Replaced all my weights this week (PICS)

[ProtienandIron]

I decided a few weeks ago that I was going to replace all my olympic weight plates. At this time I will not explain why, as I am giving the company in question the chance to make things right before I go discussing it on an open forum.

in the UK our choice of plates is not good at all right now. The high end stuff like Ivanko and Elieko rarely sell second hand, but when they do, they keep most of thier value. Brand new would bankrupt me, but more importantly they are just not necessary for my needs.

So I had the choice of all the chinese plates that are on the market. The aim was to buy all second hand, but I like all my plates to match as they sit on the floor better for deadlifts. The brand I chose are Body-Power. I believe this to be the second generation of BP plates, and in my opinion they are the best they made. I have a feeling they are made in the same factory as the old cap plates (maybe US members can shed light?). The first gym I worked at had these plates and I always liked them. The plates are milled, flat edged, large rimmed, fairly accurate, and black to match my gym :D.

I thought it would take me a long time to collect these plates as I wanted to replace ALL of them. But I managed to do it in the space of a week.

I bought this set at the start of the week which (already have two more of these sets, so thats all my small plates sorted).

http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/ProtienandIron/DSCF0673.jpg

I picked 4 plates up last night, and 4+2 10kgs this morning

http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/ProtienandIron/DSCF0692.jpg

My weight tree loaded with my new/old plates:

http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/ProtienandIron/DSCF0693.jpg

I've got a total of 16 20's, and all the small plates I will ever need. I picked these plates up from all over the country and they are all consistant. SOrry about the wall of text, I'm just very happy with my purchases.

[Keetman]

They seem to be multiplying like rabbits.

All looks good, I feel you on matching plates, even though it isn't necessary....it just made me happy. I still really like that plate tree, its just cool. Oversized, strong, with a chalk bowl topper. I have a tree with a bowl on top and I almost got rid of it last fall, very glad I didn't.

Hey, I haven't seen any milled plates besides Yorks, do yours have those swirls in the back?

[PassinThrough]

I still really like that plate tree, its just cool. Oversized, strong, with a chalk bowl.

^^^^ This

[ProtienandIron]

Hey, I haven't seen any milled plates besides Yorks, do yours have those swirls in the back?

Yeah they do. On the back they are not as pronounced as the york swirlls but the edges and the face have those nice lines when you look up close. Because of this, the plates sit nicely up against each other. My very first weights I believe were the first generation, these milled ones were the second, and the third are being produced now. I have been put off the latest ones though because the 20s are a smaller diametre then most plates. One thing about these plates is no matter what kind of life they have had, I never see one with chips in the iron, and when they hit each other, they make a nice deep clang.


^^^^ This

Thanks mate.

[jamesovercome]

I'm not going to lie, sometimes it annoys me having different types of plates. Weight is weight but maybe its just a little OCD. I hope eventually when I get the cash I can get a full matching set, but until then my muscles won't care what name brand or if they match.

[Curtis303]

Weight rack is looking good I wish I could deadlift as much as it :/

[ProtienandIron]

I'm not going to lie, sometimes it annoys me having different types of plates. Weight is weight but maybe its just a little OCD. I hope eventually when I get the cash I can get a full matching set, but until then my muscles won't care what name brand or if they match.

The reason I like matching plates is because they sit well against each other, but more importantly, when they sit on the floor, all plates spread the weight on the impact area. Its better for the floor, the plates, and the bar.

Its easier to count weights as they are all from the same casts it keeps the tolerances more accurate. I have a compact, tight for space gym, so if I can avoid scrambbling around for the right plate, I can save a lot of time.

Also the resale value is higher when you can break them down into matching sets. I'm not ever planning on selling them, but you never know what life has around the corner.

On top of all that, they just look good.

[Armstrongha]

Noice mirin weight set!

[swimmer32]

I'm not familiar with that brand - but the weights look nice! I'm with the previous posters - I like my weights to be the same brand. I don't know why. Just makes everything seem right with the world. :)

[ProtienandIron]

Cheers Armstrong!

@Swimmer- The bodypower brand is probably the most popular plate in the UK for the past 10 years or so. But like I said above, these ones aren't made anymore, but there are still plenty being sold second hand. IMHO they are the best ones BP ever made. I'm pretty sure they are made in the same factory as the milled US cap plates (not sure if they still do). Like these;
http://www.capbarbell.com/images/plates/2inPlates/OP_XL.png

[smokeater]

They seem to be multiplying like rabbits.

