gBar: A Do-It-Yourself Hang-Bar - Part 2

Materials: I used poplar wood throughout obtained at a local hardware store. 3/4" birch plywood could be used instead of the solid 3/4" poplar plank.

Note: the width of the finger slots/holes/pockets are all 3/4". If you have large fingers, you may want to increase their size to 7/8" or 1" to fit your fingers. If you use a larger size , make sure you increase the overall width of the board accordingly.

Dowels were bought from local hardware store and cut in half. To do this you need a table or band saw. It's also possible cut the 2" dia. dowel in half with a hand saw but that would be tricky. Here is a link to a simple jig that can be used to safely cut the dowels in half length-wise on a table saw. A Google search will yield other jigs for use with a bandsaw.

If you don't have access to a table or band saw it's possible to buy half-rounds from various wood suppliers. The 3/4" half-rounds can often be obtain in the molding/trim section of a large hardware store.

All dimensions for constructing the gBar are listed (or can be inferred from) on the dimensioned drawing in the previous post.

Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Cut the 3/4" x 3.5" x 18" base board of the bar
2. Cut the three dowels to 18" in length then slice/cut in half
3. Round one edge of the base board to 1/2" radius. I used a router for this but could be done easily by hand with a file/rasp/plane/ or sandpaper.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Layout with pencil on the board where the finger slots and dowels will go making sure that the rounded edge (of step #3 above) is on the opposite side of where the 3/4" half-round dowel will go.
5. Cut the finger slots: I used a drill press to cut these holes by using a fence and repeatedly drilling a series of holes until the desired length of each finger slot is obtained. This is slow and tedious but if done carefully can yield good finger slot. You could also use a plunge router which be easier and give a nicely finished slot. If you don't have a router or drill press, you could use a hand drill to drill a 3/4" hole at each end of each finger slot. Then use a reciprocating saw or hand coping saw to cut out the material between the holes.
6. Radius the bottom edge of the finger slots that will be on the back side of the board. I used a 1/4" radius router bit but this can easily be done by hand. The goal is to get a radius that will be comfortable on your fingers when hanging. The top part of the finger pocket will be be radiused by the 5/8" dowel
   
   
   
   
   
7. Attach the 2" half-round dowel to the base board. Use 3 #6 1-1/2" wood screws and wood glue. I used wood clamps to hold in position while I pre-drilled slightly smaller holes for the wood screws. If you measured and cut correctly, the edge of the 2" half-round should line up with the edge of the finger slot and the edge of the board.
   
   
   
   
   
8. Do the same with the 3/4" half round dowel except use 3 - #6 x 1" wood screws. This should line up with the other edge of the finger slot and the other edge of the board.
9. Attach the 5/8" half-round on the back side of the board. I did this with the 6 - 3d 1-1/4" finish nails and glue.
10. This photo show optional holes drilled in the finger pockets to increase the depth for monos by 1/2"-3/4" more. It also shows optional 1/4" hole drilled in the middle of the finger pocket to help facilitate pushing the shims out from the other side if they are used.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Shims can easily be made by trimming 3/4" craft sticks/tongue depressors with scissors and then smoothing with sandpaper. In use, this allows you to increase the difficultly by 1mm at a time. They can also be created with non-corrogated cardboard. Layers can be glued together to make the thickness desired or they can be used with double-sided cellophane tape to adjust on the fly...or if they are trimmed carefully they can have a press fit and then pushed from the other side via the optional access holes shown above.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    All packed and ready to go in my carry-on...
    
    
    
    
    

Next blog I'll cover two different ways to sling and adjust the bar.

gBar: A Do-It-Yourself Hang-Bar - Part 1

This will be four-part series that gives an overview of how to make the gBar portable training bar. It is an incredibly versatile hang bar that utilizes both sides of the board, has adjustable 360 degree angle around the horizontal axis, and hangs from a single point. It can be made for as little as $15, depending upon materials you have on hand, tools available, and your skill level. It combines some of the features we've used on our Gstrings, Pocket Rocks and Contiuum Boards and offers the following grip positions: 

• jug
• half hand flat edge or flat sloper
• 2" finger sloper
• 3/4" edge (adjustable depth via shims)
• 1/2" edge (adjustable depth via shims)
• 1" - comfort edged 1/2/3 finger pocket
• 1.7" - comfort edged 1/2/3 finger pocket 
• 5/8" rounded crimp sloper
• 3/4" rounded crimp sloper
• 1/2" and 3/4" flat edges can be modified for depth using shims to make the edges as small as desired.

The rounded crimps & slopers can be made easier or harder by changing the angle of the bar. This changes the surface contact area of the fingers on the grip. In the same way, edges, pockets and the flat sloper can also be made easier or harder.

The bar is 3.5" x 18" and weighs ~1.5 lb. depending upon what type of wood you use and the density of it. The bar can easily be modified to suit your needs and desires. This is what works for me and a starting point for your creativity!

There are a number of portable training bars/boards on the market already. If you don't have the skills to make one, then check these out...or our Gstring or Pocket Rock climbing grips:

http://pucseries.com/en/shop/il-domani/

http://www.tensionclimbing.com/hangboards/flash-board

https://awesomewoodys.com/collections/all/products/cliffboard

http://www.problemsolver.rocks/hanzo-hangboard

http://www.fingerschinder.com/en/

http://crusherholds.co.uk/portable-fingerboards-hangboards/crusher-mission-portable-hangboard-fingerboard

An important caveat: If you have shoulder or elbow problems or have had tendonitis, consider using individual grips that can rotate around the vertical axis. This allows more flexibility in elbow/shoulder position than a bar/board type of device where both hands are always in the same plane. If you are training with repeaters, use additional weight, or do long intensive training sessions, it can lead to repetitive stress type of injuries. If you think this is, or could be an issue for you, check out our grips at sic.grips.com - they are infinitely adjustable in all planes and allow the most comfort in training.

This first blog post will give an overview; dimensions, and materials. The second blog post will give basic construction advice; the third post will describe different ways of slinging it; and the final post will give pointers on how to use it.

the basic ingredients ready to be assembled

Materials:

• 18" x 3.5" x 3/4" plank (poplar, birch plywood or other hardwood)
• 2" half round dowel (2" x 1" x 18") - poplar, birch other other hardwood
• 3/4" half round dowel (3/4" x 3/8" x 18") - poplar, birch other other hardwood
• 5/8" half round dowel  (5/8" x 5/16") - poplar, birch other other hardwood

---------------------------------------------------

• 3 - #6 - 1.5" wood screws
• 3 - #6 - 1" wood screws
• 6 - 3d 1.25" finish nails

---------------------------------------------------

• 7'-8' - 5mm or 6mm accessory cord

---------------------------------------------------

• wood glue

Tools:

Minimally you will need a hand saw, drill and hammer. If you can not obtain or have someone halve the dowels for you lengthwise, you will need a table or band saw to slice the dowels in half length-wise.

PS - in case it was not obvious, the name for the bar came from the "g" cross section of the bar. Several people who've tried it did not immediately make the connection.