1C5 Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 What exactly should I be looking at in terms of items to buy. Is there some kind of thick pipe I can buy that is the right size so a barbell weight will fit on it with no modding necessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightcycle Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 What exactly should I be looking at in terms of items to buy. Is there some kind of thick pipe I can buy that is the right size so a barbell weight will fit on it with no modding necessary? ← Yep, 1 1/2" black iron pipe is 1.9" real outside diameter. Most Oly plates are 1.95" + with 1.95" usually being the smallest. Don't pay for threading of both ends its not worth it unless you can find some 1 1/2 to 3/4 reducers and you have standard plates lying around. 3/4 pipe is the perfect size for standard plates. Alot of people will suggest schedule 80 pipe but standard, schedule 40 works just fine for me doing dl's @ 480 lbs. You can buy oly t-collars and weld them on to make your bar stops and a second pair for actual collars. So really all you need is a 7.5' length of 1 1/2" black iron pipe or galvanized if you want it weather resistant. Or stainless if you have money to through away. It does however weigh less than a standard oly bar though I haven't weighed mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Buy a piece of 1 1/2" pipe about 7' 2" long (length of an Olympic bar). Buy 2 washers that "almost" fit over the pipe. You'll have to file the washers just a little bit to fit. Have the washers welded on to the pipe for inside stops for the plates (handle is about 51 1/2" long) - just measure a reg bar for specs.. Schedule 40 pipe will work fine for lighter weights like for DO DL but for heavy squats etc - you'll want schedule 80 which can be hard to find. If you can't weld - it's on to plan B. Easiest is to just use a couple hose clamps for inside collars. Not the best but it will work. You can also buy shaft collars that will fit but they are fairly expensive but make a very nice inside stop with no welding. The other thing to remember is that 1 1/2" pipe gives a 1.9" bar and many collars won't tighten down on it. For collars either make your own or buy the type with a sliding T handle - they work fine on pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRBeyers Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 Sch 80 pipe is the way to go, and I've never seen it at HD. Hey Climber - great idea using shaft collars for inside collars - that makes for a nice neat setup!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightcycle Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 What exactly should I be looking at in terms of items to buy. Is there some kind of thick pipe I can buy that is the right size so a barbell weight will fit on it with no modding necessary? ← That should read 380 and not 480 :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 1C5 Be realistic with your strength - I've built several schedule 40 bars for people - and as far as I know - none of them are bent but they have a couple dings in them where the plates were when they were dropped. If you are a big strong SOB, then you better buy schedule 80. You can buy schedule 40 for a little over $3 a foot. That's only about $25 for a bar if you use washers for inside stops ( not counting any welding cost). Schedule 80 runs close to $6 a foot so you'll have $47 or so in it. The only place I could find schedule 80 was a steel retailer - I had to buy a full 21' length. I made a pair of farmers bars, a chain lift bar and a sleeved 2 3/8" fat bar out of it so it worked out OK for me though. You can always find something to do with a piece of pipe that size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 If you are at the point where you are buying $47 dollars worth of schedule 80, it's time to start thinking about 2" solid crs as another option. Metal supermarkets sells a 7' bar of 2" solid crs for $100. It's going to be heavy, at least 75lbs. Overkill, but I like the idea and have considered doing it myself. The only issue you might run into is if you have nice plates with the 1.95" holes. Then you'd have to get the ends of the bar turned down slightly on a lathe and that would add to the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underdawg Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 If there's a scrap yard nearby you might want to check them out. It'll probably only cost you about half what new pipe would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Browne Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.js...rmarkets.com%2F Check this place out. An aftermarket metals dealer. Click on store finder, input your state. You might have one close to your city Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1C5 Posted September 9, 2005 Author Share Posted September 9, 2005 Well I am going to pick up my bar today, got the 40 pipe, $3 a foot like someone said. Got to find someone to weld on the washers for me now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1C5 Posted September 9, 2005 Author Share Posted September 9, 2005 Just got the bar, it will work great. For 20 some bucks, it will work just as well as one for a couple hundred (I won't be doing extremely heavy weights with it) Thanks for the help all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Just got the bar, it will work great. For 20 some bucks, it will work just as well as one for a couple hundred (I won't be doing extremely heavy weights with it) ← Just go heavy on it - HEAVY! Try and bend that sucker -- just try! (for added comfort... you can fill it with concrete; that'll give it more support and make it heavier). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightcycle Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 Just got the bar, it will work great. For 20 some bucks, it will work just as well as one for a couple hundred (I won't be doing extremely heavy weights with it) ← Just go heavy on it - HEAVY! Try and bend that sucker -- just try! (for added comfort... you can fill it with concrete; that'll give it more support and make it heavier). ← That's an awesome idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revtor Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 I made a thickbar using the home depot 2' black pipe and added weight to it by fillig it with rebar (cheap).. I think 7 lengths fit in, I cut them to length, dropped 5 or so in and had to hammer the rest in. I welded the rebars together and to the pipe so its solid. it makes the bar interesting because they can move around inside a bit and when you drop the bar or hit it you can hear them tapping eachother and the pipe.... combining this and snotts idea may be the best of both worlds... fill it half way with cement and then drop in a few pieces of rebar. it'll set up solid and heavy. homemade gear is the best! ~Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 I ended up making a thick barbell yesterday as well. I've got an extra barbell, so I just took the end off, wrapped some newspaper around it, slid a piece of 1.5" PVC over the whole thing, then put the end back on. It's not perfectly stable since the newspaper compresses, but 225 didn't seem to cause a problem on it. My hands couldn't hold more anyway. And I only spent like $6. $2.50 of that was to get something that fits in the hex hole on the barbell to take the end off. Later this week I'm going to put a piece of 1.25" PVC and then a piece of 2" PVC over my other barbell to make it 2.5". Should be less than $10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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