Need a little help with my net

[me05501]

I have a small "irons only" net setup in my workshop that I've been using for about six months now. It's better than nothing, but I have one construction problem that continues to bother me. 

 

The net itself is hanging from a rod I installed across the exposed rafters. Because I have to stand so close to the net, I added the blanket over the target area. This softens the impact of balls into the net and prevents it from moving as much when struck by a ball. 

 

After balls hit the blanket they drop into a concrete floor, so I threw down the foam board which causes them to bounce less and stay in the catch area I've built from PVC pipe. I need to put a scrap of carpet there instead. 

 

The PVC "frame" is necessary to add structure to the bottom of the net so that balls stay in the catch area and don't go bouncing all over the room. In that respect it works great. However, PVC is a lot more brittle and fragile than I expected!

 

I tend to miss thin off a mat rather than fat and I have skulled plenty of balls into the piece that runs across the leading edge. I've had to replace that piece and the corner pieces already. 

I'm looking for another material to use for that top edge. Would the gray plastic pipe for underground electrical be any better? Got any other ideas? 

 

 

 

[JAM01]

What if you wrapped a piece of foam water pipe insulation or cut a pool noodle long the way and put it on there? 

[paulman21]

2 hours ago, JAM01 said:

What if you wrapped a piece of foam water pipe insulation or cut a pool noodle long the way and put it on there? 

I was thinking pool noodle too 👍

[paulman21]

Another idea: maybe a rope/bungee cord attached to the PVC sides? Doesn't look like you need a ton of rigidity there but just enough to keep the net on the front of the basket off the ground

[me05501]

Thanks guys. I don't know why adding padding to the PVC didn't occur to me. 

[Exactice808]

Side note as I already "liked" the pool noodle idea. 

 

 

Since you got the 90* bend, just take out the top PVC and run a chord/wire/para chord/string there instead, then zip tie, tie, or whatever you need to do to secure the net to the chord.

 

a way to tie it,  cut the PVC so you have just enough to attached an "endcap",  drill out the center of the end cap just enough to stuff your wire/chord through it, tie the knot/get a bolt/screw and tie it to it, to secure in the end cap,  rinse and repeat to the other side, but make it tight enough to hold the net up.  If you strike it it should give or even pop off for safety so you dont catch one back in the face.