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| Messages 1 - 48 of total 48 in this topic |
WBraun
climber
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The minute you need to get in a tight chimney with your new homemade rig above you're hosed ....
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matty
Trad climber
los arbor
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Looks cool, could be nice for alpine. Thanks for sharing
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Yeah, I guess and could just put a double lenght runner and a krab on to keep it just below me in chimneys. I've been through that before and even though it works, it's not pretty. Or I'll just try and avoid chimneys, like the rest of us, eh?
I think it's pretty sweet clipping resistance in the aquarium tube, it's 10mm in diameter and not that soft and rubbery.
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Nothing new under the sun but I also crafted my own belay seat (bosun's or boatswain's chair if you like) Mostly because it's good fun and the plastic/textile one from Petzl comes at around 200$. A butt hammock is out of question!
A 25x50 centimeter piece of concrete workform plywood and 4 meters of 8mm cord did the trick, works like a charm! =)
Cord's crossed underneath and tied together with a double fisherman.
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
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nice. some of the guys on bigwalls.com do some cool stuff too.
thought about doing russian aiders? i have yet to try them, but since there are so few out in the wild, I've put my hopes away of trying them.
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Yeah, I've been thinking about russian aiders after having noticed that their users swear by them but the idea of tieing hooks to my knees feels really weird. I bet it works just fine but to the price of having hooks on your knees..? =) Then I just don't know.
I'll check that site out though, bigwalls.com, gotta love your DIY! Right?
Thanks!
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OlympicMtnBoy
climber
Seattle
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Nice work, I think your pack/gear sling should work just as well as some of the stuff like the Grivel Manu pack/sling. If you add a little padding to your belay seat you'll like it a lot more after sitting in it for a couple hours too.
Here are some wall bags and a mini-haul/rope bucket I made not long ago. I recycled some burly fabric from marine/industrial stuff, did some hand sewing, and used my normal home machine.
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Nice work, looks great!
Isn't it just so much more old school and hardcore if you put at least some of it together yourself??? Love it!
I did actually glue on a layer of sleeping pad on the belay seat later, after reading up on the subject online.
Also, the remains of the sleeping pad fitted my haulbag interior perfectly. And I'm good with sleeping on a 3/4 lenght pad. Sweetness!
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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No, sorry Dr P.
My name is Mikael Jarmland, Mikko for short and with a fínnish twang.. =)
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Ooops. Duh. Finland/Sweden. Sheesh.
Well, get yer ass down to Yosemite this year and we'll drink some beers anyway! Nice lookin' stuff.
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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OMB- your normal sewing machine makes bar tacks? nice.
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Brian
climber
California
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Did my first solo with a lawn chair for a "ledge" after reading about how some other guys had done it. Not recommended. I'll have to look for the old slides however...
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Cheers!
(coming from the wall doctor himself, I consider that a compliment and a half) Thanks!
Will do actually, I'll be spending at least first half of August in the valley. Then I'm meeting up with my wife and kid in San Fran and we're going road tripping in "the cradle of grunge"!
Will you be there in August? Is it crazy hot? I've only been there in October before.
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
leading the away team, but not in a red shirt!
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When it gets "crazy hot", head for the Half Stone.
You will not bake. Not all the time.
There will be fleece!
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Sorry, mate - I don't get there til it cools off a bit in September. Mid-September to late-October is the best time for El Cap, but as Capt. Kirk points out, Half Dome will be a lot cooler in August, if you don't mind the slog. Check first to see what the status is on the springs up there to see if you can get water or knott.
And of course, there's always Tuolumne.
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Thanks,
I was hoping that we'd be able to do something nice and mostly clean on el cap (like salathé or triple direct or something) and then regular NW on Half Dome aswell.
If it's to darn hot in August then we'll just do HD and free climb a bunch.
It would be sweet to use our brand new portaledge too, are there any moderate mostly clean routes that requires a ledge? Or at least that you can bring a ledge on without looking like a complete as#@&%e?
