How to Make a Loading Pin

You can use a loading pin with many assorted handles for different exercises.
I made this originally for my Rolling Thunder handle, which will be another instructable very soon.

Step 1: Get Your Parts

Pretty simple setup really:

I used one 3/8" eye bolt, 4" long, rated to 325 lbs. Cost about $1.50

One 1.5" by 6" nipple, as its called in hardware terms.
Just a threaded 6" long pipe, 1.5" inside diameter. Cost me about $4.00
I used 1.5" diameter pipe because my gym's olympic plates have a 2" inside diameter, so these just fit.

One 1.5" floor flange, which cost about $10.

One 1.5" cap, which cost about $3.

All of this was purchased from home depot, I'm sure if you look around you could find a better price for most of it.

I drilled a hole through the cap with a power drill and a 3/8" drill bit.
Then I put some epoxy on the threads of the eye bolt just to make sure the nuts didn't get a mind of their own and start to unspin, and attached it to the cap.

Step 2: The End!

You simply leave the floor flange attached to the pipe, unscrew the cap, load on the weight plates, and put the cap back on!

I have a rock climbing carabiner that I use to attach this loading pin to whatever handle I see fit. Make sure you're using a load bearing carabiner though, otherwise you could probably drop something on yourself. And that's never a good time.

Your average commercial gym probably has 10 or so different handles for the cable stations, get creative! Or check out my soon-to-be Rolling Thunder handle for one-handed deadlifts.