Plate-Loaded Machines

[HenryMaag]

Well, I don’t have the laser cut plates yet (and I’m told by my vendor that his machine is down and he has a backlog of work to catch up on), so I have decided to do what I can with what I do have right now. I do have bearing tube material and 1 1-4” bar stock, so I have decided to start building the respective machine’s weight arm assemblies and their mounts while waiting for the laser cut plates.


The weight arm mounts must be positioned on the respective machine’s frame in a position where the respective weight arm assembly for each machine will rotate about an axis which is perpendicular to and offset from the path that each machine’s carriage will be guided along. This linear path will (like all linear leg press machines) be just offset with and parallel with the straight section of the respective machine’s frame between the two bends.

My designs originally called for a bearing tube (for journaling the weight arm) to be joined to each machine’s frame at the upper rearward end of each machine’s “S” shaped frame. After aligning and welding a bearing tube to the upper rearward end of the “S” on the Hack Squat machine (picture 1 - the Hack Squat), I decided to ‘beef up’ the weight arm bearing support on the Linear Leg Press because of greater weights being lifted on this machine (not that the 4” heavy-walled pipe would not have been strong enough, but I do tend to overkill my machines).

So instead of a bearing tube welded to the frame (like the Hack Squat) I decided to add a formed 1 1/4” solid steel bar which I shaped into a kind of “U” shape, which will support two flanges which will support the weight arm bearing tube which will be, in turn, incorporated into the Linear Leg Presses’ weight arm assembly. This “U” shaped tube has been welded to the Linear Leg Presses’ frame in an upside down position with its two lower ends positioned to join to the top side of the frame’s transverse tube at its lower ends (see picture 2 - Linear Leg Press). Note in picture 3 that the lower ends have not yet been welded to the transverse tube because welding the transverse tube in at this point would not allow the rotating weight arm assembly on this machine to be installed, in that the addition of the “U” shaped support bar “traps” the weight arm assembly in the machine’s frame.

Now that I have a bearing mount in place for the Hack Squat and a bar located to receive two bearing mount flanges to support the rotating weight arm assembly on the Linear Leg Press, I have switched to building the two respective machines’ weight arm assemblies.


As can be seen they are made of a number of 1 1/4” solid steel bars (similar highly-durable construction as that which I used on the popular Glute Press machine already in the line). The weight bar on the Hack Squat is 48” wide and should accommodate as much weight as anyone can lift in a hack squat movement. (picture 1 - Hack Squat weight arm assembly) The bar on the Linear Leg Press is 66” long and will accommodate as much weight as anyone can lift on a linear leg press movement (picture 2 - Linear Leg Press weight arm assembly).


At this point I suppose I will investigate linear bearings for the slides on these two machines while waiting on the laser cut plates.

[HenryMaag]

https://www.instagram.com/p/COY438HjI-8/

[Greybird2]

Can u post it another way?

[HenryMaag]

Alright, I have been investigating linear bearings for these two machines (a new bearing for me - I have not used them before). I noted that other manufacturer’s typically utilize four linear bearings to guide their carriages on two sets of rails, I also noted that they were in the 1” to 1.25” range.

Because my designs call for a single roller bearing, which is all that is necessary in my designs to acquire a ‘linear path’ at the foot plate / hip joints: cost is not not much of an object. While others use 1” to 1.25” bars and bearings, we’re taking CROSS AXES TECH; and I tend to overkill everything I build, so I decided to spring for 1.5” linear bearings and guide bar (see pictures - 1” to the left, 1.25” in the center, and 1.5” to the right). This larger bearing, coupled with a shorter distance between the guide bar supports, and significantly less side loading (perpendicular to the axis of the guide rod) because of the machine designs, will result in much higher durability for these two machines compared with other linear-carriage-type leg machine offerings from other manufacturers.

[kis55]

Henry, I'm very interested in what you will do in the design of the hack squat machine. Do you know yet what degree of angle your going to make it? 30 degrees? 40?

[HenryMaag]

Henry, I'm very interested in what you will do in the design of the hack squat machine. Do you know yet what degree of angle your going to make it? 30 degrees? 40?

The average angle of inclination of the back pad throughout the movement is about 55° (I say 'average' because the carriage tends to rotate little bit throughout the range - somewhat like a pendulum squat - but not that extreme).

