# Sticky  DIY Agility Equipment-(Do it yourself ideas/hints)



## MaggieRoseLee

Idea from members to have an area to use as reference for making agility equipment. What I am thinking is having people to post their DIY with detailed instructions and pictures (if possible). 

Think some of you have done this on some other agility posts, but if we put them here they will be easier to use as a reference.


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## Liesje

My $20 channel weaves and PVC jumps are on my club's site (pics and downloadable instructions):

http://www.pawsitivecaninetraining.com/diy.htm

For tunnels, I use dog tunnels I got at Target for $9 each. They are quite a bit shorter than a true tunnel, but I use them to work on tunnel entries/exit and sequences in the yard. I think the brand is "Boots Barkley". The tunnels come with stakes for the ground. I'm proud to report that mine withstood a series of severe storms that knocked over 40' trees all over the city.


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## ShatteringGlass

*Re: DIY Agility Equipment-(Do it yourself ideas/hi*

I made a tire jump based on these instructions ( i made some changes here and there): http://www.campbandy.com/store/tirejump.htm


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## middleofnowhere

*Re: DIY Agility Equipment-(Do it yourself ideas/hi*

I'm the queen of salvage. My stuff wasn't formal agility but...

1. White closet pole stretched between two lawn chairs

2. Wicker mirror stand, sands mirror worked as a low jump & if I had got around to it would have held a hula hoop for a quasi tire jump

I was going to use a couple of salvage flat panel doors to make an A frame but didn't get around to it.


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## Aster

*Re: DIY Agility Equipment-(Do it yourself ideas/hi*



> Originally Posted By: middleofnowhere if I had got around to it would have held a hula hoop for a quasi tire jump


I did that the other day where I had a large open space in my course in the yard and was out of equipment. I have a "real" tire that I built on the course already, but I just stuck two gardening stakes in the ground and taped the hula hoop so it was suspended between them with packaging tape. Worked really well and its still up several days later


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## MaggieRoseLee

I know when I started making jumps, I thought it was all about just getting some type of upright so the crossbar could be held up for the dog to jump over.

NOW I realize that when we start building jumps, should really be making WING jumps. I've got 2 types now to show you. The first is more expensive cause bigger PVC and the fittings are the 4 way type not so readily available. I also attach the jump cups directly to the wings in this jump wing style.

















This second setup works just as well but you can probably go to any hardware store and easily buy the fittings and put them together. Only uses 'T's' and my friend who made them chose thinner PVC (1/2 " ?). Also, she chose to make the wings as a separate piece from her regular jumps, so can just put these next to them to make a wing (or not). The jump cups are NOT a part of these wings.


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## MaggieRoseLee

(copied/pasted from another post..)

It would be faster for you to go to the NADAC yahoogroups page...no, crap, you'd have to be a member. I'm going to post a picture originally posted to another list by Al Ceranko (I saved it to my computer back then)--mine looks just like it except I used gray velcro ties.










They are dead easy to make. I used 3/4" PVC. It takes two uprights that are 22" tall (Al's look like they might be a tad taller), one ground crossbar that is 34", and four "feet" that are 11" long. You'll need 2 four-way connectors, and to make everything look neet, 6 caps for the ends of the feet and the uprights. Then use velcro ties to fasten the hula hoop to the frame, in the middle of the crossbar and close to the top of each upright.


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## MaggieRoseLee




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## ArtistInNature

The single best resource for making your own agility equipment is this book, available on the Clean Run website:

http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=503&ParentCat=195

It has the regulation dimensions for various venues. It's invaluable - ours has been used many times and saved us loads of money.


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## DancingCavy

How to make a buja (wobble) board:

<u>*What you Need:*</u>

2 X 2 foot, 3 X 3 foot, or 4 X 4 foot square of 1/2 inch plywood (dog should be able to stand comfortably on top)
Carpet or Mat for the top (so it's not slippery)
Duct Tape
Sock
Tennis Ball

Getting started:









First step, attaching the mat. Lots of duct tape!!









Second step, place tennis ball inside sock. Attach to bottom of the board in the middle. You can use nails or staples. I used duct tape.









Third step. . .there isn't one. You're now done! It ain't pretty, but it works.


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## MaggieRoseLee

Tips for a backyard a-frame:



> Quote: My very first A-frame was made from 2 doors -- hollow core! They did not last very long, so be sure and use solid core. Put 2 large hinges on the underside, and 2 eye bolts (large) on either side about 1/2 way (on the sides facing out). Now, take 2 chains, put hooks on each end and attach the chains to the eye bolts -- that holds the aframe at the height you want. Make the chains long enuf so you can make it really low for a beginner dog. Be sure and paint it with a non skid paint - or paint one coat, throw fine sand all over it, let dry, paint again.


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## Kayos and Havoc

Any ideas for do it yourself weave pole wire guides?


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## MaggieRoseLee

> Quote:Any ideas for do it yourself weave pole wire guides?


I no longer train with the guidewires cause now I think it's just ANOTHER thing you have to then train the dog to NOT use.... (just another step, like if you papertrain your dog in the house, and THEN train them outdoors, you just trained a step in the middle that you do NOT ultimately want).

So I just use my channel weaves and keep the channel open longer so they can use their brains to figure 'weaving' out. Instead of using the 'crutch' of the wires. BTW, I have seen dogs that seem to look more to the outside and the guidewires as they 'weave'. Then look to the inside and the POLES as they weave. So when you pull the guides it is a completely different visual picture to them like they never saw weavepoles at all!


