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PDA SKUNKWORKS™ Skunkworks - a group of people who, in order to achieve unusual results, work on a project in a way that is outside the usual rules. Skunk Works is a term first coined in 1943 by Lockheed, currently trademarked by Lockheed Martin and widely used in business, engineering, and technical fields to describe a group within an organization given a high degree of autonomy and unhampered by bureaucracy, tasked with working on advanced or secret projects. The legendary Skunk Works is the birthplace of many famous aircraft, such as the U-2, SR-71, and F-117. Strengthgineering, LLC Superior Solutions By Design™
There are several items on this page that do not have cart pages in the website directory. There is a reason - they are only available to PPCs as a "Thank You" for their support. The offers for these items appear in the PDA BULLETIN. These items are not available to the general public, first-timers, etc. All companies are not driven by the "greed of the order" but instead by a mission focused on the achievement of the build and gratitude toward and appreciation for those who make it possible.
PDA builds a lot more items than we advertise. We consider nothing unusual. Many projects stretch the imaginations of those who have been accustomed to accepting what they can get instead of ordering what they need. We offer this Skunkworks page as a sampling of what we can and have created. We hope it conveys the correct impression that the Ironhorse™ website is not your typical site - it is more like Area 51. We encourage PPCs to think outside the box. And consider - these are peeks at items we are willing to disclose. Unannounced items continually pop up on our site without advance notice. Many more remain known only to those who take the initiative to order.
The Hulk Dumbbell Caddy
Lifters have been asking us for dumbbell spotters for years. Steve Sorensen (NJ) happened to ask when all of the tools were in place. Here's the core of the discussion as it developed:
"We are defining this project as: providing a means to
take off and return loaded DBs. We are excluding hanging anything from the
body at the waist (it only takes a second of the wrong motion or positioning
to cause injury) or anywhere else, or for providing a forearm support. The
obvious and unnecessary limiting constraints of the hook concept are the
width of the grip (hook and DB both), taking grip space with the columns and
hooks, and having a part of the device between your hand and the grip thus
creating a potential pinch point.
The patent for an existing spotter expires 2014, but does not matter at all.
We have reviewed the existing patent details to be sure they would not
conflict with our design concept. They are very specific and of no
consequence if one drives building from the fundamentals instead of
deriving the solution from how it can be built.
Our take is that .... Then, whether Standard or Olympic sleeved, any grip
diameter and any loadable DB with non-revolving sleeves can be handled.
There is nothing in the grip area impinging on the lifter. There are no
restrictions with regard to grip length or grip diameter. There are no
non-functional plastic, etc., components.
We realize that this will not apply to fixed weight DBs. Fix weight
implements are contrary to our basic philosophy, so this is a non-issue. We
simply do not buy into the fix plate or hex DB concepts since they are
inflexible, non-versatile, and wasteful on several counts. (We understand
that fixed DBs fulfill a very narrow list of needs. However, they create
more problems than they solve. If one chooses to use them to solve one
problem, he has to be ready to live with the other problems he has
self-created.)
Our concept is .... The orientation of the hooks throughout the ROM is
maintained by your hands on the grip, but without making contact with your
hands and avoiding a potential pinch point. They can be placed on the
sleeves in addition to collars or in place of collars.
...
We see that other spotters run $40- $50 plus S&H on ~5 LBS in chrome plated
carbon steel and plastic and only fit grips up to 1-3/8" diameter. The claim
that they will "fit" thicker diameter grips with a Velcro attachment is a
bit of a stretch of the imagination, and a significant reduction in the
integrity of the definition of fit as well as a significantly lower standard
of performance criteria. The plastic and Velcro parts will last a few years
with regular use. The remainder will last until corrosion sets in. If they
are used heavily, the plating will thin and/or chip. All of the components
have a limited life."
********* So, Steve initiated the Hulk project. Steve had some dumbbell caddy hooks made out of chromed wire with some plastic. They were too small to fit the 1-1/2" diameter grips on his Rockys. We were aware that there were existing devices that allowed you to hang your DBs so you can take them off and replace them rather than trying to precariously muscle up a heavy set, but had never seen or touched one. The limiting factor was the grip diameter - a shortsighted design concept. We felt nothing should be in that area anyway and that they should be self-supporting rather than held by your hand. If you're working hard you cannot possibly rely on safely being able to do double duty with you hands at all times. And, it is simply inappropriate to design in a potential pinch point.
