Fabricating an entire skatepark.

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Hi, I've welded before.... Took a crash course on it. I'm thinking of going to a full blown trade school as a business venture.Skateparks are supposed to cost $300,000 to make for a small one.I figured I'd do the work myself, by the time I'm done with tradeschool I should come across a $50,000 trust fund. I was wondering if half of that would buy me enough steel to do what I'm trying to do.Also, does anyone know how long it would take to build the average medium sized ramp? Would I be cranking one out in a day, or is a week more reasonable?I was thinking steel because I figured it would take a lot less time to make the whole thing than wood. Basically I want to fill a 1/2 acre area with large metal structures. Is there a chance in hell I'd be done in a year?
Reply:Originally Posted by zeusophobiaHi, I've welded before.... Took a crash course on it. I'm thinking of going to a full blown trade school as a business venture.Skateparks are supposed to cost $300,000 to make for a small one.I figured I'd do the work myself, by the time I'm done with tradeschool I should come across a $50,000 trust fund. I was wondering if half of that would buy me enough steel to do what I'm trying to do.Also, does anyone know how long it would take to build the average medium sized ramp? Would I be cranking one out in a day, or is a week more reasonable?I was thinking steel because I figured it would take a lot less time to make the whole thing than wood. Basically I want to fill a 1/2 acre area with large metal structures. Is there a chance in hell I'd be done in a year?
Reply:Originally Posted by zeusophobia.....I figured I'd do the work myself, by the time I'm done with tradeschool I should come across a $50,000 trust fund. I was wondering if half of that would buy me enough steel to do what I'm trying to do.....Also, does anyone know how long it would take to build the average medium sized ramp? Would I be cranking one out in a day, or is a week more reasonable?.....Basically I want to fill a 1/2 acre area with large metal structures. Is there a chance in hell I'd be done in a year?
Reply:The skate parks around here are concrete and or steel ramps with decking on them. I think he's wanting to get a contract to do a job, not just build his own and then sell it. (there is no market for that by the way) Municipalities that what skate parks go to an architect, the architect then gets consultants. they design a park. Then purpose it to the municipality. if the municipality likes what they see, they start taking bids on the job from contractors. at which point it becomes a balancing act between finished work, price, and reputation. not taking into account "who you know". I hate to dash your hopes but from a business stand point just doing parks isn't going to pay the bills. not unless you're a pro skater, or partners with someone who is. Name recognition goes a long way when it comes to stuff like this. That being said. a park is a job that requires many hands. The client isn't going to want to wait 9 months for a single guy to get this job done. they are going to want it done in under a month. which means either A. you're prefabbing everything at your own facility then moving it to the sight and installing it, or B. you're building on site with many hands doing the job. Call of the components will have to be up to code and will be inspected rigorously. Remember, the city isn't going to let poor work go through, because they would be on the hook. it is their inspectors that are supposed to be making sure that everything is safe.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:no way in hell i would invest in a skatepark...  do you own property and a shop?tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:This is some funny $h!t.I seen a doctor once you think I could open a hospital by year end. Lol
Reply:I've worked on 2 different commercial skateparks.  The only metal in any of the ramps were the nails & copings.Generally if it's indoors it's wood, outdoors, are usually cement.Metal framed ramps are used for traveling usually.Buy American, or don't whine when you end up on the bread line.
Reply:The above posts are on the money, I suspect you are quite young and soon your ambitions will change. Be very carefull how you invest 25 or 50 grand, It will not go very far and is very hard to amass again. Do not take this personally as I am not directing it toward you, But there is a saying " A fool and his money soon go seperate ways""Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:It seems to be fairly recently that municipalities started adding skate parts.   I think a lot of states must be adding Common Sense statutes like the Colorado Skier law here.  Basically it says if you engage in an activity which is inherently dangerous and you hurt or kill yourself you cannot sue the ski resort.    I think they should call them Stupid Exclusion Laws.   I would suggest you go talk to the city manager or lawyer that has a municipal skate park to get a better idea of what you want is involved.  Plus there are several established skate park builders who pretty much have the exclusive on that market.   I know the group that built the one recently in Colorado Springs was a group of Skaters/Contractors that went into business to build them.  they have a good rep cuz they test their own designs so they know what works and what doesn't  here are some pics and the only metal I see is the rails.  you might do better building take apart rails and stuff for individual use that folks can buy etc.   http://www.thecoloradoskateboardguid...morialpark.htmLast edited by soutthpaw; 10-28-2011 at 11:32 AM.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:I worked at a skatepark in HS, and help build a few ramps. They were all wood ramps screwed together...the only time I have ever seen a metal skatepark was on a old video and it was in like puerto Rico I believe. Doesn't seem like a good idea when people will be falling all over cutting themselves up. There are companies that just build skateparks but they are skater owned, and they know the right way to build a quality ramp. Lotta liability here.
Reply:Someone needs to sit the OP down and explain the difference between a "pipe dream" and "reality".This is about as "half baked" an idea as I've heard lately.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:Well first you'll need a good 110v wire welder.............."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:The YMCA near where I live built a small skate park in the back in the building about 7 or 8 years ago and they bought all steel ramps. The whole skate park cost $120,000 and it's not even that big. All I have to say is building ramps and other skate park bits out of steel is a bad and stupid idea.
Reply:I built a quarter pipe for a friend two years ago. It needed to be able to be moved with a forklift so he could put it inside in the winter and ride, and could use it outside in the summer. It was a fun project, but there is a lot more too it than you would think.