In case your wondering, the actual angle of inclination on this machine does not effect the difficulty of the movement, which is dictated by the rotating weight arm assembly and gets more difficult as the legs are straightened (it is a variable resistance hack squat machine). Because the actual load being applied is dictated by the rotating weight arm, instead of the angle of inclination of the carriage, I decided to make the carriage move somewhat more upright (55° versus 30-40°) so that it is easier for an operator to enter and exit the machine.

[AngusDalemon]

My trainer's gym has a lot of Hoist Roc-it gear, and I've been unable to find an answer to this question: with no plates loaded, how much am I lifting? How much of my own bodyweight is involved? Can't even find the answer on Hoist's website.

I'm also specifically wondering about the bicep curl machine. I'm female and pretty new to lifting and as of yet I can't even bust out a single curl on that machine. I have to go to a pin loaded machine, where I can go to failure in about 15 reps at 50 lbs.

Not exactly need to know, but I'm interested in the mechanics of these machines.

[HenryMaag]

My trainer's gym has a lot of Hoist Roc-it gear, and I've been unable to find an answer to this question: with no plates loaded, how much am I lifting? How much of my own bodyweight is involved? Can't even find the answer on Hoist's website.

This depends on the machine, but basically depends on how much the center-of-gravity of your body mass is displaced through the gravitational field (vertically) during the exercise movement.

I'm also specifically wondering about the bicep curl machine. I'm female and pretty new to lifting and as of yet I can't even bust out a single curl on that machine. I have to go to a pin loaded machine, where I can go to failure in about 15 reps at 50 lbs.

I reviewed a “You Tube” video of the Hoist ‘ROC-IT’ arm curl machine (RS 1102 Biceps Curl) in use. The video showed a side view, which allowed me to determine that the operator’s center of gravity while seated (a position just in front of the abdomen and above the peak of the thighs - typically) is in front of, an substantially above, the pivotal axis of the seat’s rotating mount. Given this position, you would displace your center of gravity slightly upward during the movement (more so in the beginning of the movement than toward the end). You could envision it like a clock trying to move a weight at the tip of the minute hand starting at 11 o’clock up to 12 noon. It is not too significant.

Given that you can arm curl 50lbs for 15 reps, I am surprised that Hoist would release a machine (especially since they are in the ‘fitness’ end of products for the weight lifting industry) that people can’t use.

I did note (from their video) that their arm curl machine offers no support for the upper arms (in order to ‘fix’ the position of the elbow joints during the exercise), which means that your shoulder, chest, and back muscles must get involved in the movement (for stabilizing your upper arms). This takes significant effort and adds to your burden of performing this exercise.

I suspicion that their machine would be easier to use if they included supports for the rear of the arms (like most arm curl machines) on their machine.

[HenryMaag]

While I don’t have all of the laser cut plates yet (still waiting on the 1/4” plates - both smooth and diamond stamped), I did finally picked up the 1/2” thick laser cut plates, which include the flanges for mounting the Linear Leg Presses’ rotating weight arm assembly. Lasers, while being able to cut edges sharp enough to cut yourself on, still can’t match machining with a cutter for precision and finish. So after picking up the ‘blank’ 1/2” plate flanges and mounts, I deburred them and drilled the holes in them that are necessary for locating the bars that the rotating assemblies mount to.


Now that the weight arms are already built and I have the mounting flanges for the Linear Leg Presses’ weight arm mounts, I can weld the transverse tubes on to the respective machines' frames thus finishing the basic frames. I could not do this earlier (at least on the Linear Leg Press) because I would not be able to journal its weight arm to the frame because I added that “U” shaped bar which will trap the weight arm on the frame.

At this point with the transverse tubes welded to the two machines' frames and their respective rotating weight arm mounts in place, the two machines frames are starting to take shape (pictures 1 and 2 are the Hack Squat, and pictures 3 and 4 are the Linear Leg Press). Note that the Linear Leg Presses' weight arm assembly is sitting loose on the machine’s frame (not mounted to the flanges yet).

[HenryMaag]

Alright, I can play the game. Let's try flipping pictures 1, 2, and 4 upside down before downloading them. Here's to hoping that they don't turn out upside down anyway.

[HenryMaag]

I have made some more progress on the Linear Leg Press machine.


