Straight to the Bar

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HELPING YOU GET STRONGER SINCE 2004

DIY Strongman Log
Posted By Scott Bird

DIY Stongman logWhen it comes to home-made gym equipment, Clay Johnson never stops. Here’s a look at his latest project – a DIY Strongman log.
Here’s how it was done :

I started just under 11 inch in diameter, 8 foot long log.

I cut the log in half (my neighbor wanted a throwing log). I used an old
standard bar from a garage sale (it was one of those three piece ones). I cut the standard bar to use for the handles and also for the weight loading pins.

I found the center of gravity and marked out two 8 inch by 8 inch boxes. To smooth down the bark, I ran my belt sander over the log.

Now this was the hardest part. Since I did not want to cut through the
entire log, I tried to find the easiest way to dig the boxes out. I tried an axe, reciprocating saw, and an air hammer. I finally resorted to using my small chain saw to cut out small blocks and then used a hammer and chisel to cut them out. This took awhile.

I dug down just under eight inches and then used my belt sander to dig out some more room for my hands. Although I drilled the handle holes small and had to pound them in, I used some waterproof, 2-ton epoxy to be sure down the road. I drilled the handles at half the diameter of the log. They are resting in over two inches of wood on each side. They feel very secure.

I mounted the loading pins about six inches deep and used more waterproof epoxy. I drilled the hole 7/8 of an inch so I could pound the bars in. I did have a problem with a large knot when drilling but using the bubble level on my drill I was able to keep the hole pretty much straight.

The log weighs about 125 pounds. I plan on putting some sealer on it after the epoxy sets up. I added 50 pounds on it and it held up very well!

Total cost : a couple of bucks for the log (the bar was already lying around, but they’re cheap enough). Superb.

Incidentally, if this has got you thinking about grabbing one for yourself, swing by the SttB Strength Store. Massive range.

Over to you. Drop us a line on Twitter ( @scottbird ), or add a comment below.

Cheers.

 

NB : if you love talking about strength-training as much as I do, you might also like to check out the weekly newsletter. A regular dose of fitness-focussed discussions, absolutely free.

And if you'd like to check out any of the stuff mentioned above (or in the comments), swing by Amazon. Huge assortment of fitness gear.

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Straight to the Bar is the online home of fitness enthusiast Scott Bird, and looks at the many training approaches, essential techniques, uncommon exercises and superb equipment to help you become as strong as humanly possible. In short, this site is the home of all things strength.

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Written By Scott Bird
Scott is a long-time fitness enthusiast (Jan 2004!), writer and photographer living in Sydney, Australia. If you share the passion for spending a bit of time under a bar, welcome. Love hearing how everyone else trains. You can connect via X (Formerly Twitter), Facebook and the various networks listed in the sidebar.
Drawing of Scott Andrew Bird performing a deadlift. Artwork by Vince Palko.