Valley Giants

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Tom

Big Wall climber

San Luis Obispo CA

Mar 13, 2017 - 01:44am PT

prettiest cam contest

There is no doubt that edavidso's cams look the best. The delicate intelligence that went into the design is just wonderful. Artwork is not too strong a word here. Deliciously judicious manipulation of material seems appropriate, when talking about edavidso's cams.

But, again, it is relatively easy to either make a lightweight cam, or a strong cam. The problem is finding the proper compromise between weight and strength. The people who make airplanes have been dealing with this same issue, since before the Wright Brothers.

I have chosen to make the Valley Giant very strong, but heavy. And I don't think I will shift from that decision. I don't want to hear that someone got hurt, because the Valley Giant wasn't strong enough. I would much rather hear people bitch and moan that the VG cams are too heavy. That way, at least I get to hear from people that have used them, as opposed to a situation where I don't hear from them because a VG cam failed them when it was needed to be strong.

Engineering is all about compromise, because, in the real world, you don't get to eat your cake, and it it, too. A structural system is inherently heavy, and reducing its weight necessarily reduces its structural integrity.

Where is the final, optimal balance, of strength versus weight?

nutstory

climber

Ajaccio, Corsica, France

Mar 13, 2017 - 03:44am PT

Tom, the lightest Valley Giant cam might well be... an old-time Excalibur-specification VG7 with undrilled cam lobes... and I do have a strong interest for it...;-)

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Mar 13, 2017 - 06:09am PT

I think you've taken the right track,Tom. Until they can become as strong as the industry standard, VG, the elegant lines of the more ethereal cams will remain fantasies of cam fetishist/nerds. I think of them like the exotic concept cars we seee photos of.
Forward Thinking brainstorms to a possible advanced reality in the possible future.

Concept Cams!

edavidso

Trad climber

Oakland, CA

Mar 13, 2017 - 09:29pm PT

Thanks for the comments on my cams. I wanted them to be functional first and the design just kind of ended up looking nice in the end.

I have been busy making parts:

There's a lot of other stuff I need to take care of before I can actually start selling these. I'll proof test every one before I send it out and lost access to the Instron machine I was using so am in the process of making a load frame. Anyway, things are progressing...

Clint Cummins

Trad climber

SF Bay area, CA

Mar 13, 2017 - 10:00pm PT

Wow, looking great. Thanks for the update.

'Pass the Pitons' Pete

Big Wall climber

like Ontario, Canada, eh?

Mar 13, 2017 - 11:52pm PT

Tom's Valley Giants are REALLY strong. Didn't you test them to failure at something around 5000 lbs-force Tom?

At what pounds-force does a #6 Friend or #5 Camalot fail at?

nutstory

climber

Ajaccio, Corsica, France

Mar 14, 2017 - 12:50am PT

A great, great photograph Eric! Thank you very much for opening the "doors of the wings"!

healyje

Trad climber

Portland, Oregon

Mar 14, 2017 - 03:07am PT

Those are way cool - I'd consider buying a couple if only I could figure out how to eliminate all the groveling involved with their use.

Jaybro

Social climber

Wolf City, Wyoming

Mar 15, 2017 - 07:53am PT

Tom's Valley Giants are REALLY strong. Didn't you test them to failure at something around 5000 lbs-force Tom?

I understand they can even hold a PTTP haulba (s) scenario(?) ormaybe that's too much.....

grover

climber

Castlegar BC

Mar 16, 2017 - 11:01am PT

Impressive looking hardware.

Put me down for an 8!!! Getting tired of using 2x4s.

Moof

Big Wall climber

Orygun

Mar 16, 2017 - 01:47pm PT

Wowza! Can't wait to get one. Could use one in May for a pusher piece.

soaring_bird

Trad climber

Oregon

Mar 17, 2017 - 09:25pm PT

Perhaps one of the greatest Valley Giants of all time was not aluminum, but rather..... Layton Kor

Don Lauria

Trad climber

Bishop, CA

Mar 18, 2017 - 04:14pm PT

Here's a valley giant - circa 1971. I loaned to Bud (Ivan) Couch to use on The Pearly Gates at Tahquitz. He mailed it back. The carabiner is from the 7th ascent on the Nose. Dick Williams left it. Boche and I retrieved it on the 8th ascent.

Idahoan

Trad climber

Idaho

Apr 4, 2017 - 10:04am PT

These look amazing!
Put me on the long list of buyers for a single #8 and maybe a #10, depends on when you get around to them.

Matt's

climber

Apr 4, 2017 - 10:27am PT

thanks for the update! Your work quality is amazing.

Any sense of when you will be sending this out?

best,
matt

nutstory

climber

Ajaccio, Corsica, France

Apr 5, 2017 - 01:26am PT

1. thebravecowboy 1 #8
2. nutstory 1 #8
3. Moof 1 #8
4. Alexey 1 #8
5. Studly 1 #8
6. Jaybro 1 #8
7. Rhodo-Router 1 #8
8. couchmaster 2 #8’s and 1 #10
9. matty 1 or 2 #8
10. WyoRockMan 1 #8
11. go1dens4 1 #8
12. Trashman 1 #8 and 1 #10
13. Raafie 1 #8
14. Clint Cummins 1 #8
15. Werd 1 #8 and 1 #10
16. Naitch 1 #8
17. lifeguard 2 #8 and 1 #10
18. karabin museum 1 #8 and 1 #10
19. haleyd 1 #8
20. jsj 1 #8
21. OlympicMtnBoy 1 #8
22. Matt’s 1 #8
23. Oso Flaco 1 #8
24. BLUEBLOCR 1 #8 and (maybe) 1 #10
25. Barney Rubble 1 #8
26. Grover 1 #8
27. Idahoan 1 #8 and (maybe) 1 #10

edavidso

Trad climber

Oakland, CA

Apr 5, 2017 - 09:36pm PT

Getting closer on having some cams ready to sell. I've machined most of the parts for the first batch. I'm making good progress on the pull tester as well. I'll probably have the first ones ready to go in about a month. First batch will be about 15 cams. After everything is in place it shouldn't be too long between batches.

I've set up an LLC called Merlin Rock Gear to make it legit. I need to get going on a website now...

Thanks for the interest and patience!