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## Dinahmyte

Ok... I went out and bought out the PVC lot at Lowes today...well not really but enough to make some jumps, a ladder, and some weave poles. I am going to use the plans from Instantagility.com unless someone has some other thoughts? I am curious where you get those jump cups on your jumps MRL? I couldn't even find the pieces I need for the instructions I have, and that is just for one bar. I like that yours can hold multiple bars or be easily adjusted.


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## MaggieRoseLee

> Originally Posted By: DinahmyteOk... I went out and bought out the PVC lot at Lowes today...well not really but enough to make some jumps, a ladder, and some weave poles. I am going to use the plans from Instantagility.com unless someone has some other thoughts? I am curious where you get those jump cups on your jumps MRL? I couldn't even find the pieces I need for the instructions I have, and that is just for one bar. I like that yours can hold multiple bars or be easily adjusted.


The jump cup strips and FIVE way PVC connectors are both available from the cleanrun.com site. At this point I've jerry rigged jumps and jump cups in the past and found it just not worth it. Better to get the strips/5-way PVC and then make the rest of the jump around it. 

The 5-way connectors allow a wing to be easily added and I REALLY REALLY REALLY recommend some type of wing on practice jumps. Forces the handler (me?) to NOT babysit a jump and instead get myself (and my dog) used to being at a lateral distance from me and still take the jump.

Click here for jump cups 

Click here for PVC connectors 

These make GREAT GIFTS for those that are always having friends/family saying 'what do you want for Valentine's Day/Birthdays/Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!


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## DensterNY

I don't know if you guys are familiar with Instructables but someone there posted instructions on how to create an A-Frame: DIY Dog Agility A-Frame

The frame looks like this:


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## paulag1955

MaggieRoseLee said:


> The 5-way connectors allow a wing to be easily added and I REALLY REALLY REALLY recommend some type of wing on practice jumps.


What are the wings?


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## wildo

paulag1955 said:


> What are the wings?


See comment #6 in this thread.


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## wildo

*More DIY agility equipment*

Built a bar jump, and am currently working on a ladder walk. The jump has cups for 12", 20" and 24" in case we decided to jump at that height. I also put Tees in so I can hook wings to the jump if I want to. The jump is 48" wide and 36" tall. For the jump cups, I simply cut down a slip tee on the bandsaw, as you can see in the last pic.


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## Jax08

My husband cut the tees in half, then sanded out the center to make me clip on jump cups.

btw...the plastic step in fence posts at Tractor supply make great weave poles.


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## elisabeth_00117

Nice!

I did the same thing this summer, but I like how you sawed off the 'T's' (is that what you did) to make the cups for the bar to sit on?

I was going to purchase the cup things from Clean Run but the shipping to Ont, Canada would kill me.


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## elisabeth_00117

Here's my jump and weave pole, I now added a tire jump and a teeter. I ordered some mini equipment too (cost me an arm and a leg) but it was sent to my Dad's place 3 hours away for his dog to train on.. I will get some photo's when we visit though.


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## wildo

elisabeth_00117 said:


> I like how you sawed off the 'T's' (is that what you did) to make the cups for the bar to sit on?


Yes, that is exactly what I did. I looked into making adjustable ones, but quite honestly- the entire idea of adjustability seems like an absolute pain to me! You have to make sure everything stays level. You have to ensure that it doesn't slip down over time- or especially if the dog hits it... No thanks. I wanted something ridged so I wouldn't have to worry about it shifting.

I also made a couple sets of collapsable 2x2 weave poles. Pics attached.
EDIT- the end pieces for the 2x2 poles are 1" slip elbows with a 1/2" thread coming off the top. I found them at Lowes. The poles themselves have a 1/2" thread to 3/4" slip adapter, and obviously 3/4" pipe.


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## wildo

Just finished up my ladder run- turned out nice! I opted to not glue the rails in place so they could be removed at a later point if I want.


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## Achielles UD

*Pause table*

So we (Samba and I) searched Lowes for the 3 ways to make a table like MRL, but could not find any, so here is what we came up with:

Using just 8 elbows of 2" PVC pipe and about 30' of 2" PVC, we made an "X" type table. The center is a 4 way 2" piece. I added spacers to make changing heights easier (you can see the legs for the 24" hight next to it)




























It is adjustable for 8" (just the top and bottom) 16" (where it is set now) and 24" (for regulation for our GSDs).

The top is just 5/8th inch plywood covered with automotive grade carpeting. It's black for now, but plan on redoing it later in a lighter color - it's just what DH had on hand.

The top just sits on the "X" and it is snug without shifting. Came out to be about 37" square on the top after adding the 3" sides/lips.



















Loving this table!


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## wildo

Achielles- very nice pause table! I tried making one out of PVC in a similar "cross" fashion as yours, though i only crossed at the bottom. I also only used 1" PVC. Yours looks very solid and nice. Since this is a "hints & tips" thread, my suggestion to you is to pick up some transparent primer. I found it at Lowes- right next to the typical purple primer. It does exactly the same thing, though it doesn't leave the purple joints. :thumbup:

BTW- your barn is *fantastic!*


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## krystyne73

Thank you for posting this! I want to start agility with my dogs ( just for fun) and was trying to get started! Sasha is on off leash training right now and then we are set for agility.


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## Achielles UD

Thanks! It is VERY sturdy  I covered the purple primer since lol decked it out on Duck tape Flames lol 

Oh! I love the building too! I don't own it but some great people are letting me use it. We put in very fine chat and it is perfect for jumping  


















I'll have to get more pictures of the building and the other equipment we've built. Love those adjustable channel weaves!  We'd have even more room in the building if the RV and billiard table weren't in there lol but we can't complain for the price  !


