[teestub]

So you’re dispensing with one illusion but embracing another if you're warming up on "mediums" which aren't medium for you anymore 

In my board experience the warm ups always stay warm ups, and the mediums always stay mediums (never feel easy but become more reliable), but the ‘hard’ category just expands and expands.

[lorentz]

Back to the Gill system!


In a moment of even greater than usual pretentiousness, I once named holds on a board after classical composers. It was always reassuring to hit Bach whereas Boulez was particularly hard to grasp...
[/quote]

Bravo. Fortissimo! 

[Bradders]

So you’re dispensing with one illusion but embracing another if you're warming up on "mediums" which aren't medium for you anymore 

In my board experience the warm ups always stay warm ups, and the mediums always stay mediums (never feel easy but become more reliable), but the ‘hard’ category just expands and expands.

Maybe that's the case when you start on a board when already very proficient? I remember barely being able to pull onto the Depot 50 and getting to the top being a major achievement, and whereas nowadays I'll warm up on the projects I had back then.

[peewee]

I'm way to slack to try and properly grade everything. I just go with easy aka warm ups, medium aka 1-2 sessions and hard.

I've used this system for the last 10 years on my board, worked well.

[Duma]

For those naming holds, are you writing on the hold or the board? And if its the board do you never reset?

On another note, rginns oak set I ordered are lovely, highly recommended! Tweaked the incut angles to suit my board too, great service. Get sone here: https://www.strongholds.co.uk/
Got a few bits from core too, less than a week from order to delivery. Now the boards usable I reckon we'll be let out next week...

[Duma]

For those naming holds, are you writing on the hold or the board? And if its the board do you never reset?

No comment?

[mrjonathanr]

On board. Sample: ploop, tubs, splodge, toubib, Geoffrey, (and in sequence) albino - monkey - boy.

This is what you get when your child names your holds.

[remus]

I've been writing on the board itself rather than the holds. I've got a mix of wood and resin holds, plus some wooden holds where writing wouldnt show up that well.

If I end up resetting for some reason I was thinking I'd get the sander out and sand off the names.

[jamesturnbull97]

I painted my board with blackboard paint a couple of years back which is pretty useful for marking up hold/problems with a selection of coloured chalk pens. I also think it makes it look quite cool!

[SA Chris]

I've seen folk who have done that with blackboard chalk too, great idea. I just mark directly on the holds with IKEA coloured chalk and symbols (nicked from kids). Might not work if you have wooden holds though!
 

[JJP]

I`m trying out the app thing currently as plan a reset soon and seems less hassle, so haven`t named holds.  I think if I do end up naming I would do it on the holds and keep it simple eg just number the holds from different companies (eg BM1, BM2...C1, C2...HWH1.... etc).

The subject of painting the board came up a few pages ago but only briefly.  My board isnt painted currently but thinking of it when I do reset.  Have most people painted? Some have mentioned holds sticking to the paint, is there a specific type of paint to use?

Reason thinking of painting is might brighten the garage up a bit - doesn`t have great lighting and visibility poor in winter evenings, so wouldn`t go for blackboard paint.   

[SA Chris]

Blackboard paint isn't just black btw. It's a type of textured paint. You could paint white and use coloured chalk.

Something that's suprised me, turns out (IMO) I'm pretty good at setting problems using holds; I much prefer this to making stuff up. Got some great ones that are keeping me occupied at just the right level of difficulty. T nuts in this respect are a proper winner, can tweak hold sizes and angles to suit.

[Fultonius]

I`m trying out the app thing currently as plan a reset soon and seems less hassle, so haven`t named holds.  I think if I do end up naming I would do it on the holds and keep it simple eg just number the holds from different companies (eg BM1, BM2...C1, C2...HWH1.... etc).

The subject of painting the board came up a few pages ago but only briefly.  My board isnt painted currently but thinking of it when I do reset.  Have most people painted? Some have mentioned holds sticking to the paint, is there a specific type of paint to use?

Reason thinking of painting is might brighten the garage up a bit - doesn`t have great lighting and visibility poor in winter evenings, so wouldn`t go for blackboard paint.   

Get one of these: https://www.screwfix.com/p/twin-5ft-led-batten-white-45w-4000lm/5440r

Best money I've spent in the garage - low energy, even, bright but soft light. Very easy to wire in too.

[JJP]

Had wondered about replacing the bulb light with one of those. Cheers for the suggestion will check it out. 

[Fultonius]

What a fun day shaping!  My first set of holds were "functional" at best. I thought they were alright for a first go, but they were all too aggressive - even the "jugs". After a session I had achey joints.

Inspired by Rginns beautiful hardwood holds linked above on strongholds, I decided to let my creativity go wild (well, as far as it can for an engineer - basically copying his as best I could).

Only made three more (was busy making some shelves and a towel rail, but...man...what an improvement!








I think I may actually enjoy the shaping as much as the climbing!  I can also vouch for how long it takes, so if you think handmade hardwood holds are pricey, they're really not considering the effort that goes in!

I'm now going to have to re-shape all the first batch.

[Duma]

Links bust

[Fultonius]

[Duma]

Cheers, looks good! Please tell me you're not using global knives to carve your holds though!

[SA Chris]

Shapes are pretty basic!

[SA Chris]

fucked up quotes. Ah well.

[Fultonius]

Cheers, looks good! Please tell me you're not using global knives to carve your holds though!

 

Nah, rough cut with the circular saw, belt sander wedged upside down in the bench vice to get them down to shape (sometimes angle grinder with flap wheel, but I have run out of flap wheels) and then hand sand to finish). Leaving them pretty rough sanded for grip.

[JamieG]

Finally completed this yesterday. Ready for holds and first problems tonight. Psyched. 

Took ages to build! Think I started about 6 weeks ago at start of lockdown. Toddler, work and other DIY fills up my days very effectively. 

[rginns]

What a fun day shaping!  My first set of holds were "functional" at best. I thought they were alright for a first go, but they were all too aggressive - even the "jugs". After a session I had achey joints.
Inspired by Rginns beautiful hardwood holds linked above on strongholds, I decided to let my creativity go wild (well, as far as it can for an engineer - basically copying his as best I could).
Only made three more (was busy making some shelves and a towel rail, but...man...what an improvement!

I think I may actually enjoy the shaping as much as the climbing!  I can also vouch for how long it takes, so if you think handmade hardwood holds are pricey, they're really not considering the effort that goes in!

I'm now going to have to re-shape all the first batch.

Cheers Fultonius,
they look good!
hopefully get round to building my own board this week!

[SA Chris]

JamieG Do you need the boxing in on the side? Might restrict movement a bit. Otherwise, looks great, very professional job.

[JamieG]

Hi Chris, Unfortunately, yes. The woodie is in our basement room, which is tanked to avoid damp. So i couldn't fix anything to the walls without compromising the tanking material and it needed to be a free standing structure. I would also have made it wider (and steeper - its about 25 deg) but we also use the room as a TV/gaming room, so this was the space I had available to squeeze it into. Its a bit wider than the photo makes it look and the chimney breast is less in the way as well but it will have to be a relatively narrow setting. Going to stick to liquid chalk too since it seems much less dusty. Wife is most excited about the potential to store my climbing 'crap' behind the wall.