Ready-made Slide vs. DIY Concrete Slide?

[nelsonic]

What I really want to try and do is build a custom-fitting slide for the exact space we have available. I've seen a few examples online and will share them in due course. But just wanted to open this issue to capture the ready-made option.

https://www.eurekakids.pt/rampa-de-escorrega-3m-verde

I'm quite tempted by this slide. If it is in fact 3m then our friend Pythagoras can help us determine the height this slide can be placed at...

https://www.calculator.net/pythagorean-theorem-calculator.html?av=&asv=&bv=2.6&bsv=&cv=3&csv=&x=88&y=25

[nelsonic]

Concrete slides are exceptionally durable and can be made to the exact size/spec required: https://www.coloradohardscapes.com/how-to-create-iconic-playgrounds-with-concrete-part-2-concrete-slides/

This an epic slide inside someone's house: https://says.com/my/lifestyle/photos-take-a-look-at-this-stunning-kl-home-with-a-concrete-jungle-look

Recommend watching this video: https://youtu.be/MKRrjoqL3Q0

Looks relatively simple to make a flat slide. 💭 It's the contoured/curved one that is more complex ... ⌛

[iteles]

@nelsonic Won't a concrete slide get SUPER hot (like oven hot) in the direct summer sunshine? I know a plastic one will too but that will also cool off and dry super quickly with a blast of water for example...

[nelsonic]

@iteles excellent question. Yes, concrete has good thermal mass (absorbs heat and releases it gradually), but the slide I have planned will be in permanent shade from vines so I’m not concerned. The worst for heating up is stainless steel followed by plastic and then concrete. Concrete transfers the heat to the attached ground.

[iteles]

For the sake of speed and headspace, I would still probably go with the plastic one in the first instance.

[nelsonic]

@iteles the plastic slide only works if the space fits exactly. And it doesn't. Sadly.

[nelsonic]

Curious about the angle of slides found: https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/103611/whats-the-appropriate-range-for-the-angle-of-a-slide

Basically the 30 Degree angle was selected by Michigan State because it's slow == safe. The Public Playground Safety Handbook: https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/325.pdf

Recommended reading: https://www.gettrampoline.com/playgrounds/perfect-playground-slide-angle/

If only our (boring) Math teacher in school had framed Calculus in terms of Slides and Rollercoasters ... https://www.calculator.net/slope-calculator.html

[nelsonic]

Trying to draw a slide in FreeCAD. it's going suuuper well ...

Not.

Each time I'm getting close the program crashes ...

Going to call it a day and try again in the morning.

[nelsonic]

4^th I've drawn the profile for the slide:

[nelsonic]

Slide drawn: https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues/14#issuecomment-1597388106

[nelsonic]

Going to spend a time-boxed block trying to design the jig/template for the profile of the slide now. Then will laser-cut a prototype and try to test it in situ.