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## TaraM1285

I spent my snow day today cutting PVC and assembling a new wing jump to add to our agility equipment.  

Materials:
3 - 1" thick 10 foot PVC pipes (332 inches PVC total used)
4 - 1" elbow connectors
12 - 1" T connectors
8 - 1" PVC caps
Clip N Go Jump Cups (cleanrun.com)
PVC cutter

Cut PVC into following sizes:
8 x 4" 
8 x 8" 
6 x 30"
4 x 2" 
1 x 48" (jump bar)

Assemble as in the photos:


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## wildo

Made a wobble board today to teach balance. I used these plans:
http://www.you tube.com/watch?v=YGPYnvYA2R8

I carpeted it with outdoor carpet. In the last pic, you can see the 2x12 - 12' teeter board I made her as well. it used a 3" PVC pivot point. As she progresses on contact equipment, I will build a better (and adjustable) base.


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## ripsofie

paulag1955 said:


> What are the wings?





wildo said:


> See comment #6 in this thread.


 
What are the point of having wings on the jumps?


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## MaggieRoseLee

ripsofie said:


> What are the point of having wings on the jumps?


GREAT question! 

It makes us, the handler, get AWAY from the dog. The wings actually put a distance between where we are running and the dog is running. If we aren't used to running a course with wings (and neither is the dog) then when we approach a winged jump on a course we, the human, will tend to have our dog right by our side but have to move away from the center of the jump to get around that darn wing (or crash and burn  ). 

What happens to our dogs when we suddenly dart to the side to get around the wing, is they come with us! Instead of continuing straight over the cross bar, they'll think 'hey, if mom/dad is darting to the side, then I'm going with them!!!!!!!!!!!!! '

A jump without a wing allows dog/handler to almost be in 'heel' position and still have both of us keep running parallel to each other and in a straight line. Also makes the dog think mom/dad has to be really close all the time on a course which isn't an advantage most of the time (I can't run as fast as my dog, I want her to run fast, but it's easier to have her run the far outside of a pinwheel at top speed and I can just stand in the center pivoting!).

Did that help?:wub:


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## TaraM1285

Great response, MRL! That's exactly the reason I'm making wing jumps - I am constantly running into them or almost running into them and completely messing up my handling. Tara and I both need to figure out how to work with a bit more lateral distance and having jump wings will help force us to do that.


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## wildo

Made a travel board to work on contacts. Nothing special, but I felt like building something- especially over engineering something! haha! So I put a center rib down it notching the rib to interlock with the legs. Eh... It was fun. Oh, and Pimg is wet from just getting a bath. My back yard is literally a mud pit...


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## wildo

So I'm sitting at work today not feeling overly productive and I decide to take off three hours early (used vacation time). I came home and built Pimg four more single bar jumps. Adjustability is the same as my initial design- 12", 20", and 24"

You can also see just how tore up my yard is. And guess what- it's raining right now... Hello mud!









(This is my first coat of paint. That's why it looks spotty.)

[EDIT]- And you can also see the mud on the tree at least 7' up. This is from Pimg's incessant desire to chase imaginary squirrels on a continual basis.


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## wildo

In spite of the rain this morning and the super cold day, I got all the painting done on all five of my bar jumps. I think they turned out really great! Next up- wings for all of these. Notice that I designed them so a wing can hook right in (see the Tee's pointing out).


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## TaraM1285

Fancy! Nice job!


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## wildo

Built a proper set of 2x2 weave poles (actually, three sets) today. 24" centers and about 20 pounds or so total. They're made of 3" wide, 3/16" thick steel which I cut and welded. PVC poles are 40" tall, 1" schedule 40. I still have a little work left to do. I'm going to extend the base of two of the sets so that they can be connected into a single set of six poles. I'll finish them tomorrow.


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## wildo

Was able to finish up the weave poles today (omitting painting, which I will finish today- hopefully). Enjoy the pics! Hopefully they give you guys some ideas for your own. Total cost was about $100 (steel is expensive!!!), but that is still a lot cheaper than the cheapest option in steel.










The weave poles can be disassembled into three sets of two poles using these brackets:









Six poles connected. As we get better and better, we'll progress to twelve poles.









The poles fit into the attachment brackets.









Six poles, offset.









The bracket detached. The idea here was that the bracket can be completely removed so as not to interfere with Pimg's foot placement. Otherwise I would have just welded it in place:









I guess I just noticed that I still need to drill holes in the "legs" in order to stake the poles to the ground... Geesh...









[EDIT]- My inspiration came from here


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## wildo

I've discovered (though it has been mentioned before) that the standard-grade (as opposed to furniture grade) PVC I used to make my jumps is deteriorating in the sun, assumedly due to the UV rays. It's odd because my jumps are painted even. But if Pimg misses a jump and lands on top of the bar- she is breaking off my jump cups. Since I glued them all together, it's pretty much ruining the jumps! What a shame!

So I've been looking into alternatives to PVC and found the ones in this video. *My question is:* how do the jump cups work in wood standards? Do any of you guys who compete often see these kinds of standards?

The nice thing about them is that they won't break if I throw a ball at them (which I seem to be _very_ good at doing with my current jumps. They also aren't going to break if Pimg accidently runs into one. I think this is the route I will take for new jumps... I just need to figure out the jump cups.


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## MaggieRoseLee

WHen I first made my first set of jumps, I glued everything together and when later breakage occurred also ran into the problem of how to fix everything.

