buying equipment?

Anyone know an easy way to make weaves or a good place to buy them for not so much money (most places have them listed at $130!!)

You could make a cheapo all pvc set..

Metal costs though, so for steel in the bases $130 is fairly normal. Cost of metal plus weld time.

Plus side to paying out for real weaves is they are fairly resellable if you decide you've had enough. Furniture grade pvc costs more bust resists weathering including UV damage. All pvc weaves are less durable and sellable.

I think metal might be too heavy though for me. It's going to have to move it around and find someplace to carry it to.

If you're just looking to practice weaves in the house/yard with the papillons the akc junior series set is pretty cheap, and spaced right.

Weaves aren't too heavy, esp if you get them as 2x2 sets (and they are very resalable in that style too)

The problem with small dogs and pvc bases is that it changes the obstacle as they have to jump the base instead of just striding through.. just something to think on. Now you can get stick in the ground weave poles, I have no idea how good they are, you would have to measure them out everytime you set them up, and can only use them outside, but they should be cheap

I think metal might be too heavy though for me. It's going to have to move it around and find someplace to carry it to.

I have 4 2x2 steel bases. I toss them in the car move them all over the yard no issues. Bigger pain now that the spacing is 24" vs 20" though.

Not sure if this is any good to you. There are a lot of short videos and instructions on agility. I have no experience, so it might all be crap.

Instructions for Metal Weave Poles | eHow.com

2x2's are really light. If you can move a jump, you can move a 2x2.

Dear god, that seems to advocate using metal for the POLES. Please no one use those instructions.

If your looking to just do some messing around, do you have a tractor supply store near you?? Get those plastic stick in the ground electrical wire fence holders. They are like 1.99 each..You can also find solid stick in the ground poles there used for marking driveways and such..

I haven't ever thought about the PVC being a problem for the little dogs. Come to think of it though, Summer does bounce on her weaves and we use weaves with a PVC base. Hmm.

I really am looking to compete eventually so I don't want to mess anything up by messing around. I just think it'd be nice to have my own weaves.

sorry for my weird double post earlier, Chaz crapped out on me and I couldn't delete it

My instructors for agility recommend the stick in the ground electric fence poles to start out on because they're cheap and easy to find.

I did have the stick in posts from TSC and 3/4" pvc.. I found they were a giant pain to get in the ground and then the step in part was dangerous if not stepped in fully.. Softer ground you won't have that issue though. It is a cheap fix.

That's what I have. I want to say I found them for around $20 on Amazon.

That's what I use. I bought a weave pole measurer thing on ebay for a few dollars to set them up accurately each time.

24" Weave Pole Placer for 12 Dog Agility Weave Poles - eBay (item 110586702713 end time Oct-15-10 11:12:25 PDT)

Cheap, simple, and effective.

I actually bought caps and made my own stick-in-the-ground poles... drilled a hole in the cap, put a washer inside, ran a 6" screw through the hole, then threaded on a bolt. You could glue the caps to the poles but mine aren't glued and the caps have never come off the poles, even when yanking them out of really hard ground. Do be careful you don't yank it up into your face though, LOL.

I don't use what CaliTerp linked, but I should! I usually just measure with my feet. But yeah, those things are really neat and make it super easy and I should have one, LOL.

ETA: Come to think of it I could MAKE one of those placers... hmmm. Guess I know what I'm doing this weekend.

I think stick in the ground won't work since I have no yard.

lol, I was the crazy dog person in my apartment. I'd go out to the tiny patch of grass in our complex and run weaves or jump sequences. The yard is a blessing now, for sure.

Stick-in-the-ground would be just as portable as 2x2s though. I don't think many people will object to you putting tiny holes in the ground at the dog park, LOL.