[tomtom]

Well I can get the narrow 1.8m sheets in the car - so I've ordered some from B&Q click and collect. Its bizaarely let me order despite the store being closed (I have no idea whats happening) so see what gives...

Did you actually get click and collect to work. They don't seem to let me actually collect plywood. You can put it in your basket, it says its in stock, but every time I go to checkout they say its unavailable. I've tried a few combinations of sizes and stores, but nothing seems to work.

Yeah allowed me to checkout. Got it booked. Going to call soon and find out when I can get it. What I wanted was only in one store though...

[tomtom]

Jamie. DM d you.

[duncan]

Considering adding a crack training section to my woody, do you guys think melamine would be too slippy to jam (it would be at approximately 35° overhanging and about 8ft long)?

Never used or heard of such a thing but it sounds horribly slippery. What is the aim of the melamine, to protect your skin or make it hard? I've only ever used sanded wood: fine on the skin and slightly harder to jam than the smoothest rock. Some US climbers use deck paint or other grippy coatings but then have to tape-up to not trash their skin which seems like an unnecessary complication. The wideboyz volumes are lined with a slightly padded material - like a racquet grip - but they are trying to appeal to soft punters bring crack to the masses. 

[jwi]

I'm surprised by all these steep cracks. I'm not great at crack climbing, but I am not shit either. The only really steep cracks I can climb are those where I can get good foot jams (so from not-so-thin hands to hand-stacks). I can't fathom climbing ringlocks or rattly fingers at 30 degrees overhanging, unless there are some proper jugs to stand on – with feet in the crack (how?) I would not be able to do a single move. Are people just training hand jams? Surely anyone can learn to hand jam in a week or two?

[dunnyg]

I had a horizontal hand/wide fist crack for a while before a US trip, with the aim of climbing some classic hand cracks. Whilst it was definitely overkill for my aims, rocking up to a vertical hand crack felt steady, it might have been confidence more than anything else. The core work out was also pretty good from this, and it felt like it worked jamming specific muscles on top of this.

I guess doing steep ring locks on a board (with non crack feet) would stand you in good stead hands wise for ring-locks, but you would have to "learn" the feet. Probably good specific stamina training more than anything?

For the record I am back to being shit at crack climbing due to too much bouldering these days.

[Paul B]

I had a horizontal hand/wide fist crack for a while before a US trip, with the aim of climbing some classic hand cracks. Whilst it was definitely overkill for my aims, rocking up to a vertical hand crack felt steady, it might have been confidence more than anything else.

I definitely learnt the opposite in that Millstone/Lawrencefield hadn't sufficed!

[tomtom]

Ok.. go my wood - got my plans - done my final measuring....

2.4m diagonal, 1.2m wide, 0.6m kickboard...

54 degrees.
This is steep - and is it really an issue - or does it simply mean larger holds (hands and feet)....

It’s going to be very hard to drop the angle to 45 (impossible id say) - 50-51 is possible (a bit of faff) but not sure that’s worth it for those 4 degrees..

I’ve climbed on the depot 50 quite a bit so know ish what that type of climbing is like. But this is obvs much smaller..

[teestub]

Think the Manc depot is >50 and the original Schoolroom board is around 53 so you’ll be in good company. Gonna be a pretty small board though, potentially a systems set up may be best?

[Will Hunt]

Think the Manc depot is >50 and the original Schoolroom board is around 53 so you’ll be in good company. Gonna be a pretty small board though, potentially a systems set up may be best?

Training for all those routes...?

Is there anything to be done to get rid of or drastically reduce the kickboard? I'm increasingly thinking that they're a waste of space. Could you incorporate a short horizontal section end to squeeze an extra move or two out of it?

[Andy B]

As I understand it, having a large kickboard in effect lessens the actual climbing angle. Which could be good if 54 degrees seems a bit steep for you. The downside is that if it’s too big it encourages a bit of a weird climbing style (tucking hips right in and arching back) until your feet get higher which probably isn’t good.

[teestub]

Training for all those routes...?

You can actually do hard moves with a systems set up rather than doing the same easy move 15 times if you’re not Shark.

I had assumed there was a reason for the gigantic kickboard, if not than yeah definitely reduce!

[moose]

Sounds like an even narrower but steeper version of my woodie - 40 deg overhung, 1.5m wide, 2.6m high, 3.24m diagonal length - but mine has no kickboard.  I can't say I miss a kickboard - they can make the crux of a lot of problems very samey - the first footmove off the kickboard.  I just hope you have some good matting, as at that angle you will be falling off violently, a lot! 

