Interesting! Thanks for the details, Brocky. Tricky but still looks doable on my mill if I buy a ball milling bit the right size for those hollow areas. (These cutters are on sale in many places right now, with the economic slow-down). I must say, it is rather a curse to be a tinkerer and be retired now with time on my hands. If I was still working my shop full time professionally, it would be far cheaper to just buy a few of these Hipsters instead of spending all day making some!It is more complicated than drilled holes and then rounding the edges. The rope enters the plate at about 45 degrees, and two approximately 1/8” round rims are made on the top and bottom of each plate by hollowing out between them. So each plate has two offset bearing surfaces, like a mini, first version rope wrench. The top plate takes up most of the load with the bottom plate doing the rest.
I tried capturing some of the geometry of this device. The holes are at angles and line up only when the plates are flat.It would not be too hard to make a DIY version of this thing for smaller rope using, say, 1/2 x 1 inch aluminium flatbar and the side plates off big roller chain links. The holes for the rope could be any size needed. One would want to chamfer or round over the edges of the holes, to be rope friendly. It is getting to be that time of year, anyway, for indoor projects in the shop.
You sure it’s a Grigri, and not a Grillon?![]()
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Looks beautifully made. Probably worth every bit of the $165. price. I think I will buy one but I want to still have a go at making a version for smaller 9mm line.
I was tempted to try it until I saw the compatible rope diameters (11-12.5mm). I like my 9mm lanyard too much.