Homemade BMX Ramps

Planning Stages

• Consider how big you want the ramp to be and where you intend to put it. If you're building a mini-ramp with a height of four feet or less, then your backyard or driveway will be fine. If you intend to build a taller one, however, it would be better to build the ramp where it'll be used.

  Your next concern is deciding whether you're building a simple slope or a curved ramp. With a curve, you'll need to use Heckler's string-and-compass method to sketch the angle you want. A simple slope only requires measuring a straight angle off the ground.

Shopping List

• To build your ramp, you'll need at least four 3/4-inch thick 4 foot by 8 foot plywood boards (the number increases as your height and design changes), enough 2x4s to brace the ramp at 10-inch intervals, nails enough for the braces and plywood, a jigsaw to cut your chosen angle and, of course, a hammer.

  For Heckler's string-and-compass method, you'll also need a drafting compass, a roll of string, a pushpin and a piece of chalk.

The Method

• Mark your chosen angle on two plywood boards. If you're using Heckler's method to measure a curve, do this now. For the simple slope, mark the angle with a protractor and draw a straight line from the bottom right corner to where you want the top platform to be. Whether this is a 4-foot side or an 8-foot depends on what height you want the ramp.

  Cut along your marks with a jigsaw. For the simple slope, you can substitute a regular handsaw because you're cutting on a straight line and not a curve. This simple slope is called a "launch ramp," according to BMXTRIX.com.

  Attach your 2x4 braces with the nails to both boards at 10-inch intervals from base to top. An alternate method, according to Heckler, is to cut holes the size of a 2x4 end using the jigsaw and brace the ramp that way.

  Saw the top of your ramp board(s) and one side of the top platform on an angle so they'll be flush when you put them together. If you're building a curved ramp, now is the time to soften your ramp boards to ensure they curve at the proper angle. Heckler soaked the cut-to-size boards for about an hour using a garden hose and pressed the center of the board with bricks to get the desired curve.

  Nail your ramp board(s) to the braces and do the same with the top platform. Launch ramps are all done once this step is completed, but curved ones still need to dry before you can use them.

Marking a Curved Ramp

• Heckler's string-and-compass method is one way to mark a curved ramp. Take one of your sides and determine--in feet and inches--how much of a transition curve you want. Tie one end of your string around the pushpin and stick it into the center of the board. Pull the string tight and, using an ink pen, mark the distance of your curve.

  If you have to move the pushpin to maximize your distance, do this now. Tie the drafting compass, with a piece of chalk in it, to the free end of the string and tighten it so the slip knot is right above the distance mark. Swing the compass in a quarter-circle from end to end to mark your curve with the chalk. Cut the curve out with a jigsaw and continue the steps above.