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How to build a woodie (Read 431084 times)

Luke Owens

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#575 Re: How to build a woodie
November 13, 2017, 02:38:19 pm
Cheers guys!

I use a rechargeable site light to illuminate mine. This is the first year I've had my board in the garden so I'll see how it goes over winter. I have used it in the rain a few times already though as it's steep enough (45 degrees) to stay dry.

I find the 'uprights' supporting the board (mine are at 15 degrees) only interfere if you have problems that finish towards either edge.

Does yours have any sort of lip overhanging the top to keep it dry? Do the top holds stay dry too?

Anyone got any tips for outdoor matting or do you just stick a pad under there whenever needed?

Cheers

SA Chris

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#576 Re: How to build a woodie
November 13, 2017, 02:56:31 pm
Astroturf

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#577 Re: How to build a woodie
November 13, 2017, 03:00:17 pm
Hi Luke as you know we've got a full size moonboard built in my partner's back garden in Belfast. Can give you info/tips etc next time we meet up.

Can also give you a breakdown of costs for the board and the weatherproofing (not insignificant).

Pads sit on pallets to keep from damp ground. We spotted that a uni climbing wall was chucking out their old matting and scooped it up for free - basically old-school big blue gym mats.

Uprights aren't an issue.. I did wonder but they seem fine.

Weatherproofing is quite a task. Lots of coats of wood treatment to start with. Then we put corrugated pvc sheets all over the back, overhanging each side by a few inches. Then we attached 'monarflex' sheeting attached at the top lip coming down and out, pegged into the garden like a tent to protect the front and allow you to boulder in the rain. Various other options such as building a gazebo frame etc etc. Haven't actually finished this bit yet.. keep getting distracted by real bouldering/climbing.. 

I haven't used the board much since build as there's usually something new outdoors to do whenever I go over and I'm only over for a few days at a time.

Screwfix site lights at £25 a pop..


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#578 Re: How to build a woodie
November 13, 2017, 03:04:40 pm
I've a slight overhanging lip of the bituminous sheet I used to roof it - the capping sheets that I put at the top of the wall overhang by couple of cm. The top holds stay dry if the rain's not slanting.

For matting I've laid some playground rubber grass matting (i.e. rubber mats that allow grass to grow through) under the wall and seeded the soil underneath (which was bare) with drought resistant grass seed for shaded areas. I chuck a couple of pads under it as well when I'm using it.

Oldmanmatt

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#579 Re: How to build a woodie
November 24, 2017, 07:25:17 pm
I know it’s not exactly a woody, but...
A few shots of my completed cave and crack complex. Ready for my winter training program:
Cracks!
https://www.flickr.com/gp/oldmanmatt/W0539a
Looking up:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/oldmanmatt/2h6umE
From the side, good depth on the cave.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/oldmanmatt/311ub5
https://www.flickr.com/gp/oldmanmatt/ze9i90

WylesMatt

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#580 Re: How to build a woodie
December 19, 2017, 07:59:25 am
Just moved to a new house with a good sized garage for a board. But it has a metal roof/internal ceiling and has been dripping with condensation since we moved in. Anybody experienced this and have any ideas for solutions?

There are air bricks to allow some air movement and I can easily put some backing on a board so any drips stay away from the wood, but it's not ideal. Then there are fan/heating options as well....


Oldmanmatt

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#581 Re: How to build a woodie
December 19, 2017, 08:31:29 am
Insulate the roof.
Everything else is treating the symptom, not the problem.

WylesMatt

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#582 Re: How to build a woodie
December 19, 2017, 02:34:17 pm
Thanks Matt, a proper job it is then.

Oldmanmatt

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#583 Re: How to build a woodie
January 18, 2018, 05:31:36 pm
So.
New year, new volumes.
Sort of an annual tradition now (5th year! WoooHoo!).
I hated the idea of paying a small fortune for plywood volumes, so we started building our own from the start.
We were not so successful initially.
This winter, I built an extra workshop into the wall above the cave, so that I could work and run the place and stay warm (the workshop upstairs was unheated). And in the process, decided to build a custom cutting table for volume production...



Started with two spacer blocks and arms, set to give a slight clearance above the 18mm ply I use for volumes.



Using the washers to give that clearance...
Because I needed the cutting guide to be removable, I put the ply square to hook it under, and fix it with an 80x5 screw when in use.



The guide itself is made of 25mm aluminium angle and standard drywall framing C16 (~£2 for 2.4mtr in B&Q). The spacers set for our circ saw base.



That was before fixing those ply squares.
I adapted our saw with a laser sight some time back, using a cheapy Chinese laser level, araldite, 25mm alu angle and some M4 machine screws. Gives and excellent guide and allows each cut to be lined up efore clamping when using the table.



I drilled and tnutted the long baton of the guide, so I could use bolts to clamp the panels prior to cutting.



And adapted the saw, so I could use it as a plunge saw...



Again the M4’s with some butterfly nuts and a tap set.

Over the years, we have discovered that fixing ply volumes direct to the wall, leads to delamination. Pulling the volume hard up against the surface is not a good idea. So, now, we make inserts from that framing C16 cut and shaped to fit inside. These are screwed to the wall and then the volume fixed to the insert, with the screws perpendicular to the face of the volume.





I can’t really tell you how to calculate all the bevels and mitres for the shapes, it varies from volume to volume.
Best technique is to cut the face panels with square edges, dry assemble with duct tape, measure all the angles and slopes and sketch it out.
You need one of these:



And my workshop is covered in these, stapled all over:





I say better to do the dry assembly, because trying to calc it out, it’s too easy to be a couple of degrees out and then nothing fits...
Trust me, I’m an Engineer. Of course I tried to calc everything and royally fucked my first dodecahedron volume...

