Off-Topic Modifying Kettlebells

[Tarzan]

Has anyone ever made any mods to a kettlebell ?

I'm at the stage where I can press my 40kg bell with either hand, so I've been looking into getting a bell the next size up which would be 44kg or possibly even just go straight to a 48kg.

Looking on ebay here in OZ it seems there are not as many options as there were a while ago and to buy one and get it shipped to a country area will now cost an arm and a leg. We have other things that we need to spend money on over the next few months, so to get one it will be a bit of a stretch at the moment.

I'm toying with the idea of getting the smallest size competition bell I can find and fitting something akin to a recessed sump plug to the bottom and turning it into a shot loaded bell. I found a dinky little pink one which is 4kg on ebay, some other pink ones were 8kg. I could purchase any of them and have them delivered for about $60.

Does anyone know what the competition bells are loaded with ?

My 32 kg competition bell has a bit of a rattle so it seems to be loaded with something. I also wondering just how much lead I could stuff into a mostly hollow 4kg bell. I might be able to get it up over 50kg.

 

[Tarzan]

I just did a few rough calculations on volume*density on a sphere that size and it seems like about 40kg would be close to the limit for a competition bell filled with lead. You could possibly add a few kg's if the handle was hollow as well.

Without using something with a higher density for fill it appears that 44kg could be getting close to the upper limit for a competition bell.

 

[JeffC]

Made me think of this video. I work with metals, and fire everyday, and this is intimidating to me.

If it is humid, you don't preheat everything well, or one drop of moisture gets in there, the molten lead could explode. At an iron ore mine I worked at we poured huge Babbet(lead, copper, and zinc) bearings in huge pieces of ore processing, and transport equipment, and I heard of, but never saw, huge crucibles of Babbet exploding, and injuring mechanics.



I was thinking of welding a 1"UNC nut on the bottom of a cast iron bell. You could bolt 1"x2.5lb, 5lb, and 10lb plates to the bottom. To weld carbon steel to cast iron you need to use stainless steel welding rods, or wire if using a MIG or TIG.

 

[Steve Freides]

There used to be a Russian fellow who sold shot-loaded kettlebells - not sure if he's around any more but I had some a decade or so ago. It was a bit weird since the shot moved inside them.

-S-

 

[Tarzan]

I might get around to it one day, it won't be a great priority though. I have done a bit of foundry work in the past but I'm not really that keen on dealing with molten lead these days.

It would be a good joke to have a pretty pink bell with 4kg stamped on it that weighs upwards of 30 kg though. It would probably be possible to get one them up to 32 kg by loading it with shot so I'd have a pair of 32's. As Steve said though the shot moving around inside it would be a bit weird.

 

[offwidth]

Tarzan...
If you only need to add a small amount of weight you could always use the poor mans secret weapon... Duct Tape. (Or gaffers tape) You can secure small plates to a KB fairly easily this way. I might not want to do swings or snatches with them, but they should be fine for grinds like presses and TGU's. Bear in mind however that if you want to remove them you may face some clean up of the tapes adhesive residue on the bell.

 

[Rex_Kwon_Do]

If it's any help/inspiration, I picked up a pair of Apollo 24s on line, and they had a rubber base. I promptly took the base off, went to the hardware store, and picked up an extra wide diameter metal washer and several bolts of escalating length to be able to add plates to the bottom. The balance is a little off, but it gets the job done. Best of luck.

 

[Steve Freides]

Duct tape works great - will muck with the painted finish but that's an okay trade-off, IMHO.

I added 2 x 5-pound plates plus 1 x 2.5-pound plates to a 24 kg, was pretty solid.

-S-

 

[Tarzan]

If it's any help/inspiration, I picked up a pair of Apollo 24s on line, and they had a rubber base. I promptly took the base off, went to the hardware store, and picked up an extra wide diameter metal washer and several bolts of escalating length to be able to add plates to the bottom. The balance is a little off, but it gets the job done. Best of luck.

I've actually considered doing the same thing Rex, my 40kg has a rubber base held on by a countersunk head set screw. I thought I could machine a plate to take the head of the set screw and then like you suggest just use longer bolts/screws when I add plates between it & the bell. It would still balance that way because the head of the screw will be contersunk.

I could probably do it even cheaper if I didn't use countersunk head screws, if I just make a plate with a recess for the head of a standard bolt.

 

[MattM]

@Tarzan if you happen to have the older perform better bells they sell an attachment that screws into the bottom to add weight. Pretty sure it's either 2 or 4 kgs

 

[Rex_Kwon_Do]

I've actually considered doing the same thing Rex, my 40kg has a rubber base held on by a countersunk head set screw. I thought I could machine a plate to take the head of the set screw and then like you suggest just use longer bolts/screws when I add plates between it & the bell. It would still balance that way because the head of the screw will be contersunk.

I could probably do it even cheaper if I didn't use countersunk head screws, if I just make a plate with a recess for the head of a standard bolt.

FWIW, I add 2.5, 5, 10, and even 25lb barbell plates then the rubber base plate that came with the bell, then the large metal washer. The washer wasn't more than $0.50, and neither was each bolt. I am not sure how that might apply where you live. My bolts are not counter sunk, and my set up would tear up most floors, so I use them (when loaded like this) outside, which is my preferred location anyway. Keep us updated on your progress.

(I don't load more than 25lbs per bell for those wondering especially since I have a pair of 32s similarly configurable.)