Construction Work

by Chicago BDSM

Construction

Now this is not exactly a article on how to do construction for bondage, but this is more of what you should not do...

First off, one of the most common things I see and makes me cringe every time I see it, is when I see people using things for semi or full suspension that they should not be using!

Using threaded Eye Screws / Bolts for semi or full suspension is very dangerous! For example, screwing up into a beam of wood. Basically all that is keeping your victim up, and alive is a little 1/16" thread in a piece of wood that was drilled and the wood fibers the are torn and shredded while inserting the screw. That is not a whole lot to keep someone from falling and getting hurt or even killed.

To put this in more technical terms, the average person is lets say 150 pds. And  for bondage, you want to plan for the weight to be 10 times that, because of shock and strain. So for 150 pound person, you want to make sure what holding them up has at least a 1500 (150lb x 10 = 1500lbs ) pounds of support to be safe!

Now a Eye screw in a piece of wood, can not support that amount of weight. And even if it could, over time a treaded screw will eat at the wood, and the wood will give away around the screw. Which most likely happen when under the greatest about of strain, which would be when your suspending someone from it!

The best way to put in anchor points for bondage, would be to put a thread eye screw threw the whole beam and on the top, place a washer or plate, and weight rated bolt. Welding the bolt to the screw would be even better. Now doing it this way the wooden beam would support the weight being held by the eye bolt, instead of just the threads on the eyebolt itself.

Also you can get brackets that fit around beams, that can be locked and screwed to make a safe support. Or use chain that tested at 800-2200 pounds with appropriate clamps with them.

Anytime your doing any kind of construction work, you should consult a carpenter and/or engineer, to make sure what your doing will be safe and hold 10 times amount of weight you supporting!

The reason for this, is a 200 pound body and easy put up to 400% stress on the rope and and hardware. Which could easily snap rope or pull out a eyescrew or hardware that not rated properly.

And most important of all, remember that you have to recycle your sub! so you can use them over, and over and over!

Panic Snaps

What are Panic Snaps? Panic snaps are used in the control of live stock. A sliding collar keeps the locking mechanism closed until it is slid towards the rope end; these snaps are extremely easy to open regardless of the pull or wgt. on them. Made from malleable iron for high strength and zinc plated for corrosion resistance.

Most panic snaps are not rated for tensile weight, because there not designed to support weight. Most un-rated fasteners wont hold more the 150 pounds of weight! Most Rated climbing equipment is rated for 2200 pounds, That's a big difference!

Now as above, this is more of something you should NOT do then anything else. I have heard people promote using panic snaps in use of suspension work. Now with general restraint bondage this is ok, and is a common taught practice. But for the use of full body immobilization bondage, this is a VERY bad idea!!! Using Panic Snaps in suspensions, or any kind of bondage where the person can no protect themselves if they fall with there hands. If a person is immobile, and a panic snap is used, this is basically going to let a person who can not protect themselves fall to the ground, and get seriously hurt, even possible deadly.

Also it is possible from panic snaps it be accidentally opened, if you hit them the wrong way, and rope accidentally gets wrapped around them and pulled! So never use Panic Snaps with immobilizing bondage. Always remember to carry a part of rope/sharp/EMT shares with you at all times, in case you need to get someone out in a emergency!