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xanx
Aug 12, 2002, 3:40 AM
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Hi i'm 16 and am really into climbing - i have never done any other sports because i suck at them and they aren't fun like climbing. anyway, i am trying to convince my mom to let me build a wall in my room or the garage. Rough dimensions - my room is about 8ft tall and has about 11-13ft available for climbing. My garage... about 12ft high with 3 walls available, at least 15ft each... huge!!! She says it will be too expensive and i am going to college in 2 yrs so it isnt worth it. Anyone know approximate costs, how long it takes, any other arguments i can use? Please help!!
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scotia
Aug 12, 2002, 3:45 AM
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It can be pretty expensive, but convince her that you are passionate about climbing and that it is something you really want to do. Also tell her that when you go off to college that the holds can be taken off the wall and put in storage or used someplace else. The best argument is to tell her that you will pay for as much of it as you can, and put lots of labor yourself into building it.
-Scott-
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crackaddict
Aug 12, 2002, 3:45 AM
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Scroll down and click on my pics for some ideas.
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wildtrail
Aug 12, 2002, 3:52 AM
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Get good grades, do your chores without being asked, and say I love you often!
This will only help. Take from a guy that used to aggravate his mother.
Do all that, then maybe ask for it for a birthday gift or Christmas gift, but pay for it yourself.
Steve
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marcel
Aug 12, 2002, 3:59 AM
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Good on you for wanting to build your own wall!
I love scotia's answer!
Also, if you want have your mom e-mail me. I work with kids who have problems with drugs, and alcohol. It's been my experience, one of the best ways to keep kids clean is to let them develop fun hobbies like indoor climbing. In my opinion parents should do everything they can to encourage kids to develop the talents and and likes whether it's climbing, basketball, or playing the flute.
I have seen first hand how climbing has helped develop all the positive things we parents want to see in our kids.
Good luck and climb on!
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peanutbutterandjelly
Aug 12, 2002, 4:53 AM
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I was able to convince my parents that I needed a climbing wall even though I was going to go to college in about a year and a half. There are a lot of ways you can cut the cost for a home wall and still make it cool and safe. DO not skimp on the framing. If you shop around on tnuts you can get them for $8 for 100 and you can buy second holds. I found that premade railings from a hardware store make great pinches and edges without much work. Good luck in getting your wall.
PBJ
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xanx
Aug 12, 2002, 5:06 AM
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ty all guys... ill try them out and see where it gets me. the main problem is for my room to work we would have to knock out the wall bewteen my room and my closet, and for the garage, what would my parents do with their 2 cars? keep em coming!
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tonto
Aug 12, 2002, 5:49 AM
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my wall wasnt too much, i got the ply and the rest of the wood discounted.getting holds cost alot, but i made some from wood that rnt too good but do their job.
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xanx
Aug 12, 2002, 5:55 PM
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My biggest problem is still what r my parents gonna do with their cars (2)? i don't think they are gonna want to leave them outside (mercedes...) and there isn't enough room in the garage to build the wall and still fit the cars. Anyone have any relatively cheap suggestions? thanks.
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peanutbutterandjelly
Aug 12, 2002, 6:03 PM
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DO you have a basement? I do not know what your garage looks like, but it might be possible to build a wall that the climbing face faces the garage door and just move the car out when you are climbing.
PBJ
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overlord
Aug 12, 2002, 6:11 PM
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well, if you have two marcedes than money for a wall shouldnt be a problem. yes, considet the basement or the attic. and you could move the cars when you climb and park them in when you dont, right?!?
CLIMB ON
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wonder1978
Aug 12, 2002, 6:32 PM
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This is a peculiar situation xanx. I can understand that your parents wouldn't want you to fall on the windshield of their 500SL. Maybe tearing down the wall in your room would be the best option given that it isn't a disproportionate enterprise.
I tried to convince my parents when I was still living with them but it never worked.
Perhaps a good fingerboard would be better than nothing for the time being.
Also, have you considered building your wall outside? in the back yard maybe?
Good Luck
Steve.
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wigglestick
Aug 12, 2002, 6:34 PM
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I hate to admit it but I agree with your mom.
First of all climbing walls are expensive. A thousand bucks will get you started on a half way decent one. And if you go cheap and build a crappy wall how long do you think it will keep your interest? Indoor walls are usually used by more experienced climbers who need to train and don't have time to get to the crag/gym 3-4 times a week.
