"The SpringBack Hybred"!
The Next Generation Flyball Box
Designed {1995} and Manufactured by, Jim Sova, 1st Working model in a tournament {1996}
Meets and exceeds all NAFAŽ and Now U-FLIŽ box specifications!
Welcome
Waiting list only for now. Shortage on some ball unit parts.
Some Colors available in Stock and also non-Annodized units on hand and ready to assemble:

Table of Contents Index Buttons Total basic unit weight is approximity 32lbs.
The SpringBack Lastest pics

Excess weight equals excess costs!
Understanding of how force effects an object it hits, is designed into the unit. The spring action drives the force of a dog down into
the base. "Acts as if glued to matt". Ask yourself Where does all that impact go on a stationary box?
I want to take that energy and utilize it, while protecting the dogs joints, and prolonging a dogs carreer in flyball..
10+ years have gone by now, and I am very flattered by the attempts to lighten boxes up, holes cut in sides ext.. The strenght of a box by thickness of material,
pound for pound, alluminum is stronger then any plastic or wood! The pin ball method of shooting out the ball is much more accurate,
and many, if not all, box builders have now gone this way. Mechanism are now made out of stainless steel instead of the brass and bronze catches of yesteryear.
Stainless steel hardware is ever more present throughout a box in flyball.
Internal workings of a box, bracing/ now made with High grade allum (which is T6 aircraft allum btw).
All the things I allready have incorporated in the design, of the "SpringBack", way back in 1995.
I beleive the "flyball boxes of tommorrow" have to be able to change.
Everybody has there idea what is right slope angle, ball placement ect...
The flyball box of the future, is the one that will be able to change and adapt as a team changes or wants, or needs.
And I garrentee that boxes will change, as world records have proved this.
Remember when the first world record was set with a two holer box. 90% of teams then had a one holer
Everyone had to have a two holer, It was the shortcut to a record team......so they thought....
The Current Hybred addresses some of these issues of change.
- The base can be made solid (no spring), instead of the SpringBack style.
- The front plate can be changed out to try a differant ball hole placement, If say down the road you want to change.
- Ball holes can be placed at any location to customize for a team.
- Ball units user freindly, and adjustable.
- Ball face able to tilt between one to two inches from vertical, for your team with the 49 degree option.
- Angle slope, two choices, 49 degree(most popular) or 45 deg.
- A 1" lip on the ball face top portion is bent for strengthing of the plate and to keep the dogs muzze down towards hole.
People with "high hitters know what this does for them.
My Credentials:
- Been in the machinest trade since 1980's
- Currently working as one at Rockwell/ Collins (20+yrs). Have made blueprinted parts for the Steath, and Mir space station.
- Worked as an Assembler, and painter for almost 5 years at Vector Corp. Which makes Stainless steel machines (there like big dryers with paint nozzle sprayers)
that do coating on pills, candies, vitaimines. (centrum Vitamins, M+M candies)
- Got hooked on Flyball in 1992.
- I Own a (picture taken around aug 2001) CNC machine with a ten tool, tool changer
with accuracies of .0001 +/-. Parts can be replicated with very precise accurracy for your Flyball box parts.
I can also work with you on custom designs.
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Why A "SpringBack Flyball Box"?
The idea's behind it!
- Theraputic
- To alleveate and eliminate sore shoulders, from the Impact of the reversal of direction
, at the box.
- To allow for the fatige factor on long tournament days.
- Speed
- To assist in the return run by using KINETIC energy.
- Less energy used to return to top speed after the turn.
- Documented film of faster turns (7-10 frames) then the top team (theirs 13-15 frames) in the country! No bragg, just fact.
Several dogs out there can get sub 4 seconds on a "SpringBack". Bordering on Insanity has gotten a 3.7 with there height dog.
. Our dog Sin does 3.9 consistantly over tens.
We have 2 other dogs that does 3.9-4.0's but it is a team effort to get that record.
Sub 4 sec dogs do take training.
The SpringBack flyball box is only part of the big equation.
- Accuracy and Lightness and Strenght
- Machined with CNC (computer numericly controlled) accuracy and repeatabilty. Parts are blueprinted.
- Allmost all componets are made out of Machined Aircraft Aluminum!
- The Ball Delivery System
- Is Designed/Machined for "True Flight"!
- Is Designed/Machined for "independant adjustment/flight of the ball"!
