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Placing hexes in it's cammed position in horizontal cracks

Matthew Williams 1 · · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 85

I have a pic of a torque nut placement from a couple months ago that might be helpful: I placed this as 1 of 3 pieces in an equalette anchor (Other pieces were nuts.) These torque nuts were new to me so I was experimenting (not belaying anyone). I placed it so that the sling faced sort of "across" the direction of pull (down and out - this was a fairly high placement) and so when weighted this caused the hex to "torque" into the rock. Obviously no good for upward pull, but for what's it for, good enough. I should note the crack was not icy, so I had good surface contact on both sides of the piece.

DMM torque nut placement

tenpins · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 30

get some tri cams

Jacob Koffler · · Las Vegas · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 10

Hey hexes are great dude but man you need to relax, go smoke some herbal remedies :)

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450
tenpins wrote:get some tri cams
Exactly. If for whatever reason passive pro is how it has to be (although I think two weekends of moving heavy objects or painting would vaporize the financial restrictions), then Tricams have decades of proven performance in basically any horizontal placement where you could fit a hex, and a ton of other crazy placements where no other piece of any kind will work. Cheap, bomber, and only slightly more irritating to clean than a hex.
wivanoff · · Northeast, USA · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 674

FWIW, this is one of my favorite hex placements. The hex goes in endwise into a horizontal that expands in the back. It then rotates clockwise and cams in the narrow part. Additionally, the rock has a lip that further prevents the hex from moving.

I've tried regular cams here but, if they walk back into the wide part, they can umbrella.

Horizontal Hex

nathanael · · Riverside, CA · Joined May 2011 · Points: 525
Jacob Koffler wrote:Hey hexes are great dude but man you need to relax, go smoke some herbal remedies :)
verticon · · Europe · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 25
wivanoff wrote:FWIW, this is one of my favorite hex placements. The hex goes in endwise into a horizontal that expands in the back. It then rotates clockwise and cams in the narrow part. Additionally, the rock has a lip that further prevents the hex from moving. I've tried regular cams here but, if they walk back into the wide part, they can umbrella.
Is that an HB Quadratic ?!
Linnaeus · · ID · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 0
Matthew Williams 1 wrote:I have a pic of a torque nut placement from a couple months ago that might be helpful... I placed it so that the sling faced sort of "across" the direction of pull (down and out - this was a fairly high placement) and so when weighted this caused the hex to "torque" into the rock.
Based only on the photo you provided that actually looks like a passive hex placement: there is no rotational moment being imparted on the hex by the sling. If you flipped the hex around so the sling exited on the R then it would add that additional rotational force i.e. "torque." Could still be a fine placement either way, just realize how the direction of the sling plays a role.
wivanoff · · Northeast, USA · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 674
verticon wrote: Is that an HB Quadratic ?!
No, it's a Black Diamond
Matthew Williams 1 · · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 85
Linnaeus wrote: Based only on the photo you provided that actually looks like a passive hex placement: there is no rotational moment being imparted on the hex by the sling. If you flipped the hex around so the sling exited on the R then it would add that additional rotational force i.e. "torque." Could still be a fine placement either way, just realize how the direction of the sling plays a role.
Thanks for the additional help on my placement there Linnaeus - much appreciated!
Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306

After all this tricam talk and even with the second set of Torque Nuts my GF just gave me as a gift, we both decided more tricams were a good idea. Just got a 3, 3.5 and 4. Not to replace the cams of course, just as another option.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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