Now, I no longer glue anything. All the PVC fittings are tight enough, without glue, that they stay together during normal use. And if I am grabbing armfuls to move them around and they do disconnect, it's an easy fix to just reattach.

Also, I bit the bullet and now buy jump cup strips. My first jumps with the 't's I cut also started breaking as time passed. Love love love the strips cause they have ALL the jump heights so if I'm doing jump training or have other smaller dogs (or a NEW PUPPY) I can easily adjust. And the strips are just so easy to put on the jumps. Clean Run: Clip and Go Jump Cup Strips










The issue with the wooden jumps are they are HEAVY. Specially if you add the wings. Then they can be heavy and bulky. Plus you have the maintenance of painting every few years if you leave them outdoors. 

I just use the regular PVC in the plumbing aisle at Loews/Home Depot for all my jumps. I do NOT paint them, at the most I use electrical tape to mark the bars. My jumps now seem to last for years and years. With me no longer glueing if there is breakage it just takes a sec to put in a replacement piece.


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## wildo

Thanks MRL. I decided to go with the individual cups, not the strips. The strips limit me to PVC, and I think I'd like to instead make my new jumps from wood. It's bulkier, no question- but I have plenty of room for storage and muscle for lifting. Also, if Pimg lands on a bar and breaks the cup- it would have ruined the whole strip. With these, replacing a singular cup is no big deal.

This is what I went with:
Clean Run: Clip and Go Flat-back Single Jump Cups


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## wildo

I wonder how many of you expected to see this picture any time soon (probably a couple of you for sure!) Pimg didn't do so hot with the tire jump at her trial yesterday. So of course today I got the parts to build one. Here's our progress for the night:









I thought I might post a couple tips:

Draw out your plan. I am designing it in my head and didn't draw anything out. I ended up gluing a couple pieces (the upright sections) in backwards. Not a big deal, but it would have looked nicer had I drawn it out and stuck with the plan.
If you are going to do angled supports for the uprights, be sure to get four way corners from Clean Run. Duh! I forgot that the legs won't line up with the uprights, and therefore I will need to do some tricky combos to make the uprights work. 
I looked at a LOT of pics and saw a LOT of people using 1.5" PVC. It always has a bow in the center of the top cross piece from the weight of the tire (which isn't much). Do yourself a favor as I have done and spend the couple extra bucks for 2" PVC. This thing is very rigid. Considering how tall a tire jump is, I think the strength of the 2" plus the angled supports are necessary. I'm afraid as soon as the dog catches their feet on the tire "that one time" it would break 1.5" PVC connectors. Especially if they have become brittle in the sun...

And a couple hints:

Although it seems like it will be difficult to form the tire from corrugated drainage hose, it is actually REALLY easy. Don't be intimidated by it.
Once you find the spot where you think you should cut to end up with a 24" inner diameter tire, cut a couple rings bigger. You can always cut more off later. I thought I had found the right spot, and ended up with a tire about 23" diameter. Lesson learned (I swear I learned that lesson a LONG time ago!)
After looking all over the place for colored duct tape, I finally found it at Michaels craft store. It's pricy at $4.99 for 20yards, but two rolls is *just* enough to wrap the tire.

Here is my inspiration for the design:
Build It Yourself Agility Tire Jump - With Help From The Camp Bandy Store

And here you can see the sag in their upper cross bar from the 1.5" PVC:


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## wildo

Almost done with the tire jump. The support frame is complete, as is the tire. For the stretchy rubber straps that hold the tire in the middle, I used 48" long tarp straps. All I have left to do is to measure for all the different heights and install the eyebolts. I will also hacksaw off the extra length on the four eyebolts at each corner since Pimg could catch a foot on the bottom ones, and I could poke my eyes on the top ones!


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## MaggieRoseLee

Not so sure I'd keep those elbow/railing type entry. Really makes the 'look' different PLUS it will absolutely affect the turns coming and going to the tire jump. THe more advance courses will start having slices to the tire and you won't be able to practice the angles with your current plan.

I'm betting if you just disconnect the higher parts the jump will still stand up with only the supports that are along the ground.

















Simplier like this with just supports coming straight out towards camera and straight back to the wall and on the ground...

From the site you linked THIS is more the final look:


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## wildo

Hmmm... I didn't really think about that. I think the upright braces (of some sort) need to be there to ensure the longevity of the equipment. I should be able to switch out to steel braces, and make them much smaller though.

haha- so again- big tip: draw out your design first! It doesn't always work to build it on the fly!


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## MaggieRoseLee

Have to say, I'd pass on the braces. Just more to trip over and they won't be at any trial. I'd just cut off the end 'Y' joints you have and put a cap on the end pieces.


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## lylol

I agree with getting rid of the braces... if you are worried about stability, just put a couple small sand bags on the feet. None of my tire jumps have ever had a stability prob though.


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## wildo

Well I thought I'd be a smartass and go find a SG world trial with a tire jump with braces. But in the end, I found very few.  And the ones that did have bracing were pretty small overall. For me, I consider this to be a competition quality tire jump:









...And that's why I didn't have an issue putting in braces. I do plan on rebuilding it without braces (already got the replacement PVC). I'll try it out like that for a while and if I find a structural issue- I'll add some aluminum square stock like in the pic above.


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## wildo

The tire jump is complete omitting cutting down the chain to the proper length:









I added hooks for all the standard jump heights: 8, 12, 16, 20, 22, 24, 26 as well:









I just need to take the chain back to Lowes and have them cut it down where I marked it. I think it turned out nice, and for now, I think you guys were right to persuade me to take the bracing out.


