How To: DIY Concrete Dumbbells Made to Last (PLUS Drop Test!)

Trouble finding dumbbells? Let's build some DIY Dumbbells out of concrete!
➡ Concrete Dumbbell Molds: bit.ly/3v7m6nW
Dumbbells are a staple in home gyms. But, they take up a lot space, cost a lot to buy and even more to ship. To fix this problem, were going to make concrete dumbbells via a do-it-yourself method. These are a fun project that with a little time and creativity can end up being used for nearly every workout you would use regular dumbbells for. Bench press, curls, and even goblet squats.
Let's do it!
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[@Rockerrobin]

Water First! Makes mixing way easier. Cement is very corrosive wearing gloves is Highly suggested. Concrete burns are not a fun time and can dig nice holes in you skin down to the bone if untreated. If you did end up burning you're hands use a vinegar & water solution to neutralize the alkaline burns.

[@commissarvigil4806]

Thanks for the advice

[@declineofthewest.]

You’re referring to hydraulic cement burns

[@maxcourtney3067]

@@declineofthewest. no this is for all concrete. the portland in concrete can and will leave chemical burns if not washed off. some people will even develop allergic reactions to it as well. I have had Irritant Contact Dermatitis and it's not fun.

[@chriswiggins4842]

also use a cardboard with hole in it to stableize the handle at ninty degrees then fasten cardboard to side of foarm to hold steady

[@aurelienyonrac]

Yes. I learned the hard way. It's amazingly painful.

[@ben_the_me1037]

Coop is starting to maybe kinda actually a little bit sort of look like he might lift. Making progress coop.

[@GarageGymReviews]

This is the kindness I like to see in the world.

[@mrbabajidee3133]

🤣🤣🤣 im still deciding

[@KenanTurkiye]

How heavy were them cementbells? He's throwing them up like cottoncandy.

[@KenanTurkiye]

@@ben_the_me1037 I know, I know and you did great with that. I just verbaliesed my impressed demeanor with what I saw. ;)

[@KenanTurkiye]

I believe he deadlift 1500 lbs, no?

[@tomislavg9590]

Here are some protips from my experience: -why buy molds when plastic buckets are so inexpensive, if it breaks, no big deal -on handles, just make some serrations, its way easier and it will hold just fine (same as construction rebar steel) -metal corrodes from sweat, cut some pvc pipes and put it over the handle before making second end of DB -you don't need silicone to tack handles into place, use hot glue (way cheaper) -alternatively, if you make plates for DB/BB, use a round bucket to make plates and use piece of pvc pipe as inner sleeve. -you don't need wire/rebar for for concrete if you mix your own, sand+gravel and cement in 3:1 ratio is hard and strong if cured properly -mix in water carefully little by little until the concrete sticks to your fingers, that's enough water -use (kitchen) digital scale to get accurate weight of mix you put in the mold --if mixed like described, final dry concrete will lose 5-10 percent of the starting weight (water which has not chemically reacted with cement) -different batches of concrete will always lose different amount of water so always make pairs of components from same batch to get even weights -don't do let it dry outside in the cold and wet weeather, concrete will be weak and it will crumble -concrete gives away dust and can chip/crumble so you need to strengthen the surface, use a paintbrush and coat it with sodium silicate solution so that it gets into the surface and let it dryout, cheap solution and works great

[@tomislavg9590]

@Rubi They are ok if you are making loadable DBs (like I did) but if you stick them in wet concrete, they will absorb water and swell and then later fall out when they dry and shrink. Metal handles also have nice sturdy feeling in hand

[@ElijahPrivetteRealEstateVlogs]

How would you make these dumbbells heavier? 110+?