Here's what Steve had to say: John, Had a chance to try out my "Hulks" the other day. They worked out real nice for me. I like using 'Hulks" as the only collar on the dumbbell. I just lay them on the ground when I attach the weights and make sure that both "Hulk" hooks are hitting the ground when I place them on the dumbbell bars. From there I simply hoist them up onto my Olympic bar supported in a power rack. I had 87 pounds on each dumbbell and it felt good-nice and balanced. I will probably be selling my "Iron Master" quick change dumbbell system on ebay. Each dumbbell is supposed to go up to 120 pounds. Since a lot of my training takes place in a commercial gym I always found it surprising when I trained at home, how strong I was on my dumbbell movements. So I decided to weigh my "Iron Master" plates. Low and behold none of the plates are accurate in weight. The 5lb. plates are only 41/2 lbs and the 21/2 lb. plates are only 2 pounds. To many this would not make a difference, but I am very technical with my training. At 46 years old I have found that details make all the difference when trying to make any kind of improvements in strength and conditioning. I have been training now for 30 years and still find small ways to improve. I would like to thank you and PDA for being as picky about your products as I am about my training. I am glad I found your company. Too many companies today just mass produce crap to meet their dollar quota. I commend you for not being one of them.
Sincerely,
Steve Sorensen
Current production Hulks are shipping in Standard and Olympic models and in conventional (they simply lock to the DB sleeves) and Copernicus (they lock to the DB sleeves and lock the plates to the DB and one another for a true dead weight) style. Hulks are built specifically to fit the largest diameter plate that one intends to use. They are not stocked at present since we do not have sufficient data to firmly establish stocking criteria. However, they are built off stock components and have been shipping in under 2 weeks. The common sizes so far fit 8.25" OD dimes and 11" OD quarters.
Above: Standard Copernicus Hulks
(SHULKC) for 8-1/4" diameter Standard dimes mounted in the outboard
position.
Above: Standard Copernicus Hulks
(SHULKC) mounted in the inboard position.
Above: An upward view of the PDA rack. From the bottom: Partial view of Shrug Bar resting on RSPIN handles on the outside of the rack, an Erector Set with bench, an array of Mobius pulleys, and a pair of wrist rollers mounted on the front of the rack with a Mobius between them. The side-to-side oriented Mobius arrangement provides the path for the pullover arm (not shown). The Erector bench is simply dropped down to vertical by removing the head pin to provide back support for the pullover. The pressing bench provides the pullover seat. A waist belt anchors the pulloveree to the rack. The Mobius between the Thug2 and the Apollo rollers, either alone or combined with the Mobius placed higher behind and with the same orientation and alignment, provides for seated rows, pulldowns, and similar overhead work. The front roller/Mobius combination is mounted on a single strut and hung on the rack as a one piece unit by LINCs to RSPINs. The rollers are 18" long. The components are nested by GINCs on either end of the strut. Each component has bearings and they are separated by appropriate spacers so they freewheel individually and do not float from side to side when in use. The rollers are stored as shown, with a rubber band or bungee retaining the rolled up strap, when not in use. The assembly unit can be installed or removed in well under a minute by one person for access to the straight chinning bar (up and behind, not visible from this angle). The underbelly of the Erector bench reveals the solid oak core and two of the three bolts in place for the Parallax Integral Retainer (IR).
