Alright folks, gather ’round, let me tell you about this thing I got obsessed with yesterday – removable volleyball net posts made out of timber. Got the idea after seeing those flimsy metal ones at the park nearly take out poor Mrs. Henderson when a gust hit. Needed something solid but, you know, you gotta be able to stash it away.

Getting Started and the Big Mess-Up

First thing, raided my scrap pile. Found some decent 4×4 posts – heavy-duty stuff. Grabbed the tape measure, figured I needed about 7 feet above ground for regulation height. Marked the posts, hauled out the saw. Did the cuts. Looked good, felt solid.

Then came the “duh” moment. How the heck was the net supposed to attach? Brain kinda skipped that part. Stared at the plain wood tops like an idiot. Back to the shed, dug around, found these old metal hooks meant for hanging bicycles. Thought, “Hey, perfect!”

Measured where the net rings would roughly sit, marked the spots. Got my drill, screwed those hooks straight into the sides of the posts, near the top. Felt smug. Wrong. Tested it with an old net… yeah, no. The pull of the net? Immediately started making the post wobble sideways. The hook was acting like a lever, prying the whole thing over. Big time facepalm moment. Needed attachment points dead center on top, not sticking out the side.

The Fix That Actually Worked (Sort Of)

Scrapped the hook idea. Needed a plate on top. Found some thick plywood scraps. Cut out two squares, maybe 8 inches across. This was the base plate. Now, onto these squares, I needed sturdy things for the net rope.

Rummaged through the rusty bin again. Found these heavy-duty metal eye bolts – the kind with a loop at one end and threads at the other. Perfect! Took a spade bit, drilled a hole smack in the middle of each plywood plate, big enough for the eye bolt shaft. Fed the bolt through from the bottom.

Slapped a big washer and a nut on the bolt thread under the plywood, cranked it down tight. Then, another washer and nut on top of the plywood, really wrenching it down. Super solid now. That eye bolt wasn’t going anywhere, and the pull was straight down through the center of the post. Way better.

Next step: stuck these new fancy tops onto the cut timber posts. Applied a ton of wood glue to the top of the post, lined up the plywood base plate, pressed it down. Then, for good measure, hammered in some heavy-duty nails from the sides into the plywood. Wasn’t taking chances.

The “Removable” Part Was Trickier Than it Looked

Okay, posts were solid, net attached okay. But how to make ’em removable without digging holes every time? Decided on ground sleeves – those metal tubes you sink into concrete, then drop the post into.

• Dug holes: About 2 feet deep, wide enough for the sleeves.
• Placed sleeves: Dropped the metal tubes in, tried to keep ’em level-ish.
• Mixed concrete: Got the dusty bag, water, bucket – made a mess, obviously.
• Poured concrete: Filled around the sleeves, propped ’em straight while it glooped and settled.

Let the concrete cure overnight. Was antsy. Next day, popped the posts into the sleeves. They sat firm! Victory dance happened. Pulled ’em out again – smooth! Put ’em back in – solid! Removable? Check!

The Ugly (But Functional) Truth

Look, they ain’t winning any beauty contests. The plywood tops are kinda rough, the eye bolts stick up like weird antennas, and my concrete work looks like a badger did it. But you know what? They are ROCK SOLID. The net is tight, stays put even when Jimmy from next door decides to slam one full force. And when the game’s done, yank ’em out, stash ’em in the garage. Mission accomplished, clunky look be damned. Sometimes function just beats pretty, especially with volleyballs flying around.