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## TaraM1285

Looks great!! Do you want to come build me one?


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## wildo

Really, after taking all the bracing out- this thing is probably easier to make than a single bar jump! You'll be fine! lol

...But hey! I'd love to find an awesome GSD person to hang out with. I'd build you one... 

[EDIT]- yikes. Not sure that came out right. I know you're married. I meant it would be cool to have at least one friend who also had a GSD... lol!!


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## wildo

Achielles UD- I am hoping to get some tips on the teeter in the background of this image:










I am in the process of planning a DIY teeter and am interested in this design. I was going to weld up a steel frame, but what you have here would be a lot cheaper. I am curious how well it suits your purposes and am hoping you can provide some tips.


Do you find the wood base to be adequte in width and length? It looks kinda small in the pic. Have you ever had it tip over?
Do you see an issue with drilling holes up the center of that middle upright to create adjustability?
How did you create the pivot point on the underside of the board? Is it a piece of pipe with a bar through it? I have had a hard time finding two pipes in the hardware store with the proper inner and outer diameters to create a nice hinge. VERY curious on what you used here.
I am a bit concerned about the weight of the 2x12. I know there are standards about how fast the board must fall. But most competition teeters (that I've seen) are aluminum. While I haven't had the oppertunity to lift one, I assume the wood is much heavier. Does this cause an issue in fall rate? Do you see a need in creating adjustability in the fall rate? 
Do you have any issues with teeter whip when using a wood board like this? Do you see a need plank stabilization at all?

I'll PM you to make you aware of this post, but I am hoping you can reply publicly for the benefit of others.


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## wildo

I found this article which looks very similar to Achielles UD's teeter and answers some of my questions: How to Build an Adjustable Dog Agility Seesaw - wikiHow


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## Achielles UD

Hey Wildo!

Sorry! I didn't get your PM and notice this until logging on tonight.

Yes what you found is very (practically the same thing) similar to what I built. I have built 2 now and have found them to be quite sturdy and stable.

It may look small due to the angle or lighting (I am at work... shh  ) but I can't see it to know which picture you are referring to lol. It is a 12 foot board and 12 inches wide. I've had some pretty large dogs on it (even kids and a drunken husband and sister! lol) and it has never tipped over. 

We drilled the holes to fit pretty snug so the only issue there is it can be a bugger to get the pipe through at times. We covered the pipe with bicycle handle rubber grips  I think we could smooth out the holes to make it easier to adjust the height.

The link you posted in the previous post is exactly how we did the pipe to the board with a nice pivot/hinge. Those little "U" type thing-a-ma-bobs  

The board itself is heavy but I haven't had any issues. We timed the fall. The 1" is about correct. The weight of the board makes no difference in the fall rate, it is where you place the pipe/pivot point. Mine have a 2 second drops with a 3 pound weight at the end of the board. I am sure you can adjust this to whatever you'd like to meet regulations.

I haven't needed to add extra stabilizing. The board is pretty rigid and in teaching 2o2o, I haven't noticed any teeter whipping either.

I am envious of the aluminum teeters, just because they weigh less, but if you are planning on welding steel, until you can afford or get an aluminum (like I keep saying I will eventually do lol) I'd go wood. It may end up being lighter weight than the steel and I find it holds up pretty well! 

I'll try to post a few better pictures! (after work of course! lol)


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## wildo

Awesome- thanks for the response! With the base that I linked to only being 20" wide, I was concerned about stability. Sounds like that will not be an issue- not to mention I could always weight it if it turned out to be an issue.

Drilling of the holes could be an issue. I decided to go with a 3/4" pipe as the pivot compared to the recommended 1/2". When I measure it, the outside diameter is about 1 3/32". So even though I have a 1" auger bit, I think I will need to sand out the hole a little bit. It sounds like if yours is that snug then you probably don't have any issues with the pipe creeping out over time? I have a solution to this, but am not sure it's even an issue.

I know the board is heavy- I was more concerned about the inertia you have to overcome to get it moving. Regardless of the pivot point, I would think the heavier board will start tipping later than a lighter one. This is probably not a big deal. As of now, I have all the supplies to add stabilization. I think I'll do some experiments to see if I feel it's needed for the safety of my dog.

Finally- I am curious if you have an issue moving the teeter around. Fully assembled- I'm sure it's not too light. I was thinking about building some retractable wheels into the base. I don't have any help to move it around, so lifting and carrying it could be a chore. Thoughts on this?

Thanks!


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## wildo

Pretty much got my teeter done. Still have a couple odds and ends to finish up, mostly painting the base (I hate painting). Here's what I did:

The plank is totally complete, though I may choose to stiffen it with some steel like I did on my dog walk:









I used these floor mounts to screw the galvanized pipe into so it can't accidently work out. I should have drilled the holes bigger so they sit flush- I didn't think about that. I may still modify them so they sit flush. I was concerned that the pipe may eventually work out of the base when in use causing a serious accident and fear of the teeter. This setup will not allow that to happen:









I put a cap on the other side of the pipe, kinda like a handle so that your hands don't get chewed up on the threads. I also need to get some washers to act as standoffs for the pipe clamps on the plank. I also need to calibrate the drop rate still:


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## wildo

Finally finished Pimg's teeter:


















I redrilled the receiving side so that the galvanized pipe floor mounts could be flush mounted:









I also used a jump strip from Clean Run to identify the teeter height:









...Next up: A-Frame (though it's going to be a while)


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## HeidiW

Wow!!! Fantastic job!! I actually want to start at home Agility with my female Bella, she is so athletic and easy to train but she gets so car sick I cant bring her any where far. Thanks for sharing!!


