How to mount your beastmaker

We have put together a simple guide of different ways you can fix your beastmaker to the wall. This is not exhaustive and this is only a guide. Always make sure you know what you are doing before you do it and check with professionals if you are unsure – you can always pay for a handyman to do the job for you and avoid disasters. We don’t take responsibility if your wall comes down or you drill into a powerline!

Things to consider before you start

• You can mount a beastmaker above a door frame on a wooden surface, masonry surface or within a door frame
• Or you can build a freestanding frame or an off-the-wall frame
• Mounting the motherboard is pretty much the same
• The fingerboard is not treated so we don't recommend fixing it outdoors where it would be exposed to weather
• You want to have room to hang, so against a flat wall is not ideal
• You want some space above the fingerboard – your head goes above it when you do a pull-up
• Ideal height is just above head height

• Find out what kind of material your mounting surface is
• Based on the surface, decide what kind of fixings you need – consult a local hardware store if you don’t know
• Basic advice on different fixings and how to use them (external links)
• Make sure to locate any power supply lines or turn your mains power off whilst drilling

 

Backboard

The backboard should be about an inch (25mm) thick so that the screws that come with the fingerboard won't go all the way through if you don't have space between the wall and the backboard. If you feel like the longest screws still go through, replace them with shorter wood screws. The backboard should be a bit wider and a bit higher than the fingerboard itself, but it does not need to be massive. You can attach blocks of wood in between the wall and the backboard to add clearance (see the picture above) but you can also have the backboard flat against the wall.  

Do this:

1. Attach the fingerboard to the backboard using the wood screws provided (6 screws).
2. Attach the backboard to the wall. Check the mounting options below to see how to fix the backboard to the wall/beam/frame etc. Depending on the mounting option and location, you might want to attach the backboard to the wall/beam/frame first and screw the fingerboard to it afterwards. 

Wooden surface

Why and when

• Wooden beams
• Wooden walls above door frames (for example in a shed)
• Underneath the wooden stairs...
• Easy option
• Permanent fixing

 You need

• 6 fingerboard screws (5mm diameter, different lengths)
• Backboard (optional)
• Drill and drill bits

This is simple. If you have a wooden beam or a wooden wall above a door frame, you can easily attach the fingerboard to it, with or without a backboard. If your wall above the door frame is not a plain wooden wall, you need to figure out what material it is and whether there are any pipes or cables inside before you try to drill through.

 Do this:

1. (Optional) use 4 or more wood screws to attach the backboard to the wall.
2. Use the fingerboard screws to screw the fingerboard to the backboard or directly to the wall.

Masonry surface

Why and when

• Any masonry walls (brick, stone, breeze block)
• Permanent fixing

 You need

• Backboard
• 6 fingerboard screws (5mm diameter, different lengths)
• At least 4 masonry screws and rawl plugs or bolts
• Drill, drill bits and masonry drill bits (use a hammer drill if you have one)

Similar to the wooden surface, you can easily attach the fingerboard on a backboard to a masonry wall. Backboard evens out the weight and allows you to have more options for good, solid fixings. If the masonry surface is quite old, say Edwardian era, you might want to add some extra screws to make it secure. You need screws and rawl plugs that are long enough to go through the backboard and bite into the wall behind. 

Do this:

1. Attach the backboard to the wall with masonry screws and rawl plugs or bolts. Make sure to use a masonry drill bit when you are drilling into the wall.
2. Once the backboard is up on the wall, attach the fingerboard to the backboard with the fingerboard screws.

 

Plasterboard/dryline/stud walls

Why and when

• Internal, non-structural walls
• You need to be really careful and find the studs
• Permanent fixing

 You need

• Backboard
• 6 fingerboard screws (5mm diameter, different lengths)
• At least 4 wood screws
• Drill and drill bits
• Stud finder (optional but recommended)

Non-structural plasterboard walls are hollow and not designed to take weight. You cannot just attach the fingerboard to the plasterboard as it breaks easily and the damages can be huge. The key thing is to find the wooden structure, the timber studs, underneath the plaster. You can find the studs by tapping the wall and listening to the non-hollow sounds or you can use a stud finder. The studs form a grid and usually frame the door.

