How to Build Volleyball Net Stands Using Old Tires

A common apparatus used to string a volleyball net is a pair of wheel stands. The wheel stand is an automobile wheel and tire with a pipe protruding perpendicular to the horizontal wheel. Often weight is placed on top of wheel to counter the tension of the stretched net. Some wheel stands even add a guide rope from the top of the vertical pipe to a stake hammered into the ground so that the volleyball net has a straight horizontal boundary instead of the reversed arch of a loose net.

Things You'll Need

  • Welder
  • Grinder
  • Drill motor
  • Drill bit set
  • 2-inch metal hole saw
  • Penetrating oil
  • Chalk
  • Hammer
  • Prick punch
  • Carpenters square
  • 6 eye bolts, 1/4-inch
  • 2 black pipes, 8-foot by 2-inch
  • 2 thick steel plates, 6-inch by 1/2-inch
  • 10 bolts, 3/8-inch by 1 1/2-inch
  • 10 nuts, 3/8-inch
  • 10 flat washers, 3/8-inch
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw two diagonal lines, from corner to corner of each square plate. Make a prick punch mark in the center of both steel plates.

    • 2

      Measure the wheel's stud pattern, lughole center to lughole center across the wheel's center hole, for example a 5-inch center for large GM rims. Place the point of a divider compass in the center punch mark and draw or scribe a circle the same size diameter as the wheel's bolt pattern measurement. Prick punch one mark where the scribed circle intersects one of the diagonal lines --- it doesn't matter which line; this will be a starting point.

    • 3

      Drill a 2-inch hole in the prick punch mark, using the hole saw. Drill a pilot hole in the center prick punch mark using the same-sized drill that is in the hole saw --- this can prevent the hole saw from grabbing when contacting the steel plate. For example, if the drill bit used in the hole saw is a 1/4-inch bit, drill a 1/4-inch hole in the prick-punched center, then insert the hole saw drill through the center hole and saw the large, 2-inch hole.

    • 4

      Drill a 3/8-inch hole at the prick-punched mark made in the scribed circle --- this is the starting hole. Bolt the plate to the back side of the wheel. Center the 2-inch hole with the wheel's center hole by eye, and tighten the bolt. Prick punch and drill another 3/8-inch hole 180 degrees (across) from the starting bolt. Continue prick punching the wheel stud holes and bolting them to the wheel until all lug holes are bolted to the plate. When complete, remove the plate from the wheel.

    • 5

      Grind the end of the black pipe until all the coating is removed and bare metal is showing. Place the pipe into the hole-sawed center hole of the steel plate so it protrudes through the plate 1/2 an inch. Tack weld the pipe to the plate. Set the plate so the tack is at the 12 o'clock position of a clock. Place a mechanic's square at the 6 o'clock position and square the pipe to the plate. Tack weld the pipe at the 6 o'clock position after squaring it. Place the square at the 3 o'clock position, square the pipe with the plate and tack weld it. Check the square of the pipe with the plate at the 9 o'clock position --- if the plate is square, tack weld the plate to the pipe.

    • 6

      Weld the pipe on the top and bottom of the plate after squaring and tacking it in position. Use 1-inch long beads, alternating the beads 180 degrees apart until the pipe is completely welded.

    • 7

      Bolt the plate to the back of the wheel. Drill a hole through the pipe at the top end and insert a 1/4-inch eye bolt to attach a guide rope if needed. Drill two 1/4-inch holes, one close to the top of the pipe, the other far enough down the pipe to insert 1/4-inch eye bolts to attach the actual volleyball net.