- Based on the "old Pin Ball machine" concept. Plunger Disc goes straight back!
- The ball hole is machined to a perfect circumferance. No Man made imperfections!
This assists( I haven't found a way yet to make all boxloaders load the same)
in exact placement of the ball in the hole every time. So it will take the same
flight path, time, and time, and time again!
- The Ball pusher is a flat disc, It pushes on the most outward
circumferance projection of the ball (no matter what size)!
- Instills confidance for the dog!
- Dissassembly for packing
- Can come apart if needed, for transport, in 2 peieces. Some examples; For In a car, or shipping.
- Made for Dual Purpose:
- Designed with outside use in mind, as well as indoors!
- Designed to make it a solid box, if so desired
- Designed for Stability and Staying power
- It can almost stay in place by itself.
- Designed to take the weight down into the base!
- Assembled with Stainless steel 18-4 hardware.
- Can Be Disenfected !
- It can be cleaned with very hot water and disinfectant.
- Won't rot like wood.
- Just needs grease afterwards on the ball unit moving parts, and oil spray.
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How It Works
- When Dog bears down on the box and compresses the lid, these things begin to happen:
- The dog hits the lid (it only goes down 1/8 inch) and the ball is shot out;
And the ball is in flight{this is instantanious upon dog touch of the lid}.
- As the dogs weight is carried thru, the main box body, then starts a downward
compression, (springs are compressing). The main body of the box is on an axle!
The Lid is connected to the main body of the box. The trigger assembly is attachted to
the body (4 bolts).
- Now the box is compressed and ready to assist the dog.
- The compression is determined by the force used to compress it. Then it returns that
force to the dog IE.. Kinetic energy.
- Thus the dog expends less energy to get back to top return speed. (Requires being able to train drive Back. Easiest of the two types of drive to teach)
- Also it allows the dog to drive down at the box on a higher rate of speed.
(Requires being able to train drive to box)
- What its like---A person jumping on it, can spring off it! Just like a mini tramp.
If you jump on a angle surface and push off, how far do you get?
What happens to your distance when you add the spring action to it?
- Great danes down to the little jacks can benifit from it. Our team's small dogs can compress it a little, its not much and
hardly noticabile! But her turn has been documented at ten frames. Now if she could just single step...
- Because of the Spring action, the dogs do not have a bone jaring stop, as compared to the ridgid type boxes.
Where does that force go on the older stlye solid box?
- This I believe is the bigest advantange of a SpringBack among the other advantages it sports.
It is #1 out of all the rest of the boxes made presently, at being, a kinder, gentler, more humane Box!
And it allows dogs to whip off the box fast.
- Fatigue is always a problem at a tournament, and this box helps reduce/eliminate this. Any shoulder/arthitis
problems are also helped! (how did they get those shoulder problems in the first place?)
When a dog is tired, do you think they hit a box, in the same position, the same way then, when they were fresh?
Or does the competition/ points person forget about this point, when the excitment is in the air!
- Dogs not tiring as much/hurting=can produce more consistant times.
- Benefits acheived, don't come over night. Practice and training are required to acheive optimum results.
Remember the SpringBack Flyball box is only one part of the Flyball picture.
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Most Current "Springback" Pics below
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(3/23/2008) pics from across the pond (courtesy of Sunny Side Photography)
- Outside running
(11/26/2006) "The SpringBack Hybred model " 2006 'Black' anodized Pics
- Side veiw"With stiffner"
- *Best position to stand on a Hybred(left pic)-some people wonder.
I'm pulling my pants leg up so you see where my shoes are.
(2/28/2006) "The SpringBack Hybred "beta" model" 2006 'Gold' anodized Pics
- Front View
- Side veiw
- Veiw looking down from top, with cover plate removed, with balls installed!
(2/24/2006) "The SpringBack Hybred "beta" model" 2006 'Blue' anodized Pics
- Front ViewThis really is a four holer box!
- *To carry a Springback Just tip it on its side, pad toward your leg, grab the angle, and your ready to move.
- Alternate way to carry
- looking down at backside view!
- Backside view!
- top plate removed for access to ball units
Discontinued Springback Style
(2/1/2004) "The Modified Springback 2004 model" 'Gold' + 'Blue' anodized Pics
- Gold and Blue
- Neat shot of 'Golds' back side looking up view! This one might take a while to load alot of detail.