All looks good, I feel you on matching plates, even though it isn't necessary....it just made me happy. I still really like that plate tree, its just cool. Oversized, strong, with a chalk bowl topper. I have a tree with a bowl on top and I almost got rid of it last fall, very glad I didn't.

Hey, I haven't seen any milled plates besides Yorks, do yours have those swirls in the back?

I'm the same way with matching plates. Not necessary for any practical reason, but for pshcye. Same with having them all facing inwards, putting the heaviest plates on the bar first.

I like the tree as well. Looks very solid. I still keep my chalk in a ziplock bag because I haven't figured out how not to make a mess.

[AttyGuy]

It's neater and cleaner to have all the same plates. There's a greater likelihood of consistency between plates when they are the same. Is it necessary? Probably not. It does show an attention to detail and professionalism.

Nice set up.

[dumb.bell]

The plates do look really nice and consistent on the tree. When I had about 850lbs of cap plates on a tree like that, viewed from the side, the top of the plates didn't form a straight line like yours do. The lips also varied. Some had deeper lips with more of a 90% angle where the lip met the inside of the plate and others had a shallower lip with much more of a curve where the lip met the inside of the plate. Luckily I bought them new and in pairs which were pretty consistent (in both weight and shape). I put colored felt dots on the matching plates and arranged them on my rack so that it was easy to put the matching plates on the opposite sides of the bar. Yeah, I'm a little OCD about symmetry.

[fishpat86]

I'm addicted to the 15's of those plates. I have a pair of 15's that are a different make but they live on the leg curl so it doesn't bother me.

[ProtienandIron]

The plates do look really nice and consistent on the tree. When I had about 850lbs of cap plates on a tree like that, viewed from the side, the top of the plates didn't form a straight line like yours do. The lips also varied. Some had deeper lips with more of a 90% angle where the lip met the inside of the plate and others had a shallower lip with much more of a curve where the lip met the inside of the plate. Luckily I bought them new and in pairs which were pretty consistent (in both weight and shape). I put colored felt dots on the matching plates and arranged them on my rack so that it was easy to put the matching plates on the opposite sides of the bar. Yeah, I'm a little OCD about symmetry.

Yeah, judging by the cap plate pic I posted I'm not sure all of them are milled. The caps I saw were almost exactly the same as mine, just written in a different font.

@fishpat; I like the 15s to sit on the end of my deadlift bars as it saves me having to lift the bar up to strip a few plates off it.

[dumb.bell]

Yeah, judging by the cap plate pic I posted I'm not sure all of them are milled. The caps I saw were almost exactly the same as mine, just written in a different font.

I've never seen nice CAPS like you are talking about. All I've ever seen are the cheap STANDARD plates. Maybe I'm confusing CAP and Troy.

[ProtienandIron]

@ Atty, Cheers mate.


@dumb.bell The caps I have seen were exactly like that plate, including the little cap stamp in the middle (by the hole). The writing was a little bit different but very similar. I am guessing they are reletivly old cap plates. Surely someone here has the ones I'm talking about?

[ProtienandIron]

Here you go, this is from OSUdiamonds studio gym thread. These look better then the stock photo I posted, the cap logo is a lot more visible in the other pics in the thread;

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/579117_10100764214993947_12618986_53062527_1281988 985_n.jpg

[AttyGuy]

I'd spread chiclets, but: a). Someone might think I was engaged in a Japanese sex act; and b). I've got to recharge. Once the refractory period has passed, I'll shoot some green goodness your way.

[ProtienandIron]

Lol, cheers, reminds me of a vid I saw just earlier.

[AttyGuy]

Lol, cheers, reminds me of a vid I saw just earlier.

Well I've shot my wad for the next 24 hours. I'll catch you tomorrow. Try not to wear out your forearms or something. . . .

[TXBRASS]

My weight tree loaded with my new/old plates:

http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/ProtienandIron/DSCF0693.jpg

I've got a total of 16 20's, and all the small plates I will ever need. I picked these plates up from all over the country and they are all consistant. SOrry about the wall of text, I'm just very happy with my purchases.

I LOVE that pic...tried to Rep, but already gave U too much too quick.....

[twodog]

Cheers Armstrong!

@Swimmer- The bodypower brand is probably the most popular plate in the UK for the past 10 years or so. But like I said above, these ones aren't made anymore, but there are still plenty being sold second hand. IMHO they are the best ones BP ever made. I'm pretty sure they are made in the same factory as the milled US cap plates (not sure if they still do). Like these;
http://www.capbarbell.com/images/plates/2inPlates/OP_XL.png

I've got about 600 lbs of these plates to sell at the moment, some have the CAP mark and some don't. None of them are milled. The weight on the ones I have are inconsistent as expected. The funny thing is that one of the sets came with a CAP bar that is 28.5 dia. and looks to be zinc coated as opposed to chrome. It has a nice knurling and feels good in the hands but is still a cheap bar as it has large allen screw holding the sleeves on just like all the other 30-31mm CAP bars. Everything has made in China stickers or markings somewhere on them.

