Modifying Weight Bench?

[JohnPurple]

So I'm going to get a really good deal on this weight bench. It's called the Body-Solid PowerCenter Combo Bench. (GDIB46L)
The bench is really wide and I just want to make it an FID bench or make it fit inside of a power rack.
Does anybody have any advice on how I could do this?

[JohnPurple]

I forgot to say that I could possibly obtain steel and welding supplies if it's necessary.

[daniel327]

So I'm going to get a really good deal on this weight bench. It's called the Body-Solid PowerCenter Combo Bench.

Unless it's free, including delivery, and comes with a complimentary bag of $50 bills, it's not a good deal.

Also, based on it's design, once you remove the uprights, you lose the ability to support the head end of the pad.

I would pass and look for a deal on a bench suited to use in a power rack.

[tmhan]

That looks mildly complicated to shrink, all I can suggest is maybe cutting a foot out of each side at the wide end and welding it back together. Also toss out the upwards black holding rods. It wont look pretty, and I don't know if it will be able to lay flat, I'm only going off a google image result.

[JohnPurple]

Unless it's free, including delivery, and comes with a complimentary bag of $50 bills, it's not a good deal.

Also, based on it's design, once you remove the uprights, you lose the ability to support the head end of the pad.

I would pass and look for a deal on a bench suited to use in a power rack.

Well I'm getting it for $100 with a 300lb weight set and I think that's pretty good?

[tmhan]

Well I'm getting it for $100 with a 300lb weight set and I think that's pretty good?

Keep the weights, and sell the bench to some other poor soul., unless they are ****ty weights, then just avoid.

[JohnPurple]

Keep the weights, and sell the bench to some other poor soul.

How much do you think I could get for that bench?

[daniel327]

Well I'm getting it for $100 with a 300lb weight set and I think that's pretty good?

I'd just take the weight set for $100, and leave the bench there.

That will save the hassle of disposing of the bench.

[JohnPurple]

I'd just take the weight set for $100, and leave the bench there.

That will save the hassle of disposing of the bench.

What's so bad about the bench? It looks fine to me.

[daniel327]

What's so bad about the bench? It looks fine to me.

If it's fine, why do you need to modify it?

Anyhow, it offers no safety for a failed lift.

However, it seems that you have already decided to purchase it, so go right ahead.

[elgreek84]

If it's fine, why do you need to modify it?

Anyhow, it offers no safety for a failed lift.

However, it seems that you have already decided to purchase it, so go right ahead.

Lol at leaving the bench there, but true. Maybe take the bench and just give it to someone, a young cousin or sibling that is interested in working out.

[creepa200]

Honestly don't plan to ever max out or feel comfortable adding weight. I have a similar bench but mine has a lat pull down also. I can pretty much do every exercise with no worries. Once it's time to bench press though I always get nervous. For this reason alone I generally just load up my dumbbells and use them for chest days. I plan to buy a rack some day but local CL market for them is trash.

When I was a teen I watched a kid drop a bar on his face. Image has stuck with me forever. Teeth through his chin under his lip. Pretty much severed his lip off it was hanging on by just the sides. Shattered countless teeth too.

Hoping to get one by this summer though. Just spent $5k on disney reservations so I guess daddys toys will have to wait lol

I've done exaclty what other people have mentioned. I've grabbed deals where the bench is included with the weights. If the price is right the weights are where the value is. A scrapper or another family member will take the benches. $100 for 300 pounds and a bar is a good deal. Surely cheaper than the 50 cents per pound I see around here.

Regardless the deal is worth it. Up to you if you want to trust your life with the bench.

[weisgarb]

The bench is nearly identical to a TDS Mega Bench I used for more than 14 years. I added wheels to the back of it so I could move it around, and during that time I had a Body Solid half rack. I could wheel the bench into place so I was facing the rear of the rack, and the spotter arms were just long enough to cover me if I failed a lift.

If you have a rack with very long spotter arms on the outside of the cage (like the Rogue series), the bench may work. You cannot use it inside a rack, and there is no easy way to cut it up to make it fit. These types of benches are meant to be used with spotters and in my opinion do not belong in a home gym. I tried selling my bench last fall when I picked up an IronMaster and had no takers. Granted, the bench foam had disintegrated and would have needed to be replaced, but I didn't even get a bite.

Look at it this way: unless the weights are in really bad shape, Olympic plates typically go for around 50 cents/lb. Given his asking price, he's either giving away or paying someone to take the bench off his hands. That should give you an idea of how much it's worth.

[JohnPurple]

I am going to buy it this Saturday. I'll show you guys some before and after pics of the modifying.
I'm going to just cut like two inches of each side and re-weld it and I'll be adding wheels to it.

[DamonB82]

If you're that handy, why not leave the bench as is, and make some mobile adjustable safeties?

[JohnPurple]

If you're that handy, why not leave the bench as is, and make some mobile adjustable safeties?

I'll be using it in the power rack so I dont need to make safeties.

[DamonB82]

Oh yeah, haha duh, I forgot about that by the time I read to the bottom of the thread.