Above: A frontal shot of the PDA rack. The Erector and Erector bench are set as shown for reverse hypers. A 13" high cube provides the step up to and slide on to the bench. An Ironhorse Velcro Harness (VH) allows an easy step in and step out of the Erector without assistance. The sleeve of this Erector was cut to fit between the preferred width adjustment of a Boris mounted about 2' above the deck for low push ups and reverse pushups. The Intermediate length revolving angled grip Paul Bunyon Log Bar (PBLB) with HD collars rests on PDA J-hooks and fails to the RSPINs below. The PBLB provides good loading capacity and sufficient J-hook and safety pin clearances while being relatively easy to manipulate into and out of the rack. The bench is positioned as shown for pressing. The Erector column is swung up to the outside and bungeed in place in seconds so there is no possibility of interference while pressing. We note the J-hook and pin clearances of this bar are similar to those of a conventional spec Olympic bar used inside one of the larger framed, 48" on center, racks. Welded plate vs. HD collars would provide about 3" on each side. An Intermediate Plus PBLB would add 3" more on each side, and a full length bar approximately 3" more than that. [We find the Intermediate HD clearances are just fine for pressing and pulling in practice however, we have also evaluated them in depth. For consideration, using the rack shown, assume the worst case scenario of a pressed spec Olympic bar instantaneously failing only on one side and at full extension. If the bar is pressed straight up and the left side fails completely while the right side remains at full extension, on average there must be at least 58" between the inside collars for the failed side to catch the pin without striking the plates. Spec Oly bars have 53" between the inside collars. For the larger span racks the clearance deficit is even greater. So, never mind that spec Oly bars are not the best or safest tools for pressing, pulling or squatting. They simply are not dimensioned for the worst case. However, note that this one-sided, or unilateral, failure, particularly at full extension, would only occur in the highly unusual situation of the shoulder or arm literally breaking. That would mean something else "unusual" had been going on, but let's stick to the realistic equipment issues. In point of fact, pressing (and pulling) failures usually occur proximate to the ROM midpoint and are not instantaneously unilateral. Rather, one side starts to fail and the other follows, consciously or unconsciously, intentionally or unintentionally, acquiescing, such that the pin landing is pretty uniform with each side striking at very close to the same instant. And, the failure is pretty much one dimensional, up/down. A couple of inches clearance on each side will be sufficient for pressing or pulling. Squatting is a different issue, as you know if you have ever had to bail out. One side can come down rapidly, generally to the front of your centerline, at any point in the ROM including at full extension under steam, and since you have pivoted the bar across your back, the other side goes up in proportion. The windmill effect is more than the sum since the two sides are suddenly in opposite 3D motions. As soon as you realize everything has gone haywire, you get out from underneath and as fast and as far away as possible. The noise is enough to get your full attention and send your adrenaline thru the roof. It is not unusual for the conventional bar to end up with the plates fully outside one pin and just the outside of the other sleeve hung on the other pin after the plates struck first. So, there are three core factors: the pivot, forward lean, and the space between the inside collars of conventional bars. The solutions are unconventional but on the PDA shelves. The Ironhorse full Olympic length bars take the first step with 66.5" between inside collars for pin span, thicker grip sections for greater comfort across the back, and wide knurl patches for greater control. However, the pivot potential is still there and forward lean at loss of control, as well as wrist discomfort from a relatively high straight bar, are still issues. So, lower the grip section and yoke the bar properly over the back and we're home free, ready to squat back. For the average trainee, the camber drop must be more than double what anyone else has built just to be effective. It cannot be just a whisper of camber so that it can be called "cambered." Trapigator guys require even more camber and it's easy to measure. The combined criteria factors led to Mephistopheles which combines an adequate yoke to eliminate pivot, wrist comfort due to dropping the grip section, and assured pin safety by stretching the bar. So, for those who insist on squatting occasionally, there is a safe way.] Naturally, the Shrug Bar is not left in the position shown during pressing. It is hung on the handles of the pressing failure RSPINs as shown for storage between workouts and to accommodate dressing into the Griffin harness. The Shrug Bar has a full 1-3/8" diameter frame and grips, HD collars, and PDA prototype Jackson-style aircraft quality needle bearing revolving sleeves. Revolving sleeves are not recommended for Shrug Bars nor most other bars. They were put on this bar because it happened to be in the workorder queue at the same time we decided we needed to find out how much it would cost to build revolving sleeves the right way. The Shrug Bar is conventional length and spans the pins as shown. Additional plates can be sandwiched between GINCs on the ends of the sleeves and still allow room for this set up. We do this simply because we have this particular bar. It will be more convenient and easier for most to step up to an Intermediate length bar that would provide ideal loading capacity and sufficient loading without the additional and unnecessary equipment and shipping expenses of a full length bar. An Intermediate length bar is also far less cumbersome and awkward to manipulate when setting it up or moving around, especially getting it completely inside the rack for pulling. Though it may not be apparent, the pressing bench is not in the way and may or may not be positioned as shown when using or storing the Shrug Bar. The near side (back) of the bar is raised so one can step in and under the bar and Griffin before straightening up into the harness while leveling the bar. Upon fully straightening up the bar clears the pins. After stepping back from the rack the harnessed Shrug Bar is positioned according to the directions provided and any width stance desired can be taken. Then it's freehand, perfectly balanced squatting in addition to butt-to-heels (BTH) squatting capability to tear up the lower quads. For those who have not learned to BTH, reduce the weight and hold each of the front rack columns while sitting back and down. The movement and emphasis are reminiscent of the Zane Blaster, but safer since the Griffin load is carried below your center of gravity, not on the shoulders. The back is out of the equation. The load path follows your vertical ROM centerline precisely. The Shrug Bar is placed back on the pins on completion. When it's time to move the Shrug Bar out of the way for pressing, the two rearmost Griffin attachment points are slid around to one side of the bar. The back is tilted up, step under, straighten up as the back of the bar is tilted downward, grab the handles and set the bar off to the side. All of the steel components are stainless steel. The non-steel components are selected for similar toughness. All of these items were driven by safety, effectiveness, and toughness. Calibrated Stainless Steel Billet Conventional Imperial Denomination Plates Made in the U.S.A.
