NuclearNed's climbing wall project diary ***IT'S <sort of> DONE!!!***

[NuclearNed]

I'm getting concerned about when I'm going to get this wall done... it feels like lately every weekend has been non-stop rain (including this one coming up). Then the following 3 weekends I'm going to be out of town. I'm tired of building the wall; I want to be playing on the wall... I'm just having a hard time finding the time to work on it...

So with that in mind, last night after I left work then the gym, I was determined to work on it until dark. The first thing I did was to add 2 large galvanized nails to each end of each stud that was already on the wall. For this, I drilled pilot holes for each nail so I wouldn't split the wood, then hammered in each nail. The studs had been held up by long deck screws, which are great for holding the wood to the poles. They aren't the greatest for bearing weight, which is what the nails are for. It might be my imagination, but the studs seemed considerably more solid when I was done.

That job went really fast, and I had a lot of daylight left. So I took some measurements, cut some lumber, and decided to work as long as I had light. It turned out that I ended up framing the lower half of the rightmost 2 faces. Right now they are just screwed up with deck screws, so I have yet to add the nails, but that's still some major progress especially for a night that I usually just veg in front of the TV.

The weather for the weekend is looking a little better; only 50% chance of rain on Saturday. I may not get much done on it this Sunday since it's Mother's Day.

New pics:
https://get.google.com/albumarchive...m/AF1QipOmkjeFDN8usy_fXsHxlraXhulcdKDn7-d_Ml0

 

[highland145]

I bet your photographer wishes you were done too.

 

[NuclearNed]

I bet your photographer wishes you were done too.

She's feeling a little neglected. All my spare time is normally hers.

 

[highland145]

Flowers, dinner or jewelry.

Or all 3.

 

[NuclearNed]

A couple of new pics here:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=ZGs4b1l6MlZoREZlRWNYOUtoLTNxSzllTzlOelBB

Progress update for 5/15

I spent $20 on more nails and a 2"x6"x8'

The weekend weather was crap, so I lost a lot of time to work on the wall. Also, I'm going on vacation next week so I had to spend a lot of time catching up on yard work so that we don't return to a jungle.

Even so, I got some important stuff done.

Friday night I went to Home Depot to buy some 20penny 4" galvanized nails. Saturday when I opened the sealed box, about half of them were 16penny nails. So Saturday I had to drive back into town to do the exchange. The 2nd sealed box I got still had a small number of 16penny nails, but few enough that I was ok with it. Apparently someone at the nail factory fell asleep at the machine.

I'm ready to begin building the overhang on the left 2 faces, and some guys at work suggested that the lowermost stud should be a 2x6 instead of a 2x4 for stability reasons. So that's what I bought.

Saturday because of the weather I spent a bunch of time cleaning up (i.e. pulling nails out of scrap wood that was lying around, etc.). As the weather cleared I put nails in the studs on the right two faces, then put up another level of studs (the wood was already cut) and the 2x6 stud for the overhang. I also spent some time removing all but one of the wood blocks that I had nailed to the poles to aid in lifting them. Some of them were in the way of where I needed to place studs. This was one of those small jobs that turned into a big job because it's hard to use a crowbar with both hands while trying to not fall from a high place.

I'm not ridiculously happy with myself concerning the 2x6. A few days ago I measured the span for the 2x6 several times, and wrote down the measurement in a notebook I carry around. After I cut the board it turns out it is about 4" shorter than I would prefer. I put it up anyway, and it is good enough, but I'm kind of OCD about being as perfect as possible. My "expert consultant" (i.e. my Dad) looked at it and said it was fine. Ultimately, I'm completely confident that it is safe and stable (see the pic for evidence of this), but if nothing else, going forward I'm going to measure everything 13 times instead of just 12.

I had a few minutes left Sunday evening, so I cut the wood for the next 4 levels of studs on the right 2 faces, and got one level installed before Mrs. Ned called me to dinner.

 

[Darwin333]

Very nice progress but boo for the vertical video.

 

[NuclearNed]

Very nice progress but boo for the vertical video.

My videographer doesn't take criticism well. And I like getting laid once in a while. And those 2 facts are intricately linked.

 

[Darwin333]

My videographer doesn't take criticism well. And I like getting laid once in a while. And those 2 facts are intricately linked.

Absolutely valid reasons, I will happily deal with the vertical video without further complaint so that you may continue getting laid once in a while my friend.