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## MaggieRoseLee

I LOVE the jump cup strips. They are a softer plastic than the PVC, so are more flexible, so if they fall or a ball is tossed into them, they give instead of breaking. 

Wildo, my jumps have lasted for years and years with the regular white unpainted PVC.... I wondering if the painting (specially the dark blue?) is actually contributing to the breakdown of the PVC? Like a white car is cooler in the summer cause it reflects the heat?

I leave mine out in the yard all year long too...


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## wildo

MRL- I am not sure the genesis of your last post. Didn't we discuss jump cups a couple pages back? Or were you just thinking about it again? Interesting you bring it up though, because I just bought enough PVC from CleanRun to make 7 more jumps. However, I _didn't_ buy any jump cups. I was going to use the flat backed ones that I linked to, but finally realized that the flat back isn't going to work out so great.

In googling around, I found these which I have placed an order for (I got the numbered ones):









I'm tired of broken jump cups. With these, I will have no more worries- and they will likely outlive me!
Here's their website: D and K Agility Equipment


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## MaggieRoseLee

wildo said:


> MRL- I am not sure the genesis of your last post. Didn't we discuss jump cups a couple pages back? Or were you just thinking about it again? Interesting you bring it up though, because I just bought enough PVC from CleanRun to make 7 more jumps. However, I _didn't_ buy any jump cups. I was going to use the flat backed ones that I linked to, but finally realized that the flat back isn't going to work out so great.
> 
> I'm tired of broken jump cups. With these, I will have no more worries- and they will likely outlive me!
> Here's their website: D and K Agility Equipment


For some reason, when I hit the 'Recent Agility Post' link this morning it brought me to your post about the jumpcups so I just posted to that not paying attention to the fact it wasn't new AT ALL!!!! 

Good luck with the metal cups!


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## cwmia

Here's a few ideas...cheap, easy, versatile but not pretty.

Jumps: Wooden skids/pallets. I had four. The height varied by 6" or so. If I wanted a broader jump I would put two or three together and "stretch" the jump. All of my jump bases were supported by sections of tree log/very big branch. Nothing was permanent or fastened in any way so very versatile and much more interesting for the dog.
Teeter totter: Very big slice of round log. I kept it anchored by jamming small rocks on either side (like a wheel block). A very long piece of 2x8, 2x6 (wood). The longer the easier. Once again, these were not fastened to the log so dog has to think and balance.
Balance beam: Two slices of log set on their ends. I'd balance a 2x6, 2x8 (from teeter totter) and a 2x4 interchangeably. 
A big wide garbage can set over a big piece of log to keep it in place (sort of) was great for teaching to jump carefully up onto something. Makes them think.
Tunnel: I never had one in the yard but the housing construction site behind us (15 yrs. ago) had these really great blue plastic round sections of drainage pipe and also a much smaller concrete drainage pipe...Tasha could run through the big one but had to crawl through the small one. (Now they barricade this stuff off..but it sure was fun then).
You don't really need to set up a grand prix jumping course. Having a few items with unlimited variables is very effective and keeps it interesting and fun.
Catherine


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## TaraM1285

wildo - The teeter looks great! Are you worried at all about the side pieces sticking up above the board? 

By the way, I just saw the below post. You crack me up! If you're ever passing through Kansas, let me know. I'm sure you and DH would get along great too (he's a programmer). 



wildo said:


> Really, after taking all the bracing out- this thing is probably easier to make than a single bar jump! You'll be fine! lol
> 
> ...But hey! I'd love to find an awesome GSD person to hang out with. I'd build you one...
> 
> [EDIT]- yikes. Not sure that came out right. I know you're married. I meant it would be cool to have at least one friend who also had a GSD... lol!!


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## wildo

TaraM1285 said:


> wildo - The teeter looks great! Are you worried at all about the side pieces sticking up above the board?


Thanks Kristin! I am not really concerned about the boards sticking up. I just can't imagine how they could be an issue. Pimg enters the board pretty quickly and starts hesitating at or just after the fulcrum- that is, I can't see her losing her footing prior to that point. I dunno- I just can't really wrap my head around how they might be an issue; I will defer to those with more experience...


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## Beauceron.Mom

Hi! I'm new here but I've been lurking through this thread for awhile as i'm trying to build agility equipment for my backyard as well.

I'm actually in the process of making the same teeter as I don't really want to use PVC as a base but I happened to notice your dog walk in the back and it looks like the base is also made from wood. I've been looking all over for a DIY dog walk wood base but have been unsuccessful. Could you post up instructions on how you did it or atleast post a closer picture so I can try to have my husband replicate it? 



wildo said:


> Finally finished Pimg's teeter:


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## wildo

Beauceron.Mom said:


> Could you post up instructions on how you did it or atleast post a closer picture so I can try to have my husband replicate it?





wildo said:


> I found this article which looks very similar to Achielles UD's teeter and answers some of my questions: How to Build an Adjustable Dog Agility Seesaw - wikiHow


Good luck!


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## Beauceron.Mom

Ya I have that link for the teeter.

I meant instructions for your dog walk in the background  Particularly the bases.


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## wildo

Opps sorry- I guess I should learn to read.  Here's the dogwalk: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/agility/154058-building-dog-walk.html


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## Beauceron.Mom

LOL thanks!