The following is an excerpt from the third edition, dated 7/1/05, of the electronic PDA BULLETIN: "...In this vein, PDA was recently asked to quote on producing one ton of stainless steel plates in conventional Imperial denominations (45, 35, 25, 10, 5, and 2-1/2 pounds). We are proceeding to quote on calibrated polished stainless steel slimline plates. The 45s, for example, will less than 5/8" thick. All denominations will be lip- and hub-less, and will feature an accuracy of +- 1 ounce (that is not a typo), thus surpassing all known requirements. To achieve this end, casting will not be involved at any step in the process; the plates will be machined from billet steel that has been extruded, drawn and cold rolled to form the raw material. The faces will be laser etched in large letters with "PDA", "45 LBS", "a date code", and "ATLANTIS" aligned and equally spaced on quadrants. They will also featured lasered lip and hub lines. These plates are intended for the New England's Strongest Man Contest sponsored and promoted by Bruce Derosier (Guaranteed Fitness) and Bill Kazmaier. Why did Bruce request stainless? For all the reasons mentioned above but, most importantly, because they will be a one-time purchase and will forever weigh what they are supposed to weigh. Additionally, they can never chip or corrode, thus changing weight, or crack like cast plates thus becoming scrap. Why is this all so important? Because they are setting world records and the local Department of Weights and Measures certifies the loads. We expect this exercise to allow us to also price out conventional Standard denominations. We have no intention of stocking these conventional denomination plates - they will be available on a custom order basis, though lead time is expected to be very reasonable. Watch the site for a launch. If you anticipate these might be cheap, please hold your breath and look around - an uncalibrated, chrome, cast and machined 45 runs $76 or more plus S&H. It may take a while to work this out since we're hung up on which font to use for the lettering. Not." We planned on the preliminary block outline font and layout as on the image above, but for the 45 pound denomination. The prices for 45s came in 7/10/05. They were very close, very competitive, so we knew they were accurate. They also took everyone's breath away. The price for two unmarked prototypes came in at $400 each, $600 each with markings. For a quantity of 30, the unmarked price would drop to $350 each. These prices did not include shipping in or shipping out. The client thought he would be ready to proceed if the price was around $200 per plate. We knew that would never, ever happen, from anyone. After all, any calibrated production models cost that much - and they are produced by the thousands. And none are stainless steel, or in Imperial units, and all have non-permanent coatings. If it was easy to do, it would already be done. So, we decided we were going to follow thru on this project ourselves. After all, no one else ever will. What better motivation. That being the case, we decided to eat this elephant the right way - one bite at a time. First, we reevaluated the profile issue. We knew that cast plates have lips, hubs and quadrant flanges to address strength issues since cast plates have a larger granular structure giving them a tendency to crack. Yes, the lips are coincidentally a convenient handling aide, but that is not why they are there. They are there for the same reason the hubs and quadrant flanges are there - because without them there are consistent statistical failures. Ironically, the hubs, lips and flanges make the web area (the "flatter" areas in between) even thinner. And, of course, the thicker hubs and lips make the plates take up about twice the sleeve space required by plates made of strong material. The only slimline competition plates we are aware of were cast also, and they were stainless steel. But, they also had flanges and lips and quadrant lines because they were cast. So the Janus paradox was clear - pricing for the masses required less than optimum materials and methods, and the result was compromised design that, in turn, presented other drawbacks. We were not compromising. Since we were using billet material, we had no functional need for lips, hubs or quadrant flanges. Next, we decided on the lowest denomination we should start with, then build up from there. The 1.25 and 2.5 denominations would be unnecessary and redundant - our 1, 1/2 and 1/4 pound fractional plates could fill the bill for both denominations and still take up less sleeve space. And, all three fractional plates also had distinctly different and easily identified profiles - no reading necessary in the heat of competition loading. We felt strongly about that criteria and there was no reason to