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best surface for crack machine?

Original Post
Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450

Hi:

I want to build a little mini crack machine, just big enough to do pullups and hangs from.

I've seen a few threads on here suggesting that bare, sanded wood would be the best surface in terms of skin-friendliness, others saying that's not so good. One thread showed a fellow using a crack machine with leather gloves, guess I'd rather avoid that if possible, especially if I'm going to try to get down to smaller sizes. Probably where I could use the most training right now is 0.75 camalot size, and I think gloves would pretty well defeat the purpose there.

I was thinking of maybe trying to face the wood with some kind of stone, but would be interested in hearing of other approaches folks have had success with.

Cheers,
David

camhead · · Vandalia, Appalachia · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,240
David Horgan wrote:Hi: I want to build a little mini crack machine, just big enough to do pullups and hangs from. I've seen a few threads on here suggesting that bare, sanded wood would be the best surface in terms of skin-friendliness, others saying that's not so good. One thread showed a fellow using a crack machine with leather gloves, guess I'd rather avoid that if possible, especially if I'm going to try to get down to smaller sizes. Probably where I could use the most training right now is 0.75 camalot size, and I think gloves would pretty well defeat the purpose there. I was thinking of maybe trying to face the wood with some kind of stone, but would be interested in hearing of other approaches folks have had success with. Cheers, David
grip tape, but that will make the surface probably more high friction than any real rock would ever be.
Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

Actually, just sand and paint it. A friend used sandpaper once on his crack machine and it was too painful to climb bare handed. You want to be able to use it without gloves. You'll enjoy it a lot more.

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450
Stich wrote:Actually, just sand and paint it. A friend used sandpaper once on his crack machine and it was too painful to climb bare handed. You want to be able to use it without gloves. You'll enjoy it a lot more.
Wouldn't paint make it too slick?

Agree on avoiding the gloves, for sure...
Sergio P · · Idaho Springs, CO · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 185

mix sand with paint for texture. It shouldn't be worse on your hands then real rock. Over time the sand will fall off and you can choose to repaint if you want.

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520
David Horgan wrote: Wouldn't paint make it too slick? Agree on avoiding the gloves, for sure...
It depends on the paint you use. But try it sanded without paint first to see if you like it.
Darren S · · Minneapolis, MN · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 3,388

A friend of mine glued burlap fabric to the surface of the wood. worked pretty good

BackCountry Sortor · · Ogden, UT · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 400

I'm surprised the hold manufacturers have come out with something yet. Maybe you could research the climbing hold manufacturing process and mold yourself a sweet crack?

KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

I used thin pieces of sandstone (scraps from the quarry). Use the highest rated contruction glue you can find and clamp or weight to increase the strength while it is drying.

If you use stone, grind the outside edges a little.

JesseT · · Portland, OR · Joined May 2011 · Points: 100

I'd go with shale or slate. Both are pretty easy to come by due to their use in flooring/decking(not the bad kind). I feel like shale has a pretty average texture as far as rock goes, and slate's naturally flat and is a bit smoother for more of a challenge.

Brian in SLC · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Oct 2003 · Points: 21,711

Best simulated cracks for training I've seen are just bare wood.

Yeah, its slick, so, won't tear your hands up and you're forced develope good technique. Using a grippy surface defeats the purpose, IMHO.

Dan M · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 165

I've built a crack machine hangboard that I surfaced by wrapping the boards with climbing tape. I wrapped the boards instead of just putting strips on as it tends to stay on better. The more you overlap, the better. Also, use the good curity kendall tape as it has the best adhesive. This type of surface is friendly on your skin, gives you extra grip, and is cheap and easy to install.

I think I still have my hangboard but I don't use it. I'd probably give it away for a 6 pack. If you want to be able to master fist jams it's perfect. Hand jams are problematic in narrow doorways.

Good luck -
Dan

Kent Pease · · Littleton, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,066

Get a good thick paint and add grit. Hardware stores carry a fine sand that is normally added to paint for concrete steps that works well. If you use normal latex paint it will last OK, but if you want good long term performance then use a marine or epoxy paint.

Now for my unsolicited 2 cents: With a decent friction factor inside the crack by making it rough, you may learn to finesse you jams rather than using brute strength if the crack is smooth and slippery.

Good luck

Finn The Human · · The Land of Ooo · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 106

I heard about some guy using ceramic tile in his crack machine. Dunno how it really worked out, but it's another option I suppose.

DrApnea · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined May 2011 · Points: 265

Let's see some pics

JoeR · · Eugene, OR · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 15

+1 for bare wood, no gloves

Bill Duncan · · Glade Park, CO · Joined Mar 2005 · Points: 3,410

I used garage floor paint with sanded grit mixed in. Available at the local big box stores. Seems to work well.

Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061

Bare wood lightly sanded.

Painted is too slick. And since the entire purpose is to develop crushing jam strength, while avoiding abrasion/gobies, any sand/rock etc for added texture is a detraction, not a bonus. People add sand because they paint and with plain paint it's way too slick. But sand in the paint blows ass, parts of it crumbles off and it isn't nice on bare hands.

Tape? Surely you're kidding? That'll be nice after a few months when the glue is bleeding through the surface of the tape and it's like climbing a flypaper crack.

One more thought...if you are building a little thing for hangs, don't bother with adjustable, just make side-by-side cracks at different fixed sizes so you can work multiple sizes without having to mess with adjusting it. Suggest 7/8", 1", 1 1/8", 1 1/4", 1 1/2", and fist.

Dan M · · Boulder, CO · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 165
Will S wrote:Tape? Surely you're kidding? That'll be nice after a few months when the glue is bleeding through the surface of the tape and it's like climbing a flypaper crack.
Have you tried it? The tape actually doesn't bleed glue at all. If anything, the tape gets drier. At any rate, if you climb the same crack for more than a few months without being a Jedi at it, you're going to need more than a crack machine to get better.
NickMartel · · Tucson, Arizona · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 1,332

I did one with sand and paint. It is really hard on the hands to the point that you don't want to use it without taping hands. I would go with just coarsely sanded wood or if you NEED to add a surface gluing on slate/flagstone (sandstone) or any thin flat stone would work I guess. You can always add texture later but it is hard(er)to take it off. If you are just trying to make a crack hangboard +1 on making a couple side by side with fixed sizes. Do it so that for example the right hand piece of wood for the 3/4" is the left hand side for 1", ect...

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450

Thanks to everyone for the replies! I guess I can start with the bare wood and build up from there if that doesn't work for me.

Cheers,
David

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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