Help Me Design a Basement Putting Green

[iacas]

7 hours ago, bmartin461 said:

It's not a matter of begin weak, it comes down to function.  Put level down, crank three times, boom, 3 degree slant.

Because it's overkill, and I'm not buying and adding several jacks to the damn thing. It's not even something I'd ask the wife about let alone something she'd approve.

Seriously, enough about the jack stuff. I appreciate the help, but the jack thing is a non-starter.

[Lihu]

10 minutes ago, iacas said:

Because it's overkill, and I'm not buying and adding several jacks to the damn thing. It's not even something I'd ask the wife about let alone something she'd approve.

Seriously, enough about the jack stuff.

Ah, yes, I see you have similar restrictions as the rest of us in this regard.

 

[bmartin461]

9 hours ago, iacas said:

Because it's overkill, and I'm not buying and adding several jacks to the damn thing. It's not even something I'd ask the wife about let alone something she'd approve.

Seriously, enough about the jack stuff. I appreciate the help, but the jack thing is a non-starter.

So if I'm hearing you right, it sounds like you don't want jacks, got it.  

[bmartin461]

1 hour ago, bmartin461 said:

So if I'm hearing you right, it sounds like you don't want jacks, got it.  

Ok, my final offer....LOL

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Leg-Levelers-Small-Foot/dp/B0035Y5XUK

These would attached to the outside of the frame and allow for easy adjustment via a long T-handled allen wrench.

I'm sure they make longer ones as needed.

 

[iacas]

Just now, bmartin461 said:

These would attached to the outside of the frame and allow for easy adjustment via a long T-handled allen wrench.

Or an electric drill with the proper bit, or a permanently affixed handle, or whatever, yeah. That's kind of what I had in mind, and what I think @Pretzel had in mind, too.

[mchepp]

This guy makes them with electric actuators. Probably overkill for what you are doing, but I have seen David Orr use one. Maybe a deal to had for a professional.

 

[billchao]

I'd just make a wooden platform like a shed floor for the actual green part with 2x6 joists which will easily hold the weight and give you room to put cups in.

As for the tilting, I'd probably just make a couple of large slope boards and just lift up the platform and stick them under it when I wanted to change the slope.

[iacas]

37 minutes ago, billchao said:

I'd just make a wooden platform like a shed floor for the actual green part with 2x6 joists which will easily hold the weight and give you room to put cups in.

As for the tilting, I'd probably just make a couple of large slope boards and just lift up the platform and stick them under it when I wanted to change the slope.

Yeah, I'm starting to think that the easiest solution is just the best. I'll talk to a builder guy (he has to come install a bathroom fan at some point) and see if he can just make a box and leave me with some blocks that I can use to put beneath it. Truly KISS.

I considered mounting one side five inches higher, on a hinge, so that I could truly just change one side to make it level or L2R or R2L breaks, but then I'd be up ten inches and the ceiling is not super high, so I decided against that.

[rehmwa]

55 minutes ago, iacas said:

 just make a box and leave me with some blocks that I can use to put beneath it. Truly KISS.

This is where I was going.  Simple single piece stiff sides (4 of them) - attached to a medium to thin plywood -   Mucking about with the blocks (I'm fond of the stairstep blocks earlier one poster offered) can result in the surface being flat, flat slope, twisted, etc etc etc all at least down one line of direction.  The frame would need a bit of flex in the corners so it's not too stiff to allow the green to be shaped (I'd not attach the sides at the corners), just affix to the surface material.  Essentially a sheet of plywood and four boards vertically attached on the 4 edges of the sheet but not to each other.

If the box is too big, I'd minimize walking in the very center of it.

to get true 3D adjustabilty (making humps and dips)  would need a few joints (segment) mid point on the sides, and fairly flexy plywood surface to smooth out what the unique adjustments would do....and maybe some blocks on can slide underneath in the center of the board - that leads to the issue of finding something better than plywood that would give a smooth/firm surface yet still be stable.

[iacas]

48 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

This is where I was going.  Simple single piece stiff sides (4 of them) - attached to a medium to thin plywood -   Mucking about with the blocks (I'm fond of the stairstep blocks earlier one poster offered) can result in the surface being flat, flat slope, twisted, etc etc etc all at least down one line of direction.  The frame would need a bit of flex in the corners so it's not too stiff to allow the green to be shaped (I'd not attach the sides at the corners), just affix to the surface material.  Essentially a sheet of plywood and four boards vertically attached on the 4 edges of the sheet but not to each other.

