Home-made smith machine safety catch

[xuerebx]

Hi all.

I've got a smith machine which doesn't have safety catch / spotter blocks, and I've been thinking if I can create something very simple which I can either (i) insert in the vertical frame's holes, or (ii) some form of block which sits at the bottom of the vertical rod - as per the circled red areas in my photo. I could also buy something but I can't find anything (not from US, but I still can't find anything anyway).



Just looking for ideas, I think there can be something simple I can create or buy. Thanks!

[James]

Can you take it apart? I'd just slide a heavy wall pipe on guide rod long enough for the top to be where I wanted it to stop.

[xuerebx]

Can you take it apart? I'd just slide a heavy wall pipe on guide rod long enough for the top to be where I wanted it to stop.

The idea is good, I just don't trust my execution of it - wouldn't know how to take it apart. Maybe if I can find a pipe which I can "slip" on, somehow.

[mgil]

Do you need the bottom hole? If not, some sort of short safety pin with an offset could be engineered.

[xuerebx]

Do you need the bottom hole? If not, some sort of short safety pin with an offset could be engineered.

Nah I don't need the bottom one. Could you show me a pic so I can understand what you mean please?

[Hardartery]

I don't really have much experience with Smith machines of any variety, but, is there some reason you couldn't use a sling/slings around the bar?

[mgil]

Do you need the bottom hole? If not, some sort of short safety pin with an offset could be engineered.

Nah I don't need the bottom one. Could you show me a pic so I can understand what you mean please?

Please excuse the crude phone drawings, but it would just be something fashioned out of plate and bar stock that would be something akin to an extended J hook to catch the bar. But the hook would have to fork to go around the linear support.

[mgil]

I don't really have much experience with Smith machines of any variety, but, is there some reason you couldn't use a sling/slings around the bar?

This would work too. Just loop some ratchet straps around the top crossbar and then set them so that the are just under the rom you need. Kinda like what they do with monolifts.

[Hardartery]

I don't really have much experience with Smith machines of any variety, but, is there some reason you couldn't use a sling/slings around the bar?

This would work too. Just loop some ratchet straps around the top crossbar and then set them so that the are just under the rom you need. Kinda like what they do with monolifts.

They are one of those things that when you see them you think "Of course! Why the hell didn't anyone think of that before? Where were these things when I was competing and hating on the unuseful safety bar heights on the racks. Those and the spotter arms for Bench. I can't believe I didn't come up with that myself back then so that I could stop working for a living and afford to just train based on the money coming in from the invention.

[xuerebx]

@mgil - that setup you drew up makes sense - thanks I get what you mean now. Having said that....

@Hardartery - that's such a simple, genius solution!! Definitely the easiest and can be set up in a few minutes.

https://gauciborda.com/product/ratchet-tie-down-s-s-2/ found these, I'd go for the cost effective "5.60m X 35mm" (2000kg max load) option, realistically I won't "drop" the weight, I just go down slowly + it's a smith machine not a free weight barbell dropping from a height, so it should be enough.

I can't pay you royalties though since you didn't patent the idea

[xuerebx]

I (well, we, a friend helped me out) did it!



Tested it out seems sturdy. I'm not dropping weights from a height so it should be fine.

Thanks man, all credit to your idea!

[mgil]

Good stuff!

[Hardartery]

I love it when a plan comes together!