I'm glad you like it! Another option to add varied heights is instead of a wooden J-hook, drill a hole straight through the beams and into the back vertical beam. Then get a steel bar and put it all the way through. It should stick out a few inches in the front, then cap it with an L-cap or something to be able to keep the bar from rolling off. The rest of the plans wouldn't need to be altered at all and the same setup could be used for squats.
Thanks for sharing Glenn! Have fun with the build and feel free to share your results! The update video is "In the oven" and I'll send something out when it is available.
Reverse engineering! I looked at the length of a standard Olympic barbell to get the width of the rack, the from there i wanted it to fold flat as opposed to the arms folding in on top of each other, so i found a width that fit the fold from there. If you don't want to do the math, or want the simpler route, I highly encourage you to check out the plans that have measurements already in there.
They will never break as long as there is contact between the beams and the ground. I used a scrap piece cut to fit the gap for mine and I haven't had any issues with it in the past 1.5 yrs and no signs of issues
Hey Melvin! I'll be releasing an update video soon showing off how I've been using it. I recently picked up a pulley system from amazon that I'm messing with and looks like I can get some use by attaching it to the pull up bar setup.!
The cement plates I think we're closer to 10-15 lbs each. In my update video I use a full set (300lbs + my body weight + another heavier cement weight)
TLDR; It should be okay to remove it, but for an extra 10$ (wood + screws) it adds stability and piece of mind. Hey Jose, The secondary purpose is to be an accessory board, while the primary purpose is to have another anchor point for the vertical pieces. It gives me a thin shelf to put my "bench-leveler" and I also intend on screwing some hooks in the sides if I get more stuff. Currently I've got hooks on the ends of the top board. If you decide to go without it, I'd add a few extra screws to the top and bottom cross boards to make sure those vertical supports don't move. I don't think you'll notice a difference when squatting or benching, however if you tie bands around it for various exercises you'll want to pay extra attention to make sure that vertical support is still sturdy. If you've got the space on the wall, it wouldn't hurt. You can never be too cautious when it comes to heavy weights. Having that extra anchor point adds more stability to the long support and reduces the stress on the top and bottom points. If you don't have the middle space, then it should still be okay. Just make sure to watch it closely, and add a few more screws into the studs where you can.
@@SzaboWoodworks Thanks for the reply. I am thinking of using my bench top planer to reduce the thinness of the 4x4 to to a true 3x3 and then adding 1 inch holes. My thinking is it would allow for the use of commercial rack accessories (j cups, spotter arms, etc.). Do you think that would weaken the boards too much?
@@jam179 Thanks for the question! I'm not a civil engineer, but the way I see it is that a house is meant to be held up by 2x4s. If you've got a two story house, the second floor plus furniture plus the roof is being supporting by the same studs holding up your kitchen cabinet and your workshop wall hangings. You've got a fantastic idea and I think you should go for it! The post is only going to be as strong as how it is anchored down. The hinges work fine for me considering I have the support blocks underneath when it is opened up. I would never attempt to use this rig without those support blocks. That would be the quickest way for me to rip the hinges out. As I look at it now, that's the weakest point of this. Please let me know how it turns out!
Howdy! It can easily hold 550+ pounds. That's the max I tested (with bounces) and no issues, creaks, groans or moans. It could likely hold much more. My other video shows the weight test I did. FWIW I have been using this all year long with no issues. It can take a beating!
Awesome build! I'm curious about how you secured the hinges tho. Do you think you could have gotten rid of those 2 vertical pieces and just screwed the hinges to the upper and lower 2x6s? The way you did it is great for keeping things levelled, but other than that I'm not sure how much stability the vertical pieces adds. I'm very interested on your thoughts on this. Good work tho 👍
With some kind of hinge I think that would be doable! I have had some use out of hose vertical supports though: bands. Each of the vertical beams makes for good attach points with all kinds of bands. The other benefit is that you can take the entire door hinge off as one stable piece if you need to replace or move it. When I realized I didn't have enough room, i was a piece of cake to unscrew the entire thing and attach it (with help) back after moving it. As far as structural integrity goes... Shrug? I agree, I don't think it adds much.
@@SzaboWoodworks Thanks for the response! I like that you've found those beams useful for bands. Great idea. I've been looking at a number of DIY squat racks and your build makes the most sense for my application. Thanks 👍
Any idea how much the whole wood rack weights? I'm looking to build something similar but that can also be standalone and then folded and stored on the wall. But I've gotta be able to lift it lol
Howdy! I actually didn't fasten anything into the concrete. It only comes up about 6-7 inches and my low back board sits a few inches above that. Full disclosure I've never fastened wood to concrete, but if I did, I would first try hammer set concrete fasteners. See the first option on this link for details www.wikihow.com/Connect-Wood-to-Concrete?amp=1 Anyone reading this comment with a better or more detailed answer please chime in!
