Soccer Rebounder

My partner and I built a soccer rebounder made of wood for our Introduction to Engineering class at National Park College. We could have chosen any project, but we opted for this one because my partner is a soccer player, and I wanted to learn more about the sport. The rebounder features a 2-foot by 4-foot face/ frame with two foldable 2x4s at the back for support, ensuring stability and effective ball rebounds. We painted it black with black acrylic paint for a sleek and professional look. It's a practical tool for my partner to use and a valuable learning experience for both of us. To build our project, we used the 8-step engineering process: recognize the problem (product for the client which is us), problem definition (understanding the problem and that it is well defined), research and preparation (collect information), conceptualize (Generate ideas, identify components of the system), synthesis (how the components are going to be fabricated), evaluation (analyze in more detail), optimization (find ways to improve your design), presentation (communicating your solution to your client). To make our project, we used our maker space with the help of Mr. Mccorkle, and the rest was built off campus.

Supplies

1 10' 2x4

4 2' 2x4

2 small door hinges

2'x4' plywood

28 T-25 screws

1 quart Black acrylic paint (optional)

Paint Brush (optional)

Tools

Drill with T-25 bit

Circular Saw

Miter saw

We started our project by cutting the edge of 10' 2x4 using the Miter Saw to make it flush. Then, carefully measuring out the length of 3' 3/4", we cut it and measured that out again, which made our second cut. Since we bought a bigger piece of plywood than we needed, we used the circular saw to cut out 2' by 4'.

The first step is to make the frame. Lay out the frame with the two 3' 3/4" 2x4s at the bottom and top, and put the two 2' 2x4s on the side and not the inside of the frame, as you want the height to be 2'. Using two T-25 screws per joint, attach carefully, making sure the wood doesn't split. Lay the plywood on top. Using one screw at the designated point that is highlighted in the picture, use it as a pivot point to make sure the plywood is flush on all sides. Add a second screw at the opposite end to lock it in place. Ensure the screwes are flush with the face and not sticking in or out.

We used the remaining 2 2' 2x4 for support by attaching them to the frame using the hinges. First, lay the platform on its face, lay the 2' 2x4 flush with the bottom, and attach the hinge to the frame at the joint shown in the picture. Then screw in the 2' 2x4 into the hinge. Then, proceed to repeat the process on the other side.

Using whatever paint you choose, paint using a brush to cover all sides. It might be useful to remove the hinges and supports when painting. Make sure to do two coats of paint on the face, with the second coat slightly thicker than the first. Let it dry in a well-ventilated place.

Overall, when designing and researching this project, we realized that it would be difficult to acquire specific materials, and the design would have to be much heavier and more complicated to build. We had to opt for a much simpler design. What we learned was compromise, teamwork, and time management. Future endeavors include my partner using the soccer rebounder daily that we built and designed together, and mine include building more projects and learning ways to improve them.