So I am feeling like I am practically spamming this board with inquiries.... but oh well.... onward....

Can someone elaborate on the "aluminum ice thickness strips?" Is this just a thing with notches or markings on it that you attach to the boards to gauge depth? Why not just mark the boards in a specific place? What am I missing?!

Thanks,
Bob in Minneapolis

No problem with the questions Bob, that's why we're here. Just be sure to start a new topic with each new question (I had to split this one out from another member's thread about his own rink).

The ice thickness rules are just very rudimentary ways to measure your ice thickness. We all know rinks freeze from the top down. So if you were to just mark the inches on your liner and then filled with water, your measurement will simply show you the height of your water/ice. As the ice freezes, that measurement will not change, so you'll never know how much ice has built up under the surface. The ice thickness ruler, on the other hand, tells you how much ice is there by measuring from the bottom up.

This picture probably shows it best: http://www.backyard-hockey.com/wp-conte ... ruler4.jpg

Imagine that rule sitting in a pool of water with a two-inch later of ice on the top. When you slowly pull the ruler up, the ruler will stop when it hits the ice, and the measurement will show 2", telling you exactly how thick your slab is. If the ruler doesn't move - congrats! You have a fully solid block of ice.

That is so simple, and so elegant. Awesome!