I was thinking about making a power cage since it would be way cheaper than buying one.
QUESTION, would MIG welding be sufficient to hold it or should something like Arc(stick), or tig be used?
The welds are barely stressed in my power rack. Most of the forces are compressive in a rack. You mostly need to make sure the legs don’t slide. The welds are stressed the most when I rerack and do weighted chinups.
MIG would be plenty strong enough as long as you get enough penetration on the welds. I believe MIG welding is better than arc welding and if you don’t care about them looking pretty, then MIG would be fine instead of TIG for something like this.
Like leaftye said, most of the force would be compressive on the uprights. As long as the wall thickness of the SHS you’re using is sufficient, ~3mm, then the welds will basically make sure that the uprights don’t fall over.
http://images.t-nation.com/forum_images/e/2/e2d2c_ORIG-MyCage.jpg
I just made a power rack. I MIG welded everything except the beam that goes across the top, that’s bolted so I can transport the thing back to my house.
I used the exact specs from Elitefts’s 3x3 rack. I still need to get steel for the safety pins and may just buy the J-hooks online.
The only problem with is it isn’t to stable when force is applied from the side. Still have to make some lateral support for it. It may be fine though once I mount it to the floor and actually tighten the bolts, since I just tightened them by hand
I also made a reverse hyper attachment that attaches to the safety pin on one side. Need to make a platform to go across to the other safety pin so I have a surface to lay on shouldn’t be to hard.
Attached is a pic from my shitty camera phone, the person standing in it is my roomate/lifting buddy.
also needs a paint job I’m thinking black because, the holes aren’t perfect circles either because i just plasma cut them, with a template i made out of PETG. My school’s shop has really shitty drill bits and shitty drill presses. Figure black paint will make the holes stand out less. It’ll work for squats and bench though. Can’t see it in the pic but it does have a sumo base.
It would be waayyyyyy cheaper to make one. Taking the specs from a existing one like hachi did would be pretty easy.
I to was thinking about making my own rack one day, due to my Dad owns a mechanics shop and has tools galore.
i got used steel for 140- that’s why it’s orange. new would have cost me like 220ish around here
Thanks yall!
My best friend is a welder and has a 1500+sq ft warehouse. I have db’s from 5’s to 85’s and a db rack, all I need now is a power rack, bar, adjustable bench and about 500lbs of weight. And more db’s up to 120’s or so. He’s already said if we clear space he’s down to have it in there. Typing this “out loud” I have no idea why I’ve waited this long. Are the elite specs online?
I would personally go with a Stick. Unless you are welding an Alumnium Cage, TiG won’t help.
MiG would be sufficent enough, however I just like the flow of the Stick. I seem to pull the puddle a lot better than MiG.
If you are new to welding (and I don’t advise it) go with MiG as it is the easiest to learn. Also with Stick different rods go for different strengths.
This thread has big win all over it!
Unless you hate yourself, don’t make a steel rack with TIG. The metal has to be very, very clean for a good flow.
After that I’d say Flux Core > MIG > Stick.
I used MIG when I built my rack; as stated previously, MIG is easy to use just so long as you make sure to get good penetration.
Check online for the specs for the power rack you want to build; sales pages usually give specs. I recall that they usually use 11 gauge tubing.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
My best friend is a welder and has a 1500+sq ft warehouse. I have db’s from 5’s to 85’s and a db rack, all I need now is a power rack, bar, adjustable bench and about 500lbs of weight. And more db’s up to 120’s or so. He’s already said if we clear space he’s down to have it in there. Typing this “out loud” I have no idea why I’ve waited this long. Are the elite specs online?[/quote]
http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=2473
pretty much just stole the specs from this one. Then figured it all out on AutoCAD so I wouldn’t f@#$ it up while in the shop.
[quote]hachi wrote:
WhiteFlash wrote:
My best friend is a welder and has a 1500+sq ft warehouse. I have db’s from 5’s to 85’s and a db rack, all I need now is a power rack, bar, adjustable bench and about 500lbs of weight. And more db’s up to 120’s or so. He’s already said if we clear space he’s down to have it in there. Typing this “out loud” I have no idea why I’ve waited this long. Are the elite specs online?
http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=167&pid=2473
pretty much just stole the specs from this one. Then figured it all out on AutoCAD so I wouldn’t f@#$ it up while in the shop.[/quote]
Thanks man. How do you like your rack thus far, and how does it hold up?
I also found this-
http://www.ironcompany.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3265
That looks pretty solid too.
Just do a couple of test runs on some scrap to make sure your settings are good.
WhiteFlash
haven’t got to use it yet. just finished it this past weekend. I still have to bring it to my home home. right now it’s at my house at college. My university gym is pretty good, i just made it to avoid the Y when i’m home for winter and the summer. I still need to buy a texas power bar and a ton of 45’s, and a flat bench. I’m thinkin that’s gonna be my on my Christmas list. I won’t truly be using it til this coming summer anyway, since i’ll be out of the country for the winter.
The iron company one is alright. Don’t like the hole spacing on that one. I did the one inch hole spacing in the bench area. Also the Elitefts powerrack has easier to make safety pins. That is a nice way to save money on steel with the way they did their weight tree. I’m just gona throw my weights on the ground. Gotta get rubber horse mats from tractor supply co. Heard their pretty cheap.
Dude, I don’t know a lot about chains as they relate to lifting, but you should also be able to pick those up from a tractor supply store, not to mention giant tires to do some flipping.
Nah i can get tire’s from my neighbors if need be. Not sure if they sell chains big enough, I’ll definitely check though while I’m there.