Wanting your input on bolts
Why do non-climbers have such a hard time facing reality?I rarely even mention climbing around them.They are just reminded that they have no life,so they all potray us as daredevils that risk lives ,when the total opposite is true.If they can make us look bad it just covers up the fact that they have no guts and we are out there living life to its fullest. Can anyone else relate to what I'm saying?
"Everyone should have a plan for the zombie apocolipse" Courtney
The fact is that…
It is so much work to establish a bolted route, to bolt it, to clean it, and then to further maintain it by replacing the inevitable occasional corroded or otherwise messed up bolt. All of this is done to please other climbers. Why should that “single” individual do all the work?
As climbers, perhaps we can help & perhaps we can make the red look a little better without creating even more work for route setters, which is why I thought of doing what I know to do: Play with resin, do a little bit of mixin’, and hide the bolts that have been cut down.
These individual do a lot of work… they do not get paid… they use their personal time and in many cases their personal equipment to set routes or replace anchors.
Has anyone ever covered up old cut-down bolts?
Would any one like to help on this “little” project?
It is so much work to establish a bolted route, to bolt it, to clean it, and then to further maintain it by replacing the inevitable occasional corroded or otherwise messed up bolt. All of this is done to please other climbers. Why should that “single” individual do all the work?
As climbers, perhaps we can help & perhaps we can make the red look a little better without creating even more work for route setters, which is why I thought of doing what I know to do: Play with resin, do a little bit of mixin’, and hide the bolts that have been cut down.
These individual do a lot of work… they do not get paid… they use their personal time and in many cases their personal equipment to set routes or replace anchors.
Has anyone ever covered up old cut-down bolts?
Would any one like to help on this “little” project?
! Enough with all that detestation ALREADY !
Smile & be thankful for what you have.
Smile & be thankful for what you have.
Vic-
A little silicone (GOOP is easy because it is not a tube and thus has a cap) mixed with sand from the base of the cliff works fine. Just roll up the silicone and sand into a ball and shove it in the hole. And as far as removing old 3/8" stud bolts--the hole and surrounding rock will definitely looks worse if you try to take the bolt out. The best thing to do is countersink the bolt in the hole using a wide nail set. You will notice the hole if you look for it, but otherwise you will never know....especially if you put some goop and sand in it.
As far as replacing bolts, nothing should be replaced with another 5-piece bolt whether it is stainless or not. And don't try to get the cone of a 5-piece out of the bolt hole, UNLESS you are going to reuse the same hole. This is because the hole will become bored out during the processing of removing the cone...making the hole much more noticeable because of the widened opening at the surface. Not an issue if the hole is to be reused and a hanger placed back on it.... Replacement bolts ought to be 1/2" stainless steel allthread glue-ins, which I believe require a 9/16" hole. Hugh Loeffler has experimented some with the glue-ins and can fill you in if you are interested.
Rob
A little silicone (GOOP is easy because it is not a tube and thus has a cap) mixed with sand from the base of the cliff works fine. Just roll up the silicone and sand into a ball and shove it in the hole. And as far as removing old 3/8" stud bolts--the hole and surrounding rock will definitely looks worse if you try to take the bolt out. The best thing to do is countersink the bolt in the hole using a wide nail set. You will notice the hole if you look for it, but otherwise you will never know....especially if you put some goop and sand in it.
As far as replacing bolts, nothing should be replaced with another 5-piece bolt whether it is stainless or not. And don't try to get the cone of a 5-piece out of the bolt hole, UNLESS you are going to reuse the same hole. This is because the hole will become bored out during the processing of removing the cone...making the hole much more noticeable because of the widened opening at the surface. Not an issue if the hole is to be reused and a hanger placed back on it.... Replacement bolts ought to be 1/2" stainless steel allthread glue-ins, which I believe require a 9/16" hole. Hugh Loeffler has experimented some with the glue-ins and can fill you in if you are interested.
Rob
If you belay with a GriGri: You are betting it all on one little pin...take a look at it. Don't get me wrong I mostly use a grigri these days but I am not so worried when lowering off a single point on an anchor when I consider the single point in my gri gri which is smaller.
I do think the anchor set up that is used often at the Red: the two bolts one above the other with a chain between them and one single lowering point.....that set up is stupid! The high bolt wears out in about a year on a popular route. What is so wrong with two bolts next two each other with seperate chains and lowering points...this seems like a nice equalized anchor to me.
I do think the anchor set up that is used often at the Red: the two bolts one above the other with a chain between them and one single lowering point.....that set up is stupid! The high bolt wears out in about a year on a popular route. What is so wrong with two bolts next two each other with seperate chains and lowering points...this seems like a nice equalized anchor to me.
"Climbing is the spice, not the meal." ~ Lurkist
I may be wrong, but in my opinion, the best anchor system would require two bolts (one right next to the other), 2 chains connecting them (about 36 inches long). When clipping anchors, you'd clip the draw on the first chain, and then clip the second draw onto the second chain.
The system would further be backed up with yet another chain at a much higher point, different part of the rock in case the rock become rotten.
Now that would be a bomber setup, and not to mention that it would reduce the wear-and-tear.
The problem with that setup?
It would require 3 bolts on all routes.
It would require more time and effort.
It would require a LOT more money.
There is no reason for anyone doing all of that, unless they are getting paid!
The system would further be backed up with yet another chain at a much higher point, different part of the rock in case the rock become rotten.
Now that would be a bomber setup, and not to mention that it would reduce the wear-and-tear.
The problem with that setup?
It would require 3 bolts on all routes.
It would require more time and effort.
It would require a LOT more money.
There is no reason for anyone doing all of that, unless they are getting paid!
! Enough with all that detestation ALREADY !
Smile & be thankful for what you have.
Smile & be thankful for what you have.
Man, the ones I have done, and the ones I have seen, the lowering point is pretty much equalized between the bolts. Plus, if just lowering off of a bolt will wear it out like that, what about repeated falls onto a bolt?rhunt wrote:Wes, the upper bolt wears out because it is taking all the load when lowering. Take a look at the upper bolt on any of those set up's and half the time the upper bolt is loose in the bolt hole.
Wes
"There is no secret ingredient"
Po, the kung fu panda
Po, the kung fu panda
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