Speedbag Platform Customization

[eoneel]

Hey Speedbaggers, I was going to try and make a 1 1/3 inch thick 24" diamater maple wood platform. I went to Lowe's and Home Depot but all they sell is pine. I have had some trouble trying to find a lumber mill. I have seen some really nice home made platforms on here. Where did you guys get the wood from? I bought a everlast cheapo speed bag platform and took the advice to get a second piece of 24" wood and put it on the top of the formica board that it comes with. I am staining the wood right now and noticed that I would much rather look at the nice wood than a black painted formica board. Pine wood is proabably to soft for a nice rebound so I will never get to see my nice stain job. Oh yeah one more thing, does the method of putting two boards together bear the same results of stability and vibration reduction as the 1 and 1/3 inch single board?
P.S. Has anybody here ever had the idea of making and selling speed bag platforms?

[Chris M]

Hey Speedbaggers, I was going to try and make a 1 1/3 inch thick 24" diamater maple wood platform. I went to Lowe's and Home Depot but all they sell is pine. I have had some trouble trying to find a lumber mill. I have seen some really nice home made platforms on here. Where did you guys get the wood from? I bought a everlast cheapo speed bag platform and took the advice to get a second piece of 24" wood and put it on the top of the formica board that it comes with. I am staining the wood right now and noticed that I would much rather look at the nice wood than a black painted formica board. Pine wood is proabably to soft for a nice rebound so I will never get to see my nice stain job. Oh yeah one more thing, does the method of putting two boards together bear the same results of stability and vibration reduction as the 1 and 1/3 inch single board?
P.S. Has anybody here ever had the idea of making and selling speed bag platforms?

I'll try to answer all your questions, let me know if I miss any.

The best place to get maple or other kind of wood (the big box stores, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. charge way too much for good hardwoods when they do have it because they have it all cut dimensionally anyway)

You need to find your nearest "Woodcraft" store by going here: http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/ While they're not the absolute cheapest around, they are usually very reasonable. If there's nothing close by you at all, call a local cabinet shop and they can probably direct you to the closest/cheapest place nearest you.

Oh yeah one more thing, does the method of putting two boards together bear the same results of stability and vibration reduction as the 1 and 1/3 inch single board? I'm not sure about that because I've never used both to compare them, but it does look and sound better with one thicker piece of wood. Vibration is more a result of the platform strength and how it's mounted. The ever present sandbag on top always helps a ton also.

Have I thought of making platforms? Sure, and I have the tools, experience, and desire to do it, but to make it worth my time would be too expensive to anyone else. I used to make reproduction antique furniture and even with modern tools it is very time consuming. It took me 2 months of working nearly every evening to make my dining room table and chair set. I'm of the philosophy that if you're going to take time to do something, do it right and do it once so you can enjoy it a lifetime. I really don't believe in doing it any other way. I grew up in my Dad's bodyshop and learned the value of craftsmanship at a very young age.

[Speedbag]

Unless you just HAVE to have a pre-made round board, I would suggest making one from a 4x4 piece of solid hardwood. then you can make the board as large as you want and any shape. I've seen boards round, square, rectangular, five and six sided. It doesn't matter for the bag will establish the "circle" around the swivel.

'course, you gotta have the proper tools and know how.
:rolleyes:

[eoneel]

Thanks so much everyone for your advice and references . I can't tell you how much I appreciate them! I found that there is a wood craft 5 miles away. I will be going there tommorrow and getting piece of wood. I have only a mediocre knowledge of wood working though. Is maple wood infact the best wood to use for a platform or wood cherry wood or mesquite be better?

[Kyle]

im not positive if its the best but maple is a very very hard wood and wood be great for a platform

ps thats my next project a maple platform will probably be a while till i actually get around to it though. i want mine to be an octagon
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[jaguiler]

I use the pine and I like it just fine... it is a soft wood, but it does not make much difference in this application. It really comes down to board stability.

But as long as you are headed to Woodcraft, why not go exotic ? This wood, would look sweet !!

http://www.woodcraft.com/images/family/web5032big.jpg

Amboina Burl

(Ptercarpus indicus) Color ranges from blood red to golden brown with a characteristic scent. Very dense burl with striking figure. Amboina has the character and beauty to literally carry a project. From duck calls to small bowls, the swirling grain and color are really impressive. Air dried and heavily waxed. To avoid checking, please exercise care when storing or working. Myanmar.

[Chris M]

I use the pine and I like it just fine... it is a soft wood, but it does not make much difference in this application. It really comes down to board stability.

But as long as you are headed to Woodcraft, why not go exotic ? This wood, would look sweet !!

http://www.woodcraft.com/images/family/web5032big.jpg

I've done some work with exotic hardwoods. I'll bet each of those blocks pictured above are ~ $50 - $75 each and those pieces are about as big as you can get. If you were lucky enough to find some actual boards you would EASILY spend hundreds of dollars just for the wood.

[ninja420]

WORD UP! Wood is not cheep at all! but you can also look on craigs list and other classifides and find some nice solid wood lots of times oak. furiture ie. desks, tables, for realy cheep some times free if you pic it up. remember some times a 35$ desk can make 2 boards now I call that a deal and all you have to do is cut them out:)

[Roscoe]

In the case where money is not an issue :o you could buy a ready made hard maple butcher block (cutting board) at just about any width and thickness, they even sell round ones.

http://www.chefdepot.net/butcherblock.htm

Roscoe

[Kyle]

i wonder if bamboo is good for a platform? I know there baseball bats are solid.
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[jaguiler]

yeah - I have been looking at cutting boards - including bamboo which is real nice,but finding the right size is the challenge.... I wonder if 18"x18" is big enough for for a 5x8 or 6x4 bag...

I definately want my equipment to look nice, it gives me more motivation to workout on it.... I'll be working on a new platform soon...

[Kyle]

yeah - I have been looking at cutting boards - including bamboo which is real nice,but finding the right size is the challenge.... I wonder if 18"x18" is big enough for for a 5x8 or 6x4 bag...

I definately want my equipment to look nice, it gives me more motivation to workout on it.... I'll be working on a new platform soon...

ya i want to make a new platform to but i wont be making mine till at least the summer and i plan on using a hard maple.
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[jaguiler]

just remember to post pictures and where you go the wood....etc

[Kyle]

absolutly will. (love showing off..... hahaha)
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