abandon it as yet. So, 5 pound plates would be the starting point. Then, we addressed the laser line issue. Functionally, we did not need lip, hub or flange lines. But the layouts made it clear that mimicking them was head and shoulders above not having them. We had started with laser etching because it was available and we had made a quick specification. However, it was, in part, an incorrect choice. Laser workstations are very expensive and they must be kept busy. So, most shops do not have the equipment or expertise to handle our particular application, especially for the larger denominations. So we got creative and dropped back to basics for the creation of the lines. We had already written the calculation program to determine core plate size. We added segments to the program to account for line removal. Problem solved. Next, we looked at the accuracy issue. The shops were most comfortable at being within + -2 ounces on a 45 pound plate (0.0037%, surpassing all known requirements), but most did not have the scales required. That was good enough accuracy on the 45s. But now we were dealing with 5 pounders and we wanted + 0 tolerance. And, again, we did not want to compromise - the plates had to be dead on weight or the tolerance under, but not over. We already had high accuracy scales and calibration weights (which cost more than most scales) for our fractional plates, but 5 pounds was out of range. Also, we had to get within 7 grams (1/4 ounce) to hit the same accuracy level (0.0037%) on the nickels. And, we had to do it without defacing the plate. We decided where and how to remove the remaining excess material, added to the program to determine where and how to do it, and purchased a scale that could serve all of our potential denominations with a resolution of 0.2 ounces (5.6 grams). The scale arrived 7/14/05. Next we jumped on the core material. We put in the workorder to purchase and build thirty of the 5 pound cores. We planned to measure the blanks after sizing to check our program accuracy. Then the lines would be removed and the program rechecked. The material is due in 7/19/05. The next issue was the lettering. This, too, was a problem for most of the shops. Plate size, font and character size, and durability, were all issues. The closest anyone came to addressing the lettering for the 45s was by silk screening. Though the supplier earnestly stated it would be very tough to get off, that did not pass the smell test. We've never seen a permanent coating on any plates. Besides, coatings affect weight and cannot be precisely applied to meet weight. If we were going to have it lettering, it had to be permanent. It had to be forever. Character stamping, as we have always done on our fractional plates, would do in a pinch. After all, all of the plate denominations would be clearly and distinctly identifiable by profile alone. However, quality lettering would be the crowning touch, no compromise. And, we felt we could very likely offer etched characters on our fractional plates as an option. We purchased an etching station. It arrived 7/15/05. We programmed the characters for the nickels as well as all of our fractional plates. The final result will look very much like the template image below except the letters will not be black. We start practicing the lettering on fractional plates next week. The first nickel will be pre-machined this week. We'll check the actual start weight, adjust our computer program if necessary, then set the shop loose to pre-machine all of the cores and perform the secondary machining on one. We'll check the first secondary, adjust if and as required, then have the shop finish secondary machining all the cores and perform the tertiary machining on one core. We'll check the one tertiary core, adjust if and as required, then have the shop finish the tertiary machining on all of the cores. While this is going on we will be practicing on fractional plates with the etching system. When the shop is done with the cores, we'll etch the lettering and calibrated them, stamping them to certify the calibration was completed. We expect the first nickels by 8/15/05. So, we're making 30 calibrated stainless steel nickels without knowing the cost but knowing the result - uncompromised, they will cost what they cost. If they come in costing less than the proportionate amount of the quotes for the 45s, we will know that we did a very, very good job and that no one else could come close. With the lessons learned from the nickels, we'll move up to dimes, and so on. That's the progress of one PDA project over the last few weeks. Don't blink or you'll miss another milestone.
Above: The Plate/Club Tree built for Robert Wall (WI). The short sleeves mount his Ironhorse Clubs. The taller sleeves mount his plates. The unit is polished stainless steel.
