The chin-up bar is one of the most overlooked pieces of equipment in a home gym. The importance of the pull-up and chin-up to the development of back strength makes a chin-up bar critical. Fortunately, making a chin-up bar is simple. You can fabricate a ceiling-hung bar that is out of the way until you need it for your exercise, using minimal equipment and not robbing you of any usable space.
Step 1
Locate the ceiling joists that support your ceiling. Use the stud locater or a tape measure, starting against the edge of the ceiling and tapping lightly with a hammer to locate the joists. Mark the locations of the joists for future reference.
Step 2
Determine whether your joists are on an 18- or 24-inch center. This refers to the space between the joists. Drill a 2-by-4 to the ceiling joists with 3-inch wood screws. Use the marks you made in Step 1 to ensure that your wood screws attach securely to the ceiling joists.
Step 3
Attach the 3-foot-long galvanized steel pipe to the 90-degree elbows with pipe cement. If you have access to a professional plumber, secure his services to thread the ends of the pipe. Thread the 90-degree elbows onto the ends, but double the security of the connection with the pipe cement.
Step 4
Attach each of the 6-inch-long threaded pipe nipples to the other ends of the 90-degree elbows. Use pipe cement to firmly secure the threaded connections.
Step 5
Attach a threaded pipe flange to each of the 6-inch pipe nipples on the threaded ends with pipe cement for added security.
Step 6
Use 3-inch wood screws to attach the pipe flanges to the secured 2-by-4 you have previously attached to the ceiling joists.
Step 7
Paint the entire structure the same color as the ceiling to minimize the visual interference the chin-up bar may create.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider hanging your chin-up bar in the top of a door frame by shortening the length of the main pipe, in order to facilitate pulling higher during your chin-ups.
Things You'll Need
- 4 2-by-4s
- 4 to 6, 3-inch wood screws
- Power screwdriver
- 3-foot piece of galvanized steel pipe, 1-inch in diameter
- 2, 6-inch galvanized pipe nipples with threaded ends, 1-inch in diameter
- 90-degree elbow joints for 1-inch galvanized steel pipe
- Pipe flanges
- Pipe cement
- Stud locater and/or tape measure
References
- "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training;" Mark Rippetoe; 2007
- "FM 21-20 Physical Fitness Training;" Department of the Army; 1998
Member Comments