308 Board Modification
 

In playing on my beloved 308 it is wide and takes up the width of most standard sized tables. Leaving me having to keep my players off to the right or left. With 35 second set up clocks running I find that I need my players in front of me, but the board takes up too much of the table.

I have built two trays, one for each side so that each coach has a very roomy sideline/bench area in which to set all his players. They measure 36" in length and 5.5" in width. This makes setting up at the LOS with the clocks running much easier, especially when you have 40 plus man rosters,

Most of the tray is built from poplar, this keeps weight very low, yet is durable enough to be hauled around. The only thing not poplar is the 1"x1" pine that makes the two support pieces.

These shelves fit under the board, the weight of the board holds them in place and the supports are fitted to grab and wrap around the underside of the field frame rails.

They are covered with a ridged floor mat cut to fit. The mat has ridges so as to allow the base to sit with no weight on the prongs, I tried to show this in the photos but the ridges did not show up very well. When looking at all the floor mats in Home Depot, I brought a player on a base with me so I could measure the spacing in the ridges and see which mat worked the best.

I stained them and they are super functional. After playing on some other boards that had sideline areas built into them I said to myself this is what I am missing.

I mean no disrespect to my friend Reginald by doing this, he has a fine product and I have gotten compliments on how well my 308 runs and looks. I just gots to have my team laid out in front of me and this was the way for me to do it.

Hope other 308 owners enjoy this.

nice job!thmbsp$

Far OUT, Man!

Passing?
 

Hey Shabby, looks great. The only problem I see, would be in passing situations. It looks as though it would be difficult leaning over and reaching in some passing situations.

Not too shabby, Shabby! thmbsp$

Nice solution
 

Good looking work!!thmbsp$ thmbsp$

Impressive!
 

Get ready for a few request Shabby!thmbsp$ppls$

nice
 

very nice solution..... thmbsp$ thmbsp$

Players bench
 

Very nice!! Another solution i came up with is a player bench about a third of the size. its skinny and just wide enough for players with bases to fit on and in a straight line. An example is on e-bay (those on e-bay are not mine). its long enough to hold 40+ players and skinny enough to fit on the edge of the table. What's also good is its not attached and you can move your team from board to board if playing different coaches at different tables. I'll submit a photo of mine on monday if i remember.

I kept looking at this and got to thinking that if it was hinged to the top rail, was a little skinnier and the same length of the field it could be flipped over like a lid even though it would n't cover much of the field. That way you could set the board down unlatch the sidelines and flip open. Put a handle on it and carry it like a suitcase.

Shabby...you are truly on FIRE!!! Great job!!!

DMC

Sounds like a Tweak" article to me!
 

Hey Wolf, perhaps there can be a section called "EFL Innovations" (or somethng like that) where articles can be done when guys create new stuff like this that benefit the hobby.

Your thoughts guys?

Oh, don't worry I tested it. I'm a fat guy and I can move around the field and pass with no problems. :rtfl: I thought of this right away when I decided to make the tray wider than the initial two inches I started with.

The 308 is pretty much as wide as a standard plastic top metal folding leg playing table, you've seen them, they are hollow white plastic with metal legs, etc...like you find in stacks in rec. centers, community rooms, churches, etc...The shelf only adds about three inches to the over all width of the table itself on each side. The photo that shows a side view of the shelf hanging way over the table edge was just to show you how they stay in place even when pushed so far over the edge.


Just the thing when you play on set up clocks like I have been practicing on.

Oooooh....nice, I can see you are like me, always trying to improve something. I like that idea a lot. Maybe this will inspire some of the other 308 owners to take a stab at it. I'll put that in the idea file for when I get board and need a new project to start on.

Good thinking.

I like your idea, I need something like that when I play on 620's so I can move my team around and set the players up how I like them to be for fast grabbing. I tried with the 308 it is too wide to make any type of functional try like that, plus I wanted to offer visiting teams and coaches a first class sideline. I am going to add some mini Gatorade coolers to them too just for fun.

We got some huge teams out here when we get together to scrimmage and the boards I like that that other coaches have out here have side lines built into them for the team to sit. We play 35 second set up clocks and I have been practicing set ups and this allows you to set your players up so you can scan them quickly and grab what you need when you have a huge roster.

Hello Shabby J,

Nice work!!! Thanks for sharing.

It was also nice to see your feline make a cameo appearance in one of the photos. Go Cat Go!