Range adjusting mechanisms are a feature common to all of my machines. On most of my machines I use a bumper stop attached to a screw, so that adjusting the range of motion is as simple as turning the screw to adjust where the bumper catches the moving assembly. On the Linear Leg Press it is also a bumper stop joined to a screw: I added a crank on the opposite end (like the pectoral fly machine or vertical chest press). I mounted it to the machine’s rotating weight arm assembly for easier accessibility when adjusting the machine (picture 1).

Next, I built a foot plate/carriage assembly (picture 2) out of 1/4” formed plate (for the body of the carriage) and I used my standard 1/4” diamond plate foot plate (common to both the Glute Press and Inverted Leg Press also) for the carriage’s foot plate. Attached to the foot plate are a pair of bearing flanges which mount the shaft which engages a linear bearing housing on a pivotal axis at the lower end of the carriage.

I fabricated a pivotal linear bearing mount tube (picture 3) to join the machine’s foot plate/carriage assembly (picture 2) to a linear bearing which will guide the foot plate assembly up and down a frame-journaled guide rod (picture 4). The mounted guide bearing can be seen in picture 5. The mounted foot plate/carriage assembly can be seen in pictures 6, 7 ,8.

The machine is designed so that the linear bearing guides the lower end of the carriage assembly up and down the guide rod in a linear path at the foot plate. As the carriage is moved upward the weight bar swings up through an arc which increases the load at the foot plate in accordance with human body mechanics (no rubber bands needed - thank you). In addition, the foot plate rotates slightly changing its pitch throughout the movement to better track the rotation of the operator’s ankle joints throughout the movement (double prizes), unlike the standard linear leg press machines offered by other manufacturers.


Wear should be very low on the oversized linear bearing because the load is being applied down the axis of the of the machine’s guide rod instead of perpendicular to it (like other manufacturers - especially the ones using low slopes (30°-35°) on their linear leg presses).

[HenryMaag]

I don't know where the pictures went, let's try again.

[HenryMaag]

Additional photos to date of Linear Leg Press.

[HenryMaag]

AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!



Help!




Confound my obsession with designing a hack squat machine just to fill the L-2000 ‘open slot’ on my website.


The L-3000 Linear Leg Press (previous post) is, in my own opinion, AWESOME. (Yes, I have mounted pads to it, and it feels great). Being that the 'carriage or sled-type' leg press machine is the most common type of leg press machine, and is a machine that has been around for 60 years which most all gyms purchase: you can expect to see it offered as a ‘production model’ on my upcoming website (Oct 2021).






The L-2000 Hack Squat…. not so much.




Once again, after mounting a pad to it, and trying to ‘budge’ it ‘out of the bottom’; this 64 year old could not (even with no weight on the weight bar). I won’t pretend to be as strong as many of you, but, it is simply too heavy to offer to the general public.

I have included pictures of the machine to the point in construction which I reached. There is no need, at this point, to pursue its ‘racking mechanism’, which would hold its moving assembly in a mid-movement position for ease of access to the machine. It is also not necessary to add the shoulder engaging pads or handgrips to the carriage assembly (all items, of which, by the way, would make its moving assembly even heavier).

Anyone out there interested in a piece of ‘artwork’???? (Ha, Ha, Ha)





This, as many of you already know, has been my second attempt at a ‘Hack Squat” machine (with the same result)…………………



……and…….



….I’m not done! I have returned to the drawing board, and am planning a ‘pendulum-type’ Hack Squat machine. After all, I still have a ‘slot’ to fill on my website.

[kis55]

AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!



Help!




Confound my obsession with designing a hack squat machine just to fill the L-2000 ‘open slot’ on my website.


The L-3000 Linear Leg Press (previous post) is, in my own opinion, AWESOME. (Yes, I have mounted pads to it, and it feels great). Being that the 'carriage or sled-type' leg press machine is the most common type of leg press machine, and is a machine that has been around for 60 years which most all gyms purchase: you can expect to see it offered as a ‘production model’ on my upcoming website (Oct 2021).






The L-2000 Hack Squat…. not so much.




Once again, after mounting a pad to it, and trying to ‘budge’ it ‘out of the bottom’; this 64 year old could not (even with no weight on the weight bar). I won’t pretend to be as strong as many of you, but, it is simply too heavy to offer to the general public.

I have included pictures of the machine to the point in construction which I reached. There is no need, at this point, to pursue its ‘racking mechanism’, which would hold its moving assembly in a mid-movement position for ease of access to the machine. It is also not necessary to add the shoulder engaging pads or handgrips to the carriage assembly (all items, of which, by the way, would make its moving assembly even heavier).