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## wildo

Hey Beauceron.Mom- I was thinking about that dogwalk, and since this is a "tips" thread- I figured I'd mention something about it-

That thing is  heavy!! It's very difficult to move by myself- perhaps since you have both yourself and your husband, it might not be an issue. But be warned- it really is not easy to move around. And there is something to say about that... If you can find an aluminum one for a bit more money, it could be worth the investment just for the mobility factor...


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## wildo

*Metal Jump Cups*

My stamped aluminum jump cups arrived a while back, and I am finally getting around to installing them. As you can imagine, getting a ton of jump cups to align freehand would be very difficult- so I made a jig.

Here's an overview of the jig. You can see the block on the right side to use as a stop for the upright:









And to use it, I put the upright in there and set the jump cups in place. As the arrow indicates, I ensure that the jumps cups are pressed against the stops:









I also ensure that the jump cups are rotated all the way against the side of the jig. This ensures they are all inline on the upright:









And to get the upright out of the jig, I just rotate it 90 degrees and then slide it out:









Here's one side of one jump complete:









And a closeup of the cups:









No more broken jump cups!


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## Emoore

Made this jump with 20ft of PVC and 10 T-junctions. The jump cups are T-junctions that my husband cut off with his reciprocating saw. Or his band saw. Or was it his table saw? Pretty sure it was _not_ his chain saw. . . .


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## wildo

There's a lady in my former agility class whose dog really REALLY struggles with the teeter. Unfortunately, as goes in most agility classes, there just isn't time to adjust the teeter, dogwalk, a-frame, etc between everyone's run. 

We started talking about it and I happened to mention how I think flooding and luring is, in general, a pretty poor way to train "scary" contacts. She asked what I'd do and I mentioned both a plank on a piece of PVC as well as a wobble board. Of course this lady doesn't have any tools to speak of, so me and my fat mouth somehow agreed to build her a teeter board.

So here's what I came up with- The board is 6' long and 12" wide. The pivot point is offset by 1" from center. I used 1 1/2", 2", and 3" PVC as pivot points. It's painted to look like agility equipment as well as textured with sand.









I simply used a carriage bolt through the top and a recessed lock nut to create a "stud" to mount the PVC to. A wing nut holds the PVC to the studs providing quick change adjustment:









I just used a holesaw to notch the PVC to allow room to put the wing nuts on:


















I *should* have used 1 1/2" carriage bolts so that I could have attached all three PVC pivot points at the same time. But since I am charging this lady practically nothing, I didn't feel the need to change these out.


















Before she got here this morning to pick it up, I was thinking about my, uhem... -super genius- attachment posts and how one might be able to put different "modules" on there to accomplish different learning. So here's a wobble board concept I came up with:


















[EDIT]- The tennis ball idea actually worked pretty well, though admittedly it is easily collapsed. If I make another one, I will expose at least half of the tennis ball. The idea of the box holding the tennis ball is that it allows the board to wobble, but not get super crazy.


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## MissChristina

I still don't see an A-Frame... so I'm guessing that will be a really hard piece to even think about building lol


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## Achielles UD

Actually, building my a-frame wasn't that difficult. However, it is made of wood and extremly heavy. I'll have to try to post a picture of it later.


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## Rerun

An A frame is very basic and easy if you just look at it as two sides with a connection point in the middle. A length of chain on the bottom to adjust height is simple enough as well.


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## Alexandria610

OMG I'm really proud of myself! I know it's not the hardest piece of equipment to make, but I always expect to fail at projects...ANYWAY. I made a single jump today!










I added the colored electrical/vinyl tape to the jump poles to tell them apart from the rest of it once disassembled, because competition poles have colors/patterns, and because I like to make it look nice and unique 

Here's a close-up of the jump cups. They are similar to what others have made here - simple PVC tees, cut in half and the back taken off to make a clip on that can be removed and adjusted. I realize these will probably become weak after a long time, but considering how cheap and easy they were to make, it is worth it to me! Plus, I can adjust them for my Chihuahua 










I used 3, 10ft 3/4" PVC rods (cut into certain sizes - if you'd like to know, I can gladly post or PM them) and tees for this project, no glue (even though it's been suggested on various sites/books) because I'd like to be able to easily store, take apart, and move these. 

I plan on making five more in the future, as it only cost me around $15 to make this!

I'm so happy  And Alex approves haha.


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## wildo

Looks nice Alexandria610, but you should note that your jumps don't meet the AKC spec:


> *The bars must be nominal pipe size of 1-inch PVC* (1 5/16-inches approximate outside diameter) +/- 1/16-inch tolerance) and can be made from Schedule 40 PVC or furniture grade PVC, 4 to 5 feet long and striped for visibility. ... The inside of the uprights must be at least 32 inches tall, *and the upright must be 1 to 4-inches wide.*


You're dogs will most likely generalize a bar jump regardless of if it is 3/4" or 1" PVC, but it will only cost you a few dollars more to just use 1" material so that the bars are the same as you'd see in competition. You should consider that...


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## Alexandria610

wildo said:


> Looks nice Alexandria610, but you should note that your jumps don't meet the AKC spec:
> You're dogs will most likely generalize a bar jump regardless of if it is 3/4" or 1" PVC, but it will only cost you a few dollars more to just use 1" material so that the bars are the same as you'd see in competition. You should consider that...


Oh - thanks for pointing that out. I'll have to consider that in the future. For now, though, I've got all the parts to make the remainder of the six, so I'm going to save my money for other projects.

