I want to build a backstop (frontstop?) out of PVC and netting to use
in the back yard to practice golf shots. I would appreciate any
comments on suggestions on my basic design.

It will be a 3-piece unit: a back and two sides. The back will be
about 10' x 10'. The sides will be about 5' deep at the bottom. The
top may be less.

The sides will attach to the back in such a way that they can easily
fold flat (inward) so that the whole thing can be leaned against a
garage or side of the house to get it out of the way without having to
take it apart.

I am planning on making the frame out of PVC.

Here are a few questions:

1. What diameter pipe do I need for a 10x10 frame that will be sturdy
enough to support a net? The net probably weighs less than 10 lbs.
Will 2" pipe be strong enough? 3"?

2. For storage, it would be nice to have pipes shorter than 10'. Will
two 5' pipes with some type of fitting be subnstantially weaker than
one 10' pipe? The fitting must come apart. What type of fitting is
best?

3. I plan to use T-fittings to attach the side frames to the back
frame. I will use a T-fitting that will slide freely on the vertical
poles on the back frame. If I am using 3" pipe, is there a T-fitting
that will slide freely on a 3" pipe without binding or wobbling?

4. Can I get away with just three poles for the sides or will I need a
complete 4-pole frame for stability?

Thanks

On Sun, 17 May 2009 09:09:29 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I want to build a backstop (frontstop?) out of PVC and netting to use
in the back yard to practice golf shots. I would appreciate any
comments on suggestions on my basic design.

It will be a 3-piece unit: a back and two sides. The back will be
about 10' x 10'. The sides will be about 5' deep at the bottom. The
top may be less.

The sides will attach to the back in such a way that they can easily
fold flat (inward) so that the whole thing can be leaned against a
garage or side of the house to get it out of the way without having to
take it apart.

I am planning on making the frame out of PVC.

Here are a few questions:

1. What diameter pipe do I need for a 10x10 frame that will be sturdy
enough to support a net? The net probably weighs less than 10 lbs.
Will 2" pipe be strong enough? 3"?

2. For storage, it would be nice to have pipes shorter than 10'. Will
two 5' pipes with some type of fitting be subnstantially weaker than
one 10' pipe? The fitting must come apart. What type of fitting is
best?

3. I plan to use T-fittings to attach the side frames to the back
frame. I will use a T-fitting that will slide freely on the vertical
poles on the back frame. If I am using 3" pipe, is there a T-fitting
that will slide freely on a 3" pipe without binding or wobbling?

I just got back from the hardware store. They don't sell a T-fitting
that will allow a pipe to go all the way through. It has a stop just
before the T to keep the two ends of the straight path from touching
and blocking the flow down the T.

I wonder how much trouble it would be to file or bore out the inside
of the T-fitting to allow one pipe to go all the way through and slide
fairly easily.

I also found a couple of online PVC manufacturers. I'll contact them
on Monday.

http://www.apiplastics.com/specialties.html

http://www.pvcfittingsdirect.com/?gc...FRk_awodWFIgsA

4. Can I get away with just three poles for the sides or will I need a
complete 4-pole frame for stability?

Thanks

How about a V shape? The next size up as a sleve to go in the ground.

On May 17, 12:09*pm, Prof Wonmug wrote:
I want to build a backstop (frontstop?) out of PVC and netting to use
in the back yard to practice golf shots. I would appreciate any
comments on suggestions on my basic design.

It will be a 3-piece unit: a back and two sides. The back will be
about 10' x 10'. The sides will be about 5' deep at the bottom. The
top may be less.

The sides will attach to the back in such a way that they can easily
fold flat (inward) so that the whole thing can be leaned against a
garage or side of the house to get it out of the way without having to
take it apart.

I am planning on making the frame out of PVC.

Here are a few questions:

1. What diameter pipe do I need for a 10x10 frame that will be sturdy
enough to support a net? The net probably weighs less than 10 lbs.
Will 2" pipe be strong enough? 3"?

2. For storage, it would be nice to have pipes shorter than 10'. Will
two 5' pipes with some type of fitting be subnstantially weaker than
one 10' pipe? The fitting must come apart. What type of fitting is
best?

3. I plan to use T-fittings to attach the side frames to the back
frame. I will use a T-fitting that will slide freely on the vertical
poles on the back frame. If I am using 3" pipe, is there a T-fitting
that will slide freely on a 3" pipe without binding or wobbling?

4. Can I get away with just three poles for the sides or will I need a
complete 4-pole frame for stability?

Thanks

Google is your friend.
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=build...f+practice+net
It took me 30 seconds to find that the easiest and cheapest way to
make a strong net is to use steel scaffolding sections. You can use
damaged sections as the scaffolding strength is far in excess of your
needs. That means you can probably put it up cheap. Put a wanted ad
on Craigslist. You'd be surprised how many people have old sections
of scaffolding laying around from old building projects.

R