Project by Kaizen DIY
Intro & Video
Hello everyone, welcome back to another DIY gym equipment tutorial. This time I’ll show you how to make the Trap Jack.
What is this? And, Why is it needed?
If you have an open trap bar or a rackable trap bar, you probably don’t need this. The trap jack is specifically for closed, non-rackable trap bars. By my estimation, there are thousands of those bars out there and thousands of lifters dealing with the hassle of loading and unloading them without a jack.
Well, not anymore. The Trap Jack stands the trap bar up on its side, making it easy to load and unload.
Instructions
I’ll show you two versions, a simple version and a fancy one with all the bells and whistles.
Ok, one last thing before we get started. I’ll show you the measurements I use and the steps I take. You’ll want to double-check the measurements for your specific bar, just in case the specs are different.
I start with a 1 x 8 and cut it to 22 1/2 inches.
Next, I am cutting the side pieces, these are going to be as tall as the 2x4s, so I use a 2×4 to mark where to cut the first one and then use that as a template for the second one.
Then I cut the 2x4s to 21 inches.
Here are the measurements I used.
I use my combination square to mark the center of the 1×8 and make a line.
I use a caliper to measure the width of the trap bar. This one is 24.9mm.
It’s not very scientific, and I’m sure there’s probably a mathy way to do it, but I mark the board using my caliper width and try to keep it as centered as possible.
I use my combination square to mark both sides and make lines.
These are pretty important. They’ll help you attach the 2x4s in the right place.
I set the pieces up and mark where the corners of the 2x4s hit the top of the 1×8, then draw a cut line.
I use my miter saw to cut. By the way, this cut serves no function and is purely aesthetic.
Clamp on the side piece and put in a couple of screws. Repeat on the other side.
I put the 2x4s in along the lines I marked earlier and a couple of screws on each side.
So far, I’ve been using screws to put everything together, but this thing will need reinforcements.
I use a 3/4” forstner bit to drill some shallow holes along the bottom for the lag bolts.
I add a total of 6 two-inch lag bolts along the bottom.
And then do the same on the sides, adding two lag bolts to each side.
I go over the edges with a round-over bit on my table router, as with most of my projects. It is unnecessary but helps to get rid of sharp edges and looks nice.
Do a quick run with the sander.
When I made the prototype, I realized it needed something to keep the bar in place.
I add a hole in the center for a hitch pin. I use a 5/8” hitch pin and a 3/4” forstner bit.
I want the trap jack to match my Lumberjack, so I stain with Early American color wood stain.
And just like the Lumberjack, I am using my glowforge laser printer to customize it.
I draw up a simple design on my computer and hit the print button.
I am cutting this out of 1/8” birch plywood. I’ll be attaching two pieces on each side.
I paint the top layer black and the bottom layer white to make the lettering pop.
Once the paint is dry, I glue the layers together.
And then attach these to the sides.
It looks amazing
I load it up and take it for a spin.
It works just like an open trap bar; standing upright allows me to load and unload the plates quickly.
So when I use this thing, I keep the jack attached.
Yes, it weighs 7 lbs.
Yes, it does throw the balance off a little bit.
It’s not a perfect solution, but it does make loading and unloading a lot easier.
But if you don’t want to get all fancy, you can make this – my prototype. It is ugly because I used scrap wood from previous projects.
Here are the pieces and measurements I used.
The main difference is 2x4s on the ends rather than the 1×8 with the cutout pieces of plywood.
On the prototype, I drilled holes on each end for hitch pins. Disregard that. Only one hitch pin is needed to keep the bar in place.
And there you go. It’s not pretty but still gets the job done.
Recommended Tools
| Tools: | Link #1 | Link #2 |
| Dewalt sliding miter saw | Amazon | Home Depot |
| Dewalt cordless drill | Amazon | Home Depot |
| Dewalt impact driver | Amazon | |
| Dewalt 20v random orbit sander sander | Amazon | |
| Countersink drill bit | Amazon | Home Depot |
| Socket adapter for drill | Amazon | |
| 7/16 socket | Amazon | |
| Router and table | Amazon | |
| Wood Clamp set | Amazon | |
| 3/4 forstner bit | Amazon | |
| Digital Caliper | Amazon | |
| Digital Angle Finder Ruler | Amazon | |
| 1/4 inch roundover bit | Amazon | Home Depot |
| Glowforge 3D laser printer | Glowforge |
Recommended Materials
| Materials: | ||
| 6ft 1×8 | Home Depot | |
| 6ft 2×4 | Home Depot | |
| ⅛” birch plywood | Amazon | |
| 2.5-inch wood screws | Amazon | Home Depot |
| 2-inch lag screws | Amazon | Home Depot |
| ¼” washers | Home Depot | |
| Early American wood stain | Home Depot | |
| Black spray paint | Amazon | Home Depot |