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Lots of guys bring ledges on Salathe and the Nose, in spite of there being enough natural ledges to sleep on. It affords you the ability to camp where you want and when you want, and doesn't make you look like a weenie.
Lurking Fear goes pretty much clean, but it faces straight west and can get really hot in the afternoon. Zodiac gets straight southern exposure, and goes mostly clean. If you need to nail, it shouldn't be much.
You should just plan to climb whatever route you want to climb whenever you want to do it. If it's going to be hot, plan on five litres per person per day. Bring your 2:1 hauling ratchet, and know how to use it ahead of time. Water is your ONLY defense against the heat. If it's going to be REALLY hot, plan on six litres per day for the first couple days, and then reduce it to five. Plan on climbing in the shade, and chillin' when the sun hits you. Rig up some sort of parasol for shade.
Talk to Kate aka Batgirl - she soloed Mescalito in August. I know she got up early and climbed while it was cool, then hid out under a fly until the shade hit her in the afternoon.
Do Half Dome first as it will be cooler, and the climbing will be a bit easier, though the approach will be painful. Plan on taking along enough food, water and beer to assure your success no matter how long it takes you - and it almost always takes longer than you think - then shut up and climb.
You don't want to come all the way from Svenden just to bail.
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Nice to hear that you can bring the ledge without beeing laughed at.. I suppose when the routes are crowded it's good to be able to spread out the bivi's a litte extra.
You just now totally inspired me to not wus out because of the heat. August is what we got and our goal was to climb Half Dome AND The Captain so that's what we're going to to. In that order. And if it's hot then so be it. We'll just bring more water. Thanks again.
Mikko
"You're supposed to listen to the piton as you drive it (...) but of course, when you're soloing and you're scared, you give it a few extra whacks anyway!" -PTPP
Unforgettable!
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
leading the away team, but not in a red shirt!
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Oh, you'll be laughed at, everyone gets a piece o' that. It's all good.
Have fun!
Yer gonna die fer sure up there, mate. Yowza!
;-)
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Well Capt, good thing I live on the other side of the planet, then. Cause if "the merricans" laugh, I can just tell them to FOAD and head fer home...
Right? Yarr!
But you americans wouldn't laugh, you're likely the most polite people in the world. Slightly shallow maybe. But in a nice and friendly way, and that's what matters to me on my four weeks in California and Washington..
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
leading the away team, but not in a red shirt!
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Well, we'll mostly be laughin' with ya, dig?
All Good.
The Canadians are (mostly) much more polite. Hope you have a Blast!
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Thanks! I know we're just playing.
But, you see what I mean? How nice and friendly you put that, just there? That's damn polite! I dig it!
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R.B.
Big Wall climber
Land of the Lahar
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My friend, Bobbly Wobbly and myself did Mescalito in 1990 with two homemade "Portaboards". We made them out of plywood, drilled six holes, tied 5/16" webbing ... all joined into a figure 8 like single point anchor, man these things were friggin the bomb.
We could stand up on them, stack ropes on them, lay down on them, sleep on them, the were the total bomb! They are not aerodynamic, however, so you would have to weight down the bottoms on the haul or the wind could catch em like a sail and fling them up, then they would fall back down.
I also have made duct tape haul bags by sewing on 2" tubular webbing onto a store bought canvass army duffel bag, Hand sew with a speedy sticher using dental floss for thread, then once done would wrap about 2 or 3 rolls of duct tape around the bag (after it's loaded)
Yeah it was BITD when I was in college and I had to do it on the cheap.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! I was showing that Youtube video of me soloing Native Son to some friends of my son the other night, so I know exactly where that quote comes from! It was pretty funny to see me bashing away at the pin, and not hearing the pitch change at all. I really try to avoid that sort of behaviour any more.
Unless I'm cursing Steve Grossman. "Take that, Steve Grossman!" [whack] "Heavy handed, indeed!" [whack] "You're a dickhead!" [whack] "Wings of Steel my middle-aged lard ass!" [whack] etc etc
We were amazed that the video has over 70,000 hits. And the title doesn't even mention the notorious Shower Scene.
