To those handy enough to build their own jumps…

[c0608524]

…. Or have spouses that are more handy to help

Has anyone used this technique to make 4x4 posts into octagonal rails?

Making Rails For Horse Jumps...Building A Set of Horse Jumps Series

We’re looking to build a small course (approximately 8 fences) but have never done this before so looking for feedback.

The husband LOVES tinkering with woodworking and is looking forward to this not so small project. He happily told me today that the jump cups have been sandblasted and painted and they’re ready.

I’m debating between 10’ and 8’ rails. The outdoor is rather large and could accommodate 10’ rails no problem, but of course 8’ lengths leave more room to move around the jumps, or have fences on the quarter line in addition to lines on the rail.

We’ve looked at pictures of jump fill online and will have no problem making gates, planks and boxes but it’s been a discussion on the best way to make the poles.

If anyone has any tips, tricks, or experience doing this I’d love to hear!

[LCDR]

Remember the constant number 0.42 , and also that you will be slicing off each corner of the square rail with your saw bevel set at 45 degrees. I keep my rail cutting circular saw with a pressure treated lumber cutting blade permanently set up at 45 degrees just for making octagonal rails.

To make an octagon from a square, measure one side, and multiply by 0.42. The result is the length of each of the 8 sides of the octagonal rail you’ll be creating. This is one of the few times I measure in millimeters. It just makes thing so much easier to calculate without all those 1/16th inches and 1/32 inches getting in the way.

So in my drawing each side of my 4x4 was actually 92mm long, and 0.42 multiplied by 92 says each octagon side will be 38.64 mm long. Find the center of one side of the square and measure 19,32 mm each

way from there and that gives you the layout of the octagon.

Set the saw cut at 45 degrees, and cut off each corner. I use the circular saw adjustable fence to keep me straight along the length of the rail. Four long corner cuts and the square piece of lumber is now an octagonal rail. You only need measure once. After the saw is set you can cut octagons all day long.

[Xanthoria]

To make poles, either buy 4" diameter lodge poles and paint them, or 4x4 material and set up a jig to saw off the corners to make octagons. Is that what you meant? ETA I see @LCDR is much better at explaining than me!

At shows, poles will be 12’ long, so jumping smaller jumps at home will make you more accurate. Even so, I’d go with 10’ if you can.

[Annie10]

I couldn’t get the video to open, but the way we did ours was we got four by fours and we cut the corners off with a tablesaw which I think is what some others have mentioned in this thread. And then they came out with octagon rails. But yes, we also got the 10 foot rails And I like it better. We had some 12 foot poles, but I like it better with the 10 foot ones because it’s easier to move jumps around and gives you a little more room.

You can also cut the corners off with a circular saw if you don’t have a tablesaw, and that works just fine as well.

[outerbanks77]

I used the landscaping timbers that are flat on two sides because they were inexpensive, but I actually love them. They are lightweight, and since they have a flat side, I can stack a bunch up on a hand truck to move around the arena. One downside is the variability with them. I had a couple warp beyond usability, so this year I’m planning to buy some more and let them sit out and acclimate before painting them. They are also holding paint quite well. I have seen some 4" round poles at the farm and garden store, and I think Home Depot, so I might buy a few of those this year as well, but the landscaping timbers work pretty nicely for a small home setup.

[Kyrabee]

I can vouch from outerbanks77’s jumps. They are lovely and so easy to move around. I don’t jump but love the ease of setting up ground poles of this size/weight. I’m an old decrepit lady and my horse got much more pole work because I didn’t kill my back moving them. Sadly, I had to move barns but the new barn also has some landscaping timber poles and some 8 ft poles that aren’t as heavy so all is not lost.

[red_mares]

Wow, I spend too much time at work.

I read your marks as CUI, not CUT. CUI is Controlled Unclassified Information. Why would a jump pole diagram be CUI? I think I need a vacation.

