How to Make a Plant Box for Pole Vaulting

Pole vaulting is a physically demanding track event. The sport requires technical maneuvers that can be dangerous. A plant box reduces some of the risk of vaulting, as does removing from the vault area all hard surfaces from the landing pit, replacing them with soft padding. NCAA and USATF have vaulter safety rules governing weight, pole stiffness, plant box size and hand grip positioning on the pole. These rules are for the vaulter's safety. Rules match pole size with the body weight of the vaulter. Plant box size is generic.

Things You'll Need

  • Sheet metal
  • Colored chalk
  • Sketch pad, 11 by 14 inches
  • Pencil
  • Painter's tape
  • Ruler
  • Sheet metal scissors
  • Rubber mallet
  • Workbench
  • Leather work gloves
  • Safety goggles
  • Shovel
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Select a piece of sheet metal that is not warped. Make sure that the gauge is thick enough that the pole will not puncture the metal during use. A gauge of 0.300 is appropriate for making a plant box.

    • 2

      Sketch out the three-sided design of the plant box. The sides and bottom are equal in length, and the back is half the length of the sides and bottom. The shape when complete is an open-ended rectangle. The size for this plant box is sides and bottom, 10 inches, and back 5 inches.

    • 3

      Set the drawing of the plant box onto the sheet metal and use painter's tape to hold the sketch in place as you trace out the pattern with colored chalk. Use a ruler to make the lines you trace.

    • 4

      Cut pattern out from the metal with sheet metal scissors. Wear leather gloves and safety goggles when cutting.

    • 5

      Tilt the cut out pattern so that the bottom of the side lies on the edge of a flat surface. Bend the metal with your hand so the part hanging over the edge folds, creating a side. Tap the crease with a rubber mallet, making the fold well defined. Repeat with the other side and the back of the plant box.

    • 6

      Dig a hole one stride from the vault bar. The average measurement of a stride is 3 feet. Dig the hole so the plant box fits in with the top edge slightly less than flush with the ground. The measurement of the hole is 5 inches wide and 10 inches long. The open end of the plant box points toward the approaching vaulter.