[@BRUTUSPLAC]

@Rubi ONLY OLD SCHOOL SHOVEL handles - ( avg $17 today) i have 9 from my father in law and they are at least 40 years old, BETTER than the replacement handles of today

[@tomislavg9590]

@@ElijahPrivetteRealEstateVlogs For 110lb (50 kg) DB you would definitely need some iron, lead or something like that. If you can get your hands on some solid metal bars (eg. car drive shaft from scrapyard, like I did) to cut handles from it and/or pieces to put into concrete, that's nice addition of weight. Average concrete density I usualy get is only about 2,2 kg/L (far from ideal, of course), dumbell would be simply too big and unusable for anything but perhaps single hand bent over row. If you are making plates for barbell its ok to make larger/bigger diameter plates. About 50lb (20 kg) is max size practical for various exercises (bicep curl, overhead press etc).

[@stephenthompson1338]

Sodium silicate,I'll have to give that a try,I use two part truck bed liner,so far and it has been working great since this covid bullshit started and I am pretty hard on the plates and dumbbells but the bed liner is expensive and is the most costly part of the whole thing

[@jamescanjuggle]

"We're men, we dont ask for help we do it ourselves" and by that we mean we look it up on youtube instead xD

[@johnharrison5656]

10-4

[@maxpsanchu7386]

First day impressions:It arrived in a waist high box. kzbin.infoUgkxP26Tir6n60vUkdtn4mbwhRO8cwuJQNy2 Each dumbbell was in its own foam box within the shipping box. Everything was secure and in good shape. No weird smells. The weight changing mechanism is really smooth and straight forward. Changing weight is really fast and easy. Though the handle is plastic, I don't think it will be breaking anytime soon. So far pretty impressed after my first session with them. I was afraid they were going to be too wide at first, but I didn't have any issues with them while doing upright rows.

[@turkishdelight6032]

Would love to see drop tests on all the adjustable dumbbells currently available to consumers

[@GarageGymReviews]

I would too. I'm in the process of getting doubles of all the ones we have to drop test them.

[@amfitness5598]

Just get ironmaster...there is a YT video where they drop them down an elevator shaft still function like new.

[@lesnuitssanskimwilde883]

It's pretty obvious none of the fast changing ones won't last long with that treatment. Why would you do that?

[@BRUTUSPLAC]

@@lesnuitssanskimwilde883 THAT is why yuo see THICK rubber coats dumbbells in the gym I love my stall mats 3/4 " for years drop 100- 150 lbers on them no nothinf

[@superchile9640]

I had the cheap one from Academy and one of the weights fell out during use. Glad I had rubber pads and that it didn't land on my foot.

[@whiskeybravo91]

Although water does evaporate from concrete mixture during the curing the process since it's an exothermic reaction, it's actually not that much. Coop said to add 49 lbs to get a 45 lb plate, that's so wrong, your mix is way too soupy if that's the case. Most bags recommend using a quart or 2 of water, so 2 lbs of water max. Assuming all the water evaporates (which it doesn't) you'd need 47 lb of wet mix.....I've been messing with my own concrete plates so far and +10-20% water weight seems to be my sweet spot. So use the recommended amount of water (every bag and mix is different), and assume 10-20% of that water weight will evaporate, which is actually pretty negligible. Also I know we're all men, but lime doesn't care and will burn your skin, wear gloves or wash any concrete off your skin pretty fast, use vinegar for any burns that you may get. Lastly, I used my muscle gun to help vibrate the sides of the form, it worked great :D. - A civil engineer

[@HickLif3]

If you need them to be more “soupy” there are also additives to make them flow better without compromising the strength if it’s needed but a proper vibe with something like an orbital sander will make it flow pretty well and remove bubbles. For something like this fiber would be better than wire or rebar also

[@thomasr1051]

This is the comment I was looking for

[@papis2002]

When he started scooping concrete with his bare hands I realised I'll listen to coop for any gym equipment related advise, but not anything related to DIY lol

[@kevinbowman2577]

I knew you were an engineer as soon as you mentioned bitch mittens🤣 Just a construction labor foreman givin you hell

[@whiskeybravo91]

@Kevin Bowman hahaha fair enough. Before I went to school though I was a pipe-layer and suffered many a concrete burn from not wearing my bitch mittens, must be my sensitive skin 😂

[@BrooksyTech]

Coop: "Home depot is better" -Uses concrete bag sold at lowes.

