Homemade Equipment - Showing off.

[Patrick Donnelly]

I'm liking this a lot more than the stuff I used to build out of 2x4's and PVC. I don't have photos of everything I've built, and I've built multiple of several of these things, but here's a sample.


Barbell rack prototype:


Second build: (Probably the piece of equipment I'm most proud of thus far.)


With logo:


And add-on barbell storage:

[Patrick Donnelly]

Set-up: (This isn't my equipment here - built the rack for someone else.)


Other rack:


Squat rack:


Sleds:

[Patrick Donnelly]

Loading pins: (Sloppy, one of my first works.)


Bench with natural GHR attachment:


Handbalancing canes:


Parallettes: (Refurbished, not fully fabricated - I can't build those handles.)




Currently working on building a run of about a dozen squat racks while I'm on spring break. After completing and selling them, I'll be able to get myself a new plasma cutter - then it'll be time for some real fun.

[sarena kopciel]

Great great stuff. Where ya located?

[Patrick Donnelly]

I'm in College Park, Sarena.


I finished a ceiling mounted pull-up bar this morning, including a U-hook on one side to hold a short climbing rope (for doing repeated trips in an L-seat position), and an oversized J-hook on the other side for holding my gymnastics rings up out of the way when they're not in use.

Now I just got to figure out how to mark out the ceiling joists properly. Bah. I'll post photos of that when it's set up.

[Dave Van Skike]

outstanding work Patrick. You do full custom stuff?

[Patrick Donnelly]

Dave, for the moment I do. However, I'm slowly putting together a collection of standard designs - it's much easier to work that way.

For a while I was taking custom orders from people on Craig's List, and holy shit, that was a mistake. I was spending more time answering people's questions through email than I was actually welding.

Then there were guys on two separate occasions who cheesed out on me, leaving me to find other buyers for their specially built stuff. The first guy taught me that I should start requiring non-refundable deposits before doing any work. The second guy taught me that I should start requiring the full amount. It's been three months and I still haven't found a buyer for the second item.

Now I'd only take a fully custom order from someone I know is reputable or someone referred through such a person.

[Patrick Donnelly]

Here's the pull-up bar. Finally I have a place at home to practice one-arm hanging leg raises.





The rope on the left side is very thin (less than 3/4") and difficult to climb, but it works fine for short repeats. The rings on there are from Rogue Fitness, and are something I intend to replace. The rings themselves are too thick and the straps are unnecessarily bulky. Unfortunately, I have this bad habit of making beautiful sets of wooden rings, only to give them away to friends in the gymnastics club. Once I get around to making another set for myself then I'll outfit it with appropriate straps that hang better on that J-hook.

[sarena kopciel]

Awesome work. A bit far for me though.

[Patrick Donnelly]

Maybe I'll have the ability to ship stuff in a few months, but at the moment, it simply wouldn't be practical.