Best Wishes,
HappyCat

Yes, I did not realize she crept into the photo until I was resizing them in Photo Shop, then I saw her. I use on of our extra bedrooms as my hobby room, it full of MY STUFF and is off limits to the cat unless she is under adult supervision.

Attn: Mozeek
 

Bump up for Mozeek

Shabby
Could you give a little more information on the measurements
Like what is the length of the under side brace that connects the tray to the 308?
The height of the ends and the height of the fronts?
Thanks Boston21

very nice board Shabby J


Really like to Chargers field cover also


Benster cnd:$

Post Up for Detroitchild
 

Check these out, this is what you were asking to see.

Shabby...I made removeable side lines for my field last week too and I hook it under the board like you did. This is very solid approach. I new I had seen this somewhere and now I remember it was from your post...so a belated thanks for sharing the pictures.
Joe

You are welcome Michigan Joe, Detroitchild asked me about them so I dug this thread up for him.

It's a pretty simple procees and no permanent attachment to the field.

Thanks for the compliments guys, we are spoiled out here, 90 percent of the fields out here have sidelines on them and when I go to a field and play without them it is a huge obstacle to overcome.

Thanks...
 

...for digging this up for me Shabby. I think I'll give it a go. I'll let ya know how it goes.

Shabby J
 

Do you make these for others? hit me up in a PM.....

Great minds think alike...
 

thmbsp$ Hey Shabby,

I like it when two people come up with similar ideas... I guess it means we're really onto something.$br# $br#

Check out the way I do it here... albeit about a year after your original creation. When I first saw this post today, I thought it was new... I think it is funny that I came up with a similar idea later without ever seeing this post.

Mine are backed with a felt lining that slips over the railings. I have made several for coaches here in Ohio and I have a few more in the works.

Also, watch for Ken Tamashiro's board coming in a few weeks to a month. It will feature many of the ideas you guys touched on in this thread, including the folding and expandable player trays. Maybe Ken will post some of the design drawings if he feels like sharing...

Rollertaco, I did see your sideline trays when I went to your website, good stuff. Could you post up the thread link to the video that shows your board running?

Shabby J!!!
 

I just made some that look just like yours. I have not stained them yet. Trying to determine what type of carpet or matting I'm gonna use. Was not as bad as I thought it would be. Will post pics in a day or 2.

thmbsp$

Don

Excellent, glad to hear that, they are very easy to make actually. You really don't need any power tools, you can make them with a little $7.00 hand saw and some Liquid Nails glue. It's just cutting and gluing, you really do not need to use any screws with that Liquid Nails, that stuff is KILLER!

The carpet I used I also bought at Home Depot, it was outdoor carpet runner, it has ridges so the figures do not stand entirely on the prongs.

Good stuff! thmbsp$ thmbsp$

Post up some pics, hopefully this will inspire other to try making them. You will not believe how you got a long without them after you have them, especially playing Shootout rules! I have yet to see visiting coach who did not tell me how great it was to have room a plenty for his squad.

Exciting!!!!

Thanks Shabby! Question...what do you use as the 10 yard and ball markers on your 308.

Actually I have a wooden ball marker that slides down one rail and a set of chains also on wood that slides down the other rail. Got 'em from Reginald. Reginald made them, very simple design, yet extremely effective and a breeze to use during game play. I don't think I have any pics readily available of these though.

Thx! thmbsp$

Video of Boards in Use...
 

As requested...

Hey Shabby, here is the video of the Cowboys board with the sideline rails... I make them so that they will fit onto just about any board.

My new design that will work with my next generation boards will fold up and then out, like a tackle box... should be pretty cool.

Here is the video... sideline trays are on display starting at 23 seconds...

Here ya go Shabby!
 

So simple even a caveman can do it. thmbsp$

I'm gonna stain them and post more pics in a few days.

Real nice Rollertaco.

Hey, those look familiar!!!!


Man that is a super job, I am so stoked to see those, you ******** near got them exact down to the pencil marks!

This is great, I am glad you saw how easy they were. When you play with them trays, there ain't no going back!

I absolutely love those trays you made.

Update!
 

Here are my side trays stained and with green turf. They are still tacky to the touch so I'll give it a few days to dry before posting pics of them attached to my board.

Oh yeah! Looking good!

Nice stuff!

Finished product!
 

Here are my sideline trays inspired by my main man Shabby J. thmbsp$


Next...I think I'll build me a board. mgngcrz