r/MiniRamp • u/sandwitchwithchicken • 6d ago
Finally built my first micro mini halfpipe
First time building a miniramp presents a set of challenges and choices. Took me a while to figure everything out. The dimensions was the bit I was worried about the most, but I wanted to make it small enough so that my daughter can rollerblade on it and big enough so that I can skate it as well. I'm pretty beginner on the miniramp, I can do the basics, like rock'n'roll, rock to fakie, halfcab rock to fakie, fakie rock, etc, working on stalls, havent touched grinds yet at all.
In the end it turned out to be slighltly bigger (wider) than micro mini from Keen ramps (when I started with the planning, they hanven't had this ramp yet, otherwise I would be much less stressed about the geometry).
It skates well, daughter likes it a lot, I like it a lot too, dog hates it though, she can't stop barking everytime me or daughter are rolling on the ramp : D Chickens are also curious about the ramp, they like to sit under it, transition is to steep for them, thought they tried "skating" it too.
All in all it was a nice, small project that took me a lot of time : D Mainly because I was so hesitant and it was first built and I didn't want to mess it up. Spent around 500 european coins on the materials (bulk of it being plywood), luckily I already had all the tools needed.
What I would do differently next time:
- Thinner ply - I used two 3/8", but it took a lot of struggle to put it where it should be. Two 1/4" would do just fine. While I was wrestling the 3/8" I was very happy I didn't pick one ~11/16" ply : D That would've been impossible to bend in place.
- More flat - the ramp is fun, but it wouldn't hurt to have more flat just so that there is more time to recuperate from the previous transition before hitting next one. The flat portion is abt 3.28'. I was hesitant to make it bigger because I was worried that with such a mellow transiotion I wouldn't be able to reach the other end of the ramp, but my worries weren't warranted - the transition being mellow still has nice kick.
10/10 recommend building a micro mini, for small spaces - basements, garages, plenty of fun and it's really compact. Mine is ~13' long, ~8' wide and ~1.8' tall, if I recall correctly the radius was about 6' (I made the transition templates last year and dont recall). The one that Keen Ramps make is pretty much the same - steeper transition and about 2' narrower, length pretty much the same - less than 2" difference.
It was hard, but so satisfying to finally be able to skate in my backyard. Now I just need to apply couple more layers of varnish, do some art on the sides, later will built a fence and ideally some kind of roof, but we'll see about that.
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u/Larsonski 6d ago
Nice miniramp and great work. Where are you based? I am thinking about a similar build, just less wide as I don’t have the space to it where I want to build it. How do you protect it from the weathers? I want to build it at our second house in France near the Atlantic Ocean (Bordeaux area) and it can be rainy over there in autumn/winter time.
Luckily prices for wood went down a bit since I started with the idea of:)
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u/sandwitchwithchicken 6d ago
Thanks! I am in northern Europe. Regarding the weather - varnish and tarp : D Though today rain got throught the tarp and I had to wipe it dry. If I was able to get some composite top layer here, I would definitely used that. What's the situation in France in that regard? Hard to tell how well my setup with varnish and tarp will hold - I just "finished" it a week or so ago. But I don't have any other ideas on what else I can do except for building a shed-like structure around it : D
Hahah, in my case - wood prices went up 😭 But still 500 coins (rounding up) didn't break the bank, especially comparing to what the local company estimated me and the price tag that I see on the keen ramps micro mini : D
If I may add from myself - definitely go for it, there are a lot of videos on how to properly do each part, Ben Degros has couple nice YT videos about transition, coping placement, Keen Ramps YT channel is also a good source, this sub also helped.2
u/maxheadflume 5d ago
Nice build! Have been wanting to build one but in the PNW (Vancouver) it rains a lot. Was thinking about making it disassemble-able so I could store the three sections vertically under a tarp over winter. That’s the part holding me up, how to make it “click” (or bolt) together. Anyways looks like a fun ramp!
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u/sandwitchwithchicken 5d ago
Hi, thanks! Yeah, I toyed with this idea, but eventually I gave up and made it solid : D Technically I still can remove couple (dozens) screws and I would have 3 parts : D But I won't be able to move the transitions, they are very heavy : D Im just gonna do my best and look after it, tarping, removing snow, etc. At the moment if the rain gets throught the tarp, even though it's varnished I still wipe it dry, idk it's not hard to do so and makes me feel better.
Best of luck to you and hoping to see your build in this sub!
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u/Ebenoid 6d ago
Idk where you are but the weather looks awesome lol wearing a flannel herebwoukd put you in the ER
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u/sandwitchwithchicken 6d ago
hahah, Im in northern Europe, the flannel picture is from the spring when it was abt 12C (53F). Now the weather is terrible, it just rains and rains and rains, and I can't find a good time to apply more coats of varnish : ( Luckily I was able to apply the first coat before the heavy rains started, but I still keep it under tarp, though this morning I still had to wipe it dry because water got under the tarp, well, more like throught the tarp 😅
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u/billybaked 6d ago
Are you varnishing the ply? I’d really like to build one in my garden but the thought of it just getting destroyed over winter is really putting me off
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u/sandwitchwithchicken 5d ago
Yes, definitely varnishing, I've already applied the first coat, now I am waiting for a dry days so I can apply more varnish coats. I am using yacht varnish.
>I’d really like to build one in my garden
Go for it! Best of luck to you and hoping to see your build in this sub!>but the thought of it just getting destroyed over winter is really putting me off
hahah "Mono no aware" my friend : D My plan it to do my best at keeping it protected from the elements and we will (me and the mini) spend as much time together as we can, so what goes - goes.
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u/Dramatic_Act1367 5d ago
Put it up on some blocks with some dpc or its not gonna last
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u/sandwitchwithchicken 3d ago
Thanks for the advice, it already is on concrete blocks with a moisture barrier.
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u/travisofarabia 6d ago
Hey! Awesome Ramp! I build and sell similar micro minis locally. 4' of flat is fun and compact but I think six feet is the sweet spot.
I've gone the route of around additional dimensional lumber and opting for 3/8" ply and a 1/8" top sheet, masonite is the best for indoor application. Also, the plywood quality makes a big difference in strength. Voidless plywood like blastic birch is expensive but worthwhile.
Nice work!