Gym/exercise equipment?

[Zumba]

I'm thinking about building a home gym. Something with cables/pulleys and a stack of weights. Has anyone here done such a thing?

If you were to do something like this, what commercially made gym would you model it after? I have some square A36 lying around that would be perfect for this application. I also have some vinyl and foam lying around from my last upholstery project.

[CuttersCov]

Wouldn't a bowflex be cheaper? But honestly I don't see why you couldn't do it. My dad had an old weight machine that was pretty much just a bench under the press attached to a cable and you pulled a pin for the amount of weight you wanted.

But now you really get into the whole debate of whether a machine is better or free weights

good luck,

Matt

[porsche912]

a total gym would be simple and efective

[ZipSnipe]

Just drive by wealthier nieghborhoods and get the ones being thrown out before the garbage men get 'em..you,ll at least get the parts you might need.

[wizard]

I like ZipSnipe's suggestion the most as it does reflect the reality of that business. Free wieghts do have thier place also.

If it was me I'd strive for a couple machines instead of one to cover every single excercise you can imagin. Assuming you are familiar with gyms, model equipment based on what you see there. I would start out with a Smith machine clone of some sort with an independant bench or multi purpose bench. Then I'd build a seperate bench to do leg lifts and curls on, maybe making it a combo to do preacher curls on.

After that go on from there with what ever suits your interests. In all the machines above do take into consderation safety.

As to cable and wieghts I personally am opposed to that sort of design. You probably could manage such a machine if you have a lathe to turn the parts but that isn't my real concern. There are a couple of problems with these machines in my opinion anyways. One is that you have all your wieghts tied up in stackes that are not easy to use else where. The second item is that the cosntant fiddling with setting up the machine really impacts the work out negatively. Third they just are not as reliable as well designed individual machines.

Some of the problems with the so called unirversal of multi machines can be dealt with, if the scope of the machine is limited and it is designed to use standard weights. So for the most part I wouldn't model it after such a machine. Give me a couple of well designed machines with the material you have. I actually think your material may go further this way, at least some of it anyways. Of course finding the room for the equipment is another execise altogether.

Oh by the way do take time to think about engineering with these machines. There is a lot of force potential in 500 pounds or what ever you are pressing if something should go wrong. A bent frame is one thing but a sheared pin could be hell to pay if you are underneath the bar at the time.

Dave