Building your own dumbell set

Does anybody have any thoughts on how to make your own thick handeled dumbells?

I was thinking about using some 2" galvanised plumbing pipe for the job. Any better ideas?

also has anybody built their own power rack?

thanks

I remember reading that Chad Coy gets a softball or something & puts a railroad spike through it & put plates on the end. It was in the functional strength support group.

well Natey just mentioned my favorite dumbell, railway ties. Takes me back though - I used to use them as a kid. Your pipe concept sounds like it will work. PVC with some rebar and cement mix is also real nice too. In faith, Coach Davies

Well, there’s a couple different things you can do.

One, if you already have a pair of standard size DB handles, get some 1.5" schedule 80 wall pipe and cut to fit over the existing handles.

Two, get some 1.5" or 2" schedule 80 wall pipe and get it cut to fit the length you are looking for.

This is what I did for my thick OLY length bar and a couple of DB handles. I went to a scrap metal yard and got a 7’ length of schedule 80 wall pipe, got some short pieces of 2" pipe to use as plate stops, drilled/set the 2" pipe to the bar. I now have a very inexpensive 2" bar. The OD on the 1.5 inch is 1.97", the OD on 2" pipe is approx. 2 3/8". Only cost a few bucks for the whole set-up. I have had over 500lbs. on the bar with no problems. I did the same thing for the DB handles but had them cut shorter. Work great for me.

to answer the power rack Q, I knew a kid that had one made of plumbing pipes (it was damn sturdy too) now I don’t know how “easy” it was to make but I think if you were to just use it for safety you could make those stands that catch the bar when you can not get it up pretty easy w/plumbing pipes, ya’ measure the bottem of your squat for example and just get the pipes the correct length. hope you can picture what I mean. peace

I made my own power rack type thing but didn’t measure my squat accurately so I could only go part of the way down. I never thought of putting a platform of wood & concrete blocks until a few months ago so I could go deep silly me.