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02-16-2018, 07:39 AM #61
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02-19-2018, 02:52 PM #62
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
So....................
When's this more aggressive SS power bar coming out????
My Training Journal: http://tinyurl.com/jasons-journal
My Video Training Journal: www.youtube.com/user/jason24590
08/17:245,185,275 02/18:345,275,380
06/18:405;315,455
goal: hit previous SBD #s again 524,364,562
current meet PRs: ---/---/--- ---
What NorthStrong's sig. says
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02-19-2018, 04:57 PM #63
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04-20-2018, 01:19 PM #64
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04-20-2018, 03:00 PM #65
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04-20-2018, 04:19 PM #66
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04-20-2018, 09:27 PM #67
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
Still awaiting aggressiveness....
My Training Journal: http://tinyurl.com/jasons-journal
My Video Training Journal: www.youtube.com/user/jason24590
08/17:245,185,275 02/18:345,275,380
06/18:405;315,455
goal: hit previous SBD #s again 524,364,562
current meet PRs: ---/---/--- ---
What NorthStrong's sig. says
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04-20-2018, 10:20 PM #68
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04-20-2018, 10:25 PM #69
Same here, however, my feeling is that REP just doesn't seem to have the right people in their corner to make decisions like this. Since they're basically a small box, Crossfit type outfitter, their best bet is to just try and copy a knurl pattern like a TPB or older Ivanko OB-84 just to be safe instead of going outside the box and trying to really develop something that takes a lot of know-how to develop.
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04-21-2018, 02:45 AM #70
- Join Date: Jan 2011
- Location: Boulder, Colorado, United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 598
- Rep Power: 7385
Still on the way. It just takes a while to get the boat turned with production.
It's not quite like that. On this bar we specifically -did not- want an OPB level of knurl because more than a few people said they didn't like that for everyday training. Now, we're expanding the line to offer another knurl option, and the only difficult thing about it is the tooling capable of going deep enough on stainless. We've got it though, and it's in production.
The reason products have taken longer to come out with than we'd like is that we've been struggling with extreme growth for the past few years, coupled with improving processes overseas to eliminate the criticisms that everyone associates with Chinese-made fitness equipment. I'm currently at our steel shop for the next 10 days with a team of people to get better processes put into place on several fronts. Things everyone who has bought something made in China has experienced: Parts that were damaged before being put into the box, rust, metal shavings, paint chips, half-assed packaging, missing parts. All should be easily solvable for minimal extra costs. We've continually worked on these issues for a long time, and been lucky to partner with a factory that is the right size for us--we've grown to become 50% of their business, and so we work together to grow and improve. I expect some really great improvements this year with a new paint line, packaging process, and in-house QA/QC department along with our outside inspection team.
We also actually do ASTM safety testing at an independent lab in the states rather than spew out product as quickly as possible and risk people's safety. Probably something we should start advertising harder these days...But it does add to production times.
One final reason I'd say the process for some of these niche items is slower is simply because we've been working on, and released, a lot of other mass market items that simply sell better. Stuff people here don't get excited about, but sells 10:1 versus a stainless power bar. We can't help but prioritize there.www.repfitness.com - Gym equipment manufacturer.
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04-21-2018, 04:13 AM #71
Lets hope this never happens!! I am still blown away that a manufacturing plant can produce a couple hundred pounds of steel (power rack), ship it half way across the world, and bring it to market for half the cost of US manufacturing. Its not even cheap labor anymore as this stuff is being produced by robots!!
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04-21-2018, 06:20 AM #72
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
OPB I really don't feel is overly aggressive at all. It's annoyingly gritty though.
My Training Journal: http://tinyurl.com/jasons-journal
My Video Training Journal: www.youtube.com/user/jason24590
08/17:245,185,275 02/18:345,275,380
06/18:405;315,455
goal: hit previous SBD #s again 524,364,562
current meet PRs: ---/---/--- ---
What NorthStrong's sig. says
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04-21-2018, 06:47 AM #73
- Join Date: Jan 2011
- Location: Boulder, Colorado, United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 598
- Rep Power: 7385
Yeah the increase in automation has led us to look into producing some high-end items locally. The problem is still vertical integration, and not having access to the cheaper laser cutters, robots, etc...A shop in the US might have laser cutting, but not for tube steel. They outsource that. Or they have a tube laser, but not robot welding or powder coating, etc...lots of gaps in the production that lead to higher costs. That, and they use the name brand machines like Trumpff that cost $1.5M for a tube cutter, when a less precise but perfectly serviceable off brand will sell for $400k. But the $400k model is hard to find outside China, with English instructions and access to parts, etc...
www.repfitness.com - Gym equipment manufacturer.
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04-21-2018, 07:27 AM #74
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04-21-2018, 08:42 AM #75
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04-21-2018, 09:57 AM #76
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
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04-21-2018, 10:19 AM #77
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04-21-2018, 12:01 PM #78
The OBP can feel different based on finish, at least from my encounters. I don't think the OPB is black zinc is overly sharp or in your face aggressive. The OPB in bare steel felt more aggressive and sharper, especially in the center knurl than it needed to be. Now that said, the knurl would have dulled a bit more over time, but just saying I think finish plays a role in this. The TPB likely feels sharper because of the black ox finish. I bet the black zinc bars now don't feel as sharp. The sharpest of them all was the Westside V1...that thing was just over-the top!
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04-21-2018, 04:49 PM #79
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04-21-2018, 05:59 PM #80
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
They brought all bar manufacturing in house. The B&R v1 is one of my favorites due to the York semi split sleeve. I have the v1 Westside to and it is the sharpest bar I've used. It's awesome. I don't like the v2. It's the Ohio powerbar with black sleeves. Black zinc shaft and sleeves. But it reduces cost.
My Training Journal: http://tinyurl.com/jasons-journal
My Video Training Journal: www.youtube.com/user/jason24590
08/17:245,185,275 02/18:345,275,380
06/18:405;315,455
goal: hit previous SBD #s again 524,364,562
current meet PRs: ---/---/--- ---
What NorthStrong's sig. says
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04-22-2018, 05:34 AM #81
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04-22-2018, 07:11 AM #82
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04-23-2018, 08:02 AM #83
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04-23-2018, 03:31 PM #84
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04-23-2018, 04:11 PM #85
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05-13-2018, 07:29 PM #86
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
Hey look almost half way through May...
My Training Journal: http://tinyurl.com/jasons-journal
My Video Training Journal: www.youtube.com/user/jason24590
08/17:245,185,275 02/18:345,275,380
06/18:405;315,455
goal: hit previous SBD #s again 524,364,562
current meet PRs: ---/---/--- ---
What NorthStrong's sig. says
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05-13-2018, 08:54 PM #87
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05-13-2018, 09:48 PM #88
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05-23-2018, 06:21 PM #89
- Join Date: Mar 2007
- Location: Nebraska, United States
- Age: 49
- Posts: 17,062
- Rep Power: 39393
Defect bars are finally sold out.
https://www.repfitness.com/bars-plat...teel-power-barMy Training Journal: http://tinyurl.com/jasons-journal
My Video Training Journal: www.youtube.com/user/jason24590
08/17:245,185,275 02/18:345,275,380
06/18:405;315,455
goal: hit previous SBD #s again 524,364,562
current meet PRs: ---/---/--- ---
What NorthStrong's sig. says
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05-23-2018, 07:01 PM #90
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