By: Jeremy Hardin

Have you been setting on your wall for years? Have you set every possible hold combination and sequence? Is the most interesting part of your day coming up with the name of the route you just set?

Then maybe it’s time to do something about it! One of the easiest ways to turn a flat wall into a giggle inducing fun house, is to add a few volumes.

Sure you could go spend lots of money on commercially made volumes. But most setters are pretty handy with tools and can make their own. With these 11 easy steps you too can turn your flat-as-a-ten-year-old-girl wall into a wall with more dimensions than a double-D porn star.

Materials Needed for Volume

• 4×8 Sheet of ¾ inch Plywood
• Straight Edge / Tape Measure
• Circular Saw
• Drill
• Belt Sander
• Putty
• Jigsaw
• Assortment of Screws
• Small piece of 2×6 stock
• 1 ½ inch pipe or dowel
• Epoxy
• 7/16 Drill bit

Step 1: Creating the Shape

First you need to come up with a design you’re going to want on your wall.

Take the design you probably drew on the back of a sticky note and mark it out in true size on your ¾ inch plywood. If you don’t want to be a bum about this step you can find someone who knows how to work a CAD program and actually draw out the entire design with precise measurements and angles so all you’ll have to do is mark and cut.

You should start with basic triangle shapes, nothing with more than 4 sides for right now.

Step 2: Transferring and Cutting out the Shape

After you have your design marked on the ply, take a circular saw and go to work. Here’s another area not to be sloppy about, take the time to set up a guide so that you’re actually cutting straight lines. Good advice here is to also miter the bottom edges of the sides that will sit on the wall. You should be able to turn your blade so that you’re cutting at an angle. This will save you lots of time when you go to mount the volume.

Step 3: Creating the Volume

Next take the sides and start mocking them together. If a particular side isn’t meeting up just right, don’t stress, your going to be sanding and filling gaps on the edges later. Drill pilot holes and counter sink your screws as you begin to put everything together. The number and space of the screws is up to you but I would suggest no more than 6-8 inches apart, it’ll look bad if someone gets hurt on your manky volume

Step 4: T-Nut

Once all you’re pieces are screwed together now’s the time to drill all your t-nut holes. Slow down! Try not to explode the bit thru the other side. Pound in the t-nuts or if you want to get fancy screw them in.

Step 5: Beautifying the Volume

Now you’re about half way there. Flip the volume upright and start sanding all the faces and edges of the volume. If you do a bad job here your volume is going to look and feel awful. Make sure all your sides are as flush as you can get them. Any gaps that you can’t get rid of should be filled in with wood putty and sanded. The entire volume should be comfortable to grab and smooth.

Step 6: Extra Mounting Technique (Steps 6-9 are not required, but will allow for easier mounting)

If you’re fortunate enough to have some people help you install the volume this step is not necessary.

Back to the plywood. Take your volume and place it on the ply. Trace around the bottom of the volume. To save weight we won’t be covering the entire back. All you need is a section that covers about ½ of the volume. This piece should be traced out and cropped a bit smaller so that it actually sits just inside the volume, flush with the bottom edges.

Step7: Attaching the Back Piece

Take the piece of wood you just cut and mount it to the volume using the same method of pilot and counter sinking your screws.

Step 8: Creating the “Key Hole”

Now for the key hole. I use a roll of tape to create the out line of the circle and then the slots are the diameter of 1 ½ inch pipe we’ll use later in the “key”. Cut it out using a jigsaw.

Step 9: Creating the “Key”

Take the roll of tape you just used and trace it onto your 2 x 6 stock of wood. Cut it out using the jigsaw and sand it into a good looking circle. Next take a hole bit and drill into the circle creating an incut for the 1 1/2 inch pipe to sit in. Attach the pipe to your circular stock with some glue or epoxy. Next drill a 3/8 in hole straight thru both the stock and pipe. This will get bolted to the wall when you’re ready to attach the volume
**Important note** the “key” is not meant as a form of mounting, it’s merely an extra hand you can use to hold the volume up as you screw it on.

Step 10: Finishing the Volume

All that’s left is to apply a finish of your choice to the volume. I use a basic interior paint but if you want, you can use textured paint or even leave the wood bare if you have good enough carpentry skills.

Step 11: Attaching the Volume

As for attaching it to the wall, merely attach the key to the wall using a 3/8in bolt and then slip on the volume so that the key rests inside the hole. The key acts as an extra hand so that you can spin the volume wherever you want it. Next using the appropriate length screws, screw the volume to the wall. Be sure you use enough screws to safely hold the volume on and make sure to give it some serious pulls to ensure it’s secure. I use some 2 inch tape to outline the volume and give it an official look.

Jeremy Hardin is a USAC National setter and the Head Setter for Sport Rock climbing gyms.

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