I am considering buying some squat stands for my home gym. I found plenty of high quality stands and rack, but they all cost 250+. I then found this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-Adjustable-Standard-Solid-Steel-Squat-Stands-Barbell-Free-Press-Bench-/271411125270
Any thoughts on this? They claim a weight capacity of 390lbs. Plenty for me for at least 3 years, and hopefully by then I would have my degree and be making enough to buy a nice Rogue rack.
“Max Load Should Not Exceed 390lbs”
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
“Max Load Should Not Exceed 390lbs”[/quote]
I like how it’s labeled “heavy duty”.
[quote]Totenkopf wrote:
[quote]usmccds423 wrote:
“Max Load Should Not Exceed 390lbs”[/quote]
I like how it’s labeled “heavy duty”.
[/quote]
Ya, lol.
I wouldn’t be comfortable using anywhere near 390 on a regular basis.
Probably better off paying a welder to make you one. I’m sure they could make you a decent one for under 500.
here’s a couple options my google-fu turned up in 1 min, wink wink. 
don’t get much better than this.
[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
here’s a couple options my google-fu turned up in 1 min, wink wink.
don’t get much better than this.
[/quote]
If I didn’t already have a rack, I would pick this up in a heartbeat. That’s a great find.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
here’s a couple options my google-fu turned up in 1 min, wink wink.
don’t get much better than this.
[/quote]
If I didn’t already have a rack, I would pick this up in a heartbeat. That’s a great find.[/quote]
Ya, I’d feel much more comfortable with that. Max weight is 500 and you don’t have to worry about 1 side falling over and not the other, or something like that.
scroll to the bottom of that page for more options.
I’m building a power rack out of wood for about $200. I made a drawing for it and I plan to make a thread once I am finished
I was driven to do this after the abundant amount of GARBAGE that people are selling on craigslist, or the ridiculous prices that people ask for decent equipment ($500-$600 for a decent power rack).
It’s depressing that they make power racks etc. that are only rated for 300lbs, might as well get a shake weight.
[quote]carbiduis wrote:
I’m building a power rack out of wood for about $200. I made a drawing for it and I plan to make a thread once I am finished
I was driven to do this after the abundant amount of GARBAGE that people are selling on craigslist, or the ridiculous prices that people ask for decent equipment ($500-$600 for a decent power rack).
It’s depressing that they make power racks etc. that are only rated for 300lbs, might as well get a shake weight.[/quote]
Yea, throw up the drawings for it once you are done. I’ve heard others have done this before (I think on this site). My only concern would obviously be the ability to hold 500+…
Although not that exact setup, a few years back, I had a similar at-home setup for when I couldn’t make it to the gym. Hopefully you never stumble with a squat because you might end up with the same horrific scar that I have on my shoulder now after falling basically almost face first into the stand. Do not recommend. To this day I don’t like squatting because of that stupid thing.
[quote]coolnatedawg wrote:
[quote]carbiduis wrote:
I’m building a power rack out of wood for about $200. I made a drawing for it and I plan to make a thread once I am finished
I was driven to do this after the abundant amount of GARBAGE that people are selling on craigslist, or the ridiculous prices that people ask for decent equipment ($500-$600 for a decent power rack).
It’s depressing that they make power racks etc. that are only rated for 300lbs, might as well get a shake weight.[/quote]
Yea, throw up the drawings for it once you are done. I’ve heard others have done this before (I think on this site). My only concern would obviously be the ability to hold 500+…[/quote]
I do have the drawing done, but I will unveil it with the thread in a few weeks or so 
I bought the 4 columns last night, 4x6 posts. With those holding the bar loaded, you’d be talking 250lbs on each post…which is absolutely nothing for a 4"x6" post.
I am really aiming to make it “stupid strong”, i.e. so strong that you don’t even question it when using it, and strong enough where I don’t have to consider doing calcs to make sure it will be strong enough.
Yeah, it’s more like… if you trip/pass-out/dump the weight, you’re going to have to be able to handle the amount of force generated by the drop (far more than that of 250 lbs sitting on it), over a relatively small point of contact.
[quote]carbiduis wrote:
I’m building a power rack out of wood for about $200. I made a drawing for it and I plan to make a thread once I am finished
I was driven to do this after the abundant amount of GARBAGE that people are selling on craigslist, or the ridiculous prices that people ask for decent equipment ($500-$600 for a decent power rack).
It’s depressing that they make power racks etc. that are only rated for 300lbs, might as well get a shake weight.[/quote]
very good idea. I made one last year out of 4x4s, 2x4s, and 3/4" steel pipes. all for about $150. The hardest part is drilling all the holes straight.