Above: The Polished Stainless Steel Olympic Sled built for Matt Gelber (NV). Matt wanted a one-time purchase, not a disposable one. He wanted his sled made of stainless so he didn't have to deal with corrosion. We made the Olympic sleeve removable for convenient storage in the off season. An avid climber, made made his own harness out of rigging. For years we declined to build thick grips that could be bolted on to existing bars with typical grip diameters (too thin). There were too many opportunities for operator error and there were obvious design and fabrication issues. It took the right PPC to ask and we proceeded.
Above: The prototype Hardeee mounted on a stainless steel Ivanko Olympic bar. It was very difficult to build and the result was not good enough. We took a step back, evaluated the issues, solved them and moved on.
Above: The successful Hardeee mounted on the same Olympic bar. This pair upgrades the bar to 1.5" diameter knurled grips. They are precision assemblies that fit like a glove. Hardeee grips are precisely mated to specific measurements, not bar models or general descriptions. They install in a minute and can be shifted wider apart or closer together quickly. Any larger diameter is also possible. Ironhorse Corbels Corbels We've all seen the common wall mounted supports for chinning bars, wrist rollers, etc. The criteria was based on: hold a bar, be cheap, don't worry about the mounting procedure, and no one cares if it needs maintenance, lasts forever, or is structure-friendly. They've always been minimalist fabrications similar to the30+-year old item from Iron Man pictured below.
"That's what we used and it's good enough for me" is not an uncommon attitude. Sadly, it doesn't take into account the ability to change bars, the installed strength compared to the footprint, or the fact that the likelihood of finding one today is about zero. Keith Scarborough (CA) wanted such a set up to go in his new home gym. He wanted it to mount his wrist rollers and he didn't want cheap crap. He had his own bar. We built stainless steel Corbels that were easy to install, made his roller installation and changing quick, easy and secure.
Above: Scar's Corbels were built with proper and easy installation in mind. The knee braces were bored to fit an installation ratchet. The assemblies are polished stainless steel.
Above: Scar's Corbels were built with GINCs on top to make his roller support bar secure yet quick and easy to change. An installation drawing was included. The PDA logo was not part of the drawing - Scar added that on his own.
Above: The finished installation. The bar can easily and quickly be removed to add or change wrist rollers, the wall footprint is minimized, the spacing from the wall accounts for the plates to be used on the loading pin, the material is maintenance free and lasts forever.
Above: The Corbel/Chin Bar/Conn Rod/PDB system built for Jeffrey Deiter, DC (WA).
From time to time, guys ask for plate calibrations. In this case, Marc Chasnov (NY) had a pair of Eleiko 2.5 Kg plates he wanted reduced to 2Kg. We started by weighing in, one at 2581 (0.0324% over), the other at 2574 (0.0296% over) grams. We ran a calc and had the shop grind off the half-size "5"s from the 2.5 designations, and take a swipe off the backside. That left us with 2081 and 2048 gram plates. We then used blind (not thru) perimeter holes to shave the remaining excess. The result: one plate weighed 2000 grams (0% error) with paint. The other we got a bit aggressive on - it was 16 grams (0.6 ounces, 0.008% under) short.
Above: The first prototype of the Chimera mounted on an Olympic ACD.
Above: An Ironhorse Swingbell. John Ciccozzi (VA ) wrote asking about a swingbell. No one had asked about one before, and John wanted one a little different - with a revolving sleeve for Olympic plates. Well, it took a few moments to realize we didn't have to design or build one - we already had one on the shelf. This unit is based on Mobius™ mounted on a stainless steel bar. The Mobius™ is the old York diameter (1.9375") to fit all plates and is located by a pair of stainless steel Standard GINCs™. This set up uses unconventional GINC™ hardware although conventional hardware can be used. The Olympic dime is located by a pair of stainless steel Olympic GINCs™. Cushioned grips top off the assembly. The revolving feature is smooth as glass. Load control, smooth revolution, stainless steel structural components, and appropriate grip treatment - this unit is several steps beyond the old swingbell which was merely Standard plates centered on a dumbbell bar. Copernicus GINCs™ can be used to assure that a multiple plate load locks to the sleeve. The assembly shown will accommodate a 45, 50 or 100 pound plate. If that's not enough, a custom Mobius™ can be fabricated. The core bar can be selected for any length.
