My shooting / Skill pad experiences with different products / materials

[CommodoreColt 19]

HDPE from a plastics supplier is the one.

Bit of silicone lubricant on that and it's fantastic.

HDPE is definitely the way to go. I had a rolled-up 4'x8' sheet shipped to my doorstep for $50 from an online construction supplier. I roll it up and toss it into my car to take it to an outdoor concrete rink for shooting rubber pucks on occasion. It unrolls and flattens better than you'd think.

Over the last couple few years I've tried several ways to get rubber pucks sliding on these pads better. Silicone spray works extremely well but is a bit high maintenance for me. I've resorted to sticking things to the puck to get them slipping around.

A small strip of wrinkled tape. I'm sure you can think of a few other ways to apply it. The way I have it uses the wrinkles get the rubber off of your surface. Slides quite well. If have better things to do with your time or have a bucket full of a hundred pucks to treat, I'm sure a simple flat square of tape will have a nearly congruent effect.

Here's another way I've done this. Little dots of epoxy putty. The pucks I've done this to slide very fast and are a little more ice-like. It's fun doing standing dangles while watching TV in my living room with these, but these take more effort to prepare than slapping tape on. The bond is permanent, so you won't be taking these on the ice after puttying them. Good thing, though... I have yet to clang one of the dots off against a post.

Edit: Just want to add that you can probably get away with using higher friction surfaces with these pucks. Have fun and level up your hands.

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

Went the Melamine board and Pledge route tonight and I'm very impressed. Especially, given the cost.

I'm going to try modding the pucks as well like suggested above.

[ktang 34]

This thread was extremely valuable to me. Previously I had been shooting off a plastic chair mat carpet protector wiped down with pledge, until it cracked. The melamine wiped down with Pledge is even better.

I've been shooting 5 times every half hour on weeknights to improve my snap-shot motion. It's been a dry-fire exercise for now; in another month or so I think I will be ready to shoot objects at targets.

Thanks to the OP and the other contributors to this thread.

[flyguy1 1]

HDPE is definitely the way to go. I had a rolled-up 4'x8' sheet shipped to my doorstep for $50 from an online construction supplier. I roll it up and toss it into my car to take it to an outdoor concrete rink for shooting rubber pucks on occasion. It unrolls and flattens better than you'd think.

Over the last couple few years I've tried several ways to get rubber pucks sliding on these pads better. Silicone spray works extremely well but is a bit high maintenance for me. I've resorted to sticking things to the puck to get them slipping around.

A small strip of wrinkled tape. I'm sure you can think of a few other ways to apply it. The way I have it uses the wrinkles get the rubber off of your surface. Slides quite well. If have better things to do with your time or have a bucket full of a hundred pucks to treat, I'm sure a simple flat square of tape will have a nearly congruent effect.

Here's another way I've done this. Little dots of epoxy putty. The pucks I've done this to slide very fast and are a little more ice-like. It's fun doing standing dangles while watching TV in my living room with these, but these take more effort to prepare than slapping tape on. The bond is permanent, so you won't be taking these on the ice after puttying them. Good thing, though... I have yet to clang one of the dots off against a post.

Edit: Just want to add that you can probably get away with using higher friction surfaces with these pucks. Have fun and level up your hands.

Nice idea. Just curious, what brand of epoxy putty did you use? I currently used pledge on hardboard, I would like something with alittle less maintenance...

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

I'd be interested in trying the epoxy dots as well. For now, I've just used a strip of clear packing tape on each side of the puck.

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

Bought a third board, a bungee and some eye hooks. I beveled the edges of the boards so the puck passes by smoothly.

[greasy17 19]

Great ideas guys! I would also suggest trying to use some car wax instead of Pledge, it should work wonders!

[CommodoreColt 19]

Nice idea. Just curious, what brand of epoxy putty did you use? I currently used pledge on hardboard, I would like something with alittle less maintenance...

I'd be interested in trying the epoxy dots as well. For now, I've just used a strip of clear packing tape on each side of the puck.

I grabbed the cheapest tube of moldable epoxy putty I could find. I'm unsure of the particular brand I have used but it was probably of little consequence. Off the top of my head I can think of other ways of achieving this effect... drops of of liquid resin for one. Occasionally I mix up some resin to repair holes in the wear areas of my inline skates. I haven't tried dropping any of it on practice pucks yet.

At a certain point, the time spent on treating practice pucks yield diminished returns. For all the time I could spend dropping resin on pucks, I could just be shooting them at their higher resistance. I've worn the dots and tape off of several practice pucks and have yet to bother re-treating them. For all of my geekiness and pursuit of high efficiency (comes from working in IT), lately I find myself just wanting to shoot 'em whether they slide well or not.

[McDugan 89]

I recently got one of these and I've been happy with it. It's very thin and rolls up, so it can be harder to lay flat, but certainly is much cheaper and pretty much the same as the roll-up mats that go for $110 elsewhere.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/140546654617?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649

[MyBoxersSayJoe 132]

Do you put anything on it?

[McDugan 89]

I'll put a few pucks on each corner, but I'm careful not to roll it up too tightly, so it flattens out more easily. I'm thinking of buying a second one and using some liquid nails or something to attach it to a piece of old carpet. That would, I think, allow it to still roll up, but also help it flatten out, and make it usable on a grass surface, on account of the added weight from the carpet.

Just realized that you probably meant, like a lubricating spray. I have some silicone spray that I used to use on thrifty panel boards, but on this mat I haven't had to use it yet.

There is a "glossy" side and a slightly textured side. I put the mat glossy side down, and the texture, to my surprise, actually seems to help the puck slide pretty freely.

[marka 518]

Howdy,

Ancient thread revival...