I was going off of a diagram from a book and some videos that someone sent me. Perhaps, when I get more money and actually start considering competing, I will make some 1"ers. Definitely for my next dog, once he's old enough to start jumping.


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## mahhi22

I am DIY dummy. Love seeing everyone’s in-process & completed projects on this thread. But I really need something that reads: 1) buy 20 feet of 1” PVC, 2) get a saw, 3) cut into 4-foot lengths… You get the idea. I've seen a number of websites w DIY instructions. Any suggestions for links to sites w patterns that are easy to follow & assemble? 

Thanks MLR for the link to the jump strips. Those look like they'll take some of the work (frustration ) out of making cups. Question: Why wing jumps vs bar jumps? Wing jumps look like more work.


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## MaggieRoseLee

mahhi22 said:


> I am DIY dummy. Love seeing everyone’s in-process & completed projects on this thread. But I really need something that reads: 1) buy 20 feet of 1” PVC, 2) get a saw, 3) cut into 4-foot lengths… You get the idea. I've seen a number of websites w DIY instructions. Any suggestions for links to sites w patterns that are easy to follow & assemble?
> 
> Thanks MLR for the link to the jump strips. Those look like they'll take some of the work (frustration ) out of making cups. Question: Why wing jumps vs bar jumps? Wing jumps look like more work.


*I also was overwhelmed when I first thought of making the jumps, but really really really really don't be.* 

While you may have higher standards then I do..... :crazy: the jumps I make are just for my back yard. They don't have to be perfect. They just have to stand up and hold the jump cup strips!

Buy the 4 way or 5 way joint from cleanrun. Buy the number of jump cup pairs you need (I'd have at least 5 jumps, so that's 5 sets/pairs and how they are sold).

BRING THESE TO HOME DEPOT/LOEWS/HARDWARE STORE and wander looking pathetic for the plumbing guys. Then show him a picture of what you need. You can print out photos from this site or others. If you bring the joints then you know you'll have the right sized PVC.

I like the ratchet snippers cutters rather than a saw, I think it's easier. You can buy a pair and the guys at the store will show you how they work and you can cut some lengths there!

I make my jumps in the house watching tv! I use a metal tape measure and permanent Sharpie pen to mark off lengths. And if I make a mistake, SO WHAT! Cut more, buy more PVC, or cut it again! *I do NOT glue anything!* The pipes always fit fairly tightly into the joints so they go together and stay together.

*PVC Pipe Tubing Cutter*

Cuts up to 1" PVC pipe - all schedules!
Cuts up to 1" CPVC pipe
Ratchet cutting for ease of use
Durable metal handle stands up to the toughest jobs
 




 
Why wings?

One of the things newbies (and certainly me) underestimate when we start agility is what a 'wing' on a jump means TO THE DOG. And it's distance between the handler and the dog. If I misjudge a wing and have to step sideways to not run into it, there's a good chance my dog will pull off that jump or get a refusal. So, as a handler, learning to run a course so the wings aren't in our way. And, to the dog, so they get used to the much bigger distance from the handler and that it's ok, even if out of their comfort zone.

Judges use the wings when they build a course to make it more challenging. They ARE/WILL be in the way. They are something that we have to consider when walking a course, and it's better to be prepared by having the wings in our yard! 

This is an attached wing. I 'stole' this design from a set of classes I was attending! Just did a quick drawing, bought the 4 way joint (down on the ground where the feet come out in the 3 way for support and 1 up for the upright...) The rest of the 't's and 'L' joints are regular from the hardware store. If you look closely the center upright (there are 3 pieces going up and vertical in the wing) the CENTER piece is actually a smaller diameter PVC that I had as scrap! It's loose fitting but makes the wing!

These don't have to be perfect! Though you'll be amazed how much better they get as you make them, but even the 1st works just fine.










A friend of mine made wings that just stand beside her jumps, it's extra futzing to move around for me, but she likes them better. They just use 'T's though so don't have to buy the 4 ways from cleanrun.... think she only used the smaller PVC too.











*Way easier to get the jump cup strips* but love that she's just making do! And the snippers are easier than the saw. Puts together just like tinkertots!





 
This has using 4 ways joints that I prefer...


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## MaggieRoseLee

Wings are necessary 

Even Susan Garrett's 'Success with One Jump' DVD has that one jump with wings on the cover!


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## TaraM1285

mahhi - I think my post above has a little more info that you're looking for. I don't have a complete plan but I wrote out all the materials I used. The PVC tool that MRL posted is the same that I used.

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ment-do-yourself-ideas-hints.html#post2017983


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## mahhi22

Thanks MRL & TaraM for the construction tips on jumps. Does look pretty simple. Hopefully I’ll get around to making my first one this weekend. 

MRL, the video w the huskies shows how laborious using a saw can be. Thanks for the video on how to use a PVC cutter. The cutter is definitely the way to go.

TaraM, your “recipe” for jumps is just what I needed. Obviously I missed it the first time through this thread. Glad you directed me to it.


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## mahhi22

*TA DA! I made a jump!*

Here’s my first jump ever made using TaraM’s wing jump plan. Super easy! Being the cheap person I am I thought I’d make jump cups out of cut in half t-connectors. However, once I had the t-connector in hand I decided it was more work than I have tools & patience for & will be ordering jump strips. I’m going to make one more wing jump & one bar jump. Three jumps are probably about all my backyard can accommodate 

Many thanks to TaraM, MRL & Wildo for advice & encouragement.


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## mockingjay

I've been looking for this high and low! I'm based in Singapore, and we don't have people who specializes in agility equipment like this!

I would like to have the measurement to start building mine!


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