I found that having two different sets of footholds worked well for getting used to the steepness / working up to smaller hand holds - big but shiny footholds and a set of smaller ones - the first challenge is to do a problem on any foothold, then try it with small footholds only! 

[tomtom]

The sizes are governed by the space. The roof pitch is 35 degrees... hence 55 degree board.

Main points of anchor are two large beams. These are quite high (top one is c.2.25m high) and the gap between them quite wide (1.7m or so). My cls (timber) are 2.4m long - and coupled with the ply dimensions this means it has a high (0.6/0.7m) kickboard...

Andy is right - with my 2.5m+ max reach this could mean hips in feet on at the bottom type problems. Just like Anston right? :D Can have some vicious undercling sit starts though :D

I’ll have another look at my design - I might be able to make the kickboard angled - so its say 30/40 degrees.

[Andy B]

An alternative is to only hang the verticals off the top beam and take them straight down to the skirting board. To create one uniform angle.

[tomtom]

An alternative is to only hang the verticals off the top beam and take them straight down to the skirting board. To create one uniform angle.

Too long.. Got an alternative worked out...

[tomtom]

OK - 1.8m top section at 55 degrees (top beam to lower beam) then 1.2m section from lower beam to floor - with a 25cm kicker (as I don’t have enough ply to go all the way to the edge of the room - and a little kicker like that would be fine..). Anyone want to see my plans (PaulB look away.... :D )??

[Will Hunt]

I'd be interested. Maybe pop them up on an image hosting site and link them in here? Might be useful for others in a similar predicament.
When you say you can't do something because you haven't got enough ply, could you get some more? Board building is a faff and you kind of want to do it once and do it right. A shit board will sit unused, a good board will make you want to train. I'd say if you have to wait a few days to make it better that would be worth the wait.

[tomtom]

It’s only up for the lockdown/restrictions.. thems the orders!

[Will Hunt]

It’s only up for the lockdown/restrictions.. thems the orders!

You never know, Tom. When it gives you a body like Dan's, your wife might just ask that you keep it 

Purely from a climbing point of view, I'd say that's a good use of the space. Haven't got my head around how you'll put it together but you don't need my advice on that.

[tomtom]

It’s the hair she likes

[Probes]

Hi Tom, I had a board in my old house/attic, that was in very similar space and setup with roof cross beams. I screwed timbers, like your cls straight through the plaster into the roof joists, then fixed ply to them. You'd end up with the beams still being there. It was a lot less faff than trying to build a frame. The beams showing are helpful on super steep little boards. I had a decent foothold, good for a heal, on it, which meant I could do mindless hand moves and get a bit of endurance training in. A big kicker is a good thing too, you be able to squeeze into the bottom a bit easier.

[ashtond6]

I'm surprised by all these steep cracks. I'm not great at crack climbing, but I am not shit either. The only really steep cracks I can climb are those where I can get good foot jams (so from not-so-thin hands to hand-stacks). I can't fathom climbing ringlocks or rattly fingers at 30 degrees overhanging, unless there are some proper jugs to stand on – with feet in the crack (how?) I would not be able to do a single move. Are people just training hand jams? Surely anyone can learn to hand jam in a week or two?

I'm on 40 degree ringlocks on mine 

[t8by]

Hi All, 

Just got the bits in to build my first home board! Got two sheets of 8x4 plywood and I am planning to do a 45 degree 8x8 board in the cellar. Have just finished clearing it out and giving it a sweep and have encountered the first problem. Can't get the 8x4 panels round the doorway and down the stairs in the kitchen!
I am going to have to cut the panels annoyingly.
So, what would you guys recommend, because I think I can fit them either way.
Either cut into 4x4 squares, or into 8x2 strips?

I ask because I presume that the ply provides a lot of stiffness to the frame (This is a free standing board).

Cheers

[Will Hunt]

If it's built like mine (a brick shithouse) then the ply is completely non-structural. Your design might vary.

[remus]

Hi All, 

Just got the bits in to build my first home board! Got two sheets of 8x4 plywood and I am planning to do a 45 degree 8x8 board in the cellar. Have just finished clearing it out and giving it a sweep and have encountered the first problem. Can't get the 8x4 panels round the doorway and down the stairs in the kitchen!
I am going to have to cut the panels annoyingly.
So, what would you guys recommend, because I think I can fit them either way.
Either cut into 4x4 squares, or into 8x2 strips?

I ask because I presume that the ply provides a lot of stiffness to the frame (This is a free standing board).

Cheers

Don't think it matters too much so I'd go for 4x4 squares as it's less cutting. The ply will provide some lateral stability to the board but hopefully you won't need too much of that!