Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this LVL volleyball setup, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. I started out thinking, “Oh, this’ll be easy, just slap some wood together.” Boy, was I wrong.

First, I got my hands on some soft maple timber. I figured soft maple would be a good balance – sturdy enough for the impact, but not so hard it’d feel like hitting a brick wall. I measured everything out, like, really carefully. Because, you know, one wrong cut and you’re basically starting over.

The Cutting and Gluing

Then came the cutting. I used a regular circular saw, Nothing fancy. made sure my blade was sharp. A dull blade is the enemy of good, clean cuts, trust me. After cutting the pieces to the right size, I started the gluing process. This is where things got a little tricky.

I applied a pretty generous amount of wood glue to each layer. I clamped the whole thing down with every clamp I could find in my garage. Seriously, it looked like a clamp explosion. I let it dry overnight, just to be extra sure. I didn’t want this thing falling apart mid-game.

Shaping and Smoothing

The next day, the real fun began. I unclamped it, and it actually held together! I used a rasp and some sandpaper to start shaping the edges, rounding them off so it wouldn’t feel so…blocky. This part took forever, let me tell you. My arms were aching by the end of it.

• Sanding: Started with rough grit, then moved to finer and finer grits.
• Shaping: The main idea was to ensure a smooth, consistent curve. No sharp edges!
• Dust: So. Much. Dust. Wear a mask, people. Learn from my mistakes.

The Finishing Touches

Finally, I applied a couple of coats of polyurethane. I wanted something to protect the wood and give it a bit of a shine. I let each coat dry completely before adding the next. Patience is key, even though I was itching to try it out.

After all that, it was finally done! It’s not perfect, by any means. There are a few little imperfections here and there, but hey, it’s handmade. And it actually works! It feels pretty good when you hit it, and it seems like it’ll hold up for a while. Overall, I’m calling it a win. Might make another one, now that I (sort of) know what I’m doing.