Reply:There are a couple parks near me that have steel framed ramps and wood decks. The frames are skirted so that there isn't any metal to "cut" yourself on. Proper finish work on top of high quality construction technique and components and a steel framed ramp is safer than a wood ramp, and will last far longer. I'm not saying that what the OP wants to do can't be done. I'm saying that it's not something a novice is going to be able to do with success. there are to many aspects of a build like this that the visionary just doesn't see. the skiers law, which I think is fair. does not protect a company from negligence or faulty design. the right lawyer would eat the company for breakfast if the design was not built as safe as possible.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:I think the original poster is a high school student who's considering a career in welding.  This strikes me as the sort of idea that seems sensible when you're that age (no offense intended by that -- in high school my ambitions were pretty comical).  For what it's worth, and from a business point of view, it would be foolish to pay out of pocket for your construction costs on a business like this.  The capital you'll need for operating something like this will swallow up your trust fund money very quickly.  I am not a small business owner (well, actually I am -- but it's a completely different kind of business), but I would think insurance, labor and related costs, taxes and even marketing would all be more expensive than the cost of building the place, especially when the construction costs are spread out over the lifespan of your small business financing.It costs very little to manufacture Coca Cola.  But it costs an enormous amount to be Coca Cola.  The sugar water is a negligible slice of that pie.Last edited by Jack Olsen; 10-28-2011 at 05:02 PM.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:i pondered the skate park once upon a time you don't state your city and population 2 key things that make up a big chunk of costs are insurance and the amount of population that could PAY to enter and ride those are the first things you need to consider350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:Originally Posted by Fat BastardThis is some funny $h!t.I seen a doctor once you think I could open a hospital by year end. Lol
Reply:Originally Posted by zeusophobiaHi, I've welded before.... Took a crash course on it. I'm thinking of going to a full blown trade school as a business venture.Skateparks are supposed to cost $300,000 to make for a small one.I figured I'd do the work myself, by the time I'm done with tradeschool I should come across a $50,000 trust fund. I was wondering if half of that would buy me enough steel to do what I'm trying to do.If a small one costs $300,000 to build and your getting $50,000 in steel, where is the other $250,000 coming from? Do you already have all the welding equipment you need? Do you already have the 1/2 acres of land to put it on? In a place that people would come to with enough money to make this a worthwhile busines venture?Also, does anyone know how long it would take to build the average medium sized ramp? Would I be cranking one out in a day, or is a week more reasonable?It depends on how fast you can work. Do you plan on eating, sleeping or even resting while your building this project? How big is a medium size ramp? People seem to be looking for more EXTREME stuff every day as thier skills/insanity increases. What you consider medium today may be way outdated before you even get finished with 1/2 of what your thinking about.I was thinking steel because I figured it would take a lot less time to make the whole thing than wood. Basically I want to fill a 1/2 acre area with large metal structures. Is there a chance in hell I'd be done in a year?
Reply:Originally Posted by SundownIIISomeone needs to sit the OP down and explain the difference between a "pipe dream" and "reality".This is about as "half baked" an idea as I've heard lately.
Reply:That's a quick way to blow your trust fund.  Do everyone a favor and give it to someone that will spend it wisely.  Then go earn $50k.  After that, maybe you'll see things a little differently.My name's not Jim....
Reply:The best advice to give you is to put the entire 50k into an annuity, and let it stew for 20 years. You'll never be able to compete with compound interest. then after the 20 yrs is up and you've got over $100k coming to you. Roll that over into another annuity for another 15-20 yrs. then you'll have money when you're not able to earn it anymore, and will actually be able to properly enjoy it.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:skateparks dont make money.....steel ramps dont last.....dont do it unless you know what your doing its a very big liability. I have built ramps for a few parks and i have built many back yard ramps if you need more info you can message me and i will explain details
Reply:In highschool as our grade 11/12 large project we built a skate park in our city consisted of a half pipe, and other various jumps ( i dontk now much about skateboarding ) The half pipe took 3 of us about a month of working on it thats 3 hrs a day of work. It totally depends on your fabrication ability, youll need engineered designs which costs money. Skateboard ramps are fairly straight forward really and dont take long to build once you have the hang of it. I built another 20' high steel to dirt ramp that I / we jump our sleds with, correct angles ive found are key!
Reply:****n kids these days. WASTING a trust fund. geez.......................Tim Beeker.Bunch of sourpusses here.All you "experienced" welders, how many tons can an average structural fitter fit in a year? How about an average welder? It would be an absolute piece of cake to do the relatively tiny amount of steel in a skate park in a year for someone who knows what he's doing. Even for a welding school graduate who only knows how to run a bead, it would be totally doable and a great learning experience.A good fitter could put together a ramp in a day, easy. Taking a long lunch break. A newbie, maybe a week. 52 weeks in a year. 52 structures.Sorry, I missed the part where the OP asked about for business and legal advice. As for the money, a simple 4" slab 200'x100' (1/2 acre) would be maybe $30,000 or a little more. If you want curves and dips, learn to fabricate forms and finish concrete. $20,000 for ramps and rails? Probably. It's doable if you take the time to learn to fabricate and weld. Knock yourself out while it's still a free country and before the naysayers stop you.
Reply:Originally Posted by Golden ArmchairSorry, I missed the part where the OP asked about for business and legal advice. Knock yourself out while it's still a free country and before the naysayers stop you.