Just starting out and I'd like to get something at home to practice stick handling on. I have a spot in my basement about 14'x8'. Smooth concrete floor.

Can someone compare HPDE material vs. Hockey Shot's rollup shooting pad vs. dryland tiles vs. whatever else? I'm looking for my best option to use that space.

Similarly... What should I use for a stick for this? Just cut it a bit shorter to account for no skates? Will any of these pads tear up sticks?

edit: Also... how well do these sheets work just sitting next to each other? Like if HDPE sheeting is the way to go, would a couple of sheets like http://www.ebay.com/itm/140546654617?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649sit next to each other and give me a true 8x8 surface, or will the seam between them interfere?

edit again... Also, since I'm working on smooth concrete, would I be better off just getting a green biscuit or similar and using that? Obviously that would be rather a lot nicer on the wallet...

Thanks!

Mark

[kmfdm86 112]

I've never used any of those practice pads and I'm not very good, so take this with a grain of salt... Haha.

In my experience, the green biscuit glides like a dream on any smooth surface. So long as you're using the right one (ie; not shooting with the one made for stick handling, they make one specifically for shooting) it seems that would be the most economical. I think they're like $15 for the shooting one. If it doesn't work for you, then you're only out $15.

[JunkyardAthletic 497]

And two years + one month and change later, I resurrect this thread!

Thanks to all who have participated in this thread. I read everything, went to Home Depot and Lowe's with Pledge in hand, and tested everything from whiteboard to plastic flooring, to melamine panels.

Why?  Well, my 6 year old son asked for a training center in the garage where he could practice passing, shooting, and stickhandling for his birthday.  What Dad wouldn't want to give his son what he wants?

The only thing is that I preach to him daily that if he's a good boy (good in school, good with family and friends), he can have anything he wants.  I prefer to reward him when he earns it instead of having to wait for a birthday it Christmas.  It doesn't mean I'm spoiling him all the time with gifts, however, it just so happens that having been good and his birthday all went down at the same time!

OK, to the reason I'm posting this!

Went to Lowe's and picked up three sheets of their 4x8 white board for $12.97/sheet. For the record, this stuff smells like shit the first three days it was in the garage. Thankfully, nobody lit a match!

Put the sheets down to form an 8x12 pad and "connected" the sheets with white plastic shin pad tape. We cleaned the pad with 91% isopropyl alcohol and then used Pledge to make the surface slick. BTW, a requirement for pad use is no shoes on the pad, and for anyone using it to wear helmet and elbow pads because falling is a real possibility (he fell pretty hard a couple of times already).

His birthday gifts from family and friends were the CCM/Snipers Edge Passmaster, a stickhandling trainer, a new goal, targets for said goal, and Green Biscuit pucks.  In short, he got his training center, and as he would say, "I've been wanting this my whole life!"

First day the thing was setup, he was in the garage for 4 straight hours! Last night, another two hours, and tonight another three.

Anyhow, video below on how the puck moves with a recently turned 6 year old moving it. Not shabby...

Last but not least, I suggest using a stick that is 2" shorter than normal to compensate for the lower height of not being on skates.

That's it, any questions, please post here for all future drylanders to read!

 

[218hockey 49]

Four second video?

 

That's that cheap board from Home Depot? The puck really slides. 

[JunkyardAthletic 497]

On 3/29/2018 at 10:35 PM, 218hockey said:

Four second video?

 

That's that cheap board from Home Depot? The puck really slides. 

I can probably record something longer. The goal was just to show how the puck moves, not to show my kid's (lack of) skills.

The board I got at Lowe's because they're closer to the house than HD. $12.97 each.

[gosinger 122]

@JunkyardAthletic this looks awesome :)

For the people not living in the US, is this the previously quoted "Melamine" board, or a dry-erase board, or something else entirely?

[JunkyardAthletic 497]

I couldn't find it on homedepot.ca or Canadian Tire's website.

This is where I bought the boards, and gives a full description of them.  Coincidentally, they went up 60 cents a board in the last week! LOL

[colins 246]

On 4/2/2018 at 1:37 AM, JunkyardAthletic said:

I couldn't find it on homedepot.ca or Canadian Tire's website.

This is where I bought the boards, and gives a full description of them.  Coincidentally, they went up 60 cents a board in the last week! LOL

Is this the same? It's particle board or compressed wood pulp in the middle, right? Just have to avoid getting it wet from the sides - great for indoor setups.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.white-hardboard-18-x-4-x-8.1000167407.html

 

[dimpledballs 8]

4 hours ago, colins said:

Is this the same? It's particle board or compressed wood pulp in the middle, right? Just have to avoid getting it wet from the sides - great for indoor setups.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.white-hardboard-18-x-4-x-8.1000167407.html

 

I purchased the 2' by 4' version of this board from home depot. It should be the same as the one he used but from home depot. The edges are easily damaged so if you're moving it about, I suggest taping the sides somehow. This link is for a 4' by 8' that you can cut down to what you want. 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/EUCATILE-32-sq-ft-96-in-x-48-in-Hardboard-Thrifty-White-Tile-Board-HDDPTW48/205995949

[JunkyardAthletic 497]

On 4/3/2018 at 2:41 PM, dimpledballs said:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/EUCATILE-32-sq-ft-96-in-x-48-in-Hardboard-Thrifty-White-Tile-Board-HDDPTW48/205995949

@colins, this is the Home Depot version of the one I bought at Lowe's...

[ParabolicActivity 48]

For anyone who doesn't know, Goo Gone gets rid of sticks tape residue that builds up on your shooting pad. About twice a year I give my dry erase board shooting pad a quick rub down and it is as good as new.