day four: wednesday, november 22nd

Probably the longest project day I've done so far! I started around 9 and first fixed the L-beams so that they all had the overhang in the back that allowed them to hook onto the horizontal 2x6. That is, all but one because the middle one I cut too short on accident. But it's okay. The middle beam also has two gussets on it. To do the switch, I ended up using clamps (right) (something I somehow didn't consider in previous days) to keep everything together while I dissassembled and reassembled them. I also had to move the middle/angled piece up a bit because I wanted the bottom of it, the part attached to the vertical peice, to be in contact with the 2x6 second from the top.

After everything was put together for the last time, I attached them to the 2x6s. It took a while, mostly because doing it securley with one person was difficult. After I'd attached the first two, I realized it would be a lot easier if I just put my ladder onto my bed and leaned it against the wall. Although it sounds sketchy, it was less than one would thing because the ladder was braced between the two L-beams I'd attached beforehand. Also, using the ladder for an iffy ten minutes is a lot better than leaning at weird angles from my loft and/or bracing myself between the wall and the loft for 30.

After finally attaching all three L-beams, I began prepping for attaching the plywood onto them. I sawed off a part of my loft's storage door, so that the plywood could actually fit right next to it. (left) Then, I started disassembling my sister's climbing section in her room because she said I could scavenge all the parts from it. Yay for older sisters, for the second time! From hers, I got a bunch more climbing holds (the ones I had previously I also stole from her... just earlier on.) some bolts, and the T-nuts she used. I have a newfound love for T-nuts just because they were so useful in the project, and they have little teeth.

Last, I put a few holds onto the plywood peices I'd brought up from the basement earlier. I had a good time making up a route in my head, but I also drilled extra holes in the plywood so I can easily move holds around for new routes. After attaching the holds, I put the main piece of plywood onto the wall! (right) (yay!) Tomorrow, if I get time, I'll put up the overhang plywood peiece (left) and the saftey piece between the main climbing wall and the window.