Anyone out there interested in a piece of ‘artwork’???? (Ha, Ha, Ha)





This, as many of you already know, has been my second attempt at a ‘Hack Squat” machine (with the same result)…………………



……and…….



….I’m not done! I have returned to the drawing board, and am planning a ‘pendulum-type’ Hack Squat machine. After all, I still have a ‘slot’ to fill on my website.

Excited to see the finished leg press, and especially the pendulum squat. Get cracking on that!

[HenryMaag]

Alright!


Take three (well, I have heard it said that 'third times a charm' - I hope that holds true - we'll find out)



Being that October 1 (the date that I intend to update my website and add a few new machines) is quickly approaching this will be the quickest that I have ever designed and tried to prototype a new machine. Fortunately for me, the business which laser cuts pipes for me, got on my submitted frame plans very quickly, and I have already received the laser cut pipes for the basic frame. As can be seen in the attached picture, this will be the first machine which I have built without the basic triangular base consisting of an elongated transverse tube at one end of the frame and a round steel plate or short transverse tube at the other end of the frame.

I have welded together the basic box type frame which consists of two elongated transverse tubes, one at each end of the machine, joined to each other by two more parallel tubes on each side of the machine, forming a rectangular base to which two more parallel tubes extend diagonally upwards toward the front of the machine. The upper forward ends of these two diagonal tubes will hold the bearings to which a pendulum type rocking carriage assembly will be journaled.



I will keep all members interested in its progress informed as the project unfolds. I hope to pick up some parts from my laser plate cutting source today, to start the carriage assembly.

[kis55]

Very intrigued Henry. Any chance you could provide an estimate on the footprint of the pendulum machine?

[HenryMaag]

Very intrigued Henry. Any chance you could provide an estimate on the footprint of the pendulum machine?

Hi, Stephen

The footprint of the new 'pendulum hack squat' should be 66" L x 44" W x 59" H

[HenryMaag]

Progress to date:

I have been working on some sub-assemblies in order to make the rocking carriage assembly.

Picture 1 shows the carriage which the operator support pad is attached to. It is formed out of 1/4" plate. I have welded in the bearing tubes which mount the pivotal rack assembly which will hold the machine's moving assembly in a mid-movement position when the machine is 'racked'.

Picture 2 shows the weight arm bars attached to the lower loop which will guide the carriage through an arc when using the machine.

In picture 3, I have welded the machine's upper loop which guides the carriage through an arc to its bearing mounts as a start to the construction of the carriage assembly.






Obviously, pendulum squat machines are not new, many manufacturers already build them, and my design is fundamentally no different from theirs. But in order to make the machine apply an efficient ‘hack squat’ movement (effecting the lower quadriceps) some concern must be made to both the orientations of the arc which the carriage moves through relative to the angle and placement of the foot engaging plate, and the force output curve of the machine.

I do not believe, upon examining the competitions’ machines that they have taken the aspects of hack squat machine design into consideration when designing their pendulum squats. I say this because I see both incorrect placement of their footplates relative to the arcs which their pendulum type carriages move through and improper placement of their weight loading bars relative to the axis of rotation of their pendulum type carriages.

A properly performed ‘hack squat’ does not require a lot of weight to be effective, the ‘hack squat’ machine is more of a ‘finesse’ machine. The applied weight should back off significantly at the low end (perhaps 50% of the weight applied at lockout). In addition, the pitch of the foot plate should accommodate the knees coming out over the feet at the bottom of the movement while remaining more perpendicular to the axis of the legs at lockout; and a pendulum type machine lends itself very well to this body tracking.

All single rotating bodies (like the moving assembly on a pendulum type squat machine - including mine) apply a sine curve force output - the trick is to place the weight loading bars in such a position on this rotating assembly that they will sweep through an arc throughout the range of the movement which will roughly double the load from the beginning of the movement to the end of the movement. In addition, the weight loading bars should be placed closer to the rotational axis of the carriage assembly than the operator support system in order to reduce the inertia and consequent stress that it applies to the tendons at the knee at the bottom of the movement (once again, the ‘hack squat’ is a finesse machine).


I should have more pictures soon of the completed rocking carriage assembly mounted in the frame.

[HenryMaag]

Progress report.

