MYOG (Make Your Own Gear)

[Serenity]

I know I'm not the only Rebel whose interests include Instructables. I also play around on the Backpacking Light forums and they have something I'd love to see here: a Make Your Own Gear sub board. I suggest we have a really busy thread and get one started! ;-)

[Anivair]

Like fitness equipment? I have plenty of stuff made at home. Maybe I'll get some pictures up.

[Serenity]

One of the mile markers I remember from my Mom's aging is the point at which she stopped being able to open jars on her own. So it's frightened me a bit when over the past year I've experienced not being able to reliably open every jar from the grocery store. I decided that part of the problem is that I no longer open as many jars as I once did so what I really need is more practice.

I went to Home Depot last weekend and got four PVC fittings, all in the 2" range (Basically I stood at the bins and put together a stack of interesting pieces which fit together). When they are all stacked up I have a press fit joint, a threaded joint where the two pieces are the same outer diameter, and I have a threaded joint where one piece is a cap that fits into another.

The stack lives on my coffee table so that any time I am watching TV I play with it. I have gotten things stuck together too tight a couple times but that's becoming less frequent. I haven't woken up with muscle soreness after playing but in terms of progress I have found that there is a point where the threaded point squeeks -- that used to be too tight and now I can undo it.

I'm looking forward to the next jar of olives to see how I'm doing IRL!

[Serenity]

Awesome Anivair -- I'd love to see what you've made.

[---]

Yes, please post pictures! It sounds cool, but I'm having trouble visualizing it.

Today, I did a twofer! I like listening to music while I work out, but I don't have an MP3 player with long battery life. So, I took a old phone with MP3 capabilities, set it to airplane mode, and loaded it up with music. Voila: rechargeable MP3 player. Then, I took a page out of Lifehacker's book. I took one of my old socks and cut the toe out, then slipped it over my arm and folded it over my new hacked MP3 player. It makes a nice, snug armband cradle!

[Elastigirl]

One of the mile markers I remember from my Mom's aging is the point at which she stopped being able to open jars on her own. So it's frightened me a bit when over the past year I've experienced not being able to reliably open every jar from the grocery store. I decided that part of the problem is that I no longer open as many jars as I once did so what I really need is more practice.

I went to Home Depot last weekend and got four PVC fittings, all in the 2" range (Basically I stood at the bins and put together a stack of interesting pieces which fit together). When they are all stacked up I have a press fit joint, a threaded joint where the two pieces are the same outer diameter, and I have a threaded joint where one piece is a cap that fits into anothe

The stack lives on my coffee table so that any time I am watching TV I play with it. I have gotten things stuck together too tight a couple times but that's becoming less frequent. I haven't woken up with muscle soreness after playing but in terms of progress I have found that there is a point where the threaded point squeeks -- that used to be too tight and now I can undo it.

I'm looking forward to the next jar of olives to see how I'm doing IRL!

Great idea! I have lousy grip strength and would lve to improve it.

MY ideas:

I use a rolling pin and those fpam tubes off of paint rollers instead of foam rollers

Fill up buckets with gravel for weights

took my sons old sled, piled bricks on it and use it for sled pull

[IfItPlugsIn]

Like fitness equipment? I have plenty of stuff made at home. Maybe I'll get some pictures up.

Any chance you've made a metal squat rack?? My husband is getting a new welder delivered this week. A squat rack is a major want for me right now, and it would be a good project for his new toy. I've seen a lot of plans out there for wood ones, but I really want a metal one that will match my current bench.

[Raincloak]

Instructables is the shit (in a good way). Except for things like that homemade Snickers bar recipe ... that's just lethal.

I've made my own small sandbags, out of Ziplocks, gravel (okay it's not sand, gravel is less messy) and duct tape. They're about like medicine balls, but not round. When I get a suitable backpack I'll load it up and try working out with weights on my back.

[Sambalina]

I took one of my old socks and cut the toe out, then slipped it over my arm and folded it over my new hacked MP3 player. It makes a nice, snug armband cradle!

Thanks so much, Celidah! I am totally doing this - I left my arm band back in NZ and have need too cheap/lazy to look for and buy one over here. This just solved my problem

I make ice packs out of large ziplock bags and dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent (it freezes more like a gel).

[Serenity]

So I posted pics of the PVC Grip toy. See here: https://sites.google.com/site/serenityami/home/myog

[---]

Nice! Thanks for posting!

[Ghost]

I made a slosh pipe, that's simple and effective way to make a dynamic weight.

And a pullup bar from trampoline parts and nothing else, it's awesome.

[Elastigirl]

One of the mile markers I remember from my Mom's aging is the point at which she stopped being able to open jars on her own. So it's frightened me a bit when over the past year I've experienced not being able to reliably open every jar from the grocery store. I decided that part of the problem is that I no longer open as many jars as I once did so what I really need is more practice.

I went to Home Depot last weekend and got four PVC fittings, all in the 2" range (Basically I stood at the bins and put together a stack of interesting pieces which fit together). When they are all stacked up I have a press fit joint, a threaded joint where the two pieces are the same outer diameter, and I have a threaded joint where one piece is a cap that fits into another.

