Building a double half rack

Bands, chains, wraps, straps, racks... are you sure this is training related?

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gtl
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Re: Building a double half rack

#21

Post by gtl » Wed May 16, 2018 3:28 am

220Eric wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 8:16 pm I finally finished building my rack. I learned a lot about metal fabrication, mainly that I don’t know much about metal fabrication. I hope to put a finish on it this Saturday and build a new platform the weekend after.
Damn, I'm jealous! That's exactly what I wanted.

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Shane
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Re: Building a double half rack

#22

Post by Shane » Wed May 16, 2018 3:42 am

Seksy rack. Awesome job!

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Cody
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Re: Building a double half rack

#23

Post by Cody » Wed May 16, 2018 4:16 am

@220Eric That's awesome!! Congratulations on building your own rack. That's cool as fuck.

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damufunman
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Re: Building a double half rack

#24

Post by damufunman » Wed May 16, 2018 4:40 am

This is fucking awesome!! Hopefully you'll never have to move that beast!

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Re: Building a double half rack

#25

Post by 220Eric » Wed May 16, 2018 8:16 am

Thanks everyone, the compliments truly mean a lot coming from this group. @mgil (or anyone else) I used boiled linseed oil (made it black dark) on the spotter arms, I’ll post photos of those arms in about 15 hours after I get home. I would be interested in what you like better.

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murphyreedus
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Re: Building a double half rack

#26

Post by murphyreedus » Wed May 16, 2018 11:44 am

Bitchin rack.

mgil wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 2:28 am You should just clear coat the rack. Looks very cool when some brands do it.
Second.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#27

Post by iamsmu » Wed May 16, 2018 2:36 pm

damufunman wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 4:40 am This is fucking awesome!! Hopefully you'll never have to move that beast!
Yes, this is really impressive and pretty much impossible to move. Looks to be one giant structure. Very cool.

The floor must be sloped a bit. Are you having to shim it (I see a pack of shims in the picture) or do you have your eye on some rubber feet?

Next, I'd really like to see an A-Team van or a mad max cruiser parked next to that rack in the garage. With such skills, I'd be out there welding spikes and armor on my Fit right now. . . .

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Re: Building a double half rack

#28

Post by 220Eric » Wed May 16, 2018 5:12 pm

@iamsmu it is heavy and hard to move, it’s really unwieldy getting out of and into the garage is doable but a chore, I’ve done it twice and will do it again this Saturday.
The floor is fairly flat. I suspect there may be a long “wave” in the floor possibly from the screed board (if that’s is something they use to build garage floors still) bowing during construction or something like that. The shims were for bracing the pieces trying to keep it square when sticking the rack together, I just need to put them away.
I’m pretty sure B.A.’s welds are a lot better than mine.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#29

Post by 220Eric » Wed May 16, 2018 8:43 pm

Here’s a couple of photos bare steel vs the same steel finished with boiled linseed oil. The top photo is all bare steel the back uprights are in shadows just wanted to show the flap disc marks in the steel. What do you think? BLO, clear coat, something else?
Image

Image

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Re: Building a double half rack

#30

Post by Allentown » Thu May 17, 2018 5:12 am

Get a big 6" wheel, so you can do one smooth mark. Otherwise I like the oiled look. Though, shiny is cool too, I'm not one for the whole "everything all black hardcoredeathmetalliftingissrsbzns"

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Re: Building a double half rack

#31

Post by ithryn » Mon May 21, 2018 4:41 pm

Entered a thread titled building a double half rack

Was expecting they'd end up just buying a rack

Instead they made something totally badass

Kudos, this is great.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#32

Post by 220Eric » Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:19 pm

I finally finished, got the rack in it’s “new forever home,” and thought I would post some pictures. It was a lot of fun building it, I’m very happy with it, and wouldn’t change much if I did it again. You’re all invited over to lift if you’re ever in Tacoma.

Overalls-
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Spotter arms: in use and stored-
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mgil
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Re: Building a double half rack

#33

Post by mgil » Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:23 pm

Very nice!

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Cody
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Re: Building a double half rack

#34

Post by Cody » Wed Aug 15, 2018 3:24 am

@220eric Dude, I'm jealous of your skills! What an awesome rack, and a fantastic build.

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Skander
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Re: Building a double half rack

#35

Post by Skander » Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:23 am

Nothing to add except dumbfounded amazement.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#36

Post by GrizzlyAdam » Wed Aug 15, 2018 11:34 am

+1

This is outstanding.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#37

Post by SeanHerbison » Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:34 pm

Image

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Re: Building a double half rack

#38

Post by iamsmu » Tue Aug 21, 2018 2:45 pm

The spring pins on the spotter arms are a nice touch.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#39

Post by 220Eric » Tue Aug 21, 2018 5:51 pm

Fun fact about spring pins. You should take the springs out before welding them. If you don’t they lose their springiness (temper?) and you have to replace them.

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Re: Building a double half rack

#40

Post by 220Eric » Tue Aug 02, 2022 12:24 pm

ImageImageImageImageImage

My buddy wanted a squat rack, I asked him if I could build him one because I like building stuff like that and had some ideas how I would do it “better,” and this is what I came up with.
The parts I still need to finish- the hooks have the wrong angle I was hoping I could bend them with my fine tuning hammer but I couldn’t. I have to cut and weld these corners I don’t have the tools to bend them like they should be. The finish has a lot of runs that I need to clean up still.
I used 2x3 tubing I really believe the extra two inches of space between the uprights is more valuable than the 3x3 tubing extra strength, stability, ability to mount accessories in 4 directions as opposed to just 2. I moved the base to outside edge of the uprights to allow more room if he deadlifts over the base and I think and hope the rack will be stable enough side to side like this. I added some barbell holders (aka rocket launchers) to the rear base thinking that may be a good space saver and shouldn’t interfere with any lifts.
I added spotter arm storage under the connector between the plate holder and the upright again trying to be efficient and I did this and still use this on my own rack. The finish is boiled linseed oil and has been very durable on my own rack.
I drilled too many holes, I just can’t help myself. I used the dimensions from a popular American lifting equipment maker and retailer.

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