Picture 1 shows the machine’s carriage assembly on sawbucks (side - topside view)

Picture 2 shows the machine’s carriage assembly on sawbucks
(side - underside view showing the pivotal rack arm installed in the carriage)

Picture 3 shows the carriage assembly mounted in the frame
(inverted to show the underside of the machine)

Picture 4 is a rear machine view of the carriage mounted in the frame
(note the pivotal rack arm engaged in the frame mounted hook holding the assembly in a mid-movement position)

Picture 5 1s a side view of the machine to this point in construction.

Picture 6 is a front side view of the machine to this point in construction.





Now that the carriage assembly’s arc of movement has been establish and fixed, I can determine where to locate and how to pitch the foot engaging plate for an effective ‘hack squat’ movement.

First, I must locate shoulder constraint pads and handgrips to the carriage assembly. While I have an idea, based on plans that I have drawn up of where to place these components, I know, from experience that I will probably be making adjustments to their locations and orientations. When I position them where I believe they work best (for the broadest range of strength athletes) I will take pictures.

Once I have located the handgrips and shoulder engaging pads I can finish the linkage to actuate the pivotal racking bar from the operating position. Then I can locate and pitch the foot plate which will mount to the machine’s front transverse tube. Finally, I will add a screw type depth stop to the carriage assembly to adjust the bottom of the range of motion (typical of all of my compound leg machines). The depth stop will have a rubber bumper which will engage the machine’s transverse cross tube which supports the stop hook.

[HenryMaag]

Progress report.

Here are three pictures of the pendulum hack squat with a pad mounted to it. I mounted the pad to test how difficult (or not) the machine was to use at this point. I have not yet attached a foot plate, I simply tested it bracing my feet against the forward transverse pipe…



…..and…………..
















….well, a twenty year old Tom Platz might like it. For this nearly 65 year old, while I could move it with no weights loaded, it is, once again, far too heavy for the average user. My problems basically stem from the fact that I use heavier materials than most of my competitors, and, like a fool, I will not add counterweights to my machines (my own personal problem).

I must confess, I am getting frustrated with the ‘hack squat’ machine. It just might not be in the cards, and I will simply have to live with an open spot in my product designations for leg machines.



With another $5000 invested in this latest attempt, I do intend, rather than cut it up like the last two attempts, I may try to modify it (basically through modifying the frame to rotate the rocking carriage assembly farther downward into a more horizontal position to make the movement easier). I will have to test it at that point to see if the movement feels good with weights. If not, there will be no L-2000 on my next website, and everyone familiar with this forum will know why.

[HenryMaag]

Well, I modified the frame and rotated the rocking assembly downward, and while it (as expected) made the movement much easier, it brought up new problems with the ‘racking mechanism’.



I am nearly 65 years old, and it is time to humble myself and acknowledge that I am not going to produce a ‘hack squat’ machine. My website will always show an L-1000 Squat machine, and the next listing will be an L-3000 Linear Leg Press machine, L-4000………





Its time to move on to fine tuning and making ‘tooling’ for the B-7000 Lat Isolation machine. I, as many of you on the forum already know, have already built one a while back and know that it has potential to be a useful machine.

[ArnoldHAMnEGGer]

Well, I modified the frame and rotated the rocking assembly downward, and while it (as expected) made the movement much easier, it brought up new problems with the ‘racking mechanism’.



I am nearly 65 years old, and it is time to humble myself and acknowledge that I am not going to produce a ‘hack squat’ machine. My website will always show an L-1000 Squat machine, and the next listing will be an L-3000 Linear Leg Press machine, L-4000………





Its time to move on to fine tuning and making ‘tooling’ for the B-7000 Lat Isolation machine. I, as many of you on the forum already know, have already built one a while back and know that it has potential to be a useful machine.

I don't know...that thing looks like it has the potential to be awesome to me. This is coming from a guy with herniated discs who's been waiting for someone to make a slightly improved Hack Squat. One that places the load lower in relation to the spine as opposed to a higher vertical loading point that most Hacks and Pendulum Squats utilize (which is similar to a Barbell Squat). I've seen some Hacks use the lower placed loading horns, but not enough. Whatever Hack Squat Dorian used in Blood & Guts, this is what I'm talking about. Gymleco's Hack Squat also does this. Now, how much of a difference this makes in terms of how much less this loads the spine, I'm not sure of but I think it's still better for those with back injuries to a degree. Of course if you load 500 lbs. on the machine I don't think it will matter much where it gets loaded on the machine; the compression will immediately apparent.

