 08:35:02 PM »
I've poured a slab and bought coping for one.

The slab spalled, but is a huge pain. Mine was rebar reinforced and you have to pour it off the ground because you'll need to vibrate the hell out of it. You should also use 6,000+ PSI concrete. Mine was 16" wide, 2 inches thick, and 8 feet long and likely weighed 300-400lb.

After that thing didn't work I ordered some high strength pool tiles. Each one weighs about 75lbs. You have to put backer board on top of the box and mortar them on there. I used concrete densifier and the box has those heavy duty toolbox casters. It has still chipped and I had to use a concrete sanding wheel to make the side more rounded. So far it hasn't been remotely with the effort.

behavioralguide

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2022, 03:43:35 AM »
You could try getting a prefab prestressed lintel for like 60 bucks but it might be abit porous

gringo_viejo

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Re: wooden grind box / fun box with concrete coping?
« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2022, 04:40:45 AM »
@Flip260z Damn. That's a beautiful thing.