[matthew]

Decided to embark on a summer project of making:-
Bachar ladder - Anybody trained on one of these? Sure I saw a pic of one in CLimb not so long ago. And though planetFear had an article on it but can't find it now. Was going to go for a ladder at about 10degrees overhanging.

Crack simulator - Again sure I saw an article on these beasts and their usage in Yosemite but can't find it for the life of me. What size "cracks" would be best for training on?

Cheers guys,
matt

ps i know summer is gentle trad chuffing season and not usually training season but gonna have to work loads and technically i'm injured.... 

[account_inactive]

Don't bother with a crack machine.  Just climb outside or at your local gym (if they have a crack)

Bachar ladders are very good for locking strength.  Try to find a caving ladder and then tape up the rungs, otherwise wooden broom handle drilled and threaded with cord (rungs held with knots)

Warm up and watch those elbows!

[Paul B]

or plastic piping from B & Q with a bit of tape.

[Jim]

This is what you need! have just started using again now I can do one armers

[GCW]

Jim- gut reactions to your picture were:
1.  Nice flower pot
2.  I hope your local burglars are lacking in upper body strength.

Looks quality though.  Get many funny looks from the neighbours?

[Jim]

I don't possibly see how it'd benefit burglars even if I left it up all the time.
Also takes about 10 seconds to put up / take down
will be even better when proper bolt goes in at the top and get decent tensioning system on it

get many funny looks from neighbours, more so when on woody in garage.
some builder once asked if he could have a go. left shortly after with tail between legs

[GCW]

Nice, although builders know a thing or two about cracks.  Anway, I was being faseshush  fscetious  fascesious facetious.

Out of interest, what have you used as your top anchor?

[Jim]

just a expanding metal bolt thingy with a hanger on the end for now. will be putting long threaded bolt right through the wall shortly and securely connecting it to the floor joists as well for extra security.
Then I'll be hunting down some sort of ratchet system for tensioning it up

[GCW]

I assume you mean a Rawl Bolt.  Drilling right through won't be much stronger and you'll need to seal it 
These may suit you :http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9284343&fh_start_index=10&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=ratchet&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1177702905810&isSearch=true

[matthew]

That is one badass ladder . Whats the spacing on the rungs? Did you buy or make it? Also the angle looks quite shallow. I (with my complete lack of knowledge on these things) would have expected a steeper angle more akin to a campus board than monkey bars....

Also training wise... do you just yard your way up with as big gaps as possible? Or do you have a set structure?

[Johnny Brown]

Jim, don't get too attached to it, I might want it back at some point.

Why do you want to tension it up? Bear in mind it won't stretch, you wont need much. Try sticking a stick through that red sling and twisting it round a few times. Then wedge it against the wall to stop it unwinding.

Those of you who are admiring my ladder with green eyes, here's some background. It was made by this man, also called Jim, though not the same Jim as the current ham-armed user, I'd hope that was obvious.

He is, to the best of my knowledge, the number one ladder maker in the world.
more here
Mine was a special, 150mm wide GRP rungs on wire, with the normal rung spacing doubled 600mm I think). The rungs are a nice width but a bit harsh on the hands, a bit of tape does the trick though. Its dead long, a lot is in the carrier bag.
Anglewise, Jim's is steeper than it looks. Reducing the angle effectively reduces the difficulty. Less tension means the angle steepens as you go.
I'm sure you'd be able to order one to the same spec, I doubt it'd be cheap tho. I didn't have to pay for mine, which is just as well now it lives in Gorton.

[a dense loner]

like all my wood and my holds

[matthew]

So it's definately all about the static line between the rungs? In that case, would a solid (none rope) ladder work just as well? Cos that may be easier to set up due to less need for a really strong anchor in the ground.

[GCW]

would a solid (none rope) ladder work just as well?

Do you mean a campus board?   

[Paul B]

So it's definately all about the static line between the rungs? In that case, would a solid (none rope) ladder work just as well? Cos that may be easier to set up due to less need for a really strong anchor in the ground.

Yes... I remember reading a Ste Mac article in a magazine (climb) showing him using one.

[GCW]

http://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/Climbing&Gymnastics1.3.html

[andy_e]

Fuck's sake, here comes a whole load of ridiculously named crap dynos from GCW on the forthcoming dyno ladder...

[GCW]

Ah- I do love a reasoned debate 

[Nibile]

from a john long article on climbing mag a few years ago:
at camp 4, "bachar ladders blew more shoulders than the NFL"

the guys were hardcore.

[Jim]

new fixing for the ladder:

new top bolt on 1m long M10 threaded steel rod bolted on both sides of each brick (cavity wall) and through a piece of 3x2 securely fixed to some floor joists



new rachet tensioning system



finished ladder.



all I need to do now is do the back yard and I'm sure Johnny will be wanting his ladder back soon so I'll have to buy my own 

[GCW]

Looking good.  Why the belt and braces of wall and joist fixation?  From your photo the joist doesn't look uber-strong anyway.

What's your ground  anchor by the way?  Nice tensioning system, took heed of my suggetion eh?     Seriously though, nice one.   

[Johnny Brown]

I'm sure Johnny will be wanting his ladder back soon so I'll have to buy my own  thumbs down

Yer not wrong word, its in the small print Lisa is drawing up for his lodger contract. The other is a rack for his 'Friends' DVDs which he says he got off you. 

[Jim]

although not to be confused with the popular television sitcom series also called "friends"

[a dense loner]

neither of you are wrong