Reply With QuoteNo, the damn things need to be even on the bar. Take some rubber off, but don't do it on the edge of the plate that contacts the platform, for obvious reasons.
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Modifying bumper plates
Has anyone tried modifying bumper plates to alter the weight?
I have Titan bumper plates and a pair of Rogue hi-temp 45s. They are all very consistent (typically 0.4lbs low, but each plate the same as the other, according to my bathroom scale) except for the 25lb Titans (24lbs and 26lbs each). The Hi-Temps are 44.4lbs and 45.6lbs each.
Other than drilling holes in them, or "shaving" them with a plane or something, I haven't come up with any ideas. I don't want to damage them.
It doesn't bother me that they aren't 100% accurate, just that the plates aren't even.
Or, am I just being bothered by something that doesn't really matter?
TMPHBITEU
No, the damn things need to be even on the bar. Take some rubber off, but don't do it on the edge of the plate that contacts the platform, for obvious reasons.
Member
I sure didn't realize that bumpers are calibrated.
I wouldn't alter any plates for that difference. I would even things out with fractional plates if it's really noticeable.
If using 185# I would load the 24 with the 45.6 on one end. The 26 and 44.4 on the other. You would be off 0.8# which is probably much closer than most commercial gyms except maybe WFAC.
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Thanks, Mark.
It was bothering me enough already (a little OCD and a little ignorance) that the Hi-Temp plates are smaller diameter than the others. Nothing I can do about that, though.
TMPHBITEU
You didn't know that bumper plates are calibrated? What do you think they use in weightlifting meets?Originally Posted by Lost and Found
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I assumed it was like iron plates. Expensive plates have tighter tolerances and expensive plates are used in competition.
Are LjsIII's Titan and Hi Temp bumpers used in competition? (he admits a contributing factor is OCD)
Rogue lists their Hi Temp bumpers at +/- 0.5 pounds
I just wouldn't start shaving/drilling weight off bumper plates based on bathroom scales and a non-competition setting when they can be put on the bar as even as tolerances allow or with a fractional plate for the OCD. But if shaving off weight makes you train better then by all means drill away.
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The OP referred to the Titan house brand and the Rogue Hi-Temps. Neither of these are IWF or IPF approved competition plates which is why they cost half as much. Last I checked, "training" plates (which are not calibrated) cost about $5/kg and "competition" plates are $10/kg.
The rep "training" plates claim a +-3% tolerance. Other brands claim a +-1% tolerance. Titan makes multiple lines of plates some of which are guaranteed to be very close to accurate or they will be replaced (They seem to be at competition tolerances even though they are neither IWF nor IPF). The "economy" Titan plates don't even specify tolerances.
The Rogue hi-temps claim a +- 0.5lb tolerance so the OPs are "in spec" assuming their scale is showing 0.1lb heavy.
However there seems to be a much bigger problem here.
As the OP mentioned, the 25s are Titan and will be a full 450mm but the Hi-temps are 445mm. If you load these together to deadlift, the Titan 25s are going to hit the ground first when you put the barbell down. The problem is even worse if you are dropping clean/jerk or snatches from overhead. All of the manufacturers disclaim warranty if you mix regular plates with Hi-Temps for exactly this reason. That 5mm doesn't seem like a lot but those who actually manufacture and sell these things insist that it matters.
For the OP, keep your Rogue 45s and get a matching set of 25s. Then get yourself some cast iron 5s and 10s plates and fractional plates so that you can load in whatever increment you need. Once you get to 205lbs, order another set of HiTemps.
As far as I know you can mix and match brands for HiTemps because they are all made by the same company and just printed with different logos.
I hope this helps.
Member
Thanks for the input, Ed.
Fwiw, most of my plates are from Titan; a set of 10s, 25s, 35s, and 45lb pairs (the package set I bought to start my home gym). The Hi-Temps are the odd ones out, bought second hand.
I was originally just wondering if I could modify plates to get the weight to match more closely.
Now, I'm wondering if I need to worry about my bar being damaged by loading different diameter heavy plates..
Member
You need to worry about both your bar *and* the plates (if they are bumpers). If most of your weights are Titan, you might want to stick with that brand. Although if you aren't happy with them, just sell the lot and buy new (although that can be prohibitively expensive). If you do "mix and match," load the Titan 45s, then the hi-temp 45s, then the Titan 35s so that you still have good weight distribution across the bearings of the barbell. If you are doing a lift of less than 295, obviously, just don't use the HiTemps at all.
If you've ever look at promotional material on low end barbell sets (Think Cap or Fitness gear) they show the weight cantilevered out the whole length of the barbell. Well those barbells aren't very good anyway so maybe it doesn't matter. But you wouldn't want to load weight like that for real because all of the impact gets absorbed in one very small place.
I don't know how much of a mismatch is too much. Mark has indicated that maybe your loads are too far out of spec. although I'm sure they are still more accurate than the shitty plates found in most gyms. I know that I've misloaded a barbell by 5lbs on one side and not noticed. I've misloaded with a 10lb difference and noticed right away.
If I were you, I would weigh each plate (not just the 45s) and make yourself a "load out" sheet for each weight that you might lift so that you get an even load. Maybe your 35s are the same but your 25s vary by a similar amount and you would get a more accurate 205 load using a 45, 25, 10. I think you get the idea. Label each plate with an exact weight. But the point is to make the load out sheet ahead of time so you don't have to think when you are tired and trying to lift the barbell.
Does this help? I'm going to go follow my own advice now. I haven't actually weighed my plates. I have them in pairs (i.e. 2xRed 55, 2xBlue 45, 2xBlack 45, et cetera with one pair each of color and black) and just pair them up by color. It has never caused me problems that I know about. But now I feel compelled to be as accurate as you are. thanks for that.
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