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

time is money and the amount of time it takes to make a poxy 20kg dumbbell u could of just worked a few hrs overtime lol, but its fun regardless and more accessible for people with no jobs

[@kymathewteixeira1195]

There sold at Home Depot. What a waste of a comment lol

[@marshallschaefer9632]

the bags are legit the only concrete bags i see at home depot

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

@@HunterKPersico u don't

[@flyingmunky1982]

I'll bet using one of those theraguns that's collecting dust somewhere would be perfect for getting bubbles out!

[@kschaub62]

That's actually a great idea. His little taps did nothing.

[@DBinCT]

Haha I came here to post the same comment! Theragun would have been very fitting

[@stephenthompson1338]

The old lady's super vibrator would do a better job than coop,with dollar store batteries

[@rossporter9972]

DT level but what if you painted these I feel like that would last along time you could even use the floor epoxy to do it

[@stephenthompson1338]

@@rossporter9972 I use truck bed liner spray,rocker panel paint works well too and is a bit cheaper

[@chronicpatriot740]

Well Coop obviously heard some of us complaining about the price of some of the newly reviewed equipment. Thanks for throwing some cool DIY and inexpensive equipment videos in lately. Great channel!

[@ahxed_]

I’ve literally just found your channel like three hours ago and all I did for the past three hours is watch your videos. Great content so entertaining.

[@galinswigart]

"I think they're going to be stronger than I think" -Coop

[@colossalbreacker]

I'm pretty sure he meant stronger than he would have thought before making them but yeah I thought that was funny too.

[@zacleng7805]

I've just found this channel and it's amazing. Just a quick tip. Always clean your tools. When I went to work with my Dad and Uncle in the summer they always emphasised that clean tools are happy tools and they'll last longer as well. Also when concrete goes off the water doesn't evaporate it forms hydrate crystals with the chemicals the concrete is made of. Also Also, make sure to wash your hands because the crystal formation is an exothermic reaction and it can burn you of you leave it on your skin for too long.

[@andrewchristman8523]

That garage quite possibly the size of our house. Well earned Coop! I’d love to see you own a warehouse that could become a museum of sorts with everything you have reviewed. Walking tours would start with, “A history lesson on the modern swole.”

[@iloqin]

Me: Yes another Coop Vid! Wife: Is that the guy who looks like he doesn't work out?

[@Theovonclips011]

you should spray them with flex seal to make them more durable/look better

[@HickLif3]

Bed liner would work too

[@jeremy_c9163]

Coop: "I think they're going to be stronger than I think" 🤣🤣

[@captainperson282]

I'm making plates for the first time and I found a rubber mallet helps a lot with getting air bubbles out and when releasing the concrete from the molds

[@brianhickey5949]

That's a ton of work! Maybe a weekend project. I think I might stick to my Yorks, but thanks for the fascinating project!

[@angelzors]

This is the earliest I’ve been to a coop video drop 🙌

[@RogaBigCalves]

I have the plate mold from sticks and stone. I weigh the concrete before the water using a two bucket method for plates and it comes out pretty accurate (consistently hit 45.0 on the scale after drying). I go about a half pound light since I add chicken wire, the insert, and coat in plastidip.

[@Suredude1]

Just discovered your channel and want to say I find the videos very entertaining and helpful

[@BarbellSanctuary]

Those look Great! I'm planning on making some with old coffee cans but leaving them on for durability. And dumping lead weights in to make them heavier. Great vid Coop! Keep em coming.

[@paddington1670]

thats a great idea

[@lwh7301]

If you need to buy lead to fill coffee cans, you might as well just buy a real dumbell.