Above: One of the earliest concept drawings for the project that came to be named Excaliber™. A client came to us with an interesting concept - a parallel grip pulling bar with multiple sized grips. We already had the Tandem Grip Shrug Bar, but he wanted at least three sets of grips, and a few other goodies. We hammered out the front end engineering agreement and proceeded. As usual, we started with the Criteria and Constraints. Among them, the "median" grip center had to be maintained at the same centerline as it would be on a conventional Shrug or Olympic bar loaded with 45s. The initial grip diameters had to include 1-3/8", 2" and 3" diameters, revolving or solid, and be interchangeable. The grips also needed to index in increments to allow some degree of grip distance and grip height, the thought being this would be somewhat of an equalizer for proportionally larger/wider/taller vs. less large/narrower/shorter lifters. The total maximum load had to be at least a ton. And the kicker, the plates had to be changeable without lifting the bar - no jack, nothing; just change them "right now" anytime. If this seems like a straightforward list, better read it again from the beginning. The front end work was completed on a cost basis. The early concepts were launching pads for brainstorming. When we got done the initial concepts were turned upside down and inside out. And, the functionality was fully addressed. Naturally Excaliber™ will be all polished stainless steel. It will be built on a cost-plus basis. We have no projections of what it might cost and won't know until it is completed.
Above: A photo of one of the many auxiliary bars we have been making. Various pulldown bars (PDBs), rowing bars (RBs), and other auxiliary bars have been sneaking out the back door for years. We realized it was time for an Aux Bar page, so some form of one will be posted soon. The one above was made for John McNulty (MA). Now we've got a few of another model with angled revolving grips in the queue.
Above: A pair of PDBs with ergonomically placed and angled revolving grips.
Above and below: A pair of PDBs for Mike Doyle (NJ).
... In terms of the pulldown bar, is there an advantage to the grips revolving? I am not used to that and am wondering what the price is for the 1-3/8 or 2 inch grip both with and without the revolving grips. Thanks, as always, for being so responsive. Mike Doyle (NJ) Our Reply: It may not be important to you but you can demonstrate the effect of revolving grips for yourself. Cut an empty paper towel roll in half. Mark on the outside 1" stripes 180 degrees apart on the outside of one end of each. Grasp the tubes (one in each hand) with one of the stripes lined up with your index knuckle. Extend your arms to the start of the pull/row, or other motion. Note the position of the inner stripes. Pull in in a natural ROM and watch what happens with the most visible stripes. *************************
Above: Angled revolving grip PDB secured by connecting rods (Conn Rods) to the 1-3/8" diameter chin bar. The chin bar features a full length knurl, machined centerline, and machined journals for the con rods. It fits into Steve's existing cantilever wall mounted chin bar frame and is suitable for wide, medium and close grip conventional chins with the PDB swung to overhead. The entire PDB/Conn Rod assembly can also be quickly removed. The PDB can be switched out for either of the other two PDBs which feature different diameters. Steve Turner (NY) had one of those old wall mounted cantilever chinning bars with a 1" diameter grip. The twists were that the grip bar could be swapped out to a 1-3/8" diameter and Steve already had enough experience to know that angled revolving grips are key, so he presented the problem. We hashed out the details and arrived at an arrangement that would suspend an interchangeable angled revolving grip PDB on a replacement 1-3/8" knurled grip replacement bar. The interchangeable PDBs will have 1.5", 2" and 2.5" grips.
Above: Angled revolving grip PDB in the lowered position for parallel/angled grip chins.
"Installation and operation:
Above: Close up of the PDB/Conn Rod assembly.
Above: The fully knurled all-stainless PDB , chinning bar, Conn Rods and rack mod built for Eric Snell (GA).
Above: The fully knurled all-stainless PDB built for Eric Snell (GA). The center is a fully knurled chin bar with GenII Conn Rods that attached the PDB. The entire assembly rests in custom stanchions that allow the unit to be installed on the top beams of Eric's rack. The Rack Mod allowed Eric to position the bars exactly where he wanted them with respect to vertical height and lateral depth within the rack.
Above: Another fully knurled stainless PDB with custom demarcation lines.
