ken4ord Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Alright since I didn't get any responses in the fitness forum, with the exception of "don't smoke it", I figured I'd ask here. So I am looking for ideas, plans, whatever for making a crack for my climbing wall. Basically what I have is 8x14 foot woodie. I want to stick a crack on the side of it so it doesn't interfere with normal bouldering. I also want to make it adjustable as well. So you guys have any ideas, drawing and/or pictures to help me out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I asked this question a while back...Ketch has built one, and posted a bunch of pictures. I'll see if I can find the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ketch Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Havin Crack at home is good. I have been happy with mine. A simpler version is quite easy. I am still experimenting with texture or lack of. Finding something that can stand outside in the PNW and takes loads of foot work is a little tricky. I have pics somewhere and there was a thread once too. I guess Oly and I have a race on to see who gets there first. Does this qualify me for the upcoming Special Olympics if I win? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 DING DING DING!! http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/s...true#Post500042 Ketch, I think you just sent me the pics directly to my email. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ketch Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Oly I think you are right. But this thread needs some pics anyway. Ken, the crack that I built is made out of a pair of 2" x 10"s. The fancy part is that I built mine with a gimble at the bottom so that I can tilt it either side or can add some chain to the attachments and make it overhung. You may just want to build it straight as this is much easier. Do for sure put in some sort of hinge at the bottom. To adjust it you need to tip it down and move the nuts. Without a pin of some kind it can get away from you. The basic design is two 18' boards. I drilled both with holes that were on 1' centers vertically and offset by 3" in a stagger pattern. On one board I put tee nuts on the inside, the other I hogged out the holes a bit so that I can put taper and flair in to the crack if I choose. Each hole got a 1' piece of 3/8 all-thread. On the tee nut side I put a washer and nut to act as a locking nut. On the other there is a nut and washer inside and out. This way I can change from tips to offwidth. So here are the pics: this one is taken when the crack was going up. I had the side of the woodshed off to do some building changes to support the tilt function Here is a shot of the bolts up close. (Normally off limits but if you are starting to grease and you are at the top they make a good grab ) This one is from the side. You can see the all-thread pattern well. That row of eye bolts on the side and on the Barge rafter couple with a shackle and is how I tilt it from side ot side. This should give you a good idea. If you want any more specific stuff give me PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggerhappy Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 What did you use to coat the wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwrts Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 hey ken, I suggest cutting up the 2x and adding it to the features in the climbing wall (while keeping the adjustability), it makes for more real-like climbing/training.... This is what was done at the Dryden Gun Club and it kicks ass! kicks ass hard, that is........... I may get pics this weekend of it and send them to you if you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken4ord Posted October 10, 2006 Author Share Posted October 10, 2006 Cool Ketch, now I have a good idea of what I need for supplies while I am back in the States. So is the texturing polyester resin with sand? How has the texturing held up? I really like what you did with shaping the exterior of the crack, maybe I will have to bring back my sawsall for that. Originally I was also thinking of just leaving it unfinished and just screwing little foot chips to the outside, hmm will have to think about that. Does the crack flex a bit or is it pretty solid? Right now the idea is to attach it to the side of my wall, which is adjustable, but not the easiest thing to adjust since it weighs so much. Usually a two person job, which not a problem since plenty of people come over on beer and bouldering nights on Tuesday and Thursday. bwrts hmm not sure if I want to add it as a feature on my wall, I would think that it would get in the way of moves, plus it is a small wall. I am curious to see some pics though if you have it. Right now I am thinking the side of the wall and extending higher than the wall so that I do some bouldering moves into it, though thinking about it then I would be always going into the crack from the left, hmm. Maybe I will have to put cracks on both sides. I am definitely curious how the crack features are kept adjustable in the middle of the wall. oly how's yours coming along? Mister E got pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ketch Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 The coating on the crack has been a bit evolutionary. The wood part is painted with some oil base paint that I mooched at one of those hazmat round ups. I liked the notches and sculpting of the front and sides but it was not quite enough. I added thinset mortar mixed with a latex adhesive additive. This worked well but did not stand up to being outside very good. In the Pics you can see where the next thing was an Epoxy coating. This works good but you need to let it cure fully and then give it a vinegar bath to clean off the amines from the surface. Very smooth and comfy but when it is a bit humid or damp it is a bitch. So I gave it another epoxy coat and sprinked it with fine screened sand. No slip, no dampness problem, but if you work it too long there is no skin left. What I did last year is to strip the thinset base and redo the epoxy then fill it a bit with epoxy over the sand. That holds well and doesn't tear up the hands. It also allows me to sculpt a bit and make some features. The foot chips idea works good too. I tried that with some sprinkled around so that I can work tips a bit better. Ken, This one is real solid. I have no flex in the crack that I have noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordop Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 epoxy this and poly that. I used coffee grounds mixed into the paint and it offered excllent and durable friction for 3 years until I burninated the wall down. No need to make a super long crack, just make it increasingly overhanging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mos_Chillin Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 Sweet! When i was working for EP, we used a grinder to roughen the edges of the framing, then filled and shaped with bondo, then the "crystal" (basically epoxy/fine sand mix) would bond permanently to the roughened wood and to the bondo (being a porous epoxy when it dries accepts an epoxy finish well). The mixture can be slippery if you do not add enough sand, but can deteriorate by being unstable if too much sand is added. Experiment with small sections to find your mix ratio (varies with grain size). This was for indoor application only, so as Ketch says, outdoor stuff responds differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mos_Chillin Posted October 11, 2006 Share Posted October 11, 2006 epoxy this and poly that. I used coffee grounds mixed into the paint and it offered excllent and durable friction for 3 years until I burninated the wall down. No need to make a super long crack, just make it increasingly overhanging and you just chew on the arete for a quick caffeine fix if you get tired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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