The stack lives on my coffee table so that any time I am watching TV I play with it. I have gotten things stuck together too tight a couple times but that's becoming less frequent. I haven't woken up with muscle soreness after playing but in terms of progress I have found that there is a point where the threaded point squeeks -- that used to be too tight and now I can undo it.

I'm looking forward to the next jar of olives to see how I'm doing IRL!

Went to the hardware store and bought my own fittings. I can't wait to play!

[SirEarl]

Tennis Ball Hat

Quite simple. Works like a paddleball, but you have to use your hands instead of your face.

-Stab tennis ball with screwdriver

-Tie/tape elastic tape onto screwdriver

-screwdriver through the already made hole, and then knot the end so the elastic tape doesn't come off

-remove screwdriver without the elastic tape

-attach elastic tape to hat(you can stab a hole in the bill with a screwdriver if you don't have a snapback-type hat.)

That one is a professional style one. The one I made is extremely makeshift and doesn't look good at all!

-a handful or two of pennies(yes, I have finally found a use for pennies!) in a ziploc bag

-insert handful of pennies in the center of a ziploc bag half full of rice

-toss conglomerate ziploc bag into an old sock

-wrap the non-chunky part with a rope(I used speaker wire because it was the only rope-like thing available) and zip tie the rope and sock together

-toss funny looking zip tied sock in another old sock

-zip tie the very end of the outer sock so it holds up

-create a loop at the end so that you can hang said slip bag

Heavy Bag(for those who live in apartments)

I use a 30lb slam ball, but here's a DIY one

-tie one end of a basketball net off. Make sure it is very secure. I left some extra cord to hang and act as a "body". No resistance, but at least there's something to aim at.

-insert ball in basketball net

-hang net on a door frame pull up bar

-wrap old blanket around the net and ball

-cover it up. I use my school backpack. I pretend like the straps are a person's guard, and the rest is free game.

Tornado Ball

Instead of wrapping up the med ball and hanging it up, you can choose to attach a thick rope to the net and use it as a tornado ball.

[leadchipmunk]

Tennis Ball Hat

Quite simple. Works like a paddleball, but you have to use your hands instead of your face.

-Stab tennis ball with screwdriver

-Tie/tape elastic tape onto screwdriver

-screwdriver through the already made hole, and then knot the end so the elastic tape doesn't come off

-remove screwdriver without the elastic tape

-attach elastic tape to hat(you can stab a hole in the bill with a screwdriver if you don't have a snapback-type hat.)

I could see that ending with me having a couple black eyes. Looks like fun though.

What about the shovelglove, surely it fits in this category. It is the most simple form of making your own gear, by using something in a way it wasn't designed to be used. I haven't used it yet, but I know a few rebels do.

[Kat C]

Practically all my equipment is home made-I learned from my martial arts instructor. At my house, I have a 6' landscaping timber and an assortment of cinder blocks and bricks-with a shorter landscape timber (~3ft) I can make a dumbbell. I also have a homemade kick/punching bag made from an old army duffelbag, old clothes and rope hanging in my car port. They aren't pretty, but they work and the best thing was they're free.

Can also use milk jugs filled with H2O or sand for kettlebells...works pretty good.

[Amazon Grimm]

I made a pair of stands to hold my barbell up to the correct height for deadlifts, even when there isn't enough weight to raise it naturally. They also stop the deadlift from rolling. (My floor isn't level.)

I'me gearing up to build squat stands and a bench next.

[Amazon Grimm]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4800[/ATTACH]

Squat stands and most of a bench from Homemade Strength.

[HansBraggart]

that sounds cool! i want one of those!

One of the mile markers I remember from my Mom's aging is the point at which she stopped being able to open jars on her own. So it's frightened me a bit when over the past year I've experienced not being able to reliably open every jar from the grocery store. I decided that part of the problem is that I no longer open as many jars as I once did so what I really need is more practice.

I went to Home Depot last weekend and got four PVC fittings, all in the 2" range (Basically I stood at the bins and put together a stack of interesting pieces which fit together). When they are all stacked up I have a press fit joint, a threaded joint where the two pieces are the same outer diameter, and I have a threaded joint where one piece is a cap that fits into another.

The stack lives on my coffee table so that any time I am watching TV I play with it. I have gotten things stuck together too tight a couple times but that's becoming less frequent. I haven't woken up with muscle soreness after playing but in terms of progress I have found that there is a point where the threaded point squeeks -- that used to be too tight and now I can undo it.

I'm looking forward to the next jar of olives to see how I'm doing IRL!

[67alecto]

last winter, I made an inverted row station with a ladder and a bo staff. I also used that same bow staff and a resistance band attached to a door to make a lat pull-down station.

[alan713ch]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4983[/ATTACH]

I made my own set of parallettes. Was pretty easy.

[Sea Level]

I made my own set of parallettes. Was pretty easy.

After reading about your experience, I'm going to have to make some of my own!

[alan713ch]

Found this. Will have to do some of the stuff he shows here

http://www.rosstraining.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=157

[Archer]

I made my own plyoboxes for 20" box jumps, and made a 20 pound medicine ball by cutting a slit in a basketball and filling it with sand, then wrapping it with duct tape. I made pull-up and dip bars with galvanized pipes and pressure treated 4x4s, anchored into the ground with 6 bags of concrete. You can see some of it on the right:

[esteel]

OMG that is a really badass picture