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Bolting routes

Gregger Man · · Broomfield, CO · Joined Aug 2004 · Points: 1,759

Eli -
This tool may solve that problem for you (although I haven't tried it):
UniBurr​​​

eli poss · · Durango, CO · Joined May 2014 · Points: 525
Gregger Man wrote: Eli -
This tool may solve that problem for you (although I haven't tried it):
UniBurr

Looks like it would. I'd have to borrow a drill but totally worth it. Are  they expensive?

Roy Suggett · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 8,821

Yes, find a mentor prior to doing the Palin, ie. "Drill baby Drill"   Really, this will give you a good deal of info. not found until many bad bolts later.

Matthew Jaggers · · Red River Gorge · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 695

If you're new, excited, and have the skills, just take youre time on the first few, and be sure to mock lead it a couple of times, and look at the "proposed" chalked bolt placements from the ground. If you say to yourself, "that looks run out", then add more bolts and change the spacing. Also, don't be afraid to ask climbing partners if the bolts look like they're spaced well. Second and third opinions are super helpful, even if they're not developers. If someone points out that it looks sketchy, maybe you need to move some bolts around.

Mike Bond · · Kentucky · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 3,191
eli poss wrote:

Looks like it would. I'd have to borrow a drill but totally worth it. Are  they expensive?

You can buy a standard chuck adapter for your SDS drill. They are <$30. 

Tom MacD · · San Miguel de Allende, MX · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 0
M Sprague wrote:

Some good points, but a few issues: It sounds like you need to put more effort into cleaning out your holes. A lot of people don't take that seriously enough. Just blowing them out with a straw isn't good enough. You really need to cycle through blowing and brushing them well with a tube brush a few times to get them properly cleaned. A blow bulb, or better yet a plunger style blower (or even a battery powered blower with a piece of tubing taped on) works better because you aren't getting condensation from your moist breath mixed in. Cleaner holes (and a good bit) will help reduce some of the bolt issues you have

Secondly, just cranking down as hard as you can may easily lead to over torquing even quality bolts. A small wrench  helps avoid that, but it is still a good idea to figure out what your target torque feels like.

No argument on the importance of cleaning out the holes properly, but in my experience (500+ bolts and counting) in volcanic rock, having a long straw and blowing vigorously (and I mean vigorously - over and over until there is zero dust coming out) works just fine.  I've never used a plunger or tube brush as, in my experience, those are not at all necessary if you blow the hell out of the hole.  And as to tightening, I think with much practice you can tell when the bolt is tight "enough" but not too tight.  Hitting the wrench with a hammer or such or jumping up and down on it would obviously be bad, but putting your body weight into it and getting it tight as you can while hanging in a harness can't really overdo it - just getting it good and tight works.  I'd also suggest keeping a wrench in your pack and checking bolts that you've placed a month or so later.  At least here in central Mexico, with vast temperature swings, I've seen a few bolts that benefit from a later bit of additional tightening, but I wouldn't say that's common.  My 2¢.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Fixed Hardware: Bolts & Anchors
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