- Gold base Only Good shot of the new style base
- Gold base and Blue base Side by side
- Golds side view!
- Blue side view!
(12/28/2003) "The Modified Springback 2004 model" 'Deep Red' anodized Pics
- Front top view!
- Back "and the new base" view!(not a real clear pic yet of base)
- Side view!
(7/03) "The Modified Springback" Purple anodized Pics
- Back view!
- Side view!
- Box in shop, under
construction pic!
(3/02) "The Modified Springback" Blue anodized Pics
- Back view!
- Full Frontal view!
- Side view!
- Top view!
- Wow! Its also down to 32lbs!
Going Horizontal on the old stlye
Ruckus 90 degrees
Human jumping on it
The Main Compression SPRINGS is by the tip of my shoes on the box!
Remember the box body also rotates down.
"Spring Time" off the box! Its like a mini tramp. Box is 90%
compressed and fun. I have just hit it hard with my 200+lbs full weight! Kids love it to.
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What The
"Springback Original Proto-type(4/96)"
looked
like.
Remember to Click your back button to get back to this page.
- Full Frontal view!
- Side view!
- Side view Good shot of the Main Compression Spring.
- Backside view!
- Backside view. Lid has counterbored holes drilled for weight reduction. On this box only
- #note: Axle on bearings in rear portion corner!
- Rod in front, that is bowed from the preload, is the stop bar.
- Cocking handle pulls straight back!
- Top View !
- Partial view from above
- Ball Hole view!minus ball.
- Fully cocked ready to rock! Only 1.25 inches of plunger travel.
- #note:Plunger assembly is somewhat view-able directly backside.
- Plunger spring is hidden from view.
- Backside Cocking Handle view!
- Hand#note: Plunger is attached in block(see radius on bottom of block) Latch rod is
present.
- Plunger head and trigger Latch rod are Heat Treated!
- The Plunger!Close up view
on back portion.
- Guide rod is on top to insure plunger block from tipping off to either side.
- Side view with all my weight
on it!
- Aprox 200lbs balanced on it and there's still a small amount of compression to go!
- The Differant main pieces of the
Springback Box!!
- How you can transport it in small spaces.
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Interested yet?
Most common asked questions, and some additional info:
To order/or get on the waiting list for a "SpringBack Hybred" competition flyball box or you have further questions,
Current Price list
E-mail me
or snail mail me at:
Jim Sova
1890 Cottage Grove Pkwy.
Marion, Ia. 52302
or call: Phone 319-286-8294 cell 319 929-1529
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If you are new to Flyball I would recommend you start out with a wood box to learn there failings and learn what fixes you have to do.
If you want to build one, go here for a web site that has plans for wood box.
- Wood Boxes are nice in the beginning, but eventually they wear out.
- Wood Boxes are also heavy. Does your team need two people to lift your box? I use one arm!
The new "Hybred" SpringBack weighs in around 32lbs, making it the lightest box around.
- Did I mention a machine shop back up for your support. Future customization to make your box to your specs, slope, angle.
- Metal out last wood every time...How many times will you have to buy new boxes or repair /replace them over the years.....
- The weight figuring (only for shipping) is around 45lbs ea..
- On My end, there is sometimes a little bit of wait time for some parts to be done, and for it to be assembled.
Once parts and hardware are present
- 99.9% of hardware is Stainless steel. Prevents that rust appearance that standard bolts can get over time.
- Anodizing (protection from oxidation of metal) Now available. Colors-Purple-Black-Blue-Gold-Clear-Red
add $xxx/per box (Add additional $xx for red) to total price and 3 to 28 days processing time.
To learn about benefits of anodizing go here. I recommend getting your box annodized.
- I do not sell plans! Sorry, maybe down the road
- To see what your box might look like go here. Many examples
- Meets and exceeds all N.A.F.A. box specifications!
- All funds mentioned, are US funds. I require half down and the balance is due before shipping.
Dollar for dollar, I beleive "The SpringBack" is the best value for your money
Developement news..documented, and dated, - web page
Sample entry;
Sept/October, 98--My base of operations has moved to my present location in Marion, Iowa.
Machines to be located in one central shop location now. (reasons; besides moving, Judy kicked my drill press out of
kitchen. :) We are both are much happier. Shop size 20 x 54.
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Thank You for Visiting!
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Last Modified, 03/2008
Copyright ©, 1996 Jim Sova