Above: A short pulling handle built for Rick Helley (CA) so he could pull without leg interference. Rick's comments: "I cannot sufficiently thank you for the excellent service, and the unparalleled superb products, that I always receive from PDA. Before discovering PDA, I had long bemoaned the absence of the truly great equipment available in the past; I used to look through old issues of Strength & Health, and literally salivate over the great stuff long gone from the market. Today, however, not only do you offer a large variety of such equipment, your versions of it, such as the Cimota Chest Expanders, are the FINEST ever made. Moreover, unlike any other company I know, you actually manufacture CUSTOM pieces based on customer concepts and ideas; instead of telling people that their ideas are impractical, you go the extra mile and make our ideas REALITY. As a result, I now own a custom-made Vertical Lift Bar and a Short T-Handle that allow me to keep training when I might have been forced to quit years ago. You are the GOLD STANDARD of training equipment designers and manufacturers, and I'm grateful to have discovered you."
Above: The knurled 1-3/8" parallel grip all-stainless PDB built for Josh Wolinski (PA). You can See Josh elsewhere on this page.
Above: The stainless steel Conn Rods built for Jim Jensen (USA) so he could connect 1" ans 1.509" diameter bars.
Above: Pre-rollout photo of Beowolf™.
Above: Pre-rollout photo of Fetlocks.
Above: The first pass at Pythagoras, a rack transformation for standing leg curls. Pythagoras implements assorted components used in Mobius™, Parallax™, and the "vacation package" pictured elsewhere. Among the critical Pythagorean design criteria: 1. Padded heel pad with adjustable height and adjustable lateral placement. 2. Adjustable center of rotation. 3. Adjustable variable resistance.
Above: The knurled 1-3/8 revolving grip all-stainless Land Mine Handle built for David Lyness (CT).
From the Umbra of the PDA Skunkworks
Above: A selection of the previous state-of-the-art Ironhorse wrist rollers. These rollers are all 18" long, are made of stainless steel, and have custom axial bearings for mounting on your power rack pin. These, and their successors (not shown), are only properly made rollers in the world. Everything else is second rate. The roller grip diameters include the 1-3/8" Zeus, 2" Apollo, 2-3/8", 3" and 3.5" Thugs. For most users, smaller diameter grips focus on the forearms while larger diameter grips focus on the grip. All Ironhorse rollers use a mil spec flat strap and come with a snap lock. All Thugs offer a perfectly round roll up. The Zeus and Apollo have a slight hump (1/4") at the anchor point. Most of the rollers pictured have the customary 3' strap which places the roller at shoulder height for most users when attached to a 12" high loading pin. A 12" stainless steel loading pin is shown for reference. The correct roller length (a) allows different sized lifters to use the most comfortable grip spacing and (b) allows a lifter to use different grip spacing to vary the focus on the muscles used. The original PDA designs featured collars for the strap, as shown. We eventually found out that, unbeknownst, someone else had filed a patent application for the use of planar collars a few months before we generated our first production drawing. It then took a few years for the application to process and the patent was indeed granted. So, we had to revise our design, which we have done. As usual, we ended up with a superior concept for controlling the strap. However, since PDA is the first place everyone checks to see how to build things correctly, we will not show photos or discuss details. The only way to see one is to order it.
Above: The Cerberus wrist roller stand built for Paul Manocchio (MN). Cerberus is all stainless steel and rock solid. The material is ideally suited for PDA's rollers with bearings. It was initially intended to mount two rollers. one on each side of the columns. Hence the moniker meaning "three headed dog that guards the gates of Hades". Space considerations altered that criteria to one roller. Rollers are quickly changed out and height is adjustable in 2" increments. Cerberus shipped in two packages.
Above: The VCD (Valentin Chin/Dip) stand built for Maria Valentin at the request of Charles Padilla (NY). The VCD features knurled 2-3/8" diameter handles for parallel grip dips, chins and hanging. Both sets of grips feature 3" increment adjustability over a 1' range. The VCD fits in a standard residential room, is easily transported for change of residence, and shipped in two packages.
Above: The LCD (Lutz Chin/Dip) stand built for Dave Lutz (MD). Dave's stand features his required height and width. Both the chin and canted dip grips are knurled and can be adjusted for height.
Above and Below: Different views of the RCD (Ruggieri Chin/Dip) stand built for Ben Ruggieri (NY). Ben's stand features his required height and width. Both the chin and canted dip grips are knurled and can be adjusted for height. Ben's comments: "Just finished with the installation of the stand and it is great. The stand was so well made that I was able to do a few sets of dips without any nuts or bolts. Excellent work. ... Ben Ruggieri.
Above: The concept drawing for the rack mounted pullover. The POP is plate loaded, cam and belt driven, with seating height options. The cam was designed by Arthur Jones.
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