[ProtienandIron]

Cheers TXBRASS, you could probably knock one up in 20mins. Your power rack is looking great.


@twodog; Seems to be the norm with those pates, no wonder they have a bad rep. I'll try and snap a pic of the ones I've seen. As most people are aware, the older model plates are usually better then these new ones that are being made. I think the ones I saw were oldens. Good luck with getting them sold.

[twodog]

Cheers TXBRASS, you could probably knock one up in 20mins. Your power rack is looking great.


@twodog; Seems to be the norm with those pates, no wonder they have a bad rep. I'll try and snap a pic of the ones I've seen. As most people are aware, the older model plates are usually better then these new ones that are being made. I think the ones I saw were oldens. Good luck with getting them sold.

They should sell fine along with another 400 or so asst brands of plates. I do understand what you say about earlier models of plates though as I have different levels of quality among "Standard" brand of plates. I had a set of those from the 80's, long since gone, that were real nice.

BTW, congrats on the matching set, they look great on the rack.

[fishpat86]

Yeah, judging by the cap plate pic I posted I'm not sure all of them are milled. The caps I saw were almost exactly the same as mine, just written in a different font.

@fishpat; I like the 15s to sit on the end of my deadlift bars as it saves me having to lift the bar up to strip a few plates off it.

I just noticed that the 15's are a smaller diameter than the 20's! i gues I have been defecit deadlifting my entire deadlifting life!!!

[oxbeard]

Congrats on the matched set. I still have my original york set that I started with but added a large set of Standards a couple years ago when an area gym closed and liquidated. I really like the look of a matched set of plates and they do fit and set much better on that bar. Although I did end up with one 10lb that is thinner than the rest and it drives me nuts.

[ProtienandIron]

I just noticed that the 15's are a smaller diameter than the 20's! i gues I have been defecit deadlifting my entire deadlifting life!!!

LMAO, you're in for a treat when you switch to the 20s then, your deadlift will rocket up.

I know your pain Oxbeard, Out of the set I picked up, just two of them are 3mm wider. Very strange, but I'll just stick them on the inside of my deadlift bar and leave them there. The main this for me is that the outside diameter is the same, which they all are, so I'm happy.

[Northernmoris]

Nice job.. Did you reload all your bars already?

[fishpat86]

LMAO, you're in for a treat when you switch to the 20s then, your deadlift will rocket up.

I know your pain Oxbeard, Out of the set I picked up, just two of them are 3mm wider. Very strange, but I'll just stick them on the inside of my deadlift bar and leave them there. The main this for me is that the outside diameter is the same, which they all are, so I'm happy.

I don't plan to switch, I love my 15's and wouldn't trade them for all the 20's in the world! If you ever want to relieve yourself of some 15's then I am your man :D

Need to go to and hunt down some heavy duty hinges today. I need a pair of 75mm x 100mm butterfly hinges.

[ProtienandIron]

Nice job.. Did you reload all your bars already?

No not yet. I've got another 8 plates piled on the floor ready to go on the bars. By the time they are loaded the bottom of the rack will be empty bar 2 20s, and some 15s.

@fishpat, I would sell you my old plates, but I wouldnt wish them on my worse enemy.

[jormone]

York plates make up the bulk of my iron, but I have a Nautilus set, and a Bodypower set.
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/ProtienandIron/DSCF0404.jpg
http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh579/ProtienandIron/DSCF0388.jpg


I decided a few weeks ago that I was going to replace all my olympic weight plates. At this time I will not explain why, as I am giving the company in question the chance to make things right before I go discussing it on an open forum.


@fishpat, I would sell you my old plates, but I wouldnt wish them on my worse enemy.

You make it sound like your old plates killed your family

[fishpat86]

No not yet. I've got another 8 plates piled on the floor ready to go on the bars. By the time they are loaded the bottom of the rack will be empty bar 2 20s, and some 15s.

@fishpat, I would sell you my old plates, but I wouldnt wish them on my worse enemy.

Well if you won't sell me them then you can give them to me

:D

[ProtienandIron]

LOL, they are just bad quality, but I won't go into it all right now until York get back to me. If anyone wants to know PM me.