If you had to fasten to concrete you’d have to get “Tapcon” concrete fasteners. Tapcon is the name of the particular brand I use but there are similar ones.
I put a bar with weights (300lbs) on the lower J-hooks then did some dips on that. So that's almost 500lbs without the extra force. Didn't hurt it at all! I'm confident I could put another few hundred pounds on it, however the weight will break me before it breaks the rack.
Great build!! I see you using just scrap pieces of wood for the feet when the rack is folded out. Is that stable enough? Any idea on how to improve it?
To be honest it works so well that I haven't felt the need to improve it at this time. I'm always open to ways of improving it and making it better, however (and you'll see in an upcoming Squat Rack Update video), this setup holds a ton of weight with just those little blocks. Well maybe not a ton, but you get the idea. Weight test was me bouncing up and down on the hooks with weights (total 551lbs). I've been using it 4-5 days a week for the last two months.
One option for improvement would be to fill out the 4x4 surface area with a larger "foot" or "block", and have it fitted a bit more to the angle of the floor. A surefire way would be to make a fitted stop that is also anchored into the ground. While that would work, personally that kinda defeats the purpose of how I'd want to use it; which is fold in so I have space to work. I'm open to suggestions because I consider this to be a safety feature! The safer this is the better for everyone who wants to build it.
At 6:20 in this video I realized there's quite a bit of wiggle even with the feet. I did in fact make feet that fit a bit tighter than what is depicted. Still made from scraps though.
I put a little bit of felt on my hooks so the wood doesn't get torn up by the bar. Great work!
Nice touch
Great build!! I like how it folds inward. I want to make a design like this but be able to do bench press variations. Thanks for sharing!
I'm glad you like it! Another option to add varied heights is instead of a wooden J-hook, drill a hole straight through the beams and into the back vertical beam. Then get a steel bar and put it all the way through. It should stick out a few inches in the front, then cap it with an L-cap or something to be able to keep the bar from rolling off.
The rest of the plans wouldn't need to be altered at all and the same setup could be used for squats.
Great build! Just ordered the plan! Can’t wait for the follow up update video
Thanks for sharing Glenn! Have fun with the build and feel free to share your results! The update video is "In the oven" and I'll send something out when it is available.
Hey Glenn! Here's the update,
ua-cam.com/video/UAoYTmTrx1I/v-deo.html
Great job looking good
Thank you very much Martin!
How did you come up with the measurements to fold it in evenly?
Reverse engineering! I looked at the length of a standard Olympic barbell to get the width of the rack, the from there i wanted it to fold flat as opposed to the arms folding in on top of each other, so i found a width that fit the fold from there.
If you don't want to do the math, or want the simpler route, I highly encourage you to check out the plans that have measurements already in there.
Is there any worry that the brackets might break under excessive weight?
They will never break as long as there is contact between the beams and the ground. I used a scrap piece cut to fit the gap for mine and I haven't had any issues with it in the past 1.5 yrs and no signs of issues
Awesome build! What are your thoughts about adding a pulley system to it, do you think it’s possible? If yes how would you do it?
Hey Melvin! I'll be releasing an update video soon showing off how I've been using it. I recently picked up a pulley system from amazon that I'm messing with and looks like I can get some use by attaching it to the pull up bar setup.!
Melvin i've got a visual for you on a pulley system in the update video:
ua-cam.com/video/UAoYTmTrx1I/v-deo.html
Beauty full idea bro great job
Could I get the exact cut and measurements of the wood to make this squat rack also supplies
Hey great question! I documented measurements of all pieces and a detailed supplies list in the plans for this project on my website.
How much do those weight plates weigh? 45lbs?
The cement plates I think we're closer to 10-15 lbs each. In my update video I use a full set (300lbs + my body weight + another heavier cement weight)
Hi, what is the purpose for he middle wall cross board? Can it be removed ?
TLDR; It should be okay to remove it, but for an extra 10$ (wood + screws) it adds stability and piece of mind.
Hey Jose, The secondary purpose is to be an accessory board, while the primary purpose is to have another anchor point for the vertical pieces. It gives me a thin shelf to put my "bench-leveler" and I also intend on screwing some hooks in the sides if I get more stuff. Currently I've got hooks on the ends of the top board.
If you decide to go without it, I'd add a few extra screws to the top and bottom cross boards to make sure those vertical supports don't move. I don't think you'll notice a difference when squatting or benching, however if you tie bands around it for various exercises you'll want to pay extra attention to make sure that vertical support is still sturdy.
If you've got the space on the wall, it wouldn't hurt. You can never be too cautious when it comes to heavy weights. Having that extra anchor point adds more stability to the long support and reduces the stress on the top and bottom points. If you don't have the middle space, then it should still be okay. Just make sure to watch it closely, and add a few more screws into the studs where you can.
