Homemade gym/fitness equipment

Here is a link showing you how to make homemade pull-up bars, dip bars and parallel bars.

http://www.angelfire.com/ny5/shenandoah ... grunt.html

Please add to this topic if you know of other sites for making exercise equipment.

That is an excellent site, it's forum is not very active though. I have made my own V-shaped dip station and ropes and isometric and elastic and spring resistance devices, it is nice to custom build things to suit yourself.

This site has many links to homemade equipment sites, including the one above.

http://www.rosstraining.com/forum/viewt ... ?f=9&t=157

I might post pictures of my own dip station. It is pretty good.

Here is a decent link to make parallettes using ABS piping instead of PVC as it is stronger.

http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=558

Took me about 30 minutes to make them.

Thanks a lot. I like these links.

http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14814

This is a bunch of tradesmen talking about ABS vs PVC. There is 7 pages of it, and everyone concurs that pvc is stronger. The instructions on that link are great, but use pvc. I do like the black color of ABS though

PARALLETE SIZE & DIMENSIONS ???

I have decided to make me the Paralets.

The PVC v/s ABS question came up and I will start with 1.5" PVC and maybe make an ABS version as well later or one with Wooden Dowels. Also someone mentioned PVC Schedule 40. How critical is that? How can I tell which is what?

Having gone through the following threads and others I've found 3 possible instruction sets to follow.

They are pretty much the same except I think there is a difference in the size dynamics of the 3 paralet variations.

So, the question is, what size / dimensions should I use here?

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=415

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=907

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1281

PVC (Celtic Kane)

http://celtickane.com/projects/homemade-parallettes/

Main Length, Height, Base Side Length:

1.5ft (18"), 4-6", 3-5"

ABS

http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/?p=558

Main Length, Height, Base Side Length:

1.5ft (18"), 6", 6"

Cross Fit (PVC)

http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library ... lettes.pdf

Main Length, Height, Base Side Length:

2ft (24"), 8", 5"

So what length, height & Base one side length would you recommend?

I don't know that there are any "ideal dimensions," but mine are 23 inches wide(center of one handle to center of the other) by 22 inches long(actual length of pvc used for handle, this is the pipe itself, about 20.5" is actually exposed.) by 16 inches high. I don't travel with them though If I were you, I would make my vertical supports 8", horizontal supports 8", and handles around 18-20". After you put it together with the fittings they will be slightly larger, around 11-12 inches high. Make both the bars freestanding, mine are connected in the middle in the front. I can adjust them all kinds of ways, so it works for me, but for what you want not having them connected will be better. In my opinion, anyways

As for knowing what schedule 40 is, you'll see a bunch of crap printed on the pipe. ASTM number, etc. you will see SCH-40, just like that, on the pipe. It's usually right next to the psi rating, which for mine is 330 psi. You can also ask an employee where the shcedule 40 pvc is. They'll show you Or your friend, whoever gets the stuff.