OP if you have the time you can build some squat racks for about $100 like I did before I build my power cage. It aint the prettiest thing but it works.
All you need is two 5 gallon buckets, some cement, screws and some 2x4s. Screw three 2x4s together with the center one being the lowest to hold the bar and the back one higher than the first to act as a back stop. Then screw a piece of 2x4 on the bottom to form a “T”. then put it in a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with cement. The only downside is they weigh like 60 pounds each, but they are cheap and very functional. I can show you pics if you want.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
Yeah, it’s more like… if you trip/pass-out/dump the weight, you’re going to have to be able to handle the amount of force generated by the drop (far more than that of 250 lbs sitting on it), over a relatively small point of contact.[/quote]
Who doesn’t love a good game of GOTCHYA that we engineers like to play?
Impact loading you say?
I don’t like squat stands, I like power racks for safety, and the only times I have needed the safety rails, I was able to very gently set the bar down.
Great answer. I guess I’m just too used to people who are “handy” who don’t exactly think things through. Glad to know that’s not you
On a related note, I actually got lightheaded at the end of a squat set the other day, enough that I lost vision and sound for a tiny bit, but I’d racked the bar just a second before that hit me in full force. Kinda freaked me out; it’s the first time that’s happened. Had my timing been off a bit, my pins would have been bent to hell.
Of course, with reinforced pins, now the issue is damaging your bar if you drop it.
[quote]LoRez wrote:
Great answer. I guess I’m just too used to people who are “handy” who don’t exactly think things through. Glad to know that’s not you
On a related note, I actually got lightheaded at the end of a squat set the other day, enough that I lost vision and sound for a tiny bit, but I’d racked the bar just a second before that hit me in full force. Kinda freaked me out; it’s the first time that’s happened. Had my timing been off a bit, my pins would have been bent to hell.
Of course, with reinforced pins, now the issue is damaging your bar if you drop it. :-)[/quote]
Let me ask you this;
Do you think dropping a bar after (assuming equal/even impact when it hits the ground) completing a dead lift is bad for a bar?
I don’t think it is, the bearings would only support the weight of the middle of the bar itself. The weight of the plates are supported by themselves as the hit the ground, thus not placing a load on the bearings.
I do agree that the bearings would see the impact though if you were to drop the bar in a power rack where the safety rails contact the middle of the bar (inside of the sleeves). In this case the plates ARE being supported by the sleeves and thus the bearings would see the load.
Do you agree?
I’m kind of disgruntled that you bring up the bar, cause now I’m, thinking about it…I’m planning on getting a Buddy Capps Texas Power bar (I’m drooling right now thinking about it). I’ve promised myself that I would wait till my power rack is close to being assembled before ordering it, too bad it takes 4 weeks for the bar to be delivered, fuck though I am excited.
[quote]talon2nr7588 wrote:
[quote]carbiduis wrote:
I’m building a power rack out of wood for about $200. I made a drawing for it and I plan to make a thread once I am finished
I was driven to do this after the abundant amount of GARBAGE that people are selling on craigslist, or the ridiculous prices that people ask for decent equipment ($500-$600 for a decent power rack).
It’s depressing that they make power racks etc. that are only rated for 300lbs, might as well get a shake weight.[/quote]
very good idea. I made one last year out of 4x4s, 2x4s, and 3/4" steel pipes. all for about $150. The hardest part is drilling all the holes straight.
OP if you have the time you can build some squat racks for about $100 like I did before I build my power cage. It aint the prettiest thing but it works.
All you need is two 5 gallon buckets, some cement, screws and some 2x4s. Screw three 2x4s together with the center one being the lowest to hold the bar and the back one higher than the first to act as a back stop. Then screw a piece of 2x4 on the bottom to form a “T”. then put it in a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with cement. The only downside is they weigh like 60 pounds each, but they are cheap and very functional. I can show you pics if you want. [/quote]
Lets see some pics!
It’s funny that you mention the 3/4" pipe. I was going to use pipe cause I assumed it would be stronger than solid bar (more material at the outside where the load would be in a beam in bending-type load and away from the neutral axis). I mean structural frames, bicycles, almost everything uses tubing instead of solid bar, which points to it being stronger.
BUT.
I finally realized whats going on…
For a given weight, the tubing IS stronger (and cheaper which is why it’s used so often), but for a given diameter THE BAR is stronger. Knowing that I wanted to limit the diameter of the holes that I’m going to drill in the columns, I am going to go with the solid bar.
But if the scenario was different, say we wanted to make it lighter/stronger the tubing or pipe would be better.
I tried to explain this to my GF but she wasn’t buying it, she kept saying “well of course the solid bar is stronger”…and I agree, but only if you hold the weight* of the bar constant when comparing the two.