What the hell you doin' over in Sweden, anyway? Pulling an all-nighter? Isn't the sun coming up over there yet? Hell, if you're up north somewhere, the sun might not come up at all this time of year!
P.S. ^^^ Great photo of the plywood ledge! Got any more??
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Dec 10, 2010 - 12:05am PT
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I love those clips!
Yeah, I know it's 5.45 in the morning here. I've been up all night reading, doing crosswords puzzles, talking to you guys. Since you're canadian and not american I dare tell you that I'm at home playing with my son for another 6 months, at a 90% salary, it's every parents right by law in sweden. And I'm used to doing hard labour, rope access work every day to put me at ease. Now the energy's kind of flowing wild, can't really sleep.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Dec 10, 2010 - 12:08am PT
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Damn, you Swedes got a good deal goin' there.
Whaddya mean I ain't a Merrican? Ah is as red, what and blue as Uncle Frickin' Sam his-self. Got me a You-Ess passport for goin' one way, and got me a Hoser passport for comin' back t'other.
At some point tomorrow [today for you] yer gonna be sorry you stayed up all night. Maybe about the time Junior starts cryin'...
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Luke Malatesta
Big Wall climber
Moab UT
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Dec 10, 2010 - 12:20am PT
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Ive made a few things..Started doing custom work around here.
drill bag
Haul Pack
6-step Ladders
Bolt Bag
Haulbag w/ removable straps
Most Complex project thus far, full sized titanium framed single ledge
Just over 7 lbs. Has a dyneema Ripstop bed. Made it all myself
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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Dec 10, 2010 - 12:25am PT
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Ah, I see. The best of both worlds perhaps?
Very true, so I'm going to get me an hour or so of sleep before he wakes up.
@Luke: Insanely cool! Say what, do you own a climbing goods factory?
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groundup
Trad climber
hard sayin' not knowin'
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Dec 10, 2010 - 12:29am PT
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Damn Luke, that stuff looks great! ever sell any drill/bolt bags?
Bravo! it's really purrdy.
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Luke Malatesta
Big Wall climber
Moab UT
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Dec 10, 2010 - 12:51am PT
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Thanks!
I have sold a few, this stuff is up for grabs now. Going to have some stuff in the local shops here next season.
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mucci
Trad climber
The pitch of Bagalaar above you
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Dec 10, 2010 - 03:42am PT
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I am building a small ledge, got a sail repair shop to stitch my bed, very cheap. Adj daisies, the works. I am gonna give Luke a run for his titanium :)
Mucci
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Luke Malatesta
Big Wall climber
Moab UT
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Dec 10, 2010 - 04:07am PT
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I dont a climbing goods shop. I started a little business doing custom work around town but seem to be moving in that direction. Hope to have a small product line out by next spring useing only 100% US made goods. I will post some more stuff up tomorrow. Mucci, I wanna see your ledge, stuff looks great!
I have some other cool stuff in the works...
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JBC
Trad climber
Tacoma, WA
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Dec 10, 2010 - 02:29pm PT
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Haven't made a lot of gear myself, but here is a set of aiders I made when I first started aid climbing:
Jim
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Dec 10, 2010 - 02:49pm PT
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Luke, your stuff looks great!
Are you going to have a website for online sales?
Hopefully I can buy some items off you when my job settles down. 40 percent layoff the last few weeks.
Cheers
John
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Luke Malatesta
Big Wall climber
Moab UT
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Dec 10, 2010 - 05:01pm PT
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I am going to have it up soon. I think it will be a good winter project.
Thanks,
Luke
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Balls MaGee
climber
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Dec 10, 2010 - 09:01pm PT
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Luke Malatesta makes some really killer stuff. i believe he's out of UT. he's currently trying to start a business with his skill. he makes everything from portaledges and flys to bolt bags and custom stuff. check him out.
