Tulsa

This is where I read about the method of attaching mallet heads to poles I am using.

http://321polo.net/2011/09/simple-mallet-mounting-style-is-straight-sex/

I have a couple of variations on mounting from his description.

I start by determining how much to cut to have the screw go into the nut inside the shaft about 4 turns. You can 'dip stick' into the hole, touch the nut, then pull your 'dipstick' back out, mark the shaft, and cut appropriately for your screw to start into the nut. I then run the countersunk screw down pretty tight on the end of the shaft to set the nut inside the shaft. Then I cut my teeth into the end of the shaft with a triangle file.

I countersink the screw head end on the pipe a bit more than 50% of what I want the countersink to end up like for depth.

I do not use a 1/2 inch drill bit, I use a 4 fluted 3/8 core drill followed by a 7/16 inch rotory file run in my die grinder.

After the 7/16 cone rotory file will pass straight through the hole, I heat the ski pole slightly with my propane torch, and slide it into the hole. I only heat it enough to insure it still takes a bit of force to pass the pole into the hole until the end of the pole touches the hole for the screw inside the HDPE pipe. We do not want to burn/melt the pipe with a hot ski pole, just soften it for the pole pass through the undersized hole, the teeth on the end biting into the pipe fully, and the countersink ending up perfect.

Then I run the 1/4 inch screw in with my screw driver, carefully watching the screw head depth into that shallow countersink. The top on these stainless screws is not flat, but slightly rounded, and I do not try to make that rounded head 'disappear' into the countersink, just the beveled edge.

I came to do this because I noted while experimenting and finding that a perfect countersink would pull too far into the head, leaving just a very thin amount of pipe between the screw countersink and the shaft.

Colin's head was the last mounted, and it came out the best. The upper part of the shaft is tightly gripped by the pipe because the hole was undersized and the hot pole softened the pipe allowing the pole to pass through. Same for the teeth filed into the end of the pole on the inside of the pipe opposite the countersink.
It seems after cool down the pipe remembered it wanted to recover some of it's orignal size, and gripped the pole tightly. Colin's head can be removed and reinstalled, but it is tight on the pole. That's because I do not drill a straight 1/2 inch hole, but rather end up with a tapered hole, matching the tapered shaft that made it using heat. Sort of like a taper lock fastener on aircraft.
Jeff

I found a spot that looked rusty on the frame, and put a magnet to the frame when I got home. Chromally steel, not aluminum.

This frame looks like a shorter wheel base than the Diamond back, and the rear down tubes may well be at the important 70 degrees for a dropout change out. So it may handle better with a BMX fork put on it like I did the Diamond Back.

This is a real quandry now because this is a nice bike as it sits.

I will have to think modding this bike over for a while.
Jeff

I picked up that little Gary Fisher Tassajara off craigslist today. I liked the look of the geometry. It seemed less aggressive than my Diamond Back, but now I think they are the same rear frame angles.

Also, I did not do any research, and it turns out this is very likely a 6061 T6 aluminum frame. So, I guess I just bought a nice little mountain bike to leave pretty much as is and ride. I won't be hauling this out to get bruised on the courts against steel frames.

It came with a nice red and black rear carrier, which my wife wants, so that makes the bike cost to me about $25 after taking that part off, not bad. It also has a Bongtranger seat.
Jeff

Good morning if you are awake early, or maybe it's time to GO TO BED!!! I am out here on O/T, and already worked almost 2 hours. So, we are taking a short break.

If Colin is reading this, and has time, zip me an email. I have your mallet finished, with options. The options would be a few different heads. So I have not yet lock tighted the screw. It would be best to lock tight it today, this evening or whatever.The current, and best head is 75 grams, just like your old head. Oveall weight is 380 grams. There are larger and fewer lightning holes in the mallet head.

Your mallet handle got about 1.5 inches shorter due to worn out hole, and cut back for the new type screw in shaft installation. I added dowel inside to lengthen your handle, and put an old MTB Grip on it. It is really nice and cushy. The length was returned to the back end in case the 3 inch dowel added weight, it is in your palm, not the end of your mallet.

But if it is not to your liking, we can cut it back to your original hockey tape end point before your PVC end cap. Your PVC end cap had bit the dust BTW, cracked to pieces.

I will bring some tools, someone bring hocky tape to finsh/modify this mallet if Colin shows up.

There are also some other interesting options that can be done to these mallet heads, we can talk about Sunday. I am going to do one of my own to experiment with.

I want to get some more HDPE, Yellow and black. We could replace that straight yellow HDPE with a bent black one, and get roll ouot onthe ball when it goes in that corner. Let me know on the pipe, I would like to get some after work.
Jeff

You can play with color combinations here http://www.tennisuniversal.com/List/156/0/Color_Chart_with_Court_Layouts...

The Light Green and the Beige might be good under all lighting conditions. This paint is $87 a gallon with sand in it, no tax no delivery calcualed.

It would take some label reading down at "The Store" to see if that is Acrylic latex, whic I doubt.

I do know we can get our own sand chep enough.

If you flip through the DIY part, you can tell they are pouring out paint, and sweeping the paint with brooms to apply it.

I am sure there is a paint calculator on the site, I haven't looked that hard yet.

Jeff

I sure hope this is Tulsa only, I am going to go ahead and post here in this comments section.

I went by "This Store" today, they have maybe 40 or so 5 gallon buckets of Inerior/Exterior Latex paint for $40 per 5 gallon bucket.

I have been pricing paint for my house at upwards of $150 for 5 gallons. So this looks like deal. The paint color is white.

The question is, how long, if at all, would Latex exterior hold up on concrete exposed to the elements?

I have not researched this yet.

The other question is, if we buy white paint at "This Store", would Lowes or somewhere else tint the paint green for us?

I am going to research painting concrete, but wanted to get this out there for our group to read. If you are in the building trades, and know paint, post back here or email around.

"This Store" also has a lot of spray paint. not a wide color selection, but several useful colors for us, or individually if you want some paint @ $1.59 a can. I already picked up Orange and Red.

That is the latest news, we are talking about wall materials and all kinds of things to get this court up and running full speed, so stay tuned and please chime in with your ideas.

I am sure I will answer right back here tonight or tomorrow if I find out anything on paint.
Jeff

Hey guys, this is very late notice, but we are hosting a tourney out here in Lubbock this weekend and wanted to see if you guys were interested in coming. The info is available over at Hub City Hardcourt on this here Internet website. Hope you guys can make it! We have places for everyone to stay too.