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Hicks Sticks

ThereWillBeSpuds

ThereWillBeSpuds

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2019
Messages
648
I'm working on a design for some diy sticks that I hope will be very light, compact stacking, and safer than standard sticks. I cut out some rough mockups of the design out of cardboard to help illustrate the gist.

I came up with this design by looking at how tall all the existing sticks are when stacked, mostly due to the standoffs residing in the same real estate as the central tube. Cutouts in my design allow a few improvements on existing stick designs I believe.

1. They allow the standoffs to nest within the profile of the next stick. Making them very compact.

2. They reduce the considerable hazard presented by sharp steps sticking out from the tree in the event of a tethered fall that swings you up against your own stick.

4. They support the steps on both extremities which will eliminate any leverage your body weight has on the central support. In a traditional stick, the weight applied to the step has leverage against the tube and exerts more than your body weight on that joint. The elimination of this should allow me to make the sticks lighter, I believe.

Downsides:

A.you have to start with a large chunk of aluminum to mill this out (standoffs will be separate pieces held on with bolts)

B. The bottom step will always be a single step. A wider top step wouldn't be hard though.



My plan was to attach cam cleats to the sides of the narrow part of the bowtie.

I'm hoping to mill these out of 1/2 inch aluminum before deee season opens up.

What do you think?

PS. My last name is Hicks.
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Don't get your boot stuck in the bottom step. Still thinking.

Edit: Are the standoffs too narrow?

Edit: Bolts used as standoffs?
 
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bj139 said:
Don't get your boot stuck in the bottom step. Still thinking.

Edit: Are the standoffs too narrow?

Edit: Bolts used as standoffs?
Click to expand...
In this cardboard mockup, the standoffs are probably too narrow. I plan on making each of these from an 8 x 24 x 0.5 block of aluminum, leaving about 7 inches within the cutout area for feet and standoffs to reside in. Hoping 7 inches is a gracious plenty for the bottom step to not be a foot trap.

The standoffs should be about 6in wide.

Edit: No, not bolts used as standoffs. Machined aluminum standoffs held on with bolts.

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Might be easier to just machine the sheet while flat, then brake sheet into the "C" shape. Or weld the standoffs.

They remind me of rapid rails, which accomplish essentially the same thing, but are lighter weight. Only problem is they are 3 step, not two. Be nice if two step ones existed.
 
kyler1945 said:
Might be easier to just machine the sheet while flat, then brake sheet into the "C" shape. Or weld the standoffs.

They remind me of rapid rails, which accomplish essentially the same thing, but are lighter weight. Only problem is they are 3 step, not two. Be nice if two step ones existed.
Click to expand...
Rapid rails are awesome.
 
kyler1945 said:
Might be easier to just machine the sheet while flat, then brake sheet into the "C" shape. Or weld the standoffs.

They remind me of rapid rails, which accomplish essentially the same thing, but are lighter weight. Only problem is they are 3 step, not two. Be nice if two step ones existed.
Click to expand...
Might be easier if I had a brake or was able to weld aluminum. Working with a lathe, a vertical mill and various hand tools.

Edit: rapid rails look cool! But not very lightweight or compact. Info I can find says a set of 4 weighs 14.5 lb.

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The bow tie area looks like it would be heavy to me. Have you done any calculations on that much area with 1/2 material.
 
wingnut said:
The bow tie area looks like it would be heavy to me. Have you done any calculations on that much area with 1/2 material.
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I will post up a more accurate profile I've drawn in CAD when I get home. It also intend to machine some reliefs in the surface to lighten it.

Only parts that will be solid 1/2 inch AL are where the cam cleat are bolted in, the areas where your feet actually rest and where the standoffs attach.

The cardboard mockups are running into the limits of the material and are definitely chunkier than my actual design.

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Interested to see where this goes, man.

Based on the design of other climbing sticks, I think the most stable place for the attachment rope/strap is higher than the center point - typically about 2/3 of the way up. Maybe the narrow part of your hourglass should be higher? Maybe it already is and I can’t tell from the pics?
 
Who here has the biggest foot? I wanna know what some size 15 winter boots measure across the widest part.

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kyler1945 said:
Be nice if two step ones existed.
Click to expand...
I really wanted to mod my Muddy Stagger Steps into some short two step variants for one sticking. In the end I didn't have the skill to do it on my own.

But yea, definitely a cool idea. You should probably go ahead and file for a patent..

And I thought this thread was going to be hick versions of sticks that people had seen, made of 2x4's or cinder blocks or broken branches.
 
five said:
I really wanted to mod my Muddy Stagger Steps into some short two step variants for one sticking. In the end I didn't have the skill to do it on my own.

But yea, definitely a cool idea. You should probably go ahead and file for a patent..

And I thought this thread was going to be hick versions of sticks that people had seen, made of 2x4's or cinder blocks or broken branches.
Click to expand...
My dad's side of the family definitely lives up to our name. I have no idea how to approach patenting something.

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I really like this concept. Its a modern rapid rail-- cant wait to see what the final prototype looks like on the Hicks Sticks (patent pending)
 
Neat! I think you sre
five said:
I really wanted to mod my Muddy Stagger Steps into some short two step variants for one sticking. In the end I didn't have the skill to do it on my own.

But yea, definitely a cool idea. You should probably go ahead and file for a patent..

And I thought this thread was going to be hick versions of sticks that people had seen, made of 2x4's or cinder blocks or broken branches.
Click to expand...

Rural Missouri public land...almost scary what you can find lol

I love my rapid rails for semi presets...following! Seems like a simple solid option
 
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