Micro rack dimensions??

[Rick Brinkman]

Could someone take some measurements of your micro rack for me?

Frame
Length:
Width (center to center):

Bars
Hyper bar length:
Regular bar length:
Bar diameter (I assume 3/4"):


Thought I'd build my own.
Thanks!

[Jep]

I think my Subject Line says it all. Jep.

[Scott McCrea]

I think my Subject Line says it all. Jep.

Patent infringement? Whaaa?

Is a version of the micro rack patented? If so, by who? How is making your own rack an infringement? If he sold it, then it may be. But it all depends on how good the lawyers are. Patents are a great way for lawyers to make money.

[Jep]

Now Scott. The entire issue would be the same if I asked for the dimensions, materials etc of your products. I could be taking food out of your child's mouth, if I made my own packs (but I wouldn't).

In fact, if Rick had really looked very hard, the dimensions of the micro rack are posted on the owner's web site along with all the loading info.

Jep.

[Rick Brinkman]

I already found the frame dimensions on that website. I was more concerned with the bar sizes/widths.

There are at least two manufactures of "micro racks" that I know of, and I looked at both on the web.

As far as patent infringement (if it actually is patented), I have no plans to manufacture and sell. I can just build one for myself much cheaper than buying one, just as I have done with other gear. (BTW I haven't made my own cave pack yet, but probably will someday. NOBODY makes a comfortable strap for a cave pack.)

I would have looked at one from a local caver, but the closest is 3 hours away. Anyway, a friend already emailed the dimensions to me.

[Scott McCrea]

Rick, Glad you got the info you needed. Let us know how it turns out, eh?

We know of several folks that have made their own packs in the spirit of Swaygo's. I think it's great! We are flattered. Comfortable straps are relative. My pack's straps are comfortable.

[Squirrel Girl]

Yeah, but Scott, I hear you boys are reluctant to making an extra hole to be able to change the straps so you can put your pack on your side to negotiate canyons more easily.

Why not add that little feature? Seems like a good idea to me.

[Scott McCrea]

We are not really reluctant. We would like to. It's just not an easy thing to do. We would need to change the dies, templates, etc. However, there are several ways to configure the straps so that it can be worn on your side. Personally, depending on how much canyon passage there is, I simply pull the strap thru the grommet and then pull on side back thru and wear it like a messenger bag. Or I just flip one strap off and wear it on one shoulder.
Sorry to go

[RescueMan]

Could someone take some measurements of your micro rack for me?

That's rather personal, I must say.

But, if you're not satisfied with the dimensions of your rack, I understand there is a patch that can increase its size.

[Rick Brinkman]

That's rather personal, I must say.

But, if you're not satisfied with the dimensions of your rack, I understand there is a patch that can increase its size.

[mgmills]

I already found the frame dimensions on that website. I was more concerned with the bar sizes/widths.

There are at least two manufactures of "micro racks" that I know of, and I looked at both on the web.

As far as patent infringement (if it actually is patented), I have no plans to manufacture and sell. I can just build one for myself much cheaper than buying one, just as I have done with other gear. (BTW I haven't made my own cave pack yet, but probably will someday. NOBODY makes a comfortable strap for a cave pack.)

I would have looked at one from a local caver, but the closest is 3 hours away. Anyway, a friend already emailed the dimensions to me.

I know the bars are offset and they alternate in the direction they protude from the rack frame. I don't have measurements handy for how much off-set (my gear is in the shed and it is raining so I'm not goign to go check).

Good luck with your project

[Rick Brinkman]

Here are pictures of my homemade racks.




The bottom rack is one I built in '98 or '99. It was originally a 6-bar rack with aluminum bars and no hyperbar. The frame is 5/16" cold roll steel and was made wide enough for 2 ropes. I shortened the frame for 4 bars, replaced the aluminum bars with stainless steel and added the hyperbar. The copper band is soldered on just to keep the bottom bar from 'wedging' into the curve.

The top rack is the 'new' one made for a single rope. It has stainless bars also. The frame is made from some kind of 1/4" high carbon, spring steel that I found in Dad's scrap pile. It's so hard that I was barely able to get the threads on it and had a hard time bending it into a "U". I'm NOT worried about strength with this stuff and it is lighter than the 5/16" cold roll.

I plan on putting 'cap nuts' on both before I take them into a cave.

The most difficult part about building these is getting the frame into a U shape. Of course, I also found that working with stainless steel isn't much fun either. Getting the holes in the bars to line up straight is a challenge. You can see that the hyperbar on the top rack is crooked. I think I spent about 10 hours on each rack. But the cool thing is that I have 2 racks that will last me a LONG time that cost under $20 total.

Comments? Fire away...I'll listen to the good and bad.

[Scott McCrea]

Not bad. Not bad at all. How did you cut the slots in the bars? And you can pick up a pretty good bender on sale at Harbor Freight for $50.

I'm no metallurgist, but I would think that harder metal would be more brittle. You could test it by seeing how many times you can bend it back and forth before it snaps and compare it to normal SS. Just don't drop it.

Making your own gear is great! Keep at it and you never know where it will take you.

[adleedy]

Making your own gear is great! Keep at it and you never know where it will take you.

id say scott knows this just as well as anybody.

And Great job ive always thought about making my own rack just never went through with it

[Rick Brinkman]

How did you cut the slots in the bars?

First I drilled both holes to make a solid bar. I cut the slots with a cutoff wheel just like they cut the custom fenders on American Chopper, and then filed it down to a good fit.

I'm no metallurgist, but I would think that harder metal would be more brittle. You could test it by seeing how many times you can bend it back and forth before it snaps and compare it to normal SS. Just don't drop it.

That would be too much work to find out. This stuff bends and then goes back to the original shape. It's a type of SPRING steel. Took a lot of work with the hammer and vice to get it into a 'U'. I didn't want to heat it and lose the strength. It was originally part of the frame of a 6' diameter umbrella/sun shade for an old tractor.

I forgot...the total cost might be a little higher. I think that spring steel wrecked the die when I put the threads on. So I owe Dad a new die.