Skill pad

[crispy92 14]

I was watching some youtube videos and saw that several people have make shift skill pads and they seemed to work well. I was wondering, how do you make a cheap skill pad

[BearsEatBeets 0]

You go to your local hardware dealer (i.e. Home Depot or Rona if you're Canadian) and get acrylic light panel (http://www.rona.ca/shop/~panel---diffuser-panel-liteline-366496_!acrylic-light-panel_shop). Then next I would recommend you buy some Pledge (follow the directions on how to use the Pledge) and apply the pledge to the acrylic light panel. Now you are ready to practice stickhandling with your puck. The reason you want to use Pledge is it is it simulates how the puck would slide on the ice. You'll notice that it isn't identical but close enough. You'll have to reapply the Pledge every now and then as it'll eventually wear off and the puck won't slide as well on the acrylic board anymore.

You can make the rest of the skill pad by however you like. But if you're looking to have something to pass to, I'd recommend you go find some surgical tubing and wrap that around something it'll provide you with a sufficient rebound.

[interpathway 9]

Not sure if you came across this one, but this kid does a pretty good job explaining how. It'd be nice to get a much larger plastic sheet though...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfUqXQUeLNM

[robat 0]

That's a good video. I may try it. That kids other videos are pretty funny.

[interpathway 9]

Haha yeah, how to tape over the toe is hilarious.

[jds 20]

I made a decent board by getting a sheet of 4X8 white formica covered pressboard. Bolted a piece of 4X4 to one end and then glued a hunk of that compressed foam used to make those floating swim noodles. I found a noodle that was 1X4X4 and cut it to fit the 4X4. The puck bounces off it nicely and it is easy to work with

[fatwabbit 93]

If you have know any offices that are doing a renovation, you can try to salvage some of the crap they are throwing out.

The office I work at was doing a renovation earlier this year, besides ALL the furniture in the manager's office, I got those plastic mats that they used for each individual cubicle. Basically they are about 3'x3', and are placed below the chair for so that you can roll aroudn easier. I took 3 of these home, put them side by side so I have a setup long enough to do some basic puck handling. I used some silicone spray (lubricant type), and it makes the puck slide even slicker.

[Elwood 0]

LoL "it came in lemon scent"

I bought a 4x4' sheet of Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHDPE) for 50 bucks locally. It works well.

-E

[Jackal_17 0]

This will be my project for Christmas. Beats spending 60 to 100 bucks to buy a commercial one.

An aside, he sounds pretty young in the video. Just want to applaud him for making the effort of going through the whole process instead of just asking his parents to buy something commercial.

Thanks for the tip!

Btw, some people in the comments section of the video suggested different sprays for the pad. I just want to ask which one of them works best.

WD 40

Car Wax

Silicone spray (lubricant)

[fatwabbit 93]

only used silicone spray so far, and it seems to work out pretty well.

[duckjob 1]

WD40 seems like it would make a big mess. The Silicone spray works well. As an aside if you're looking for acrylic sheets at a Home Depot, it can usually be found in with the real glass in the window and door department. In southern California a 6' x 3' sheet of 1/8" acrylic plexi glass will run you about $30. I'd stay away from the florescent light diffusers as most of them are super brittle.

[Law Goalie 147]

LoL "it came in lemon scent"

I bought a 4x4' sheet of Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHDPE) for 50 bucks locally. It works well.

-E

That's the stuff - self-lubricating, high-impact and basically perfect.

FYI, you can get off-cuts way, way cheaper than that. I think I was quoted $40 CAD for an 8x4' sheet.

[fatwabbit 93]

Yup, UHMWPE is the stuff that has very low coefficient of friction... meaning that it slides easier. Its also the same material used in hip replacements (ball and socket joint)

If you are using it to shoot off, it wouldnt really matter what material you use... however if you are using it to puck handle you would want a surface that would allow you to slide the puck easily.

[dw91 0]

Yup, UHMWPE is the stuff that has very low coefficient of friction... meaning that it slides easier. Its also the same material used in hip replacements (ball and socket joint)

If you are using it to shoot off, it wouldnt really matter what material you use... however if you are using it to puck handle you would want a surface that would allow you to slide the puck easily.

oh no, this is starting to sound like py physics class with the friction terms lol

[sfael 0]

LoL "it came in lemon scent"

I bought a 4x4' sheet of Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHDPE) for 50 bucks locally. It works well.