Do this:

1. Find the studs and mark them.
2. Attach the backboard to the wall with wood screws so that the screws sink into the wooden timber beneath the plaster. The plaster is usually several centimetres thick so the screws have to be quite long to reach the timber.
3. Attach the fingerboard to the backboard with the fingerboard screws.

Within door frame

Why and when

• Non-permanent
• Little or no marks on the walls/door frame
• A bit lower to the ground so you have to tuck legs up when hanging

 You need

• A pull up bar
• Backboard 
• 6 fingerboard screws (5mm diameter, different lengths)
• Hooks or slings or straps or bits of wood to attach the board to the bar
• Drill and drill bits

This works well in a rented accommodation or at a home where the fingerboard needs to be taken down when it is not in use.

There are many different ways to do this, pick the one that suits your pull-up bar and needs. Remember to make sure that the backboard is wider than the doorframe if you are hanging the backboard. Otherwise the fingerboard swings back and forth - this makes training much harder!

Daniel Burkhardt Cerigo has written a guide on how to mount a beastmaker on a single pull-up bar with slings here. Basically you just drill two big holes into the backboard and hang the backboard with slings. 

If you have a double pull-up bar, you can simply insert straps in between the fingerboard and the backboard (do this before you drill the fingerboard on!) and secure the whole packet to the pull-up bars with the straps. Or you can hang the backboard off the bar with the straps or attach hooks at the back of the back board. Just make sure that your slings, hooks and straps are designed to take weight and not just some old straps from shopping bags!

Freestanding frame

Why and when

• If you cannot attach to the wall
• Requires a lot of space
• Non-permanent but very prominent

You need

• 4x2 timber for “feet”
• 4x4 timber for “legs”
• Plywood
• 6 fingerboard screws (5mm diameter, different lengths)
• Plenty of wood screws
• Drill and drill bits
• Saw
• A set square

There are many different ways to build the standing frame. This is just one example.

Do this:

1. Use the 4x4 timber for the “legs” and measure them so that they are the size you want.
2.  Use 4x2 timber for the “feet”. Make four 90 degree angles with one diagonal 45 degree support in the middle of each.
3. Attach two triangles on each “leg” facing front and back. You can add extra bits of wood to the sides to stabilize the feet if the frame feels a bit wobbly. Use as many wood screws as you need to make the frame steady.
4. Attach a plywood sheet to the top of the legs with plenty of screws.
5. Fix the beastmaker on this plywood sheet with the fingerboard screws. You might want to have two sheets of plywood so you can attach them on both sides to stabilise the frame. And maybe attach a 1000 series beastmaker on one side and a 2000 on the other!

Off-the-wall frame

Why and when

• If you don’t have suitable wallspace with enough clearance
• Permanent fixing, unless you use your creativity 

You need

• Plywood backboard for the fingerboard
• Plywood backboard for the structure
• 6 fingerboard screws
• Plenty of wood screws 
• Plenty of screws or bolts suitable for the wall
• 4x4 timber for clearance blocks
• 4x2 timber for angle supports
• Saw
• Set square

This is a bit complex, but it allows you to attach the fingerboard to a flat wall.

Do this:

1.  Measure the clearance block so that they are long enough to add plenty of clearance between the wall and the fingerboard.
2.  Attach the clearance blocks to the main backboard and support them from underneath with 4x2s that are at 45 degree angle.
3. Attach the fingerboard backboard to the front of the clearance blocks.
4.  Fix the fingerboard to the backboard.
5.  Attach this whole structure to the wall with appropriate screws or bolts (masonry if it is a masonry wall etc). Or, if you want to be a bit more creative, you can hang it up as in the picture above.

 

Motherboard

 

Why and when

• If you have motherboard 1000 or 2000 to go with your beastmaker
• Allows you to follow your progress!

You need

• The motherboard
• A backboard if preferred
• 6 fingerboard bolts
• 5 motherboard screws

The same rules apply as for mounting a beastmaker (info above), now you just have the motherboard added to the equation. Note that you can't use a 2000 motherboard for a 1000 series beastmaker and vice versa – they need to match. 

Do this:

1.  Attach the beastmaker to the motherboard with the bolts provided.
2.  Attach the whole assembly on the wall or backboard using appropriate screws and suitable method.

Note! When you need to change the batteries, you need to dismount the motherboard to access the batteries at the back. Then remount it again. You don't need to do this often.