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How to build a woodie (Read 430968 times)

honroid

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#1500 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2023, 08:02:08 pm
I think one of the reasons a kicker is often included is due to the sharp angle made by the board and the ground making the bottom 25cm of  the board unusable anyway?  (i.e. your foot doesn't fit in the gap, unless you inside/outside edge or really point your toes.)

Definitely. On my 50° board in my last house I had this issue. Just a waste of space. Less of on issue the less steep the board. My current 40° has a kicker and 20° doesn't.

36chambers

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#1501 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2023, 10:14:24 pm
Don't bother with either! Got rid of my headwall after a few months, last moves were always easy. Never had a kickboard, makes the pull-ons nice and hard.

100% this. I do have a small finishing rail, but it's at about 40' (board is 45') and is only about 7cm with the roof of my shed above it, so finishing moves are to slot type edges so you have to be accurate. Absolutely none of the lobs to finishing jugs you get on so many boards.

I've got a beam along to the top of my board with a beastmaker 2K in the centre (and various slopey holds on either side). The beastmaker is easily the best part of the board, it introduces a seemingly endless supply of novel finishes. My current favourite is doing a rose move across the sloper 30s, which is desperate. For bigger moves you usually can't see any of the slot holds, so it's loads of fun trying to stick them. And who doesn't want to do a climb which finishes on two monos?

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#1502 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2023, 10:26:52 pm
The top surface of the lowest row of feet on my 45 with no kicker is 9cm above the floor.

It doesn't feel dabby when I use them front on. I suppose it might for someone with very large feet.

This is with a sitstart pad below the feet. Not that I need the padding for protection; I've got a terraced house so I use the padding to stop the neighbours having to hear my heel thudding into the wooden floor every time my foot pops.

Quote
I've got a beam along to the top of my board with a beastmaker 2K in the centre (and various slopey holds on either side). The beastmaker is easily the best part of the board, it introduces a seemingly endless supply of novel finishes. My current favourite is doing a rose move across the sloper 30s, which is desperate. For bigger moves you usually can't see any of the slot holds, so it's loads of fun trying to stick them. And who doesn't want to do a climb which finishes on two monos?
That is a good reason to add a headwall if it is the best place you have to mount a fingerboard.

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#1503 Re: How to build a woodie
February 08, 2023, 10:48:21 pm
All good thoughts thanks all :) Feeling like I'm trending towards 20cm kicker and no headwall. Planning to mount fingerboard separately anyway so all good there.

Bradders

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#1504 Re: How to build a woodie
February 09, 2023, 02:38:08 pm
The top surface of the lowest row of feet on my 45 with no kicker is 9cm above the floor.

It doesn't feel dabby when I use them front on. I suppose it might for someone with very large feet.

This is with a sitstart pad below the feet. Not that I need the padding for protection; I've got a terraced house so I use the padding to stop the neighbours having to hear my heel thudding into the wooden floor every time my foot pops.

Quote
I've got a beam along to the top of my board with a beastmaker 2K in the centre (and various slopey holds on either side). The beastmaker is easily the best part of the board, it introduces a seemingly endless supply of novel finishes. My current favourite is doing a rose move across the sloper 30s, which is desperate. For bigger moves you usually can't see any of the slot holds, so it's loads of fun trying to stick them. And who doesn't want to do a climb which finishes on two monos?
That is a good reason to add a headwall if it is the best place you have to mount a fingerboard.

Yeah likewise. I think the idea that you lose part of the climbing surface without a kicker only really holds true on very steep boards. On a 45 it's fine. Best of both worlds make a removable kicker!

Fingerboard at the top is cool too. Whatever helps avoid easy last moves basically.

Liamhutch89

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#1505 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 09:08:46 am
I've been going back and forwards on whether to have a kicker for my next board, which will probably be at 50 degrees. In theory, I don't want easy moves to start each problem, but this can be negated by pulling on with smaller holds than I'd otherwise be able to use. This also adds a bit of variety: smaller holds and easier feet for move 1 followed by relatively easier hands and worse feet for subsequent moves. Of course not every problem has to use the kicker, or you can have rules like feet off the kicker after move 1, feet follow, etc. Then again, the same could be achieved by just having some larger footholds towards the bottom of a wall with no kicker... It probably doesn't matter unless there are some space considerations.