@@SzaboWoodworks Thanks for the reply. I am thinking of using my bench top planer to reduce the thinness of the 4x4 to to a true 3x3 and then adding 1 inch holes. My thinking is it would allow for the use of commercial rack accessories (j cups, spotter arms, etc.). Do you think that would weaken the boards too much?
@@jam179 Thanks for the question! I'm not a civil engineer, but the way I see it is that a house is meant to be held up by 2x4s. If you've got a two story house, the second floor plus furniture plus the roof is being supporting by the same studs holding up your kitchen cabinet and your workshop wall hangings.
You've got a fantastic idea and I think you should go for it! The post is only going to be as strong as how it is anchored down. The hinges work fine for me considering I have the support blocks underneath when it is opened up. I would never attempt to use this rig without those support blocks. That would be the quickest way for me to rip the hinges out. As I look at it now, that's the weakest point of this.
Please let me know how it turns out!
Good build of an old idea. 👍
Thank you, I'm glad you like it! Found some pictures of a design like this online but could never find any build plans available.
How much weight it can support ?
Howdy! It can easily hold 550+ pounds. That's the max I tested (with bounces) and no issues, creaks, groans or moans. It could likely hold much more. My other video shows the weight test I did.
FWIW I have been using this all year long with no issues. It can take a beating!
Awesome build!
I'm curious about how you secured the hinges tho. Do you think you could have gotten rid of those 2 vertical pieces and just screwed the hinges to the upper and lower 2x6s? The way you did it is great for keeping things levelled, but other than that I'm not sure how much stability the vertical pieces adds. I'm very interested on your thoughts on this.
Good work tho 👍
Maybe he could add another wooden block under each hinge should it fail? Or bolt a piece of angle iron for a cleaner look.
With some kind of hinge I think that would be doable! I have had some use out of hose vertical supports though: bands. Each of the vertical beams makes for good attach points with all kinds of bands. The other benefit is that you can take the entire door hinge off as one stable piece if you need to replace or move it. When I realized I didn't have enough room, i was a piece of cake to unscrew the entire thing and attach it (with help) back after moving it.
As far as structural integrity goes... Shrug? I agree, I don't think it adds much.
@@SzaboWoodworks Thanks for the response! I like that you've found those beams useful for bands. Great idea. I've been looking at a number of DIY squat racks and your build makes the most sense for my application. Thanks 👍
Any idea how much the whole wood rack weights? I'm looking to build something similar but that can also be standalone and then folded and stored on the wall. But I've gotta be able to lift it lol
Using very crude math (sum of avg weight of individual materials) it's probably about 100 lbs. Maybe 115 or 120 including the pull-up pipe.
what size (thickness) are the two pillars?
4x4 dimensional lumber, so It ends up actually being about 3.5x3.5. You can check the sizes of each piece in the full build plans on my website.
Hi! What type of srew did you use to fasten the wood into concrete?
Howdy! I actually didn't fasten anything into the concrete. It only comes up about 6-7 inches and my low back board sits a few inches above that.
Full disclosure I've never fastened wood to concrete, but if I did, I would first try hammer set concrete fasteners.
See the first option on this link for details
www.wikihow.com/Connect-Wood-to-Concrete?amp=1
Anyone reading this comment with a better or more detailed answer please chime in!
If you had to fasten to concrete you’d have to get “Tapcon” concrete fasteners. Tapcon is the name of the particular brand I use but there are similar ones.
Good job
Thank you!
How much weight does this hold
I put a bar with weights (300lbs) on the lower J-hooks then did some dips on that. So that's almost 500lbs without the extra force. Didn't hurt it at all! I'm confident I could put another few hundred pounds on it, however the weight will break me before it breaks the rack.
Recent test of 551lbs bouncing up and down! You can see in my update video ua-cam.com/video/UAoYTmTrx1I/v-deo.html
Awesome
Brilliant.
Great build!! I see you using just scrap pieces of wood for the feet when the rack is folded out. Is that stable enough? Any idea on how to improve it?
To be honest it works so well that I haven't felt the need to improve it at this time. I'm always open to ways of improving it and making it better, however (and you'll see in an upcoming Squat Rack Update video), this setup holds a ton of weight with just those little blocks.
Well maybe not a ton, but you get the idea. Weight test was me bouncing up and down on the hooks with weights (total 551lbs). I've been using it 4-5 days a week for the last two months.
One option for improvement would be to fill out the 4x4 surface area with a larger "foot" or "block", and have it fitted a bit more to the angle of the floor.
A surefire way would be to make a fitted stop that is also anchored into the ground. While that would work, personally that kinda defeats the purpose of how I'd want to use it; which is fold in so I have space to work.
I'm open to suggestions because I consider this to be a safety feature! The safer this is the better for everyone who wants to build it.
At 6:20 in this video I realized there's quite a bit of wiggle even with the feet. I did in fact make feet that fit a bit tighter than what is depicted. Still made from scraps though.
is it a build if it doesn't use any tightbond?
If I could give it a bath in Titebond 9001, I would.