Rowing machines operate on a principle of weight resistance combined with body motion. This allows you to do conditioning and strength training exercises at the same time. The design of a rowing machine mimics the motion of competition rowing where your feet press against a footrest and the rowing seat slides on rails as you push. The seat rails are angled downward toward the footrest and your body weight combines with gravity to return the seat to the starting position.
A rowing machine is made using steel pipe, PVC pipe and miscellaneous hardware. Cast iron free weights provide resistance, and a cable-pulley system raises and lowers the weights with your rowing motion.
Steel Frame And Rails
Step 1
Use the circular saw to cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood 14 inches wide and 64 inches long as the base for the rowing machine. Lay out two, 5-foot lengths of 1-inch threaded steel pipe as the rails for the rowing seat. Use a pipe wrench to attach 90-degree elbows at one end of each rail.
Step 2
Thread 12-inch nipples into each of the elbows and tighten these. Attach 1-inch pipe flanges on the end of each 12-inch nipple as base plates. Thread the middle ports of 1-inch standard tees onto the opposite ends the 5-foot rails. Tighten the tees with a pipe wrench until the end ports are parallel with the 12-inch nipples at the opposite end of each rail. Thread 8-inch nipples into lower ports of the tees and attach a 1-inch pipe flange to each 8-inch nipple.
Step 3
Position the rails on the plywood base 12 inches apart and parallel. Use a screwdriver with 1-inch wood screws into each of the holes on the pipe flanges to attach the rails to the base. Thread a 24-inch length of 1-inch steel pipe into the top port on one of the standard tees as a riser for the pulley support. Tighten the riser with a pipe wrench.
Step 4
Attach a 90-degree elbow at the top of the riser and tighten it so the open port is facing in. Attach one end of a 12-inch length of 1-inch steel pipe into the elbow as the horizontal pulley support. Use a hacksaw and cut two lengths of 2-inch PVC pipe 5 inches long as stays for the pulley. Slide one of the stays onto the pulley support, slide a 4-inch pulley onto the support against the stay and slide the other stay against the pulley.
Step 5
Thread a 90-degree elbow onto the end of the pulley support and tighten it so the open port is facing down. Assemble the remaining 24-inch riser with 2 lengths of 1-inch steel pipe and a 1-inch pipe union. Thread this into the top port of the standard tee and the open port of the 90-degree elbow. Tighten the union to complete the frame and rails.
Seat And Weights
Step 1
Cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood 12-inches square as the rowing seat. Use an electric drill with a 1/8-inch drill bit to make pilot holes along opposite edges of the seat. The holes should be 1 inch from the edges and 3 inches apart.
Step 2
Cut two pieces of 2-inch PVC pipe 10 inches long as seat supports and use PVC primer and cement to attach PVC elbows at the ends of each piece. Make sure the open ports of the elbows are facing the same way on each piece. Cut four, 2-inch PVC close nipples 3 inches long and attach these into each of the elbows with PVC primer and cement.
Step 3
Secure a 2-inch PVC standard tee in a vice with the long side of the tee facing up and just above the vice. Use a hacksaw to cut the curved section out of the long side of the tee so it will fit over the 1-inch steel rails. Repeat this with three additional standard 2-inch PVC tees.
Step 4
Align each of the PVC seat supports with the pilot holes on the edges of the plywood seat and make sure the close nipples are perpendicular to the seat. Drill 1/4-inch holes in the PVC supports at each of the pilot hole locations. Attach the supports to the seat with 1/4-inch bolts in each hole and tighten the nuts with a hex wrench.
Step 5
Cement the cut standard tees onto the ends of the close nipples and make sure they are facing the direction the seat will travel on the rails. Cut a length of 1/4-inch braided cord about 6 feet long and thread one end through the 1/4-inch center hole in a 3-inch flat washer. Make two overhand knots to prevent the cord from pulling through the hole.
Step 6
Thread the end of the cord through several cast iron free weights, secure the weights against the flat washer and draw the cord over the pulley. Tie a bowline in the end of the cord and slide bicycle handlebars through the bowline loop. Put the hang grips on the handlebars.
Step 7
Cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood 14 inches long and 8 inches wide as a footrest. Use 1/8-inch bolts and pipe brackets to secure each end of the footrest to the risers. Place the rowing seat on the rails.
Tips and Warnings
- Finish the rowing seat with foam padding and vinyl upholstery fabric.
Things You'll Need
- 3/4-inch plywood
- Circular saw
- 1-inch threaded steel pipe
- 1-inch elbows
- Pipe wrench
- 1-inch standard tees
- 1-inch union
- 1-inch pipe flanges
- 1-inch wood screws
- Screwdriver
- 2-inch PVC pipe
- Hacksaw
- 4-inch pulley
- 2-inch PVC elbows
- 2-inch PVC standard tees
- PVC primer and cement
- Electric drill
- 1/8-inch drill bit
- 1/8-inch carriage bolts with washers and nuts
- Hex wrench
- Cast iron weights
- 1/4-inch braided nylon cord
- 3-inch diameter flat washer for 1/4-inch bolts
- Spring snap hook
- Bicycle handlebars with hand grips
- 1-inch pipe brackets
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