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#1506 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 09:17:46 am
The problem I find with setting arbitrary rules (e.g. no kicker) is that it doesn’t tend to be the norm and it’s often the path of least resistance that’s used (e.g. using the kicker). On my previous board I had a range of feet on the kicker and almost only used three of them. laziness often set in when creating. Also depends what you use to record problems, if there isn’t a way to make a note specifying rules, it gets lost semi-quickly.

 Though I got good mileage out of having three finishing holds though. Two jugs either side for warm ups and then a campus rung that everything finished on.

dunnyg

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#1507 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 09:47:15 am
I have a couple of sets of feet. One has footholds on the kicker, other doesn't. Point about being able to use more minging handholds is a good one.

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#1508 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 11:37:30 am
I have a 50 with a 400ish kicker, with no holds on it. I can recommend it if the space suits! Footholds are right at the bottom of the 50 and there's a lot of space to get into the bottom of the board and start from low holds, so you get and extra move or two. I only use the kicker to push off or flag on, but generally it doesnt get used. I hadn't really planned for this, when building the actual building I'd planned for a 200 space for a kicker, then realised as I was putting the floor in I could drop it an extra 200mm, giving a much better attic space.
Old vid here of me flailing about on the board. Most problems start as in the second clip, right in the bottom of board with feet high and to side.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdoxTbOv5bP/

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#1509 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 12:12:24 pm
Ye Liam can be really difficult to make these decisions. 

I do have holds lower on my board that I could not use without the kickboard (mono`s, poor sloper, really poor pinches and crimps etc) but have to admit it is always tempting to leave your foot on the kickboard for as many moves as possible which is a disadvantage when the board is not all that high.  My kickboard is also quite big (~40cm) and ideally would prefere it smaller.

I agree with others that I doubt arbitrary rules like kicker for first move only would work well longterm.
If your kicker was small you could have problems that start with feet on the main board - you would probably have to have room to flag the other foot or it would probably end up pushing off the kicker? 

Do you know anyone with a board without a kicker you could go and try?  This might be best way to decide what would work best for you.

sdm

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#1510 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 12:30:31 pm
The problem I find with setting arbitrary rules (e.g. no kicker) is that it doesn’t tend to be the norm and it’s often the path of least resistance that’s used (e.g. using the kicker). On my previous board I had a range of feet on the kicker and almost only used three of them. laziness often set in when creating. Also depends what you use to record problems, if there isn’t a way to make a note specifying rules, it gets lost semi-quickly.

Some of the board apps have a heatmap function which highlights the frequency with which each hold gets used.

I check this every couple of months, and then try to set some problems using some of the neglected hand/foot holds.

I try to use a mixture of free feet, feet follow hands, and designated feet to get more variety but it is easy to get stuck in patterns. Always a good reason to have someone round for a session and to set a few problems of their own. Boulderbot is also useful.

Though I got good mileage out of having three finishing holds though. Two jugs either side for warm ups and then a campus rung that everything finished on.
I've got a decent selection of finishing holds now for variety:
1x bucket and 1x 3 finger jug for warmups / massive moves / circuits
2x finger jugs for bigger moves / easier finishes but you need to be accurate
1x slopey pinch and 1x campus rail easy to hit, hard to match
1x good crimp
3x bad crimps
1x bad sloper

Luke Owens

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#1511 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 12:46:53 pm
The kicker on my 45 is 14cm, no issue with clearance, I find it lends itself to being able to use worse hand holds at the start. I have small smear side core screw on footholds on it, works great.

I’ve never climbed on a board without a kicker so cant really comment on that.   

Paul B

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#1512 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 01:46:52 pm
I have a 50 with a 400ish kicker, with no holds on it. I can recommend it if the space suits!

Again, I don't really have a kicker and my board twists from 30 to 45 degrees across its width. I splashed on some decent mats for it (£££) and I've just set the footholds at a height as you'd expect at a local wall but I've got the height to do this.

Probes

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#1513 Re: How to build a woodie
February 10, 2023, 02:15:56 pm
I have a 50 with a 400ish kicker, with no holds on it. I can recommend it if the space suits!

Again, I don't really have a kicker and my board twists from 30 to 45 degrees across its width. I splashed on some decent mats for it (£££) and I've just set the footholds at a height as you'd expect at a local wall but I've got the height to do this.
If you'd had a kicker on yours, it would be justifiable to have lower offs too.  ;D

I suppose the point I'm making, is with limited head space (as in my case re building height regs) then going without a kicker doesn't necessarily make a board climb bigger... in the case of a 45-50. Pete's 50 with 150 kicker always was a squash to me at the bottom, and most of the time the first move/s were just a case of keeping your arse off the mats, and making a big move to clear up space to get feet up. That said, his is massive (high) so after this there's plenty board still to go at.

