Greetings everyone! Killing time on the internet this morning and stumbled across the Backyard-Hockey site. Always on the lookout to learn from and share knowledge with other like-minded backyard rink addicts so figured I'd register and introduce myself.

Been maintaining a backyard rink for close to 9 years now, the first 6 were on a small pond out in front of our house when we lived in Maine. Moved back home to MN three years ago, so this will be my third year maintaining an "above ground" rink. Has been interesting and fun learning/experiencing the little differences and challenges inherent with of each.

Anyway, my current rink, the "Edgewater Ice Garden" is 32x80. Had hoped to swing 40x100, but concessions were made to the wife and her landscape designer, lol. We got off to a great early start this year, before 3 weeks of heat then snow, then slush/freezing rain had us riding the pine for a few weeks. Thanks to some cold, clear nights last week am back up and running again in time for the holidays, however, and looks like a promising start to the new year.

Anyway, here's to a great (and cold) winter for all of us!

regards,

Magnus L.
Minneapolis

That looks awesome!! My rink is about the same size (33x75). I love the lighting!! (Now I have to rethink the way I am lighting mine... hmmm)

We had enough cold weather the last couple of weeks to keep our Christmas tradition of having a Christmas Eve skate with one of my friends and his sons. Great times! Nothing beats a backyard rink.

Cheers
Kevin

Hey Kevin, thanks for the kind words.

Since you mentioned the lighting, I wrote up a fairly detailed description of how I made the lights. I live in an older house with an older electrical system that couldn't handle the usual 1000 watt halogen work-lights that most people use. Had to go with fluorescent lights to get them all on my one available exterior 15A circuit.

All in all, they work great and I actually prefer the white light that they put out over the old halogens that I used on my previous rink. Anyway, here's the to my lighting set-up if it is of any use to you or gives you any ideas.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

-Magnus

I am definitely going to read your link when I get a chance. My house is 30 years old and the electrical system is equally as antiquated. If I am running my 6 500W halogens on the one breaker it doesn't take much more to trip the breaker. Might even save some coin along the way.

Kevin

Beautiful rink! I see Nicerink boards...but is that a snowblower door? Do you have a writeup on how you did that?

Hey Joe, Yes, they are NiceRink boards and I essentially removed one board section and created a lift out gate so I can get the snowblower and lawn tractor (zamboni) onto the rink. Unfortunately, i don't have a writeup yet about how i did it, but I'll take some close up pics this weekend and post some more details as soon as I get a chance.

That would be great! If you're interested in spreading the news, that would certainly be something I'd be interested in featuring on the blog.

Joe-

Had some time this afternoon to write up some of my gate construction for the NiceRink boards. Hope it helps someone out there.

Typical, Amazon won't ship those lights to Canada - same as the new Kindles, don't get me started!. I found a distributor for Lights of America called Energy Federation (EFI) out of Southborough, Mass that ships to Canada. Anyone have any experience with these guys?

Arrgh, very frustrating. I've had heard similar stories from other friends trying to get cartain things shipped from Amazon to Canada.

I found the same lights for sale through Wayfair. A few bucks more than I paid per light through Amazon last year, but still under $40 a pop. Says they ship to Canada via Purolator, so might be worth a shot?

http://www.wayfair.com/Lights-of-Americ ... Z1014.html

-Magnus