Texture is just fine building sand mixed with Vinyl Emulsion. Trial and error, but ~3:1 paint to sand. Takes 4 days to fully harden. Don’t use it early, it just flakes off. Surface keyed with 40grit, edges rasped and all crners well rounded.
I glue all the joints. These days I use “No more nails” type glue instead of PVA, as it’s better gap filling properties compensate for a certain lack of skill...
Joints are all screwed while the glue is wet (3.5x40mm screws) and chocked and screwed too.
Some finished lumps:



And some filled and waiting to dry prior to sanding and coating:



Those are mainly recycled from older knackered volumes, and there are two solid wood pinch volumes there too.



highrepute

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#584 Re: How to build a woodie
January 19, 2018, 08:07:24 am
Nice. Interesting stuff Matt

remus

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#585 Re: How to build a woodie
January 19, 2018, 08:12:06 am
Amazing pots Matt, wadded. Beautiful mods to your saw.

SA Chris

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#586 Re: How to build a woodie
January 19, 2018, 03:37:37 pm
What is best layout for drilling t nuts on a 20-30 deg board? Diamond or square? And optimal spacing? assuming number of t nuts available is not an issue

erm, sam

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#587 Re: How to build a woodie
January 19, 2018, 07:48:49 pm
I would go for square 20cm apart.
I have diamond on mine and it is annoying. If you are 20cm then you can add campus rungs and what not, as they (the moon ones at least)are 20cm betweent the bolt holes

Jim

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#588 Re: How to build a woodie
January 20, 2018, 01:04:18 pm
I much prefer diamond

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#589 Re: How to build a woodie
January 25, 2018, 10:40:46 am
Some useful tips I have picked up from have made several boards!


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#590 Re: How to build a woodie
February 07, 2018, 07:29:52 pm
Help! I've got a dilemma, wonder what the wise minds of ukb think  :-\

I'm halfway through getting an outhouse rebuilt to fit a board (no garage unfortunately). Footprint is 7' by 11.5' with a roof slanting down on long side, limitations on roof as it's a shared structure with neighbours.

I can have:
board A:
  33*, 9' long, 8' wide and with clearance to place holds on sides as layaways.
board B:
  40*, 11 ' long but only 7' wide touching walls either side (a bit narrow basically).

The key issue is clearance. The 33* will have just under 2' clearance to the wall behind, the 40* will have over 5' of space behind it. 40* would be like a smaller version of Dan's video above.

Which one do I go for- it'll affect how the outhouse gets built?

 Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Oldmanmatt

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#591 Re: How to build a woodie
February 07, 2018, 07:43:32 pm
40* and extend it with a horizontal roof.
Smacking your head off the wall behind you is counterproductive to training progress...

mrjonathanr

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#592 Re: How to build a woodie
February 07, 2018, 07:51:59 pm
Basically 22" of clearance is too little? I was wondering about that...

Thanks

Jon

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#593 Re: How to build a woodie
February 07, 2018, 07:53:48 pm
It's tricky to visualise how it will look, and I don't know your aims, but my tuppenceworth is that the narrower 40deg, 7' wide option could be wide enough.  My own 40deg woody is even narrower, less than 5', but it's sufficiently plastered in holds that the width does not feel limiting (I can convince myself it's a boon, as it forces me to contrive more awkward moves).  And, as the 40 deg option gives an effectively longer board, you can do a greater number (and harder) full length moves, more than compensating for a marginal loss of width.  So, I suspect 40degs is the way to go - as you grow more beastly, you are unlikely to regret it.

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#594 Re: How to build a woodie
February 07, 2018, 08:49:35 pm
That's 2 for the 40* then, thanks.

Other views welcome

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#595 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2018, 10:30:07 am
I've had 40* board with around 3 foot clearance to the wall behind and it was fine. It's surprising how little you swing out backwards, although I did always prop a pad against the wall. I would say that 2 foot will limit but not excessively.

Having said that, I'd defo go for the 40* 7' wide option.

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#596 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2018, 11:31:35 am
40 degree. I don't think 7' is that narrow. My board is narrower than that and whilst it's definitely an advantage to have one side of it open it feels wide enough overall.

Old vid here, I've now got volumes and more holds on it:


Unless you have loads of room you'll end up with something that you basically adapt to and make the most of the space. My board is 60 degrees and with the size of holds on it, too steep (with the floor too close) to make up big, burly problems. It's very fingery and tensiony. Beats just deadhanging at home that's for sure.

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#597 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2018, 04:34:52 pm
I would go steep and long.


I have a small (short but wide ) 30 degree board in my shed and it has been fine but I will be rebuilding it to be steeper (more importantly longer) as soon as the weather warms up a bit.


good luck

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#598 Re: How to build a woodie
February 09, 2018, 10:25:58 am
Thanks for all the replies and posting the video Tom. Sounds like 40* is the best option.

I feel pretty guilty because the building is eating into an already small expanse of garden and the 40* option means creating a ridge in the roof which will make it even less visually attractive. It can always be demolished in the future I guess.

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#599 Re: How to build a woodie
February 09, 2018, 11:09:02 am
I feel pretty guilty because the building is eating into an already small expanse of garden and the 40* option means creating a ridge in the roof which will make it even less visually attractive. It can always be demolished in the future I guess.

That's the wrong attitude. The way I see the garden it significantly eating into what could be a world class training facility.

Good luck with the build.

 

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