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#1514 Re: How to build a woodie
February 15, 2023, 10:12:41 am
I have a 50 with a 400ish kicker, with no holds on it. I can recommend it if the space suits!

Again, I don't really have a kicker and my board twists from 30 to 45 degrees across its width. I splashed on some decent mats for it (£££) and I've just set the footholds at a height as you'd expect at a local wall but I've got the height to do this.
If you'd had a kicker on yours, it would be justifiable to have lower offs too.  ;D

I suppose the point I'm making, is with limited head space (as in my case re building height regs) then going without a kicker doesn't necessarily make a board climb bigger... in the case of a 45-50. Pete's 50 with 150 kicker always was a squash to me at the bottom, and most of the time the first move/s were just a case of keeping your arse off the mats, and making a big move to clear up space to get feet up. That said, his is massive (high) so after this there's plenty board still to go at.

Think thats mainly down to my mat setup, if they were level with the bottom of the kicker it would be very different, in some ways its good training for cramped starts outside!

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#1515 Re: How to build a woodie
February 16, 2023, 08:32:59 am
I've really enjoyed having a 20cm kicker on my 45 even though it's only just over 3m long. It gives the option to use much smaller and more awkward holds lower down and is great for working body tension on small feet (mine are the little wood domes from hardwood holds). It's also good for getting stretched out on bad feet. I'm a fan.

Recently did a reset on my board and filled it out with a bunch of more positive old resin holds plus changed to feet-follow. It's amazing how this has changed the style. It now climbs much more powerfully and feels much more similar to rock which in turn is way more fun.

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#1516 Re: How to build a woodie
February 19, 2023, 08:41:54 am
Hey all, im about to build a board in my garage this coming week. I plan to have a kicker and top, looking at 40-50 degree. The only thing is my floor is quite sloped. Im talking like 15-20degree sloped upwards towards the door to the kitchen. Will this effect it much? I imagine it’ll be like one of those big walls like they have at depot Manchester where the floor slopes up as you climb up the wall.

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#1517 Re: How to build a woodie
February 19, 2023, 08:48:36 am
Hey all, im about to build a board in my garage this coming week. I plan to have a kicker and top, looking at 40-50 degree. The only thing is my floor is quite sloped. Im talking like 15-20degree sloped upwards towards the door to the kitchen. Will this effect it much? I imagine it’ll be like one of those big walls like they have at depot Manchester where the floor slopes up as you climb up the wall.

Good training for keeping your core tight to avoid dabbing  ;D

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#1518 Re: How to build a woodie
April 06, 2023, 11:27:31 am
Hey all

Is there a particular trick to fixing footholds so they don`t budge/ move slightly with use?
Is it just a case of fairly large diameter screws and regularly re-tighten?
Guess its not a big deal just a bit annoying.

Cheers

SA Chris

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#1519 Re: How to build a woodie
April 06, 2023, 12:17:35 pm
In what wood? If they are shifting they are probably too big ;)

JJP

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#1520 Re: How to build a woodie
April 06, 2023, 02:45:46 pm

 :lol: possibly!

Ye the board is 18 mm marine plywood and footholds are a mix of the core screw on footholds (the small ones on kicker and 10 mm plus 20 mm ones on the 45).

SA Chris

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#1521 Re: How to build a woodie
April 06, 2023, 03:23:42 pm
interesting, I have never had an issue, but i bedded mine in hard with a power screwdriver, and have never moved them. I doubt they would budge without a lump hammer smashing them to bits.

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#1522 Re: How to build a woodie
April 09, 2023, 04:00:40 pm

Cheers Chris, that is def different to mine then!
I have replaced any thin screws with larger diameter ones and hand tightened, will see if fair better  :2thumbsup:

Paul B

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#1523 Re: How to build a woodie
April 10, 2023, 12:07:57 pm
I've had this problem on my board with everything from the screw in t-nuts, pinning screws and screw-ons (which use Core's recommended size; M5 50mm from memory?). I put it down to the plywood compressing and the changing conditions (moisture?) from Summer to Winter affecting the wood. These were all smashed in without adequate care using an 18v impact driver.

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#1524 Re: How to build a woodie
April 10, 2023, 02:50:11 pm
If you really don't want them to move then get some gorilla glue on them. You won't get them back of again though in one piece though I don't think.

 

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