[HenryMaag]

I am planning on making a production model of my Lat Isolation Machine for offering on my upcoming website.


I originally designed a Lat Isolation machine, and reported progress on its development in posts #114 through #138 of this thread (over 2.5 years ago now). I built a single prototype then (because my intent at that point was simply to demonstrate that I could develop a far more effective Lat Isolation machine than Arthur Jones and Nautilus).



I am convinced now, that the machine has the potential to be so well received and used by bodybuilders and strength athletes, that I am going to pursue a production model.


Having already built (and market tested) an original prototype, I know what elements of the machine can be improved upon.


I will start pictures and a progress report on this new production machine on my next post.


Here are a few pictures of the original prototype

[EricAtl]

I am planning on making a production model of my Lat Isolation Machine for offering on my upcoming website.


I originally designed a Lat Isolation machine, and reported progress on its development in posts #114 through #138 of this thread (over 2.5 years ago now). I built a single prototype then (because my intent at that point was simply to demonstrate that I could develop a far more effective Lat Isolation machine than Arthur Jones and Nautilus).



I am convinced now, that the machine has the potential to be so well received and used by bodybuilders and strength athletes, that I am going to pursue a production model.


Having already built (and market tested) an original prototype, I know what elements of the machine can be improved upon.


I will start pictures and a progress report on this new production machine on my next post.


Here are a few pictures of the original prototype

Wow, curious to see this.

[Greybird2]

Well, I modified the frame and rotated the rocking assembly downward, and while it (as expected) made the movement much easier, it brought up new problems with the ‘racking mechanism’.



I am nearly 65 years old, and it is time to humble myself and acknowledge that I am not going to produce a ‘hack squat’ machine. My website will always show an L-1000 Squat machine, and the next listing will be an L-3000 Linear Leg Press machine, L-4000………





Its time to move on to fine tuning and making ‘tooling’ for the B-7000 Lat Isolation machine. I, as many of you on the forum already know, have already built one a while back and know that it has potential to be a useful machine.

Move the weight horns to the middle instead of near the end of the pivot. Might have to tweak the rear frame a little.

[HenryMaag]

A couple of pictures of the L-3000 Linear Leg Press finished.

[HenryMaag]

A couple more pictures of another L-3000 finished.

[HenryMaag]

Progress report on new B-7000 Lat Isolation Machine.



For those of you who remember the old Nautilus "Behind the Neck Torso Arm" machine, this machine will perform the same function with a greater range of motion, far less uncomfortably (with a roller pad grinding your triceps into your humorous bones), and far more effectively.


As many of you know, I built a prototype of this machine a few years ago.

The original prototype’s main problems were that it was too difficult to actuate the seat height adjusting mechanism (the crank handle was located on the bottom of the machine between the two seats - making it hard to access without getting on your knees). The other main problem was actuating the ‘racking mechanism’ (which was an afterthought - added to the machine after I had originally designed it). It was actuated by the operator’s free-hand, and was located in a position slightly behind the operator and below the seat level making it hard to access comfortably. I have addressed these two issues and refined the machine’s force output curve and the machine’s upper arm and shoulder engaging pads for a better, more universal feel.

This new configuration of the machine features a new design to the seat height adjusting mechanism (picture 3). Picture 4 shows the new seat height adjusting arm journaled in the machine's frame, unlike the first prototype the hand crank for adjusting the seat height will be high off the floor on the centerline of the machine in an easily assessable position. The second big issue with the original prototype was actuating the 'racking mechanism'. I have decided to make a 'foot actuated' racking mechanism (like all of my other back building machines). The brackets which will journal the foot pates can be seen extending off of the machine's transverse tube base at floor level in the frame pictures 1 & 2.





This machine, when finished, will directly isolate an operator’s upper lats (under the arms) for a direct effect on building the “V taper” which bodybuilders are after. You could almost look at it as doing “lat curls” through flexing the upper arms to the torso, just like you would be doing “bicep curls” through flexing the forearms to the upper arms.

[HenryMaag]

I have finished the seat adjusting assembly by adding a brace tube to the machine’s frame which is engaged by a crank assembly journaled in the rotating seat arm assembly (pictures 1 & 2). I added the machine’s weight arm assembly (picture 3), journaling it in the machine’s frame (picture 4 & 5).

I will start the machine's 'effort arm' assembly next.