 

[NuclearNed]

Minor updates... I've been on vacation & for almost 2 weeks & generally I'm just super busy this time of year so not much progress. I'm still working on putting up studs. At night I'm trying to put up 1 level of studs after I get home from work & the gym, which is glacial progress but still progress. I'm at about the 15' level so far, and need to go to 24'. I'm hoping to have it completely framed after this coming week (Mrs Ned will be out of town so I'll have more free time).

I just spent $16 on rappel rings for building the redundant anchor at the top. Assuming I get it all framed this coming week, I also intend to build the anchor.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Check it out. No telephone poles or crushed pickup trucks involved in the building of this wall. And these kids are getting a better pump than you're ever likely to on your slab. Dad probably built it in a couple of weekends.

 

[highland145]

Hater.

 

[NuclearNed]

6/5 update

most recent pics & a new video can be found here:
https://get.google.com/albumarchive...m/AF1QipOmkjeFDN8usy_fXsHxlraXhulcdKDn7-d_Ml0

The major framing of the wall is complete as of this weekend. I've made a big design decision...

All along I've planned on building vertically to 24', but now I've decided to build to only 18', which I have completed. There are 2 big reasons for making the wall shorter...

• First, with the 20' extension ladder that I have, maintenance on anything above 18' is going to be difficult - even 18' is going to be a stretch. I intend to frequently switch up the grips & to build and install various "appliances" to keep the wall fresh, so I definitely want some way to get up there easily. A related issue is that it would be really difficult to mount plywood above 18'. Bottom line is that neither issue would be impossible to overcome, but would make life a lot more difficult.
• When I mounted the 18' stud on the 3rd-from-the-left face, I ran into an issue. The middle pole and the pole immediately to its right both have a bend that occurs very near the 18' level. Monster bends forward, and the other pole bends backward. The result is that the 18' stud would have to twist considerably to be flush against both poles, and the stud is only 4' wide so it isn't going to twist much. I got this stud mounted securely, but while it is flush on 3 corners, the 4th corner has a small gap between it and the pole. As the poles have opposing bends, this problem with the studs will only get more pronounced as I go higher.

I'm very content with the 18' height. 24' as originally planned would be ideal, but I can live with the decision to make it a little shorter. When on the wall at the 18' level, it gives me that funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, so it has that element of psychological stress. Mission accomplished.

It really feels like this thing is coming together fast. Since I am not building upwards quite as high, I will have some extra lumber to play around with. Here are my next few steps:

• I have some minor detail framing I need to do. Basically, I have 2-3 studs I need to place low on the leftmost 2 faces where the main studs are interlaced.
• I intentionally left some of the studs way too long. Now that I have all the major framing completed, I'm going to trim some of them up.
• I need to get some joist hangers & build the overhang on the leftmost 2 faces. The top part of the overhang (which is at the 12' level) is going to be a platform that I will use to maintain the top 6' of the left 2 faces.
• I'm going to build a similar maintenance platform on the back side of the rightmost 2 faces, also at the 12' level, to maintain the top 6' of those faces.
• I need to build the rappelling anchor.
• The poles are flexible and sway a little, especially the leftmost pole (it's tall, skinny, & sways way more than I like). I'm going to brace parts of the back side of the structure to eliminate as much of this motion as possible.
• After all that's done, with any leftover lumber & scraps I'm going to reinforce anything that I think needs reinforcing. In particular, I'm thinking about putting vertical struts on the angled wall above the overhang to help strengthen it a little.

 

[Darwin333]

If/when you get a taller ladder or get bored with 18' how easy would it be for you to build out the remaining 6'?

 

[NuclearNed]

If/when you get a taller ladder or get bored with 18' how easy would it be for you to build out the remaining 6'?

If I could figure out how to account for the bend in the poles, I don't think it would be too difficult - just more studs & plywood. I'm sure there's a way to compensate for the bend, but I'm just a novice...

 

[IronWing]

Looks good. Do you plan to do some drop tests to ensure the wall can support/stop a falling you?

 

[Carson Dyle]

BTW... One of the greatest rock climbing feats in history took place this weekend. Alex Honnold free soloed (i.e. climbed ropeless) the Freerider (5.12d) route on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. People had long be wondering if/when he was going to attempt it.

He'd been planning it for several years. Made an aborted attempt in November, but conditions weren't right. Looks like it was filmed by a National Geographic film crew, so I expect they'll be airing a show on the climb.

