What are NBA backboard and rim made of?

[iamgine]

I'm planning to make my own basketball hoop to put in the backyard. Does anyone know what material they used in making the backboards and rims in the NBA? Perhaps the thickness as well. Does any of you have any experience making your own basketball hoop?

[knickscity]

Spalding makes a very good one. Not sure if it's similar to the NBA one, but has the look and feel.

It's what I have in my back yard.

[iamgine]

Spalding makes a very good one. Not sure if it's similar to the NBA one, but has the look and feel.

It's what I have in my back yard.
Well, I considered buying one but I thought it's a fun project to make it myself. The good portable hoops cost a lot of money, at least $800. I can make better quality pole for about $100. And I can customize the backboard and rim so it's exactly like in the NBA. But I don't know what it's made of.

[ripthekik]

made of love, desire, and passion. that's why it don't break.

[50inchvertical]

fiberglass and metal

[Nelson14]

it has to be fiberglass

[Pinkhearts]

Can Fiberglass be made to be transparent?

[step_back]

Can Fiberglass be made to be transparent?

Fibreglass is spray painted colours. Yes it can be made clear.

[O BaByShaQ]

You sure u can make yours shaq-proof?

[novocaine]

maybe this will help you:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4779614_build-basketball-backboard.html

also the related articles may give you some inspiration

[KevinNYC]

I'm planning to make my own basketball hoop to put in the backyard. Does anyone know what material they used in making the backboards and rims in the NBA? Perhaps the thickness as well. Does any of you have any experience making your own basketball hoop?


For a clear backboard you can use Polycarbonate (http://www.china-direct-buy.com/v/4/product_detail/7874220/NBA_Backboard_Polycarbonate_Solid_Sheet.html) or Spalding SuperGlassPro (http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/bpipackage1.html?kw=bpipackage1&CID=amazon) which is probably just Tempered Glass (http://www.allstarbasketball.com/glass.htm)

You can get acrylic backboards too, but they nick and scuff easily.

Rims are steel. (http://www.draperinc.com/basketballpages/Basketball_goals.htm) Then coated with something.

[sh0wtime]

Such backboards are mostly made out of whats usually called "Plexiglas" i believe, which is a transparent thermoplastic (PMMA, polymethyl methacrylate). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly%28methyl_methacrylate%29

But i believe the NBA backboards nowadays are even more advanced, contains more ingredients to make it even better (shatter-resistant) than just your everyday "Plexi/Acrylicglas" backboard, just like KevinNYC said up there. But Plexi/Acrylicglas is great, go for it.

[SinJackal]

It is called "Plexiglas" i believe, which is a transparent thermoplastic (PMMA, polymethyl methacrylate). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly%28methyl_methacrylate%29

This. It's plexiglas. I'm 99% sure of that.

Rims, I'm not sure what they're made of. They always call it "iron", but I'm pretty sure it's some kind of reinforced steel so it doesn't wear out very quickly.

[NauruDude]

made of love, desire, and passion. that's why it don't break.
:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
He's in the all star game!!!

[KevinNYC]

This. It's plexiglas. I'm 99% sure of that.

Why are people always 99% sure on this board about stuff they don't have first-hand knowledge of. Somebody recently was 99% sure that the recent NBA commercials didn't use special effects that they found actors who looked like a young Amare Stoudamire or a young Steve Nash. The young Steve Nash actor also knew how to hit a turnaround three.

It's not plexiglass. It's 1/2 inch of tempered glass an aluminum frame which is then covered by padding. The official NBA backboards are made by Spalding.

[URL="http://www.spaldingequipment.com/products.cfm?action=ProductDetails&ProductId=254"]Arena

[InspiredLebowski]

Seems like a good excuse to post this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/nyregion/30rims.html) about the guy that makes all of NYC's playground hoops by hand.

[KevinNYC]

Seems like a good excuse to post this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/nyregion/30rims.html) about the guy that makes all of NYC's playground hoops by hand.

Awesome article. That's old school.

Reminds of a sight, I saw the other day. An old-fashioned seltzer-man (http://laurelleigh.com/2010/08/30/the-seltzer-man/), delivering old-school vaudeville-style glass bottles of soda water.

[gts]

Can Fiberglass be made to be transparent?no

fiberglass is a woven cloth/resin matrix composite the cloth is what gives it the strength, the resin is what binds the layers of materials into one and holds the shape... the resin on it's own would be clear but would be structurally stupid...

think paper mache' without the paper, just clear goo doing nothing

[iamgine]

Thanks guys, I know exactly what it's made of now. Tempered glass 1/2 an inch thick.

[Meticode]

Thanks guys, I know exactly what it's made of now. Tempered glass 1/2 an inch thick.
Take a picture of the product if you finish it please.

[iamgine]

Take a picture of the product if you finish it please.

Here's a rough draft I did this morning. It's not to scale, especially the length. Not too sure about it yet. Suggestions on how to improve the design are welcome.

http://i51.tinypic.com/25qdms1.jpg