How to Make Tennis Singles Sticks for $2.50 per Court

by Ivar Husa, Richland, WA ivar@owt.com

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Why Homemade Singles Sticks?

The USTA requires that sanctioned tournaments use singles sticks. Some clubs have not been using them and I suspect this is for two reasons. First is cost. Good ones can be bought for $12 to $25 per court. With most events requiring 8-16 courts, a cost (even amortized) of $100 to $400 is a hurdle. The second is ‘bother’. A busy tournament director may be reluctant to haul out and set them up. That is another issue.

I would like to offer you relief from the former problem- the expense. It is possible to make 20 sets in two evenings, with adequate tools. If you can find an interested club member with a saw (table, radial arm or band) and router table this project is a snap.

Why detailed instructions for so simple a job?

I want to encourage all clubs that host USTA events to ‘get compliant’ with the singles-sticks (especially for Junior Champs). Starting any project is easier when one is sure there are no surprises lurking. Besides, tennis directors/club owners are not usually woodworkers, and this will help them explain what is needed to those who are.

Short Form Instructions

For the experienced woodworker: Cut boards to a nominal 1x2 by 48" long. Cut 90° vee-notch in one end. Trim to length that supports your net wire at 42" above the surface of the court. Paint flat black (optional).

Instructions for the Rest of Us

Buying Materials

Wood- Use clear, straight, board (1"x 2" nominal, 0.75"x1.75" typical), beginning with 4’ or 8’ lengths ( to be trimmed later). See Figure 1. Good choices include cedar, alder, "outdoor wood" ( a pressure treated softwood) or redwood. Less desirable choices include pine (less durable and warps easily) or oak (or other hardwoods, as they are just more expensive than required for this type of project).

I found that buying 2"x2"x 48" "outdoor wood was a good starting point. Each board cost about $1, and splits (lengthwise) to make the two boards needed for one court. Be sure to buy a few more than the minimum required, say 10% or 20% extra, to give you spares (which you will inevitably need).

All these materials may be purchased at most home centers. Select boards that are straight and as free of knots as practical.

Figure 1 General Layout

Paint- Latex or oil are fine. I chose a latex paint because it dries more quickly. An oil paint may be more durable. A half pint (8 oz) of Rustoleum ® Painter’s Touch Flat Black (color 1976) easily provided 2 coats for 12 pairs of sticks.

Sandpaper- Buy one or two sheets of 150 grit paper, to knock down any exceptionally rough surfaces or edges.

Nails- Nails? More on this later, but buy as many 4d (that’s four penny) box nails as you will have singles sticks. Be sure to buy nails with a distinct head, and not finishing nails.

‘Scrap Wood’- Not part of the finished product. May be 1x2 pine or strip of plywood, roughly 6’ long.

Tools

Claw hammer, 1" paintbrush, a pair of 3' C-clamps, power saw (radial arm, band saw, or table saw), 6’ step ladder (?), and router, preferably mounted in a ‘table’. The ladder is used to hold up wet boards while paint dries (trust me).

Procedure

1. Rip the boards you have chosen (either 4’ or 8’ lengths) into the nominal 1x2 size as shown in Figure 1. This is not a task for a hand saw.
2. If your boards were 8’ long, cut them to nominally 4’ long (we will trim later).
3. Cut a 90° vee-notch in one end of all boards. It is a good idea to set up stop-blocks, to make this repetitive task go swiftly. The set up shown in Figure 2 is used to make both cuts for the notch, flipping the board over to cut the other side. Set the stop block to leave about a ¼" flat on the end. This makes it less vulnerable to splitting, later. See Figure 3.

   Figure 2 Vee-Notch Using Radial Arm Saw

   Figure 3 Finish Details

4. Cut to length, as shown in Figure 3. The objective is to hold the top of the net cable at 42" above the surface of the court. Some nets bunch up a bit more beneath the cable, making this dimension a tiny bit long. Trim to suit your courts, or just go with this as ‘good enough’.
5. Round over all edges with a ¼" radius router bit. If that is not available, anything close will do (1/8" to 3/8"). The object is to just take off the sharp edges, making the sticks easier to handle. Worst case- just use sand paper to take off the edge.
6. Optional Detail: Make a very shallow (1/4" maximum) saw cut across the narrow side of the board exactly 36" from the bottom. This makes the stick a useful gauge, to set the stick at the proper distance (36") form the outside edge of the singles side-line. No need to drag out the tape measure to place the stick!
7. Sandpaper all surfaces slightly, to prepare it for the paint.
8. "Start" a 4d nail in the bottom (flat) end of each board. This will be the hook we hang the boards from until the paint dries. See Figure 4
9. Make a series of shallow (0.75") saw cuts spaced about 3" apart along the length of the scrap board you found ( typically about 6’ long). These slot will accept the nails in the ends of the sticks after painting.
10. Clamp the slotted board to the side of a stepladder, at least five feet form the floor, as depicted in Figure 4. Place paper beneath this to catch paint drips (should there be any).
11. Paint each board with flat black paint, starting at the Vee end and working down to the nail. Hang the wet board from the slotted board. (I thought this method of holding the boards up to dry beat having to paint each side separately, and waiting for the paint to dry before coating the other side.
12. Recoat each board for best appearance.
13. Remove nails

Figure 4 Painting Details