Homemade Fractional Plates (pic)

[WillPullForFood]

From time to time I see threads where people are looking for "fractional" olympic plates for smaller incremental increases (for example when following a program like Mark Rippetoe's). Just thought I would share my homemade version.

I used some spare 1/4" flat bar, 1-1/2" wide for weight. About 10" per pound. Add a U-bolt for 2" pipe at 4oz and that gives 1.25lbs. Total cost was $3.06 for the U-bolts. Leave the nuts just loose enough so that it just slides onto the bar and no tightening is required (at least on my bar); the flat bar catches the ridges and prevents sliding if the bar starts to tilt. Here is the finished product.

[Emohawkus]

Good idea, I also made dumbbell fractional magnets out of those magnetic dishes you buy for holding nuts and bolts, each one nearly weighs 1.75 lb, those dishes cost like $3 each. Be careful though they crack easily, one snapped just as it stick to the dumbbell, thinking about wrapping them alittle in ducktape. If you cant follow what I'm saying I'll try and post a pic

[vikingsrule92]

Good idea, but you can also just use a screw collar per side (in addition to the regular collars), they weigh around 1.25 lbs. and work great for fractional plates.

[polgas]

I use pennys. I just put them in a little bag till they reach 1lb. and hang it in my bar.

[aaaaa55555]

i got some on ebay from a store called "iron woody fitness". its a pack with a pair of 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and 1 lb plates. you can put more than one on and add it up to any weight up to 2 1/4 i think. its thirty dollars for the set.

[WillPullForFood]

i got some on ebay from a store called "iron woody fitness".

Yeah, those look nice. I didn't see any on ebay, just on their site at $50, which is a little high in my book. I could probably go for $30 though.

[aaaaa55555]

i searched fractional plates and they came up. they also have them in their ebay store. the $30 ones all four pairs are chrome. i think the $50 ones are all different colors

[PopeyeFAFL]

Yeah, those look nice. I didn't see any on ebay, just on their site at $50, which is a little high in my book. I could probably go for $30 though.

If you scroll down, they have imperfect chrome set for $30. If you don't mind, the less than perfect quality, it weigh the same.

[PopeyeFAFL]

I use pennys. I just put them in a little bag till they reach 1lb. and hang it in my bar.

What about using an Olympic Spring Clip with a portion of big heavy duty chain (I guess with Quick-Lock Chain Ring, you can add the required amount of weight).

[Abbrevi8tor]

I just bought a bunch of 2" washers. They weigh appr. .5lb.

[aaaaa55555]

i got the "flawed" iron woody set. i get them 2 days after i bought them ,and they look perfect to me. i cant tell any defects, and they weigh very accurateley.

[wrestle445]

I just bought a bunch of 2" washers. They weigh appr. .5lb.

how do you get 1.25 lbs with those.

[jgmack1]

how do you get 1.25 lbs with those.

You can buy 1.25 Olympic plates, or the even smaller .5 kg plates.

[jgmack1]

Has anyone tried platemates? They run about $20 for a pair of 1 1/4 and $30 for a pair of 2 1/2 lb/.

Only useful for solid dumbbells. Much cheaper to use small plates or washers for adjustable dumbbells and barbells.

[fightnut]

I just bought a bunch of 2" washers. They weigh appr. .5lb.

I know this is an OLD thread, but I'll take a shot in the dark that you're still here and see this.

Where did you get 2" washers? I've been looking and haven't found anything that big.
By the way, you do mean washers with a 2" diameter hole in the middle to fit on an Olympic bar, right??

[IEatPowerRacks]

Has anyone tried platemates? They run about $20 for a pair of 1 1/4 and $30 for a pair of 2 1/2 lb/.

Yes, I bought the 5/8lb and 1.25lb platemates so that I could increase my dumbbells by 1.25. They work like a charm, but I noticed that it's really awkward when you're using both sets (3.75lb increment, 2 plates per dumbbell) since it makes it bulky. When I stacked them, the ones on the end would fall off sometimes, but if I put them on a different spot, it'd take up too much space. I just wish they had 1 7/8 hex platemates .

[RemainDieHard]

I know this is an OLD thread, but I'll take a shot in the dark that you're still here and see this.

Where did you get 2" washers? I've been looking and haven't found anything that big.
By the way, you do mean washers with a 2" diameter hole in the middle to fit on an Olympic bar, right??

