Make your own home dumbbells?

[a_ahmed]

Just bought some that seem 'custom' very heavy duty (love em!) nice knurled thick grip, 10lbs plates painted in color (looks bad ass compared to regular plain iron) and a giant heavy duty bolt that goes through.

So the guy gave me extra bolts which are shorter in case I want to decrease weight which I don't... but it made me think.. if all it is.. is 10lbs or 5lbs plates and a giant straight through bolt that goes into the middle bar... where could one get the 10lbs and 5lbs plates individually and the knurled grip individually then these heavy duty bolts? That way one could just construct heavy dummbells on their own?

I need some 90lbs, 95lbs and 100lbs for my home gym so would be nice to emulate what these 85lbs are like (4x 10lbs plates plus the heavy duty bolts and thick knurled bar)

No these are not those gay walmart screw on type dumbbells, they are some of the most solid dumbbells I've held, feels good, better than my gym's dumbbells how solid they feel and our gym goes up to 150lbs dumbbells.

[_aj_]

I have these: http://www.ironmaster.com/Quick-Lock-Dumbbell-System-75-lb-set-with-Rack.html#.UrzZan-9KSM

With the add-on set gives me up to 120's for the pair and I have put up to 150 on one. Not Ronnie-esque, but then, neither am I.

[a_ahmed]

Not quite what I had in mind.

The dumbbells I got are the circular plated dumbbells but without any movement, they are solid, no sliding. The bolt that is through is non-standard compared to most gyms. It's a BIG ASS giant US grade grade 5 bolt (three lines). Not sure of length, diameter, etc... have to measure. Normally dumbbells have that hex bolt going through which is beveled and sunk in. This one sticks out. Very heavy duty looking lol.

The bar itself is thick, but I am not sure of diameter, thicker than most dumbbells I've had but not above standard, at least i feels that way. Nicely knurled but not a painful pattern just giving off a solid grip. I'll have to get a diameter gauge and measure the bar too, not sure if I even have a diameter gauge on hand...

Here's a pic to give an idea.

If you can imagine minus the rust, the grip is like the thicker grip on the solid dumbbells, but it is plate loaded like the plate dumbbells, but instead of a sunken in bolt it's a big ass thick grade 5 stud bolt sticking out not allowing movement (probably bolted up with a pneumatic air gun, I wouldn't want to try to untorque it manually then not be able to torque it back together).

[a_ahmed]

Wow so, all bodybuilders/weight lifters only lift things up and put them down.

No engineers or do it yourselfers on here, damn.

[monolith]

There is a guy at a local gym they call "Denim Dan". He has made some very big custon dumbells - up to 250lbs. Google Jackked Hardcore in Montgomery IL and ask about Denim Dan.

[thelamefalsehood]

Ahmed, I have done exactly what you are thinking of doing. My gym only goes to 100 lB dumbellls. I needed heavier for compound presses and especially dumbell rows. So, I bought the dumbell handles and assorted weights to make my own. The particular handles I got, you can make dumbells in ranges from 105-160. You just have to have the correct number of plates to get the weight out to the bolt so it isn't lose while using it. My particular handle, needs 6 plates on each side to reach the bolt. I bought mostly 12.5 pound plates, which would allow me to make a heavier dumbell in less space. This is the website I used for plates, they were the cheapest by far:

www.fitnessfactory.com

This is the website where I got my handles:

www.ironcompany.com

My only advice when building your own dumbell is to pay close attention to the lengths of the dumbells already built and follow in line with those. With my dumbells that I build, because I have the 12.5 pound plates, I can create a 120-140 pound dumbell but it is the same length that a 90 pound dumbell would be. This means that my 130 pound dumbell is much harder to use than a typical 130 pound dumbell because it is much more "compact". That 130 pound dumbell that I use, takes up the same space as a 90 pounder, so it took me a while to get used to the feel of the weight. The guy that owns my gym lets me keep them on the dumbell rack there and I store my extra plates in a locker in the mens room. Let me know if you have any questions that I didn't cover above.