A beginner will lose interest in a 8'x12' wall in about 3-4 months. And then you parents have a thousand dollar contraption blocking the garage so they can't park their cars in there or they permanently alter their home by knocking out a wall. How about this: Ask your mom for the basic equipment and a monthy pass to the local climbing gym. That way if you lose interest in the sport in a couple of months they only wasted a few hundred dollars and didn't have to rearrange their entire lives to suit the latest fad that you are interested in.
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xanx
Aug 12, 2002, 7:28 PM
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bad wigglestick, bad...
first off, local crag = 2.5hrs to gunks (which means buying pads, oh, and getting her to drive me there and back...not gonna happen.)
Also, i do go to they gym sometimes, but i almost never have someone to TR with and the boulder problems get boring if they never change them (or put up nothing but v8's) and someone takes down everything i try and set there. If i had my own wall, i would seriously be on it at like 11:00 at night cause i dont go to bed until like 1:30 ever.
i think i like the idea of something in the yard - then i can build a topout, right? what do i do to cover it though? just put a tarp over it? It seems like it would be a lot more work/money than putting something up in the garage.
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xanx
Aug 12, 2002, 7:32 PM
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p.s. basement is like 6-7ft ceilings and attic is too small and crowded so a very small chance it would work.
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radistrad
Aug 12, 2002, 7:47 PM
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Tell your mom that you are going to become a climbing bum and wont be starting college until your 25 years old so you'll get lots of use out of the wall.
Heck, when I was 16 I was growing pot in my closet, I bet mom would have rather had me build a climbing wall.
Keep the cost down by keeping the wall simple.
You'll find that 8' is too short. My wall is 10' and it is too short.
Good luck
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collegekid
Aug 12, 2002, 9:04 PM
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home climbing wall? ....buildering!!!!
seriously, i wish i could have a real home climbing wall...but then again, it's expensive and my mom wouldn't appreciate it. Also, i move out in a month. Have you tried to find any local buildering spots? In a lot of places, there are retaining walls and stuff that people climb on. I even do circuits on street light poles to build up open hand strength. I found a rock facade retaining wall at a church with like a 200 foot long traverse. If there's no other way for you to find climbing without building your own wall, then i guess you gotta do what you gotta do. However, if you can make the wall removable (ie by not taking out walls in your house) then your mom would be more likely to let you build it.
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psalmadventurer
Aug 13, 2002, 3:30 AM
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u could always start with a hangboard. thats what i did
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peanutbutterandjelly
Aug 13, 2002, 4:49 AM
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DO you have a drop ceiling in your basement?
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climbinganne
Aug 13, 2002, 4:52 AM
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PBJ...DO YOU DROP???
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xanx
Aug 13, 2002, 5:23 AM
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drop ceiling = lowered ceiling??
i dunno. i think that is the real height cause there is an I-beam showing and all the supports and stuff are like that (like 7ft max. height)
my best bet is prolly a free standing thing in my backyard, but i would need a good way to protect it (plut it gets cold in the winter...)
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iridesantacruz
Sep 2, 2002, 6:17 PM
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i just ask over and over, think or something to convince them, and ask again. Works most of the time. Also if she sayes you get bored of it always bein the same you can say WRONG! and you can change it as much as you want. Although the major problem after you mom is money. Most holds are like $70. If you get her convinced... http://www.chockstone.org/TechTips/Woodie.htm
[ This Message was edited by: iridesantacruz on 2002-09-02 12:10 ]
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xanx
Sep 2, 2002, 7:10 PM
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yeah, the cost is a problem. but plywood isn't too much, and i can get studs pretty cheap, nail are pretty much worthless, and Tnuts are cheap in bulk ($100 US for 1000) or i can always steal the wood from construction sites
as for the holds, there are a lot of places that sell them at lower prices (read: Cheapholds.com) and then there is the more commonly used solution: sneak a few out of the gym everytime i go there. hehe a friend of mine is setting for a comp at another gym and he is robbing the dumbasses blind!
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overlord
Sep 2, 2002, 7:48 PM
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man DONT steal from gyms. by doing that youre stealin from every climber thet climbs there. and think about what happens when they get suspicious and start investigating and get you.
CLIMB ON
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alexinmilton
Sep 2, 2002, 8:19 PM
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Why don't you spend more time at the gym to find partners? Or try to convince some friends to start the sport with you. Another option to find people to climb with would be to hook up with an outdoors club in your area (ie school or Alpine club).
Unless you are planning on running a gym or a kids camp it just doesn't make sense to build anything more than a bouldering cave at your home. Besides if you build a wall at home who will belay you on it?
Alex
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