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Part #91081A046

Reps gladly accepted

[HardKore79]

http://www.mcmaster.com/

Part #91081A046

Reps gladly accepted

How much does one weigh? Also repped.

[RemainDieHard]

How much does one weigh? Also repped.

Half pound is what other people have said, but I never got around to buying them so I couldn't give an exact number.

[RemainDieHard]

Another idea:

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/collars.html

IM 5501-Small Iron Collars
Weighs 1/2 lb. each Sale $3.95/pr.

EDIT - NM, that particular set seems to be for 1" bars not olympic

[fightnut]

Thanks metalman.

By the way, someone else just gave me a great idea for this, not sure if it has already been discusses.
Baseball bat weights. They come in different weights like 16oz. and I think 22oz. They're cheap and you can get them at most sports stores.

I haven't actually tried them myself yet, but this person said they fit over Olympic bar ends. Like $5-7 each. Worth a try.

[fightnut]

Just wanted to share this idea with anyone interested.
I have a set of Powerblock dumbbells, and although I really like them, they are a smaller set, only going to 45 lbs. (scanning CL for a larger set).

So I picked up some of these: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10305

I can stick 5 on each end of my Powerblocks and then stick 2.5 or 5 lb plates on each end and they won't move.

I'm actually going to order some more so I can put a couple more on each end and try a 10 lb flat standard plate. Which would take my 45 lb Powerblocks to 65 lbs for just a few dollars using weights that I already have.

Not sure if it will work with hex dumbbells or not. The surfaces need to be pretty flat for full contact. But for a few dollars (assuming you already have smaller plates around), it's worth a try.

[yankeemarko1]

Just wanted to share this idea with anyone interested.
I have a set of Powerblock dumbbells, and although I really like them, they are a smaller set, only going to 45 lbs. (scanning CL for a larger set).

So I picked up some of these: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10305

I can stick 5 on each end of my Powerblocks and then stick 2.5 or 5 lb plates on each end and they won't move.

I'm actually going to order some more so I can put a couple more on each end and try a 10 lb flat standard plate. Which would take my 45 lb Powerblocks to 65 lbs for just a few dollars using weights that I already have.

Not sure if it will work with hex dumbbells or not. The surfaces need to be pretty flat for full contact. But for a few dollars (assuming you already have smaller plates around), it's worth a try.

This looks dangerous. I hope you aren't doing any overhead movements. I wouldn't even feel safe pressing those on flat or inclines.

[mower_man]

I made a set of (4) one pound weights using a 27 inch bicycle inner tube and 364 nickels.

Take the inner tube, cut the valve stem away, then cut the rest of the tube into four equal length smaller tubes. Fill each one with 91 nickels and zip tie the ends together. They fit perfectly over a 2 inch bar. Inner tube cost is less than 5 dollars and you will need 18.20 worth of nickels.

If you dont need the micro weights any more, cash in the nickels at the bank and your only out 5 bucks for the tube and a few zip ties.

[IEatPowerRacks]

This looks dangerous. I hope you aren't doing any overhead movements. I wouldn't even feel safe pressing those on flat or inclines.

Well earth magnets are really strong (I have some).

[yankeemarko1]

Well earth magnets are really strong (I have some).

OK. There your teeth.

[Sombor]

Well earth magnets are really strong (I have some).

I have one the size of two nickels that holds 15 lbs. I found it on the street one day covered in about two dollars of change

[fightnut]

While I admit, I probably wouldn't stick 10 lbers on there and do exercises with it over my face, I think you'd be surprised at how secure they are, and I have no worries about using them overhead with the 2.5 and 5 lbers.

I'm tellin' ya, I can't even get them to budge when I shake the heck out of them.

Plenty of people use Platemates on their dumbbells, no difference. Actually, since I can put as many magnets on as I want, my set up may be safer.

And even if you didn't use them for overhead/overface moves, they can still be used for other moves: DB rows, shrugs, curls, etc.

[fightnut]

What happened to the other posts in this thread?

[Mastio]

Use a small chain to create a collar for example 300 grams and add more than one each side of the Olympic barbell ....if you like the idea look for " mastio " in YouTube I'm very new to the forum so I cannot post any pic

Dear borders this is my answer hope you enjoy it