Multipurpose wooden squat racks...
 

While not completely finished they are now fully operational and I would bet my salary that none on this board or P&B could outsquat these racks. Will post pictures and description later so stay tuned if you are interested in the result of six hours work and 70 EUR investment...

I'm looking forward to seeing them!

Thanks,

Scotty Hagnas
CrossFit Portland

Teaser...
 

This is just a teaser and as I can't place all pictures into one post here go the first five construction pictures...

Teaser II
 

The next batch...

These racks are not finished yet. I am working on three extension pieces per rack so that the height is adjustable from 1000mm to ~1210mm. The lower ballast board is now just a rough scrap wood job (still good enough to hold 200--300kg) and I will change that too. Will place my weight plates and KBs there. Due to the low center of gravity it is next to impossible that the racks will ever topple over. The two boards on top which secure the barbell are removable, and voila you have two 1000mm height jumping boxes.

That's a 21mm birch multiplex plate on top and there is no way anyone on any board squats enough to break this plates...

If there is interest I will write a short description how to build these racks including parts list and tools list.

And the next batch
 

I will add some additional support structures but they are already fully functional and my elephant blocks can be placed on top safely for rack jerks...

The inspiration for the squat rack...
 

...is from an old german book about weightlifting. Excellent resource BTW.

Sorry for this patchwork thread, I should delete all posts and write a conscise tutorial instead, won't have time to do that before weekend.

Tested the rack today with 342kg, no problem at all. I would have put 500kg on the bar but I ran out of weights in my barn. Will repeat that test next weekend and place also my two 24kg and my 40kg bell my 16kg bell all my small plates and probably also my dumbells on the bar. That should be ~500kg. Pretty confident that the rack will do just fine.

They are still not finished, two support structures need to be added, basically two wooden X's, one directly under the top plywood/multiplex plate and one at the lower frame. These will reduce torque to an absolute minimum and increase the breaking strength of the top plate considerably. Decided to build three extensions per rack, 50mm, 100mm and 150mm, which makes the rack adjustable from 1000mm to 1300mm in 50mm steps. Each step can be used for depth jumps, box jumps etc. as well. The rack will get a good paint job so that I can store them outside when I finally get one of Sumo's 2/4 racks.

It is suprisingly easy to load the bar, and there is definitely no risk to loose a finger when you re-rack the bar.

BTW if one doesn't mind the look they make for good cocktail tables for a garden party, too.

One can never have enough cocktail tables.

Cool stuff. Makes me long for the day, distant in the future, when I'll have my own place and garage gym.

Exactly.

It has disadvantages, but in my 'barn gym' I could train the whole night if I wanted...

BTW using three extensions (400mm x 400mm x (50mm,100mm,150mm)) gives me two ply-boxes which are adjustable from 700mm to 1300mm in 50mm increments---I am always surprised what you can build for ~70 EUR.

Finally someone who uses real measurments! Thank you for using mm, thank you thank you thank you!