[@zachkieri1185]

Coop, as a man who worked with concrete for years I beg you: please use gloves 🧤 (prayer gloves)

[@kschaub62]

Not a fan of dry hands??

[@josephmoore7403]

Not a fan of concrete poisoning?

[@cbjueueiwyru7472]

Came here for this comment. Concrete is basic and will burn skin

[@KenanTurkiye]

Coop wears a knurled wedding ring.

[@brandonhoover2120]

They sell some for like 60 a pop on rogue.

[@stevewilliams2895]

to get bubbles out you can use a reciprocating saw (adjustable speed one at a low speed is the best) take the blade out and just put the shoe against the side and turn on the saw, the vibrations push the bubbles out quite well, theres also professional vibrating tools that do the same thing but in a pinch recip saw is great

[@15minuteworkout20]

What a cool diy project!

[@chris_harshbarger]

I am a Christian, husband, father, and a veteran. All of which I love however, I wish I loved anything as much as Coop loves seeing new equipment.

[@JohnLowry]

I would use a percussive messager to shake out all those bubbles.

[@farkelfrnk]

Dude, you are so funny and real, keep it up!

[@mrdiyguy123]

Hi there. Great idea and great job. As an fyi, the concrete you mixed with water is wetter than it needs to be. Your cured concrete would be stronger if you had used less water. Another thing that is common with concrete is to use a stick to go up and down in the form to release air and cause the liquid to fully contact the form. Again, I love the idea... Also, if you blew compressed air between the cured concrete and the plastic form the form would likely release with surprising ease.

[@jacklasalle9575]

Thanks for making these! :)

[@capt3320]

Flintstone vitamins have prepared me for these dumbbells.

[@johngorbin9219]

Post the fitness reality power cage review

[@HickLif3]

Fiberglass or another kind of concrete fiber would be a perfect alternative to using the wire or rebar. It's used pretty often with atlas stones. Also, take a random orbital sander without sandpaper and hit the sides of the mold with it to vibrate it.

[@woden__]

Muscle recovery massager can do the same thing aswell

[@HickLif3]

@@woden__ i don’t have one so I didn’t think about that but it would definitely work.

[@jamesnm21]

Rebar adds weight for a more compact/useable product though. I put 20ft of rebar in a single 55lb dumbell which shaved about 3 inches off it's overall length. Steel is about 3.5x heavier than concrete. Good idea on the fiberglass mesh tho. I'll probably add some to my next dumbbell.

[@poutineoperator2325]

These just make you look stronger. I might make some to boost my self esteem 😆

[@alfonsodauria6124]

What a patience. You are super Hero

[@TheAndrewch]

I thought I had no interest in this, then I watched the video. Excellent work.

[@ratemyweights]

Could you make a concrete weight stack to make a home made lat pull down ?

[@JamesPhillipsOfficial]

The best weighing method is pour in the dry concrete into the bucket, forget about the added water because as the water dries out, you get the original contents blended

[@stixandstone]

That is in the instructions that he tossed in the beginning of the video 😂

[@JamesPhillipsOfficial]

@@stixandstone 😂

[@michaelrachmiel8709]

Great video, LOL! Keep them coming.

[@Deathstroke3K]

To make it easier to get the air bubbles out, you can use a blade-less reciprocating saw, press the blade-less side against the sides, and vibrate the air out of the molds.

[@paddington1670]

a bent 3" nail stuck in the end of a drill and use the side of the drill if you dont have a cipsaw

[@rodolfomedini9931]

Coop decorates his yard with DIY gym equipment.

[@stixandstone]

He actually uses our concrete plates as stepping stones to his backyard gym 😂

[@rodolfomedini9931]

@@stixandstone I saw that... For the shed gym.👍

[@michaelm9871]

Don't those screws push all the wire ties down to the bottom when inserted at that point in the process?

