Anybody can throw a half sheet of plywood on a couple posts but I’d like to build a good one like I saw at the Grands in Sparta. Grease board?
Pattern board design
-
Whether you're a greenhorn or a seasoned veteran, your collection's next piece is at Bass Pro Shops. Shop Now.
DougMO
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
Joined
·
7,303 Posts
At the club we put a 48x48 inch plate of 1/4 steel on 3/4 inch plywood. Put 2 posts in the ground and bolted the plate in each corner. We greased the board and then have white spray paint there to turn the plate white and refresh after each shot. The paint will cake and need to be scraped off every 100 or so patterns. I like as well just a heavier coating of grease and roll it out after every pattern. Not as easy to see the patterns at distance, but closer patterns are obvious. No running out of white paint. Also put a set of washers in the middle of the plate to have an aiming point and reference.
Maltz
Maltz
Joined
·
701 Posts
We drill a hole in the center of our boiler plate that creates a bullseye with open sky behind the plate. A roller with dark grey grease is added to the plate after each shot. The pellet contacts are well defined.
Joined
·
1,362 Posts
For the current posters and future posters, could you please expound on the grease compound? I have a steel pattern plate and initially used a cheap roll on latex paint. Then went to spray can paint. Good paint is too expensive and cheap paint hardly works at all. I have a range shack so I can store it inside but it isn't heated.
Anyhow what and where to buy would be appreciated.
s/f Steve
Anyhow what and where to buy would be appreciated.
s/f Steve
I built this target stand and a pattern board both using this method. You just need to get a back board for the pattern board. I also use a sandbag if the wind comes up. Easy project t.
Joined
·
1,172 Posts
Purchase a couple1lb. tins of white lithium grease and a 4" paint brush. I tin will do a 4'X4' plate. Just paint and shoot, the pattern will be clear as a bell, To keep the repainting easy I use a spray bottle with automatic trans fluid to spray the plate when the grease gets a little thick. Our club plate lasts all summer with occasional refreshing with trans fluid.
NAPA generally has white lithium grease in stock.
NAPA generally has white lithium grease in stock.
Joined
·
8,813 Posts
Set-up depends upon your idea of patterning.....I never saw any use for "grease" but it is quite quick and suitably messy to appear fun....plus, it gives the appearance of patterning somewhat above a round oil can tossed in a ditch.
Cardboard and a plexiglass 30" ring with 20" center removed suits me best.....placement or % evaluation.
Enjoy your choice.
Here’s how we did it at our club aand we are happy with the product … 2 pcs of 4’X4’ 3/8” steel plate bolted to three 4”X4” pressure treated posts. That nets a pattern board that is 4’X8’. Put the board where you have a straight shot of at least 40 yards. Set the plates so the center is about four feet off of the ground. Clean the shooting surfaces of rust and scale. Then, using a paint roller (with at least a four foot handle), apply a thin coating of a compound made as follows … 1/3 white lithium grease, 1/3 non-detergent motor oil, and 1/3 white latex paint. It works GREAT! Here’s what we have learned since building/using ours:
If you get just a little bit of the coating on your hands it will end up on your gun and clothes. This should be used for target shotgun loads ONLY … do not allow the use of any load that will damage your board (rifles/pistols, slugs, buckshot, goose loads, etc.). Once you get a thin coating on the board NO MORE COATING is needed for months (at least in eastern Virginia). Just use the same roller to roll it out after shooting. One coat will last a long time. Do not allow anyone to use paint on it to make aiming points; this will mess up your surface coat and require that all of it be removed and recoated. Just use a paint stir stick to mark aiming points in the surface. As others have said, a couple of conveniently placed holes drilled (or cut) are helpful as aiming points. Keep your roller clean by placing it in a covered container when not in use … dirt is not your friend. A 1/4” plate tends to “ring” when shot … 3/8” will not. The board is heavy … don’t skimp on your posts or bolts used to attach it. Use a strong handle in your paint roller … you have at least one ham handed goon in your club that will break anything less than rebar. Best of luck.
If you get just a little bit of the coating on your hands it will end up on your gun and clothes. This should be used for target shotgun loads ONLY … do not allow the use of any load that will damage your board (rifles/pistols, slugs, buckshot, goose loads, etc.). Once you get a thin coating on the board NO MORE COATING is needed for months (at least in eastern Virginia). Just use the same roller to roll it out after shooting. One coat will last a long time. Do not allow anyone to use paint on it to make aiming points; this will mess up your surface coat and require that all of it be removed and recoated. Just use a paint stir stick to mark aiming points in the surface. As others have said, a couple of conveniently placed holes drilled (or cut) are helpful as aiming points. Keep your roller clean by placing it in a covered container when not in use … dirt is not your friend. A 1/4” plate tends to “ring” when shot … 3/8” will not. The board is heavy … don’t skimp on your posts or bolts used to attach it. Use a strong handle in your paint roller … you have at least one ham handed goon in your club that will break anything less than rebar. Best of luck.
Joined
·
833 Posts
Now let's design one that we can put a roll of blank newspaper stock in a protected box on top, that can be pulled down and fastened below, shot at, and tear the paper off and take home. How do we keep the pellets bouncing back through the paper and buggering everything up. I've tried plywood, heavy cardboard, and then paper. I No ricochets but, the plywood has a very short life.
Joined
·
513 Posts
Made one very similar to what your describing several years back. I used an old construction sign(1/8" aluminum") for the face with a 30" circle cut out. A 36" roll of paper rolled down from a plywood box on top and behind aluminum face. Just take a sharpie and mark center each roll down. Had a straight edge that hung on side to do that with. All worked pretty good . Still got it out back. Send you a pic if you like.
I made one with 2" PVC sections & couplers, 2x2s, and NRA shotgun pattern sheets. Get those from National Target Co. I needed something portable, and honestly it is tough to see clearly in grease or paint after its been in use for awhile. I use a ratchet strap to hold the base together (left to right, see pic) to withstand moderate wind (20-25 mph). All of the PVC sections are connected with PVC glue except for a few in the base for disassembly to fit in my car. Not visible in pic are 2x2 crossbars (at top & bottom of pattern sheet), held in by long screws from side uprights.
![Image]()
Joined
·
13 Posts
My neighbor done this. Works quite well. It sits out all year long with no issues even to the paper.
Joined
·
833 Posts
I had something similar, but as I had no natural backstop, plywood was mandatory. Also I am not allowed to keep it up. The boss can be very particular about stuff that'll chit up her yard...It can be assembled in a few minutes
![Image]()
Joined
·
13 Posts
If the rain lets up. I may get a picture & post if I got time. He has no backstop. A backstop is easy enough to add if needed. And keeping the backstop away from the paper about a foot or so will reduce ricochets. A little trial & error needed here.
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
