Gypsyplumber
Level 6 Valued Member
It’s cast iron. I painted it myself when I got bored lol. It’s 25lbs with a extra long handle for leverage. I love it too. It’s made by onnit. I definitely recommend it.
Off-Topic Just for fun....post your "courage corner"
- Thread starter crazycanuck
- Start date
Bret S.
Level 8 Valued Member
Nice!It’s cast iron. I painted it myself when I got bored lol. It’s 25lbs with a extra long handle for leverage. I love it too. It’s made by onnit. I definitely recommend it.
I make my own with 2" white bamboo, basketballs and concrete. These ones are 13, 22, 26 and 30lbs, next one will be 34lb.. and maybe a 38 or 40lb. Taped some ankle weights on top of the lightest one, the rest are freshly made.
You using youth size and full size basketballs? What’ll be the next ball for the big one?
Bret S.
Level 8 Valued Member
I'm using Mikasa BX series basketballs off eBay.
30lb is BX 1010 - 28.5" circumference or size 6
26lb is BX 1008 - 27.5" circumference or size 5
22lb is BX 1006 -25.5" circumference or size 4
The small one is a kid's ball, not sure of the size. It weighs 13lbs, I gave it to my son. It would be good for one hand swings for me.
Next build will be:
BX 1000 - 29.5" circumference (size 7).. It will yield 34-35 lbs actual I believe.
Before building the maces I calculated weight of each one, due to displacement from the handle and flattening of the bottom they ended up lighter than my calculations, I knew this would be the case but was not sure exactly how it was going to translate in the field. What I listed above are the actual weights versus calculated weight, on average the actual weight is three or four pounds lighter IIRC.
The next heavy one after that will contain chopped up pieces of rebar to add extra weight, using steel shot in the mix they can get pretty heavy, for now rebar will be cheap and easy.
Bamboo handles are feather light and most all weight is in the mace head, I'm very happy with these and have put lots of 'miles' on them.
Dogchapman7
Level 3 Valued Member
I am in the same boat makes you feel ahead of the game getting up early and doing what the rest aint
Gypsyplumber
Level 6 Valued Member
I attempted to make kettlebells from basketballs and concrete and I failed miserably. I thought they were pretty dangerous lol. But this look solid! I want to eventually buy a custom mace from this guy on instagram but they’re expensive.
Bret S.
Level 8 Valued Member
I could see using some pipe stock as a handle kinda working, not ideal though,, as you said.
Mace is easy to do, I used pre-drilled holes and a bunch of zinc screws to keep the bamboo secure in the sphere. I've used them for many thousands of reps and had no problems. Using fine grit sandpaper when the handle surface gets rougher and chalky brings it back nicely. I get the bamboo from a garden supplier in town, about 12.00 for an 8' piece, you have to hand pick straighter material. I have less than 100.00 total invested in 4 maces.
I like the feel of wood or bamboo vs metal for macing, an 1-1/4" wood closet pole works too. I do up to 100 rep sets with little hand problems.
Halfakneecap
Level 5 Valued Member
One of my warm ups is overhead squat holds in the bottom position with a pvc pipe. I also have an Olympic barbell I’d like to eventually use for that, but there’s a big difference on weight. So I thought I’d make a small diameter slosh pipe purely for my warm ups and to bridge the gap between the empty pipe ( which weighs nothing ) and my barbell ( 20kg ). It weighs a total of just over 7kg, but feels heavier. It’s 50mm pipe x 2.5m (8’2”?). I wanted to do 9’ but it wouldn’t stand upright in my garage at that length 
Adam R Mundorf
Level 6 Valued Member
Beautiful stonework!
Halfakneecap
Level 5 Valued Member
All laid by me by hand.
Just kidding! It’s concrete with a stencil laid over it and covered with coloured concrete. Then the tape pulled off. It’s everywhere here in Australia. It looks a million times better after I hit it with the pressure washer
KBrower
Level 3 Valued Member
My home set up. Pic 1 is the garage that houses the bikes (I am a fair weather rider only) and the C2 erg with over 20,000,000 metres on it and still going strong. Pic 2 is where the KB's live when not in use, just beside the sofa so I can stroke them whilst watching TV. Pic 3 is the 'Deck of Gainzzz', i.e: the decking in the back garden. About 50% of my KB training gets done out there in all weathers, but for the extreme conditions (rain, too cold in winter as I am soft or too hot in summer which is the most likely reason for me to avoid it) I do have the rowing club I use which is 5mins down the road in Marlow, with awesome views over the River Thames. And yes I am sad enough that I take my own KB's with me when I go down there, and I pay the membership purely for a) those views and b) a roof over my head to avoid the elements. Pretty sure everyone there thinks I am weird, and they might be right, but I generally use it when it is empty anyway and I am thick skinned.
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Sunny Florida sideyard in Daytona.
Horse Stall mat. Pull up bar. Rings. Mace. Heavy club. Indian clubs.
4 double-sets of kettlebells, in 8, 12, 16, and 20 kg. I also have 24s and 28s, but I'm not using them right now.
Modest, but it works most days.
Horse Stall mat. Pull up bar. Rings. Mace. Heavy club. Indian clubs.
4 double-sets of kettlebells, in 8, 12, 16, and 20 kg. I also have 24s and 28s, but I'm not using them right now.
Modest, but it works most days.
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Stephen B.
Level 4 Valued Member
My courage corner:
This is the unfinished area of my basement, which has become my home gym. As you can see, my courage corner has been invaded by my brother’s job (he lists items on ebay for a local thrift store.)
I have:
-16kg, 24kg, and 32kg kettlebells, and a paint can with about 8kg of rocks in it (my first homemade ‘bell, handle now broken).
-pull-up bar
-ab wheel
-jumprope
-a homemade dip bar out of a pair of sawhorses
-more resistance bands than I know what to so with
-a bunch of cheap grip training stuff
My stuff is split between stuff I aquired, stuff I was given, and stuff I DIY-ed (and some of it actually works!).
This is the unfinished area of my basement, which has become my home gym. As you can see, my courage corner has been invaded by my brother’s job (he lists items on ebay for a local thrift store.)
I have:
-16kg, 24kg, and 32kg kettlebells, and a paint can with about 8kg of rocks in it (my first homemade ‘bell, handle now broken).
-pull-up bar
-ab wheel
-jumprope
-a homemade dip bar out of a pair of sawhorses
-more resistance bands than I know what to so with
-a bunch of cheap grip training stuff
My stuff is split between stuff I aquired, stuff I was given, and stuff I DIY-ed (and some of it actually works!).
Stoneface77
Level 4 Valued Member
Also have a Concept 2 rower out there for when I want to dishonor myself with cardio.
Kettlebells 8 - 56, of which 8-40 are doubles, barbell, 150 kg of plates (some behind the doors), pull up bar, bench, Trx, rings & rower behind the doors, 4 and 6 kg maces, 2, 4 and 6 kg clubs, kiddy toys for them to use (5 and 1 year old).
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Boris Bachmann
Level 7 Valued Member
J Cox
Level 5 Valued Member
I've never seen any homemade KBs like those. I dig 'em.