[@ElijahPrivetteRealEstateVlogs]

Sorry I missed what you said. How would you make these dumbbells heavier? 110+?

[@addisoncrumbie82]

Hey Coop, do you think you'll do any more prime fitness reviews? I'm considering the prime single stack

[@creepincat7399]

We're the wire rings bigger then the handle bolts?

[@TheCarterHomeGym]

Hey Coop, how much did the other dumbbell weigh?

[@Ten05design]

I think I'll add a larger diameter pipe, fill the pipe with lead shot (and sprinkle some in the concrete as well), use fiber reinforced concrete, and plasti-dip the heads to see what kinda franken-bell results.

[@griffinlepore6486]

What was the weight of the second dumbbell? Was it close to the first one?

[@Joe___R]

If you use a little parchment paper taped to the inside with double stick tape it would release easier but you will still want to spray it before filling with a release agent.

[@j-fluencer]

Very interesting!

[@keegan6974]

You should try to spray it with flex seal for a nice Color rubberized coating

[@rogerbingman9370]

Have you ever reviewed Tytax T1-X Home Gym? Curious about your thoughts.

[@riffdex]

Hey Coop can you do a video about rebranding barbell weight plates with your own logos? I have some branded plates (rubber coated) and I’d like to at the very least paint over the current branding (would black spray paint be a good idea?) and possibly spray my own logo onto them. Not exactly sure what I’m doing here and don’t wanna mess them up

[@typer2909]

Didn’t realize til recently how hard it is to find these in store, glad my dad gave me his gold gym dumbells

[@MrMrbigglesworth]

Any comments or initial thoughts on the new rogue monster cave? It just dropped and there seems to be little about it on the web.

[@codyhelms8572]

Go to your local tire shop and ask for some of the old wheel weights they have pulled off. I'm a mechanic and I've used them with great success in making concrete dumbbells. Just a tip and Great video!

[@musicfrendlii96]

Coop I bought the Stix and Stone oly plate molds after seeing your video months ago. One thing to get exactly the weight you want for your concrete weights is to measure the dry amount of concrete mix. After drying then curing, all water weight is gone so whatever you are left with is just exactly what you pre-measured. Also, I use a fishing scale to weigh the mix + sleeve minus the bucket weight, super handy. We knurl everything!

[@keving7805]

Pretty sure the concrete mix retains some, or most of the water weight

[@stevencuellarart9495]

Very cool

[@brolyui4484]

Yay now the diys are on fire

[@sysofadown7213]

I love your stainless steel workbench. What's the make and model? Thx c00p!!

[@josephwasike5281]

Thanks but how do i access this moulds ?

[@Killersofdirt]

COOP!!! Try getting a tamping rod!!! When creating cylinders to test concrete quality that’s what we do and for a slump test we tamp it

[@SimonLi]

Have a full set but watching to support 🔥

[@zachkieri1185]

This will sound weird but a good way to get bubbles out on a smaller concrete form is an old school bullet shaped vibrator with a prophylactic held on with a rubber band to keep it clean. Just turn it on and move it through the concrete for a few seconds at a time. Don’t do it too long or all the aggregate will settle on the bottom. You basically use a much larger version of this setup when pouring and setting larger concrete forms

[@girlsdrinkfeck]

10:50 dont u have one of them vibration plates u stand on for muscle tone ? the OnLY use for them lol

[@JanSobieskiIII]

You can find rusty nails and screws to make the mixture even heavier. Farmers and Craigslist sometimes have buckets and buckets of ‘em.

[@DannyOuellette22]

Were you able to match the weight of the first Dumbbell?

[@patrickmontgomery2890]

I wonder if there is a useful coating material for these.

[@richlimme]

Making concrete plates was a fun project but is a very laborious job. I did this last year and made 8 plates of 45's and 25's. Would I do it again. I would not. But for the experience, it was worthwhile to have a side project that allowed me to practice my craftsmanship and custom-made it to my own exact specs.

