setting up a pully

[cheesegator]

I am thinking of hooking a pully into my ceiling and making my own style of gym or maybe two pullys one for each arm. I will probably put some kind of cardboard under the weights so they don't come slamming into the concrete but can this be dangerous if I don't use the right pullys / screws? most pullys I see don't say their weight rating at home depot.

 

[Bushytails]

Safe rigging is a complex topic, but a general rule of thumb is that if it doesn't have a SWL, WLL, etc on it, DON'T USE IT! Any quality product will be rated with its safe working load/working load limit on it, stamped or forged (not painted, stuck on a sticker, etc), on a non-wearing part. Any item without this can be assumed to be untested import crap, and not safe to use for any application where people or property could be harmed by its failure.

You will also need to consider the strength of your roof joists - the pulley arrangement will double the applied force, so if you're lifting 200lbs, you're applying 400lbs to the ceiling. Installing a heavy board between 3-4 joists and screwing to this is strongly advisable over attaching directly to a single one.

You should use eye bolts that have a nut on the back, and a suitable fender washer under that nut. Don't use the lag screw variety - they may rip out of the wood well before their rated weight.

--Bushytails