If the box is too big, I'd minimize walking in the very center of it.

to get true 3D adjustabilty (making humps and dips)  would need a few joints (segment) mid point on the sides, and fairly flexy plywood surface to smooth out what the unique adjustments would do....and maybe some blocks on can slide underneath in the center of the board - that leads to the issue of finding something better than plywood that would give a smooth/firm surface yet still be stable.

That's not quite what I was saying.

I'd just lift the entire box and put blocks beneath. The surface would probably be attached to the plywood which would be attached to the cross supports.

In other words… basically the same thing as my first design. Though I'll do what I can to minimize weight. Perhaps steel cross supports or something.

[billchao]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

I considered mounting one side five inches higher, on a hinge, so that I could truly just change one side to make it level or L2R or R2L breaks, but then I'd be up ten inches and the ceiling is not super high, so I decided against that.

If you hinge one side, I'm assuming one of the long sides against the wall, you can mount it so that the platform just sits flat and when you lift up the other side, the hinge closes slightly so the whole thing tilts in only one direction. I don't know what your height restriction is, but the platform I'm envisioning is about 6" high by itself.

I kind of like it not hinged so you can put blocks under 2 sides and create up/down as well as left/right slope if you wanted to.

54 minutes ago, iacas said:

In other words… basically the same thing as my first design. Though I'll do what I can to minimize weight. Perhaps steel cross supports or something.

You can reduce the material if you use shorter cups or something, then you can make platform lower. If the joists are 16" OC with 3/4 plywood laid down on top of it, you shouldn't have a support issue, since you're basically making a floor.

Alternatively, you can save weight on the platform by using lighter materials if you build a torsion box, but now we're getting a little fancy.

[iacas]

18 minutes ago, billchao said:

If you hinge one side, I'm assuming one of the long sides against the wall, you can mount it so that the platform just sits flat and when you lift up the other side, the hinge closes slightly so the whole thing tilts in only one direction. I don't know what your height restriction is, but the platform I'm envisioning is about 6" high by itself.

You're misunderstanding.

To get the slope I want, it's about 5" or so. So the hinge would have to elevate one side 5" up, and also let me elevate the other side 5" up. That's different than both sides starting at 0" and elevating one side only. So I'd waste 5" of space because "flat" would be 5" up on both sides.

18 minutes ago, billchao said:

I kind of like it not hinged so you can put blocks under 2 sides and create up/down as well as left/right slope if you wanted to.

Not hinged lets me create uphill/downhill too, yes.

17 minutes ago, billchao said:

You can reduce the material if you use shorter cups or something, then you can make platform lower. If the joists are 16" OC with 3/4 plywood laid down on top of it, you shouldn't have a support issue, since you're basically making a floor.

Yeah, I don't think it'll be super heavy. I might shave the cups down a bit, too. Remember any time there's slope, the box is going to be off the floor.

[iacas]

@Pretzel, have a look at this and let me know what you think:

http://puttingdoctor.net/perfection_platforms.htm

[Pretzel]

21 minutes ago, iacas said:

@Pretzel, have a look at this and let me know what you think:

http://puttingdoctor.net/perfection_platforms.htm

That's actually pretty much what I was thinking about. A t-slot frame that's easy to assemble along with a threaded rod attached to a foot on each corner that lets you vary the slope of the surface at will. They even offer it with motors like I had originally thought of for a "fancy" version.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Pretzel said:

That's actually pretty much what I was thinking about. A t-slot frame that's easy to assemble along with a threaded rod attached to a foot on each corner that lets you vary the slope of the surface at will. They even offer it with motors like I had originally thought of for a "fancy" version.

Yes, but I'm not going to spend $8000 to buy one from them. I can, however, build one myself.

I guess I just need to figure out a parts list. The motorized one sounds like the way to go.

[Pretzel]

7 hours ago, iacas said:

Yes, but I'm not going to spend $8000 to buy one from them. I can, however, build one myself.

At that price you ought to build multiple and start selling them!

[iacas]

10 hours ago, Pretzel said:

At that price you ought to build multiple and start selling them!

That's what they do. They cost $7995 or so.

Can you help with a parts list? Or a supplier? I'll be looking at this again after I get back from NCAA Nationals.

[Pretzel]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

That's what they do. They cost $7995 or so.

Can you help with a parts list? Or a supplier? I'll be looking at this again after I get back from NCAA Nationals.

Yes, I could provide assistance in that regard now that finals are over. Just packing up my things and moving out now, actually.

After NCAA Nationals means after the 25th, correct? If that is correct I should be able to have a full parts list with links to supplier and such by then, along with a CAD model for assembly if you know what you want. Shoot me a PM and we can discuss details of exactly what you want.