Building a High bar

[altius]

These are the specs from John Hamann, the guy who made ours.

High Bar. Self supporting. Minimum requirements.
Posts:
2 galvanized steel 11’ 9” long square tubing of 4” x 4” x ¼”.
Cap the posts at the top end.
Drill each post with a ½” drill: 4”, 14”, 24” and 34” from the top. These holes must match the holes in the end brackets of the cross bar for the bar to be secured to the posts, so purchase the Cross Bar first. Or drill to suit your own bar heights.

The Cross Bar:
Contact your Local Gymnastics Equipment Manufacturer to supply a 6’ length of 1½” diameter stainless steel cross bar with end brackets to match the size of your posts. Their stock items are longer.

Footings:
Drill or dig 2 holes in the ground 2’ diameter and 2’ 9” deep to suit the length of the cross bar.

Procedure:
Bolt the cross bar to the posts with ½” bolts.
Set the post in the holes near the centre with the cross bar in place.
Check that the posts are vertical and parallel.
Pour in the concrete and check the posts several times for vertical and parallel for each pour.
Allow 1 day for the concrete to set.


High Bar. Supported by steel wires.
Posts:
2 galvanized steel 9’ long square tubing of 2” x 2” x ¼”.
Cap the posts at the top end.
Drill each post with a ½” drill: 2”, 6”, 16”, 26” and 36” from the top. These holes must match the holes in the end brackets of the cross bar for the bar to be secured to the posts. Or drill to suit your own bar heights.
Weld a 10” square ¼” thick plate to the bottom of each post. Each plate must drilled on diagonally opposite corners with a ½” hole so that the post can be bolted, screwed or pegged to the floor/ ground.
Through 2 suitable shackles, thread a 10’ length of ¼” steel wire rope and a 3’ 6” length of steel wire rope, both of which has been looped at each end.
These shackles are then bolted to the posts through the top hole.
A tensioning buckle is then attached to the other end of the short length of steel wire rope on each post.
A 7’ length of industrial chain is then attached to the other end of the tensioning buckle.

The Cross Bar:
Contact your Local Gymnastics Equipment Manufacturer to supply a 6’ length of 1½” diameter stainless steel cross bar with end brackets to match your posts. Their stock items are longer.

Footings:
Dig 2 holes, suitably spaced from the base position of the posts and 3’ wider so that the 2 long steel wires can reach with little slack. Each hole is to be 12” diameter and 2’ 6” deep.
Dig 2 holes on the other side of the bar, suitably spaced as before, so that the chain can reach when the tensioning buckles are wound out fully.
Into each hole is placed a loop, so that the wires and chain can be shackled. The loop is made out of ½” steel 5’ long and bent back onto itself.

Procedure:
Position the loops into the holes so that the loop is 2” above the ground level.
Pour in the concrete and check that the loops are still centred.
Allow 1 day for the concrete to set.
Bolt the Cross Bar to the posts.
Shackle the 2 long steel wire ropes to the loops set in the concrete on the same side of the Cross Bar.
Stand the posts vertically and secure the base plates to the ground/ floor through the 2 drilled holes.
While the posts are held vertically, shackle the 2 chains to the other loops set in concrete through the most secure chain links.
Turn the tensioning buckle until the posts are held securely. As the steel wire rope will gradually stretch, the tension must be checked regularly.


Safety:
Underneath and around the high bar a suitable soft fill material or foam mat must be positioned whenever the bar is used.