[TheJenners]

I hate math and started out hating your explanation, however I love your picture and can use that for sure. But as soon as you started saying crap like multiply by a decimal, I was like “I’m out!”

[c0608524]

My husband is going to love your drawing. Thank you!!

[DiamondJubilee]

The video is how we made our jump poles and they all worked out really well!

Our outdoor sand ring is about 75’ x 160’ and I find the 10’ the best size for the ring. We made a course with 9 jumps and had some 12’, mostly 10’ and 2 x 8’ jumps. I highly recommend the 10’ size and you can made your fill/boxes at 8’ and they fit between the standards perfectly. I like keeping one or two at 8’ and I call them my “skinny” jumps lol. I have 8’ gates and 8’ poles for them and just use simple flower boxes for them and tend to use them as my single diagonal jumps. They are nice and light to move and give the ring a little more room to flat around in.

I almost never use my 12’ jumps at all. They are big and bulky and take up too much room. Especially when I need to leave about 10’ off of the rail so my husband can harrow. It makes the outside lines really tight to get to.

[TheJenners]

@DiamondJubilee

Our outdoor sand ring is about 75’ x 160’ and I find the 10’ the best size for the ring.

My arena is 70x150 and same. I wanted to go a little bigger (longer) but was stuck with the space I had. I have all 10’ poles now and am making more this spring, also all 10’, and all 8’ fillers like roll tops and brush boxes while I’m on night shift with nothing else to do - gotta keep the EMTs busy by sanding off some skin at 1am, right? I’m also using The Budget Equestrian for most of my jump building ideas because she breaks it down so simple-me can do it, plus if you dig through her stuff enough, she does eventually show what tools she uses.

[mmeqcenter]

@outerbanks77

I had a couple warp beyond usability

No such thing, just makes a cool “wavy” rail

[mmeqcenter]

I cut the corners off 4x4s with a circular saw. I can’t imagine doing it on a table saw. I buy treated so they’re quite heavy enough to stay put, I’ve never had to use clamps. I just put them in a groove on my truck’s tailgate, or in the groove of my Husky toolbox-turned-tackbox for 2x4s. Make sure that blade is nice and sharp!
I also eyeball the size of corner to cut off. I’m not measuring that ish for schooling jumps lol

[LCDR]

When you are buying your 4x4 lumber to make jump rails, avoid those that have been sawn from the center of the tree trunk. This is one of my rejects. Note the concentric rings.

Instead buy the ones that are cut like this.

In 40 years of building jumps and cutting octagonal rails, I find that the lumber cut from the center of the tree is way more likely to twist and crack and warp as it dries out. They will all look nice and straight in the store just after the pallet of 4x4’s is unstrapped and everything is still wet with presernative. Unfortunately most of the 4x4’s in a pallet are cut from the centers of pines, and I need to move a lot of stacked pieces to get to the few good ones to buy,

[TheJenners]

Good tip! I would have totally thought the opposite, so timely info!

[Blugal]

My barn has used the 8’ landscaping rails for over 10 years now. They were reasonably priced and came with the preservative stain, so no painting. We are considering re-staining them ths yesr as they’ve dried out.

Our ring used to be 20x60m and 8’ was really the only way to fit multiple lines in. We’ve since expanded to 30x60m and we have so much to work with!

Having said that, we have a few 12’ poles (horribly heavy, can’t use as ground rails) which we use outside over a ditch or in the field, which feels nicer with the wider face to approach outside.

I think 10’ is a nice size for home schooling as well, especially if you have green riders or horses - easier for them without needing so much accuracy.

[LCDR]

It is counterintuitive isn’t it. I think a factor is that smaller trees are preferentially sorted out for 4x4’s, and bigger trees are sawn into assortments of lumber sizes. From years of lumber shopping, I find that 8 foot 4x4’s are a motley assortment, but 10 feet or longer sticks tend to just be more consistent, and a 10 foot 4x4 is the sweet spot of quality lumber and less cost than any longer pieces.

Maybe a tree farmer or sawmill operator could comment.