Make a practice throwing weight

**Alan H** · 8th January 12, 11:00 PM

Here's a 28 pounder I made for my nephew in about 2 hours, when we were down there for Christmas. I did have access to their drill press, it made drilling the holes in the plumbing riser that serves as the grip in the handle, a lot easier. However, I could've drilled it by hand, if I'd had to, if I'd had a vise to hold the pipe. You might want to use a high-quality drill bit.

EDIT - 3/10/12...Turns out that I don't have these pictures any more, I deleted them from my camera chip. Let's see what I can't hunt up online...

You can often find old 1-inch weights for free or for pretty cheap on Craigslist. In my experience, in time, 1/4 inch non-welded or cast eye bolts slowly open up when used for this. However, the 3/8's eye bolts last a long, long time.

**Thomas H** · 9th January 12, 08:28 AM

That is a Great Idea ,I have pondered over how to make one my self.
and it just keeps coming up the price to make one as to buy one .

Yours looks geart , Thanks for the picture

**o1d_dude** · 10th January 12, 10:02 PM

The two threaded pipe joints cry out for cotter keys.

Otherwise a noble effort.

**Alan H** · 11th January 12, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by o1d_dude

The two threaded pipe joints cry out for cotter keys.

Otherwise a noble effort.

Big cotter pins. Why didn't I think of that! That's brill.

**Kinetikat** · 18th February 12, 04:45 PM

Wow, I guess I just managed to accidentally re-invent the wheel!
I was thinking about making my own throwing gear, and suddenly thought "aha - weight plates, threaded on to some sort of big bolt thing, a ring or d-ring for a handle, and high strain nylon rope instead of chain... hmmm..."

I come here, all fired up ready to share my wondrous invention with you all, and what do I find... OF COURSE somebody else has thought of it already...

Heh. Nothing new under sun etc etc.

**Alan H** · 28th February 12, 12:22 PM

I blitzed my google account because of impending changes in their privacy policy and I see that my picasa albums went away, as well. I'll repost the pictures elsewhere, soon, and revise the links.

**LitTrog** · 28th February 12, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

I blitzed my google account because of impending changes in their privacy policy and I see that my picasa albums went away, as well. I'll repost the pictures elsewhere, soon, and revise the links.

Goody! I was counting on making mine this weekend. You just saved me from violating the good book's main message...

Don't Panic

**o1d_dude** · 28th February 12, 10:34 PM

This was a 56# WOB I made a number of years ago.

The final photo is my 28# LWFD training weight. I later removed a few plates and converted it to a 25# weight that I now use more than any other.

For some reason I cannot find the photo series I did for the 28# WFD. I'll keep looking.

**Alan H** · 10th March 12, 09:45 PM

o1d_dude's pictures illustrate how to make a stacked plate weight, which is cheap and easy, for starters.

If you know a welder, it's not THAT hard to make a single-piece weight, which honestly is not very different at all from what is used at many Highland Games.

Look at this picture...

**Alan H** · 10th March 12, 10:12 PM

The upper weight is stacked plates. The lower one is a single piece of steel rod, probably 7 inches in diameter and 6 inches tall. I bet that's a 42 pound weight.

Here's what you do....find a metal store, or an ironworker. DON'T buy this stuff online. The price for the actual steel rod online is not that bad but the shipping more than doubles the price! So hunt this down, locally.

To make a 28 pound weight, you will want a piece of 5-inch diameter 1018 cold steel rod...that's the least expensive steel. Cast iron works fine, too but costs a bit more. If the store doesn't have 5-inch, but has 4 inch, then get the 4-inch stuff, you'll just need a longer piece. Have the store cut off a piece that weighs about 26 pounds. If it's a pound heavy or light, don't worry about it, this is a PRACTICE weight.

Get half a chain link. Orchard Supply or Lowes or Home Depot have them lying around, in the chain bins. Get one that's not hot-dip galvanized.

Take the half-chain link and the steel cylinder to the welder and have him/her weld the link to the top of the cylinder, in the middle. Voila! There's your weight!

While you're there, you might see if the metal shop or welder has any 6-7 inch diameter steel rings, you'll use that for a handle.

If not, then have the metal shop cut a 3/4 inch slice off of the end of a piece of 6-inch or 7-inch radius, thick wall pipe. Ta-Daa!!...costs about two bucks, and after you file down the hard inside corners, makes a great handle. You can also wrap part of it with a mess of duct tape, that softens the corners on your hands, too.

Attach the handle to the weight with two anchor shackles and a quick-link and you are set forever...