Making a list

   / Making a list #1  

Rolando

Platinum Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2004
Messages
586
Location
Northcentral Florida
Tractor
Bobcat Toolcat High Flow Turbo C-series
Even though I don't have my Toolcat yet, I've already started my 'To Do' list.

First, I'll be clearing my east property line (600 ft worth) to be ready to install a fence. Once I do that I'll be able to bring the dogs to the site and let them loose when I'm not working in the Toolcat, the other property lines are already fenced.

Next, I'll be starting to clear the house location. I've staked the corners of that area, so I have trees to take down!

Then comes the fill, all 62 truck loads! I'm going to be raising the area of house 2 ft to get positive drainage.
 
   / Making a list #2  
Rolando,
After you get your house site set, are there plans or a suitable spot on your acreage for a tennis court? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (I saw that interest in your profile, and I share it as a tennis player, coach & instructor.)

I think one of the recent Bobcat Worksaver magazines had an article about the use of Bobcat vibratory rollers, laser-guided box blades and Toolcats by a tennis court construction firm, in order to secure specific leveling tolerances and drainage specifications.

I've picked out several court spots on our farm with the proper directional orientation /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif, but tennis court construction (or at least site preparation) is a project that will be on my Toolcat "to-do" list well into the future, after I've truly mastered box blade use, more fully explored site selection, land preparation and court surface selection (natural grass, artificial grass/sand, red clay, Har-Tru clay, or hard?), and taken care of other pressing projects.
 
   / Making a list
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I'm afraid I'm not very good about scheduling time for it (tennis), so I'm going to do what I know I will use, and that's a practice court. I work at home, so that way I can just scoot on over there whenever I have the time and get some exercise. I'm going to make one end wall of my barn/garage out of concrete block and then pour a concrete slab in front of that. That way I can get it installed at the same time as the concrete floor slabs in the house and barn, and the concrete guy can control the grade and drainage.

I wish I could have a clay surface, there's nothing better (although I've never tried grass). But clay also takes a lot of specialized maintenance, so I'm going to install a <font color="blue">tacttiles</font> surface instead. Have your heard of those?
 
   / Making a list #4  
Rolando,
Your TactTiles tennis practice court sounds great! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif What dimensions? You know 60' by 120' for full-court size would be ideal (with ball machine). But if that's not realistic, with a smaller area right up against your barn/garage you can always add one of those fancy curved backboards with variable feedback for a great workout!

Putting the TactTiles surface on top of your outdoor concrete makes a lot of sense, giving you correct tennis bounce, protecting your back & joints, letting you play right after rain without slipping with its quick-drying, and allowing non-tennis uses (like outdoor parties/gatherings, other sports) without surface harm. I see the Tact textured tile compacy you chose is based in the UK and is also big in Sweden. Who are their USA distributors and dealers?

I see the TactTiles surface can be laid on concrete, asphalt, or directly onto gravel/stone powder covered with geotextile. So a Toolcat could be used to to prepare land for the Tiles, and limit future maintenance.

But the Toolcat with various attachments also enables me to consider site and land preparation for other tennis court surfaces, including natural grass and clay. There are ongoing maintenace demands with such choices, of course, but if the initial prep is done right with appropriate subsurface drainage systems, materials layers, and proper compaction, you can really have something tennis / Toolcat / land prep and grading nuts would appreciate! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Making a list
  • Thread Starter
#5  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( fancy curved backboards with variable feedback )</font>

I guess I'm not up to date. Where do I find out more?

As far as the tiles, I haven't gotten that far. I'm assuming that they can be shipped here. Of course I need to find out how much that will cost. It looks like a very straight forward DIY job, so installation shouldn't be a problem. I'll have to find out if there's something comparable that's made here in the US.
 
   / Making a list #6  
Tennis backboards have come a long way. Better ones are either dual-curved vertically and installed with a slight back-slope, or parabolic backboards that are dual-curved horizontally and vertically (good for crosscourt action), to enable a more natural return. Balls will typically rebound at least twice as far as flat backboards.

And plywood is not what is used -- some are made of fiberglasss, balsa and epoxy reinforced gypsum composites which provide the look and strength of concrete without its weight or brittleness, and the insides are filled with sand so energy is not lost on sound. The fanciest have computerized targets, drills and games, and so forth. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Backboards can be found from Sportwall Tennis Backboards, Bakko, and On Court Off Court Rally Champion(lowest price dual-curved and angled).

But if I had a choice between the fanciest backboard and going from a small practice court to constructing a regulation-size tennis court with site prep help from my Toolcat, I'd pick the regulation court! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

BTW, I know there are USA-based firms selling the tile sport surfaces you're examining, but I haven't looked into it lately. Major chemical conglomerates (I think subsidiaries or joint venture partners of firms like Dupont, Dunlop, etc.) manufacture the materials for global use.
 

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