How to set-up your basketball rims

Making your own basketball rim is not easy but can be a fun and cost worthy thing to do if you love your basketball. Read this article which explains how you can make your own basket ball rim.

Equipment

Before you start, purchase sixty inches of thick wire. Bend this wire into a loop leaving two inches on each end and twist the two ends together using pliers. Do not use more than two inches on each end to make this joint. Measure the diameter of the loop using a tape measure to make sure that the hoop is eighteen inches wide to fit with pro basketball regulations.

Forming the hoop

When forming the hop, make sure that you always wear protective goggles. Heat the metal with a blowtorch to warm up but be very careful as blowtorches can reach temperatures of 1,800 degrees Celsius. Bend the tubing into a loop shape using a mallet or a specialised rotary bending machine. Aim to create a smooth finish with few dents or kinks as this will make the hoop look unprofessional.

Welding together

Purchase a copper or tin filler based material that has a higher melting point than stainless steel. Coat the ends of the stainless steel tubing with flux in order to prevent oxide formation. Continue to wear goggles and heat the tubing and the flux together using a welder until they glow hot. Wait for the flux to become molten and stop heating it and the tubing. Then hold the two ends tightly together until the flux cools and hardens or leave the loop secured in a vice.

The backboard

Now you need a backboard to fit the rim to. Measure a six foot by four foot rectangle of 25 mm thick plywood using a tape measure in order to fit with NBA rules regulations. Place your basketball rim in the centre of the plywood and check that it is the same distance from the sides and top and bottom edges using a tape measure. Attach it to the backboard using curved metal brackets, wood screws and a screwdriver and make sure that it is fastened securely.

Ready to play

Now find a suitable place to attach your board and rim to and you are ready to play!