EDIT: ok, he's already posted these items. sorry for the redundancy, but a BIG bump for him anyway
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OlympicMtnBoy
climber
Seattle
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Mar 28, 2011 - 01:07am PT
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Re: Jerry
My home machine makes a nice zigzag stitch that if you make em close together an run a straight stitch through at the end is basically the same thing as a bar tack. It doesn't take long to do, I used those for all the potential load bearing points on my wall bags, three of them in some places. It's probably way less a real computerized bar tacker but I've tested them with body weight to see how few stitches I can get away with and I'd guess three of my fake bartack are at least 6-8 KN (+/- 6). ;-)
- OMB
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Mar 28, 2011 - 01:42am PT
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Mar 28, 2011 - 02:14pm PT
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Either that's one BIG DOG, or it's a small ledge, moof!!!!!
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mooch
Trad climber
Old Climbers' Home (Adopted)
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Mar 28, 2011 - 03:33pm PT
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Props Mucci.
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wallyvirginia
Big Wall climber
Stockholm, Sweden
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BUMP for big wall DIY
Spring has finally reached us up here in the Stockholm area of Sweden, there's only a little snow left and big wall training season has begun!
We slept in the portaledge this weekend, on a small rockface half way out in the archipelago.. We were a little late so conditions were rough on us. Basically pitch black and lots of heavy fog when we finally started setting up the bivy.
Excellent practice, I suppose! =)
The backpack/camelback/gearsling seem to work just fine. I had to shorten the straps a little bit, because the gear was hanging a little low. Other than that - Perfect!
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Rocman
Trad climber
Reno,NV
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Apr 22, 2011 - 11:16am PT
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Plastic shipping containors[ olive] make a great haul drum,with sewn or knots on harness,plywood portaledge,5/8 thick riged with webing are good for your first wall,BlackDimond prymid works as rainfly both on and off the wall,knoted aiders adjust well for us taller people who are outside manurfacture spic. 5 gal w/ lid,web tie off for storage of fruit,bread,candys attached to bottom of hauldrum, webbing taped to sunglasses [crockies] all can be collected at little or no cost[craiglist]Delis,foodstores,construction sites[ask first]I ve always got buckets at Delis,free so if Big Walls are not to your likeing,your not out big $$
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Jonnnyyyzzz
Trad climber
San Diego,CA
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Here just some of the soft gear I've built. I've done more climbing stuff like Gear Slings, chalk bag, Bivi sack, some more haul bags and crag packs, ect, but haven't taken any pictures to post. I'm working on a ledge now. I have done lots of non climbing stuff as well. It's cool to build this kind of stuff. You get stuff the way you want it with the materials, sizes, and features that you couldn't get any other way and I've found that the stuff I've been making is nicer, just as strong or stronger, and way, way, way less money So go get a really nice sewing machine start learning to use it. Take a sewing class It will pay for it's self in no time.
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GuapoVino
Trad climber
All Up In Here
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Awesome work, great looking gear. I used to make a lot of my own gear on my Juki DNU-241 sewing machine - backpacks, tents, bivy sacks.
The roof membranes are pretty similar to some of the materials that are used to make rafts. Several years ago I built a one-man cat-a-raft out of PVC coated nylon, the same material that Seal Line drybags are made out of. I glued it together with a glue called HH-66. It was a royal pain in the ass to get those curving cone shapes to lay right on the ends and not look like crap (and hold air). I did a lot of exploring in that home built raft. I can post pics if anyone is interested. Of course if you're making something like a haul bag out of roof membrane type material and it doesn't have to be completely waterproof you can just sew it, assuming you have a beast of a sewing machine.
I built a fiberglass sea kayak and a kevlar canoe also. Epoxy is pretty cool to work with.
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jfailing
Trad climber
Lone Pine
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Very cool stuff everyone!
I already posted this on another thread, but oh well... Myles in Lone Pine has been making tons of gear. Here are some pics of the mods he made for the fly on my Fish ledge.
I'm sure he'd post some pics, but he's probably freezing his ass off up on Keeler Needle right now...
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