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Homemade Thick Bar
Watch the Video - Thick Dumbbell Clean And Press (WMV)
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A thick bar is one of the easiest pieces of equipment to make at home. For a simple solution, sleeve an existing barbell or dumbbell handle with a piece of 1.5" diameter schedule 40 PVC pipe. This will yield a 1.9" bar. To make it 2.4", add a piece of 2" PVC pipe on top of the 1.5" PVC pipe. The cost to sleeve an Olympic barbell to 2.4" should be less than $10. Most hardware stores will cut pipe to length for little or no charge.
Metal pipe makes an excellent thick dumbbell.
Another option is to cut a piece of 1.5" schedule 40 metal pipe to the desired bar length and add weights directly to it. Use schedule 80 pipe to handle monster weights. Create stops for the weights by welding washers or short pieces of 2" diameter pipe in the appropriate locations. Hose clamps or screw type barbell collars can be fastened in place if welding is not an option. To make the pipe bar thicker, cut a piece of 2" pipe to sleeve over it. Be sure to leave space to add weights on either end of the bar. The 2" pipe will act as a stop for the weights but should be welded on center if possible.
Keep in mind that because the outer diameter of the pipe acting as the weight sleeve is 1.9", spring style collars will not work to hold the weights on. Use screw type collars or a make collars out of some additional pieces of 2" pipe. Expect to spend $25-$50 to make a 74" long thick bar with pipe.
