Circus Dumbbell / Inch Replica

[Broly]

Christmas / Gripmas is coming soon and looking to possibly add on a Circus Dumbell / Inch Replica.

Have two below that I'm thinking about and am wondering if anyone here has any experience with them, pros, cons, etc. Cost is a factor as anything past 400-450 might cause my wife to laugh uncontrollably for hours on end.

http://monster.corecommerce.com/CIRCUS-DUMBBELL-p113.html#.UoJrbeJFawE

This option is pretty cool with using olympic plates and cost is pretty good.

http://www.ironlandequipment.com/#!product/zoom6s8/483063281/circus-dumbbell

This option looks to be closer to what I'm looking for and can be filled to 200lb with just sand which is a really cheap medium. Leaning towards this one.

Any thoughts or other websites with what I'm looking for with similar pricing?

THanks.

[Tank Andrade]

that first monster bell looks pretty sweet. I just ordered my girl a bosco bell from sorinex loadable inch only $200 ill let you know how it is

[Broly]

that first monster bell looks pretty sweet. I just ordered my girl a bosco bell from sorinex loadable inch only $200 ill let you know how it is

The Bosco Bell was honestly my first choice but I think the cost to fill it was getting up there in price. I need to take another look to see if it might just end up costing the same in the end as these two. Honestly I'm trying to get something for sub 350. The first two options are within that price range shipped with the first option being easy to add weight and the cheapest with owning the olympic plates. The second option gets you a heavy weight with just sand which again is really cheap.

Anyone else here own a Bosco bell and how much did you pay to fill it?

[Guest Squat More]

I have a Bosco bell and it cost me a bit to fill it, only because I am in Canada and had to order my lead shot from the US then went through a lot of stuff to get it to me because all that noise was easier than traveling 10 hours south to Winnipeg to find anything. If you can find a place near you that sells cheap sandblasting media, you're set. The Bosco bell itself when loaded full and tight (mines at 145.86 lbs because the lead shot I ordered wasn't sandblasting media small - you could always look for a gauge smaller than the shot I got in lead to get it to inch weight packed tight) rotates like a solid globe DB would. Buying one of these circus bells wouldn't even be close to a real inch or even a fully loaded and packed tight bosco bell. You just wouldn't have the rotational force trying to roll out of your hand.

I had considered melting down the lead in a cast iron skillet and pouring my bosco bell full over time to get the 172lbs because melted down there would be zero room between each tiny pellet and I had 150lbs of lead shot, 10lbs of steel shot and the bell itself empty is about 14lbs... then I just bought an Inch from Jason Adamski. When a buddy of mine in Winnipeg goes across the border he is going to bring it into Winnipeg for me then I can have a friend who is heading down south bring it here for me.


tl;dr version - get a bosco bell and sandblasting media, it'll blow those two other bells out of the water as far as getting as close to a real inch DB as possible.

[Broly]

I completely agree that these options are no where near the same feel as a replica inch. I'm really not trying to go that route though. I'm looking at it more as another fun tool to train open hand strength and a variation of a 1 arm press and snatch. Been watching videos and the Monster Bell just looks so awesome! I also like that it's easy to add weight and I can get it in a 2", 2.5" or 3" handle size. Only problem for me is that if I wanted to train one arm presses with it then it might be difficult at first as I'd need to take it to my backyard and see if I can even do that much weight. Will try this out with a fatgripz dumbbell tomorrow and see how far I am from it.

I'm still debating getting a Bosco bell though. My only grip is it sounds like a pain to add and take out the media and needing to put it on a scale each time for weight. If I was looking for a new open hand tool then I wouldn't even consider the other two. If I can find that steel sand blasting abrasive for a good price then I might just get the Bosco Bell but if not and I can press 100lbs or close then I might get the monster bell. I also just like the fact that it looks so freaking huge! Picturing my small frame lifting that thing in my mind will look awesome or funny as hell.

[wojo]

I have both the Inch replica and Bosco Bell and all I can say is that it matters entirely on what you're training for. If you're training strictly to lift the Inch, then I would buy a solid baby Inch that is just at or slightly above your current strength level. My second choice would be the Bosco Bell and then you're set up to a max of 140-145lbs or so when loaded with lead shot.

The plate loaded Monster bell is really for strongman cleans and presses....and as such I'm sure can take a helluva beating...but it won't mimic the movement of the Inch. The sand loaded bell must have HUGE globes for it to be able to be loaded up to 200lbs because sand is not that dense of a medium....so I think it would just be ridiculously huge and meant more for strongman training.

The solid Baby Inch and Inch replicas can obviously take a beating. The Bosco Bell is not fragile by any means, but I wouldn't go dropping it on the floor from an overhead position or anything...it can dent and anything welded and not solid poured can always crack.

Since I really didn't use my Bosco Bell in a progressive manner....meaning all I did was load it to the max right from the get go.....I suppose I might've been better off just buying a Baby Inch at around 145lbs or so right from the beginning.

Richard Sorin usually chimes in on these threads and is quick to point out that Sorinex can make anything you want in any size....so you should shoot him an e-mail if you're looking for a loadable dumbbell.

[Electron]

Just make one out of conduit and cement.

Experimenting and making different sizes will probably still be only half as expensive as all the other options.

Plus you're a do-it-yourself guy.

[wojo]

Just make one out of conduit and cement.

Experimenting and making different sizes will probably still be only half as expensive as all the other options.

Plus you're a do-it-yourself guy.

I think I found this info at Slater's Hardware to determine what size globes a concrete bell would need if I decided to make one myself.....

An 8” diameter stone weighs about 23lbs

A 10” diameter stone weighs about 42lbs

A 12” diameter stone weighs about 72lbs

A 13” diameter stone weighs about 89lbs

A 14” diameter stone weighs about 116lbs

So if you wanted a concrete Inch replica to weigh about 144lbs or so....you would need a dumbbell with 12" globes. That doesn't sound like a lot compared to the 8" globes of a real Inch, but it's HUGE.

[Electron]

Also, there's the option of embedding weights or metal into the concrete.

Salad bowls typically come in sizes used for these small stone molds. Convenient.

[MIGHTYSAXON]

or just find a couple of small propane tanks that are completely empty and weld a 2.5" piece of pipe in between them:). Easily to fill once done and cheap!!

[richcottrell]

Cool idea. What about two motorcycle gas tanks welded to a thick handle?

Rich

[Broly]

Just played around with 1 arm DB presses in the backyard, that Shit is crazy fun!!! I've never done this exercise before. I might just get that monster bell just for this! Being as how that's what it's made for, I'm really liking the idea. I might stick to my RT and Axel for thick bar work. To truly get that inch feel I'd have to spend a good amount and 400+ might be a bit too much, at least for right now.