Real rock holds for climbing wall

A few years ago I started wondering if it would be possible to make holds out of real rock by making a flat face to go against the wall and then drilling a hole for a bolt. I never got around to experimenting with it, as I never really had access to the right tools. But it's always been on my mind and recently I saw someone online who makes and sells them.

Does anyone have experience with this? I'm thinking granite would be the best (I assume sandstone would just crumble) but I'm scared that anything thinner than a jug would break while drilling.

John Wilder wrote:Back when climbing gyms were really a new thing, holds were real rocks. Some people definitely still do this, but they are in the very small minority as rocks in general can't really hold up as well as plastic or wood, be shaped as easily, nor can they be as small and not break. If you're doing it for the novelty, have fun, but if you really want good training holds that you want to make yourself, use wood.

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When I was in the custom furniture business I used make woodies for my friends in Joshua Tree. Made from hardwood or laminated plywood scraps.

My tool inventory: small band-saw, drill press, couple clamps and laminate trimmer. I'd use different rounding core box bits to shape incuts. You'll want to go slow and easy till you get the feel of the laminate trimmer (if you've never used one) cause you will have no guard on that tool and bad stuff can happen fast. Finish hand shaping with a belt sander and rasps.

Honestly, if you don't have a shop full of woodworking tools you're more cost effective to learn how to shape and cast your own holds. The basic tech is not complicated and a materials starter set up is not a lot of $$. Harbor Freight sells a low cost belt sander for flattening the back sides. Be sure to wear gloves and breathing protection while casting and sanding.

I experimented with rocks... granite and sandstone but there is no easy way to shape them without some water cooled rock cutting set up. And you get many failures drilling the cap screw holes without special tooling. There is a community of rock hounds in Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley who clued me in. So even if you end up getting some rocks on your woody they don't flex...they crack and break.

Jim Bowers, from PA, had a company called Petrogrips that made real rock holds.
They weren't always super ergonomic, but the texture was often pretty nice.
I think he switched to a manmade material called synrock.

You could probably find him on the internet and get some tips.

Mark E Dixon wrote:Jim Bowers, from PA, had a company called Petrogrips that made real rock holds. They weren't always super ergonomic, but the texture was often pretty nice. I think he switched to a manmade material called synrock. You could probably find him on the internet and get some tips.

I have quite a few of the "Petrogrips" holds. They are my favorite holds when it comes to duplicating actual outdoor climbing.

I have real granite holds. They are absolutely my favorite holds on my wall. After they ground down the back of the holds completely flat, they glued some type of blue plastic sheet material on the back to keep them from splitting.

Jon Hartmann wrote:I have real granite holds. They are absolutely my favorite holds on my wall. After they ground down the back of the holds completely flat, they glued some type of blue plastic sheet material on the back to keep them from splitting.

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Great concept! I stand corrected.

Thomas Beck wrote: ------------------- Great concept! I stand corrected.

I really wish I could buy them again - still my favorites.

My wife bought me a few for my wall from a seller on etsy. They arrived after I had disassembled the wall because we were moving, so I can't attest to the quality. But they look good!

Etsy climbing holds

My dad made some for a little home traverse. I loved it as a kid and when i got into climbing is screwed them onto a homemade hang board. i know he would use a epoxy or fiberglass resin to keep them from cracking.

Relatively soft limestone was the best rock I found for making holds. It was soft enough that I could grind one side flat on the sidewalk. Then drill a hole for the bolt then drill a countersink and use a tapered hex head bolt. You could probably use a flathead bolt if you could drill a flat countersink and put a washer in it.

I used a cheap hammer drill (not rotary hammer). I suspect an actual rotary hammer might cause a lot of rocks to crack. I also used water to keep the bit cool.

I had a few non-limestone holds, but the harder rock took more drilling time.

A few holds broke with the crack running through the bolt hole but, it sure is a lot cheaper than buying holds - well, as long as your time is free.

possible to get free scrap granite counter-top material from fabricators, wonder if it'd work glued inside a crack machine, rough edge out?  That'd be kinda cool...

Quartzite holds. Get a proper hammer drill and you can make what you want. Also got granite scrap from a general contractor, planning on making some sets. Sandstone can work just can’t be garbage sugar rock. 

Back when we were slapping holds on to Freeway over passes the best rock to use was the Dolomite we could find in the Creek beds below Red Rocks.

And my friend was a sculptor who was familiar with working stone and had the water cooled equipment to really finish the backside flat.

We could make door jam thick holds, and the Dolomite fractures at an angle so you could have a positive hold or a sloper.

Drtysmelly Hippie wrote:

Quartzite holds. Get a proper hammer drill and you can make what you want. Also got granite scrap from a general contractor, planning on making some sets. Sandstone can work just can’t be garbage sugar rock. 

Hey man I notice that you don’t have bolt in those holds. Did you just drill small holes for screws? I’m looking to do some quartzite holds with a silicone backing but I’m worried about using a bolt to mount. I’m think two wood screws with a nylon washer would be better 

Black Belt wrote:

Hey man I notice that you don’t have bolt in those holds. Did you just drill small holes for screws? I’m looking to do some quartzite holds with a silicone backing but I’m worried about using a bolt to mount. I’m think two wood screws with a nylon washer would be better 

Yo I used a 3/16 masonry sds hammer drill bit. Phillips head screws 2”-4”. Way easier to drill and use screws. FYI You will rip through bits. Even if you drilled a bolt hole you would want to drill a screw hold to prevent the dreaded spinner. 

Yeah man I never mount a hold without a set screw. When it comes to spinners... “F that” I said. I think smaller screws would be better like you’re saying to prevent it from cracking from a bolt. 

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