Bouldering

Content

Need ideas for bouldering wall(s).

Requirements:

  • Must support interests of the communities in NCAC
  • Accessible to all ages, genders, level of ability (youth to adult, novice to expert)
  • Be able to comply with relevant BSA standards with least effort
  • Have "pizzazz" (and if anyone knows what Dan Nellis means by that term, please tell me)

wallMain

Some sources:

  • On Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/karilpost/diy-climbing-walls/):
    • Very provocative images, but any/all access (including viewin) requires an account with agreement to Pinterest's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (which seems to be, "your putting images on Pinterest means we own them now, and you give up all privacy regarding access or management").
    • Might consider these when Satan gets fitted for ice skates. If anyone reading this page has an account, please let me know if the team can use your access and our ideas to figure what might work for us.
  • Make: (online site of DIY'ers) (http://makezine.com/projects/make-43/outdoor-climbing-wall/)
    • His design process is interesting
      • Needed a single structure for his children and himself (maximize the value)
        • Variety in "terrain"
        • Challenging but not impossible (novice to highly experienced)
        • Multi-purpose; double as playground for children
      • The critical lim fac (limiting factor); largest posts available from Lowes' was 16'x6"x6". Burying 4' deep results in 12' height.
      • Location (partially driven by height)
      • Imagineering (a Disyney term); visualize the objective, model the vision (validate the result supports the need), walk through using and maintaining the model (test the plan), then construct. If done right, modifications will be minor (i.e., affordable).
    • Construction nuances
      • Painted all plywood panels with primer, then a DIY textured paint mix of standard exterior paint with "some sand mixed in".
      • Photo appears to imply the panels were primed, painted, drilled all mounting holes,then cut to size, and painted all cut surfaces. Sawing through sand will dull blades. IMHO, a better sequence would be to cut, then prime and paint all surfaces.
      • To drill holes, he stacked 3 sheets, laid out an 8"x8" grid, then randomly offest holes 0"-3" from the intersections with a spade bit to get some randomness. T-nuts were pounded into every hole not "too close" to a cut line.
      • Since this was an outdoors structure, he acknowledges he should have used stainless steel 3/8" prong T-nuts; he used Zinc and some have rusted after 5 years making some holds hard/impossible to remove.
  • "The Home Climbing Resource" (http://andylibrande.com/homeclimbingwall/2010/08/my-home-climbing-wall/)
    • Another outdoor facility, but single purpose and designed for highly skilled climbers (has an overhang)
    • "Fun" feature is a climbing "hold" that looks like Optimus Prime.
    • Author does not describe the design process. From the photos, one might presume it was cut twice, then plan.