The photo below is of one of the easier sections.

 

[NuclearNed]

Looks good. Do you plan to do some drop tests to ensure the wall can support/stop a falling you?

Absolutely. I'm terrified at the thought that someone might get hurt on this thing, so I've been testing as I build. I'll do more formalized "end to end" testing once its all together.

 

[NuclearNed]

BTW... One of the greatest rock climbing feats in history took place this weekend. Alex Honnold free soloed (i.e. climbed ropeless) the Freerider (5.12d) route on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. People had long be wondering if/when he was going to attempt it.

He'd been planning it for several years. Made an aborted attempt in November, but conditions weren't right. Looks like it was filmed by a National Geographic film crew, so I expect they'll be airing a show on the climb.

The photo below is of one of the easier sections.

I can't decide if Alex Honnold is stupid or brilliant. I guess he's both; that was a superhuman accomplishment. Either way, I hope he has a long life... those guys usually don't. I was in Yosemite in 2015 a few days after Dean Potter died...

 

[Darwin333]

If I could figure out how to account for the bend in the poles, I don't think it would be too difficult - just more studs & plywood. I'm sure there's a way to compensate for the bend, but I'm just a novice...

Then no harm, no foul. Plus you will get it built quicker and cheaper so a plus all around.

 

[NuclearNed]

a couple of new photos here:
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=ZGs4b1l6MlZoREZlRWNYOUtoLTNxSzllTzlOelBB

This weekend I spent $160 on more lumber (specifically for the platforms), nails, screws, joist hangers, & chain supplies for the anchor.

About the chain... Finding the circumference of the pole should be very easy, diameter x pi, right? I measured the diameter of the piece of Monster that I cut off when I was raising it. It measured at 12.5", so I figured to give myself a little margin for error I would use 15" as the diameter. I'm not sure where I went wrong with such a simple calculation, but the chains I brought home were way too short. Now I have to buy more, and Mrs Ned is already touchy about how badly I've blown my budget.

So this weekend I finished the detail framing on the left face, which completes all the faces. I also framed out the left platform/overhang including the joists, and did most of the framing on the right platform.

It's getting very close to plywood time. What remains... I have to place the joists on the right platform; I have them measured but I need to cut and attach them. Then I have to add bracing to the backside of the wall to hopefully remove some of the flex of the poles - should be quick and relatively easy now that the platforms are in place.. Then I need to build a small "resting area" on Monster for the anchor chain - super quick and easy. I think I can get all this done in the small amount of time I have after work each night this week.

Then I'm going to dedicate this weekend to "general reinforcement." I just want to test & make sure everything is strong and secure, and strengthen anything that I don't like.

Then I'm going on a backpacking trip for a week. As soon as I get back, I should be ready to slap plywood up. Hopefully that will go very quickly so I can have the wall at least mostly finished by my birthday near the end of July.

 

[IronWing]

Did you measure the circumference at the point along the pole where you would be placing the chain? Power poles are often tapered.

 

[NuclearNed]

Did you measure the circumference at the point along the pole where you would be placing the chain? Power poles are often tapered.

That would have been way too easy... I should have done that as a sanity check, but I didn't think of it. I was a math major, not sure why I can't calc a circumference. Using 15" instead of 12.5" was done partly to account for the taper, but even that doesn't work if I can't do simple math.

 

[Darwin333]

Ouch on the chain, always measure twice and cut once but we always tend to remember that exactly one millisecond after fucking something up. Even worse is it always tends to be something that we can't bring back.

 

[NuclearNed]

Last night after work & the gym I cut the 3 joists for the right platform & got 2 of them hung. All 3 of them were about a quarter inch too long, so I made some error in either my measurements or calculations. I hung the 2 shorter ones on the sides anyway, and shaved a quarter inch off the long center one, but it was getting dark so I didn't get it hung.

Hopefully tonight I will get that platform finished, reinforce the joists on both platforms, & measure the supporting braces for the left 2 poles. With any luck I'll have time to cut the lumber for that support. If I'm super lucky, I'll have time to mount the support, but I doubt it.

 

[NuclearNed]

I finished off the right-side platform last night, and did some general reinforcement on both platforms + various studs. I put some temp lumber on the left-side platform so I could begin work on the supporting braces for the back of the left side, & took measurements for the lumber I need to cut & put up tonight. So far I'm probably 90% on track for getting framing completed by end of week.