Wooden Power Cage, stupid thread

[kman025]

Hello all you lucky people who workout at home,

I was thinking of slowly putting a home gym together. I do a lot of Barbell work (strength stuff). Therefore i of course will start off ,by buying a barbell and plates. This would allow me to do all my pull strength workouts at home (i also have a bull up bar).

Heres my question. It'd be cool to be able to squat at home too. Since im a poor teenager i am putting most of my money to a car (get license early next year 2010).

I happened to come across some pics of wooden power cages. there were mixed reviews about them.

Does anybody have any clue as to how one would make a wooden power cage? I know of course to use metal for pins.

My grandpa has all tools needed and he's pretty damn handy, but doesnt know what a power cage is so a pic and list of supplies would be nice to have.

A lift of materials would be nice and any other materials needed.

[kman025]

also any good links to cheap barbells & plates. i'll look around, but links would be nice.

[Kodokan]

Originally Posted by kman025

also any good links to cheap barbells & plates. i'll look around, but links would be nice.

look on your local craigslist sporting goods section for the best price on plates. you really can't beat it if you aren't super picky about the type of plate.

[ironwill2008]

Forum search took .23 seconds:



http://forum.bodybuilding.com/search...chid=314202171

[kman025]

Originally Posted by Kodokan

look on your local craigslist sporting goods section for the best price on plates. you really can't beat it if you aren't super picky about the type of plate.

Originally Posted by ironwill2008

Forum search took .23 seconds:

ya dude, i was just looking there and found some GREAT deals on barbells and plates!


http://forum.bodybuilding.com/search...chid=314202171

I searched, looked through many threads, saw a few pics but NO usefull info.

[gbrs5]

The most useful info is CL.

If you're low on dough, CL is the only way to go.

[kman025]

Originally Posted by gbrs5

The most useful info is CL.

If you're low on dough, CL is the only way to go.

CL??? sorry, mind elaborating...

[gbrs5]

Originally Posted by kman025

CL??? sorry, mind elaborating...

Craigslist or any online classified ad site like Kijiji. You will be able to find used equipment at a fraction of the retail price.

[Wildtim]

This is one of those things that if you can't tell how to build it from looking at it and knowing what it is supposed to do you really shouldn't even try.

[4MEandThem]

I vote for buying a used rack and spending those hours with gramps hiking and fishing.

[kman025]

Originally Posted by Wildtim

This is one of those things that if you can't tell how to build it from looking at it and knowing what it is supposed to do you really shouldn't even try.

haha. my grandpa, who has finished by basement along with his and back in the day built a house, could most likely figure it out. But some guidelines would be nice. A guy pm'd me with some good advice.

Originally Posted by 4MEandThem

I vote for buying a used rack and spending those hours with gramps hiking and fishing.

Im poor. I'm not going to do anything crazy like build wooden barbells. I been looking on CL and am going to buy a barbell and wieghts, but wondered if i can build a power rack. Theres not many racks on CL, and none under 300. I found a bb and wieghts for 300 (300lbs total wieght, which will keep me occupied for a while).

I just thought a Wood Power Rack would be cheap and totally BADASS looking.

[Wildtim]

Originally Posted by kman025

haha. my grandpa, who has finished by basement along with his and back in the day built a house, could most likely figure it out. But some guidelines would be nice. A guy pm'd me with some good advice.



Im poor. I'm not going to do anything crazy like build wooden barbells. I been looking on CL and am going to buy a barbell and wieghts, but wondered if i can build a power rack. Theres not many racks on CL, and none under 300. I found a bb and wieghts for 300 (300lbs total wieght, which will keep me occupied for a while).

I just thought a Wood Power Rack would be cheap and totally BADASS looking.

That's just it I'm a professional carpenter, I've built a hundred+ houses finished basements built decks, barns, and churches, as well as made other items of furniture and without getting really lucky with your lumber and harware sources you really can't beat the price of a CL set-up.

Buying on CL you shouldn't pay more than $.50 per pound for good plates with a bar and a rack can be had for $200 or less. If you haven't been looking for several months yet you haven't really tried.

[kman025]

Originally Posted by Wildtim

That's just it I'm a professional carpenter, I've built a hundred+ houses finished basements built decks, barns, and churches, as well as made other items of furniture and without getting really lucky with your lumber and harware sources you really can't beat the price of a CL set-up.

Buying on CL you shouldn't pay more than $.50 per pound for good plates with a bar and a rack can be had for $200 or less. If you haven't been looking for several months yet you haven't really tried.

i've been looking around for a while. what i think i'll end up doing is buy a barbell & plates and just do my pull workouts at home. I was still planning on going to the gym so i'll do my other **** there.

[Kodokan]

tim may have a really good point about 'knowing what your doing' when it comes to building your power rack. the whole reason for the power rack is safety, and also having confidence in the safety of it so you don't have to worry 'will i die or become horribly injured if i push through this tough rep'...

i've said it before on wooden power rack threads...but this is not the kind of item you build for the 'look'. if you want to get your creative juices flowing and make something out of wood...build a lifting platform, and buy a used power rack once you save up a couple of hundred bucks. if it takes a year even to do it, that is nothing compared to the years of recovery you may face from the sort of catastrophic injury you can get from squatting heavy, failing a rep, and then having nowhere safe to go.

[cyde]

It would be cheaper to buy a used steel power cage off Craigslist or possibly Ebay than buying quality materials to construct a wooden cage (not to mention safer) after factoring in time and costs. Wood will also degrade much faster than steel, so you should try to see it as a long term investment. Finally your health should be invaluable, and don't pinch pennies when it comes to personal safety.

Start mowing lawns or doing chores for neighbors if you need to build a bigger budget.

[kman025]

Alright, as mentioned in the title, this is a stupid thread. I'll just keep going to the gym and then eventually buy barbell & plates

[CrazyEnough]

I built one... cost almost nothing, held 700 pounds of weight (Altho, I had it attached to the ceiling beams in my basement) ...Im trying to find pics...

[kman025]

Originally Posted by CrazyEnough

I built one... cost almost nothing, held 700 pounds of weight (Altho, I had it attached to the ceiling beams in my basement) ...Im trying to find pics...

by nothing you mean?...

[Kodokan]

Originally Posted by kman025

Alright, as mentioned in the title, this is a stupid thread. I'll just keep going to the gym and then eventually buy barbell & plates

it's not a stupid idea at all, and it does come up here alot it seems...but IMO it is a wrong idea because one the face of it, a wooden power rack can't be that safe especially when a metal one is so attainable/accessible...

having one for the 'look' of it is a bad idea is all i think, when you can have a nice beginner metal one with a small amount of focus to save and buy it.

[Achilles-]

i got a +300 pound weight set that included a barbell that was $130 at gander.

[kman025]

well i'll keep looking on CL