-E

That's the stuff - self-lubricating, high-impact and basically perfect.

FYI, you can get off-cuts way, way cheaper than that. I think I was quoted $40 CAD for an 8x4' sheet.

Where can you get this stuff at home hardware type of stores?

[k13 0]

LoL "it came in lemon scent"

I bought a 4x4' sheet of Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHDPE) for 50 bucks locally. It works well.

-E

That's the stuff - self-lubricating, high-impact and basically perfect.

FYI, you can get off-cuts way, way cheaper than that. I think I was quoted $40 CAD for an 8x4' sheet.

Where can you get this stuff at home hardware type of stores?

+1

Home Depot? Rona? Found in the same place as plexiglass?

[fatwabbit 93]

Yup, UHMWPE is the stuff that has very low coefficient of friction... meaning that it slides easier. Its also the same material used in hip replacements (ball and socket joint)

If you are using it to shoot off, it wouldnt really matter what material you use... however if you are using it to puck handle you would want a surface that would allow you to slide the puck easily.

oh no, this is starting to sound like py physics class with the friction terms lol

Cant help it... did some research on that third year for my engineering degree.

[db88 0]

LoL "it came in lemon scent"

I bought a 4x4' sheet of Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHDPE) for 50 bucks locally. It works well.

-E

LoL "it came in lemon scent"

I bought a 4x4' sheet of Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHDPE) for 50 bucks locally. It works well.

-E

That's the stuff - self-lubricating, high-impact and basically perfect.

FYI, you can get off-cuts way, way cheaper than that. I think I was quoted $40 CAD for an 8x4' sheet.

So does this stuff pretty much simulate shooting as if you were on ice?

[Elwood 0]

The price depends on thickness (keep yer mind outta the gutter) ;)

I found it here: http://www.valleyplastics.net/

A quick google search found lots of sites selling it. I'd check Google locally and see it a plastics place near you has it. Even if you need someone to order it, you may just get them to eat the shipping cos this stuff is damn heavy.

-E

[Jackal_17 0]

So I went out and brought a piece of acrylic for $26 plus tax at Home Depot and a sheet of 3.99 plastic at Canadian Tire (That's like the Canadian Walmart) that kids slide down hills with.

I sprayed the plastic with silicone lubricant and voila! Stick handling at home!

Guess I will be refunding the $26 piece of acrylic.

Thanks for all the tips fatwabbit and others! The silicone spray works great!

[Rustpot 1]

Make sure you clean your pucks and sticks, and use the pad inside if you're spraying a lubricant. Lube attracts dirt and dust like a mother. Also, check your can of silicone, I have one that will eat plastics and has a nasty vapor, another that is pure and harmless.

For anyone thinking of using WD-40 I would warn against it. I have no idea why this stuff became so popular for home use, it's very noxious and does not act well as a lubricant over time. So many better and cheaper oils that don't have a whole lot of warnings about drying out your eye sockets from exposure.

[Chadd 916]

Make sure you clean your pucks and sticks, and use the pad inside if you're spraying a lubricant. Lube attracts dirt and dust like a mother. Also, check your can of silicone, I have one that will eat plastics and has a nasty vapor, another that is pure and harmless.

For anyone thinking of using WD-40 I would warn against it. I have no idea why this stuff became so popular for home use, it's very noxious and does not act well as a lubricant over time. So many better and cheaper oils that don't have a whole lot of warnings about drying out your eye sockets from exposure.

Silicone spray is what you want.

[crazy-luke-finch 0]

my idea works great...

On my decking at the bottom of my garden i have a piece of lino left over from a kitchen, and a mattress propped up against the fence.

i shoot on the lino and when it hits the mattress it bounces back. It doesn't break the fence either.

[Nico 0]

If it is just for stickhandling, a cheap plexiglass sheet from homedepot and a smarthockey ball is all that is needed. Actually you don't even need the plexiglass if you have a hard surface to practice on. All I have is carpet, so I needed it.

[CTK30 0]

This stuff could possibly work for taking shots

Kind of narrow for stick handling

http://www.daymotorsports.com/product/137/ROLL-PLASTIC/

I may glue it down to some plywood to practice slap shots