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Hi guys, I'm first time user here.
During the lock down my local gym was closed and so as the playground. Therefore I would like to ask about building a simple pull up bar for outdoor use. It looks pretty simple and I think I can do it myself however I'm not sure if I can get all the materials at Bunnings?
Basically I will need:
2 x 2.7-3 metre wooden post
1 x 2 metre solid steel bar (34-35mm diameter)
Concrete mix
Can you guys let me know if I can have the posts and solid steel bar at Bunnings at these specs? and is there anything else I need to notice before building one? Thanks a lot for your help and stay safe everyone.
Hi @markh1
"Threaded at both ends is even harder to find."
When I was undertaking the Charles Atlas body-building course (😉) I found the best diameter for a chin-up (they call them pull-ups now?) bar was the same as a barbell - around 25 mm. This reduced hand fatigue around the bar.
My suggestion then is - if they still make the bars with the large threads on the ends - is to drill appropriately sized holes into the timber (and I think you need lengths > 3m to avoid knee flexion) and insert the barbell into each piece hard against the collar and 'lock' into place. This will also give you the exact spacing dimension to dig the holes. With a piece of scrap wood cut to the same dimension as the 'between the collars' measurement and held in place with a cheap sash cramp - we can hold everything in place and in alignment when inserted into the dug holes. And with strategic bracing we can keep the whole apparatus in a perfectly vertical position while the concrete dries.
The 'ribbing' on the barbell will also give you a better grip - as opposed to shiny painted or galvanised bars.
I could so 20 chin-ups years ago - now I can barely tie my shoelaces.
Hi Mark @markh1
I've only played with steel posts - but for me I would personally mix the concrete in a wheelbarrow from scratch and stay away from the 'instant' concrete. I believe the holes need to be deep and not too wide. A hand auger would be very useful - 200 mm diameter and I'd attempt the full length of it - approximately 800mm. So if you buy those 3m wood posts - you'll never be able to hang fully from the bar - you'll have to flex your legs to fit. For adherence to the concrete I'd place a few well entrenched coach screws into the wood at the bottom - before inserting into the holes.
Avoid digging a sort of shallow crater that you see at the end of uprooted street signs - easily uprooted by athletic individuals early on a Saturday morning.
Hi @markh1
I totally agree with all of @Noyade's recommendations, he's also done a fantastic illustration of what would happen if you don't put the post deep enough. To get good drainage at the bottom of the post make sure to put drain gravel first then place the post on top before you drop the concrete in.
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Eric
Hi @markh1,
As a general rule of thumb, 1/3 of the height of the post should be in the ground. So a post that stands 1800mm above the ground should have 900mm in the ground. This rule is used for fence posts, so you could likely get away with less in the ground. If you'll be doing plenty of swinging on the bar, the deeper the foundation, the better.
A pincer post hole digger and/or a post hole digger will be needed.
Mitchell
