Biggerfoot Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I have gotten some good ideas from here with regards to homemade equipment so I thought I would share some of mine. I am lucky that I live close to an industrial surplus store that sells hardware $1 a pound (for all types of bolts, washers, pipe, etc.). I was able to make a Heavy Handle and a Rolling Thunder for less than $5. http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...shedhandles.jpg I started with a clamp...I think it is used to hold conduit and piping. I used 2 3/8" PVC pipe for the grips. I used the top part of the clamp for the heavy handle and the bottom for the Rolling Thunder: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...onduitclamp.jpg For the Heavy Handle, since the upper part of the clamp did not have much finger room, I had to offset the bolt. I used an old hollow dumbbell handle, pipe foam and a 2" pipe for the inside of the handle. I used 3/4" PVC pipe and a hardened bolt for the plate pin: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...eavyhandle1.jpg I am really happy with the result. It feels very sturdy: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...eavyhandle2.jpg The Rolling Thunder was easier. I used the lower part of the clamp, a 2"PVC pipe for the larger pipe to roll on, two large washers so it would not rub against the handle, an old hollow dumbbell handle, pipe foam, and 250 pound rated eyebolt: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...ingthunder1.jpg It seems to work well with a good bit of weight: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...lingthunder.jpg I made some levers from some old, bent Pro-Style dumbbell handles and pipe foam and 2" PVC pipe. One is made from a dumbbell handle and an Olympic adapter: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictures/levers.jpg My thick dumbbells were made from some Olympic dumbbells I never used. Pipe foam and 2" PVC pipe worked well: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...kdumbbells1.jpg I do not care for the length of the dumbbells but I do use them for Zottman curls: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...kdumbbells2.jpg I made some spare loading pins from PVC pipe, rated eyebolts, and hardened washers. I found it nice to have a group of loading pins sitting around: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictures/loadingpin.jpg I had some spare PVC pipe and made some pinch tools for less than a $1. I was surprise that the 4" PVC coupler handles the weight quite well: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictures/pinchtools.jpg I also went ahead and made a dumbbell rack with what I had. I have about $10-12 invested in it. I used an old bed frame and posts from an old bench. Four of the bed frame rails were 29 inches long, so I went ahead and made the rest of the rails 29 inches and this pretty much used up the railing I had and just happened to fit into a space I wanted to use perfectly. I ended up with four tiers that will hold either 3 pro-style dumbbells each or a mix of other things. I made the bottom rail wider to hold either my Olympic dumbbells or my Wrist Leverage Bars. Since I could not really angle the tiers, I made wood spaces that staggered the tiers. Here is what I started with: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictures/rackstart.jpg The staggered tiers: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictures/racktiers.jpg The finished rack: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...inishedrack.jpg Loaded Rack: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictur...mbbellrack2.jpg I also have a homemade tap bar. The bar was made from a seven foot Olympic bar and was welded together: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/.Pictures/trapbar.jpg Here is some of my basement gym: http://homepage.mac.com/biggerfoot/weightroom02122006/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Lipinski Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 Nice stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveb Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 That is some cool stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underdawg Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorGrip Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 I like your style mister. I am always impressed when someone takes their ingenuity skills and applies it in a way that makes a quality device or solves a particular problem in a simple, effective and cost effective way. I will check your site regularly to check and see what new items you have made. A Poor Man Fan, (me) GATOR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joehawkins Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 I am damn impressed. I love making my own equipment, but none of it looks as nice or is as far-reaching as yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggerfoot Posted February 14, 2006 Author Share Posted February 14, 2006 Thanks all...it is kind of fun tinkering and building stuff. I am going for a walk through the local surplus store today to see what else I can find. I am wanting to build a Telegraph Key and have seen some very nice ones in the gallery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denisbeck Posted February 14, 2006 Share Posted February 14, 2006 You make some very nice equipment. You have allot to be proud of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mlstrass Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Cool stuff. You inspired me to post some pics of the stuff I've made. It's a lot of fun and I take pride in knowing I made it. Good job on everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argos Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 I built something that will do as a telegraph key. The writing is in dutch but I intend to translate it into english. telegraph key Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staigl Posted June 3, 2006 Share Posted June 3, 2006 Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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