[@lantourismo7352]

Nice diy kit, a spirit level woukd be good to make sure the handles not crooked

[@MadeUpUserNem]

Do the molds have levels to tell you about how much is needed per lb?

[@viracocha03]

I wonder if you sprayed them with Flex Seal or even a spray on truck bed liner if it would make them much more stronger and more safe to drop.

[@briannavas5546]

What scale did you use?

[@johncassidy897]

Anybody that has made these what is it like curling anything over 50 and similar exercises, are the to big and bulky for something like this. Thanks

[@nigelunger5808]

This was a great vid..👍 I always liked the DIY ones you've done , because I have to make sum of these to get by , untill I can buy more real equipment..Lol They'll get the job done tho 💪

[@ronniemoll955]

Hey Coop, So my question is if you were to weigh out 20 pounds of dry concrete then mix it would that concrete weigh 20 pounds when it dries?

[@waris3732]

I think so

[@Rathorevishal-up5oz]

All kg dumbbell mold Where did you get the dumbbell mold? I also want to share.

[@scottb4767]

Coop, you should spray the concrete with that black rubber sealer that is always being advertised on TV! Also what did the other DB weigh in at?

[@flannelflax8078]

“-whichever one you like but home depot is better because it’s orange” you have my subscription

[@alanmoncada3387]

Cuanto mide de profundidad el molde?

[@knightveg]

Always fascinated by DIY because i have no skills whatsoever, But Coop just taking it to the next level, fitness, cooking,DIY, sexual reference in one video Awesome

[@nes999]

You got this. Everyone good at Diying started somewhere. Hell, even starting on trying to fix broken stuff is a great way to get into DIY. Whats the worst that can happen? the item remains broken. Small things can save you a ton. I own a 150 dollar drain snake. The thousands its save not only me, but my brothers and parents is unreal.

[@joaobatistadesouza3319]

No Brasil, existe pra comprar??

[@misterbulger]

You can rub them with grout to make them nice and smooth and coat them with epoxy or plasti dip. If the handle comes loose inject Simpson Strong Tie or Hilti epoxy in there. You may have to chip a little space out but that stuff will be stronger than you made it initially.

[@wew2exp]

Pretty cool diy project. I love the giganticness of them. If nothing else, people will think your lifting way heavier dumbbells than “47’s”. Now can you build a concrete squat rack?

[@ijrebuck]

What scale is that?

[@tony72tony72]

@coop real question is who sells the table?

[@ryanmcdonald4830]

Coop, why is your rack not fully knurled!?

[@27bixler]

Here in México we've been doing these with huge cans of chiles and old metal posts since ages.

[@stixandstone]

For sure! This is just a way to make your set of dumbbells more uniform and easier to keep centered and level.

[@27bixler]

@@stixandstone and odorless.

[@jaybird2564]

You had me on the knurled handles. Thanks for the laugh.

[@jacksherlock3725]

When I made mine I used my theragun to get all the bubbles out

[@bigmarv333]

He got me with the knurling. Lol

[@abxxyz6569]

16:55 What's that tool called?

[@ismailtroxler1]

@7:41, 'Digable Planets,' "Cool Like That." 🎵😄🎶

[@combat_sportsbuff2637]

how can i make a pair of 150's ?

[@davidsouthwick9735]

I see this being more practical for a fixed EZ-curl bar 🤷‍♂️

[@tjgrafiks]

try spraying rubber undercoating on the outside to absorb the sound and pound on the ground

[@stevensanchez4631]

I’m going to wash my hands *never washes hands 😂😂

[@ketoketoketo]

Love the Change Plates in the BG, where are they from?

[@Justin.Cramer]

iheartsynergee.com/collections/plates. The colors seem a bit different, but they are from Synerge

[@ketoketoketo]

@@Justin.Cramer thanks I really liked the colors