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Wood wedge ROS

Marmuzz

Marmuzz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2021
Messages
1,174
Location
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Can somebody who’s successfully made and used wood wedge ROS post some photos and share general specs (type of lumber, dimensions, etc.)? I’d like to try making some. Tinkering with the idea of adding a ROS and thought it’d be a cheap way to get a feel for it.
 

I have a bone to pick with some of you...

How come none of you ROS guys have told me just how incredibly amazing, stable and comfortable a ROS is for saddle hunting? I’m just kidding, but I seriously never gave the concept a try until now. I thought it would just have more problems than solutions. Now I only have like 6 hours on a ROS...
saddlehunter.com
First posts have pictures. Nothing to them, super easy to make, have a wide foot space and don't flip up or over. It'll give you a great feel for whether or not a ROS is right for you.

***** FOR GROUND USE ONLY*** anytime you DIY something and take it 20' up you're responsible for the risks

I used treated 2x6 board for mine. I measured 6" down the board and marked and then drew a line from the corner to corner of the line. Since the actual dimensions of a 2x6 is 5 1/2 this will give you one side that is 1/2" longer. I oriented all my steps the same way with the slightly longer side down. I continued this down the board for however many steps I needed. I then went to the right angle corner of every step with a spade bit 1" or 11/4" and came off each edge an equal distance, marked and made my hole. I believe I came off the edge 2" to center hole. I chose a hole for my strap versus drilling multiple holes in a straight line because I felt like it would help with splitting with the grain of the wood. Take a heavy grit sandpaper and radius the inside diameter edge.

If I did it again I would probably use the western red cedar or untreated lumber then epoxy it for a lighter option. The treated wood steps are a little bit heavier, but insignificant to me if you're only carry 4-6.

I would also apply grip tape to the tree side as well as the top side for superior grip.

Have fun and be safe!

*****for ground use only of course*****
 
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Sounds like a strong possibility of it being a disaster. Safer just to buy something if you don’t like it just sell it. Recoup most of your money.
 
enkriss said:
Sounds like a strong possibility of it being a disaster. Safer just to buy something if you don’t like it just sell it. Recoup most of your money.
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Sounds like he is just wanting to make these to tinker and get the feel for.
If he has wood laying around Id say go for it. You don’t need to by 20’ up to see if you like a ROS. Put it at the base of the tree and you’ll be good to go. If he likes it he can buy some real ones.

I also think this is a humorous response coming from the guy who jumped up and down on his modified stand and claimed it’s guaranteed to be safe and not break. What a joke.
 
gcr0003 said:
Sounds like he is just wanting to make these to tinker and get the feel for.
If he has wood laying around Id say go for it. You don’t need to by 20’ up to see if you like a ROS. Put it at the base of the tree and you’ll be good to go. If he likes it he can buy some real ones.

I also think this is a humorous response coming from the guy who jumped up and down on his modified stand and claimed it’s guaranteed to be safe and not break. What a joke.
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Hacking something together to be weight bearing out of some old 2x4s you had lying around somewhere is quite a bit different than swapping the cables to the other side of the cable mounting bolt. I was also at ground level testing it out btw…
 
enkriss said:
Hacking something together to be weight bearing out of some old 2x4s you had lying around somewhere is quite a bit different than swapping the cables to the other side of the cable mounting bolt. I was also at ground level testing it out btw…
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Since it probably wasn't clear in my post I added a "for ground use only" to my original post. I am not claiming that wood blocks for a ROS are safe, I haven't testing them or analyzed them. The line between what is safe and what I would recommend and what I would risk doing in my own time are two different things and can often get blurred on here when people post saying that they are using a certain method that would generally be unsafe. So, to reiterate, I recommend using them at ground level only. Anyone that wants use these at hunting height needs to understand the inherent risks and take responsibility for them.
 
Got it. I figured there are guys out there who have built and used wood blocks at hunting height, and so can advise a sturdy way to build them. But no, I only aim to get a feel for using a ROS a few feet above the backyard. Thanks!
 
If you glue two pieces of 3/4 ply together you could probably cut a “4” shape out of them and either drill a hole in the leg of the 4 or make it kind of hook over toward the point of the 4 then flip it upside down and put a strap on the leg of the 4. As long as all of the corners are rounded with no square inside corners that should be plenty strong to hold a fella off the ground.
 
Ummmm
I can remember using 2x4 blocks that were about 5-6" long with a 3/8" hole drilled through the 4" side and tied them to the tree with CLOTHES LINE and it worked fine (it was a royal P.I.T.A to carry them, but they worked). Like many others I got the idea from an oldtimer to referenced an old Field and Stream article.

Anything we do on a tree that is head-height or above is going to be dangerous to some degree regardless if it is homegrown or "industry" bought. I don't believe there is any more real risk with a wooden ROS than there is with a step with a name brand on it, considering our use. By our use I am referring to the fact that not many folks would step onto their ROS without having their tether attached with/without their linemans belt on; if one step broke at height you'd have a scary moment to share with others if you chose to share it - that is really it. The probability of TWO steps breaking is not all that high.

That being written, the advantage(s) of a name brand step far outweighs a DIY wooden block step IMHO, but to try a ROS to see if it is for you? it is a no-brainer for the cost involved.

Are wooden steps less safe than some of the DIY saddles we have seen?? We enjoy a risky activity, embrace it and go for it or buy a Waldrop PacSeat!
 
I just made these a few days ago and have tested them in the backyard on a cam strap. They seem pretty solid once you stand on them and set them in and comfortable too. I used treated 2x6 I had laying around from another project and made the dimensions of these so that they fit efficiently on a 2x6.

*Grain orientation is important for strength as well
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Made a change to the design that makes it quicker, easier, more user friendly, sturdier, etc.

Using a hole saw, I drilled out a hole in the wedge to replace the slot cutout in my first design. By drilling the hole closer to the surface that you stand on and a bit further from the surface that sits against the tree, you can cam the wedge into place even tighter after you've tightened the cam strap. You tighten the cam strap with the standing surface of the wedges against the tree and then pull down so they're in the right position.

IMG_0228-1.jpeg
 
Use plywood if you want it to actually be strong. Laminate up 2 layers of hardwood or birch 3/4 plywood

Sent from my SM-A516V using Tapatalk
 
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