Second Bar for Home Gym - Opinions?

[John Hanley]

I hate you. Once I accumulate enough Amazon points I'll probably get something similar to this..

I also have a Makita impact driver. It's amazing. Get a selection of good impact bits and an impact-rated socket set. Then, spend your days fastening shit. All day. Every day. Alienate your wife, pets, and friends. Your job performance will suffer, but that's okay; you're fastening. The wife will kick you out of the house, and you'll take up temporary residence in a run-down trailer park. Where you will fasten shit like a motherfucker. Brenda, you meth-abusing trailer-neighbor, will be impressed by your fastening skills. She will introduce you to meth. Which will allow you to fasten with a hitherto unimaginable energy. This is your light cone. This is peak Manveer.

[murphyreedus]

Not just pliers. Pliers wrench.

Not as useful as knife wrench

[Chris McCarthy]

I've used an Eleiko to knock in nails.

True story, if one that involved just a teensy amount of Beer.

[hollismb]

I was thinking something like the Texas Power Bar would set the mark for "super aggressive" based on what I've heard. Both my wife and I agree that the knurl on the B&R 2.0 is very comfortable (not sure why it would chew up your hands @Aaron Montgomery, unless it changed from 1.0 to 2.0).

Is knurl on the OPB somewhere in the middle? I've not handled either the TPB or OPB, so my judgment is purely based on internet research.



This is the other direction I was thinking. I'm between:

- OPB or similar used mainly within the rack and B&R 2.0 used for pulls and outside the rack - probably the more versatile option

- B&R 2.0 used mainly inside the rack and a 28 mm used for pulls and outside the rack - helps more with the wife's deadlift and fast lifts

Have you considered any of Rogue's 28.5mm bars? Ohio/Rogue/Chan/etc? Still thick enough for general use, but thinner for easier grip, knurl the same as the B&R, and no center knurl to shred your throat. We have two black oxide Ohio bars and one B&R 2.0, and the Ohio bars still get the most use.

[manveer]

I also have a Makita impact driver. It's amazing. Get a selection of good impact bits and an impact-rated socket set. Then, spend your days fastening shit. All day. Every day. Alienate your wife, pets, and friends. Your job performance will suffer, but that's okay; you're fastening. The wife will kick you out of the house, and you'll take up temporary residence in a run-down trailer park. Where you will fasten shit like a motherfucker. Brenda, you meth-abusing trailer-neighbor, will be impressed by your fastening skills. She will introduce you to meth. Which will allow you to fasten with a hitherto unimaginable energy. This is your light cone. This is peak Manveer.

I like where this is headed. Do you think meth will improve my tap test score? Also, how do you know I don't already live in a trailer park? Are you following me?

[Dave_M]

Manveer - I'll text you to come by the trailer and check out the OPB sometime. Your meth is on me. Brenda will have to get her own.

I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing the following, in this order:

1. Impact driver
2. Ohio Power Bar
3. 28 mm training bar

Still not sure on #2 & #3.

[iamsmuts]

Manveer - I'll text you to come by the trailer and check out the OPB sometime. Your meth is on me. Brenda will have to get her own.

I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing the following, in this order:

1. Impact driver
2. Ohio Power Bar
3. 28 mm training bar

Still not sure on #2 & #3.

If you need extra Makita batteries, the cheap Chinese knock offs from Topbatt or Topblatt, something like that, aren't bad. I haven't hooked them up to a voltameter, but they drive the tools. I can notice a little less power on the Makita vacuum, which I don't recommend. But they power the driver, drill, and chainsaw just fine. (Yes, I have a battery powered chain saw. It's awesome. I can sneak up on my victims and have it running instantly. . . . I also have an Ego battery powered weed eater. I love it. It's very powerful and well balanced.)

I have a shelf of Makita shit now. Most of it plugs in. I've been consistently impressed with their stuff, apart from the vacuum. (I can't find a good vacuum. . . ) I do like my DeWalt saws though.

I ripped out a bunch of peg board from my cinderblock garage. I filled a bucket with tapcons. The battery was still reading 4/4. I was a little sad there weren't more screws to take out.

[Dave_M]

The impact driver bit was a joke, but iamsmuts is repping Makita hard.

Have you considered any of Rogue's 28.5mm bars? Ohio/Rogue/Chan/etc? Still thick enough for general use, but thinner for easier grip, knurl the same as the B&R, and no center knurl to shred your throat. We have two black oxide Ohio bars and one B&R 2.0, and the Ohio bars still get the most use.

I actually really like the idea of a SS Ohio Bar for the price vs. other SS options like the American Barbell option Hanley posted.

I'm not a fan of Rogue's 28.5 bars

Why not?

[John Hanley]

(Yes, I have a battery powered chain saw. It's awesome. I can sneak up on my victims and have it running instantly. . . . I also have an Ego battery powered weed eater. I love it. It's very powerful and well balanced.)

I have a shelf of Makita shit now. Most of it plugs in. I've been consistently impressed with their stuff, apart from the vacuum. (I can't find a good vacuum. . . ) I do like my DeWalt saws though.

You're as much of a tool-whore as I am.

I had an Ego mower, trimmer & blower. They were great, but customer support sucked balls, so I switched back to gas rather than investing more in their system. I've read there's a Honda-Ego partnership in the works. That would change eveything.

What kind of vacuum do you need?

Why not?

Just a weird size.

[iamsmuts]

You're as much of a tool-whore as I am.

I had an Ego mower, trimmer & blower. They were great, but customer support sucked balls, so I switched back to gas rather than investing more in their system. I've read there's a Honda-Ego partnership in the works. That would change eveything.

What kind of vacuum do you need?

I need an indoor vacuum for the house. Wood floors and rugs plagued by three cats. I have a small 6 gallon Rigid shop vac. (Should have bought a bigger one, but it does the job. Cheap.) I'd use it inside, but it's just too damn loud. I have the Makita handheld. The inner filters get clogged up too easily, especially if I vacuum ash from around the stove. I did abuse it a little during renovations. After cleaning it works OK. . .



I bought a Miele Classic C1 Olympus a few months ago. It has good suction, but the plastic bits are too fragile. One of the tabs that holds the front piece on broke already. And the hose threatens to kink. I just don't see it lasting very long. And the bags are too expensive. I guess I should have bought higher up in their product line. But damn it these things are too expensive. . . . I wonder if the Henry vacs are better.

I have almost no yard, so I just have the weed eater. I hope I don't need to talk to customer service. Honda. . . hmmm

I forgot, I also have the 18v Makita reciprocating saw. (It's a beast, but it turns out a simple razor blade was better for cutting up carpet though.)